#4 - Light as the Subject

DUE: Photos Posted to Blog by 9:30am Tuesday Sept. 14. Post (5) Different Works In Progress images of Light.

DUE: Prior to class on Thursday Sept. 16th, comment on at least two students works on the blog. If a student's work already has comments from two students, please comment on another student's work.

Your assessment for this and all future photographic assignments will include both your images and your comments and will be:

Images = 85%
Comments = 15%

For this challenge I would like you to photograph Light as your subject. This is not an easy challenge as light is everywhere! It existed during the day as natural light and at night as artificial light. You can elect to photograph either or both for this challenge. Here are some things to consider.

“You should photograph a thing not only for what it is, but for what else it is”

-Minor White

Assignment

The actual word photography comes from the Greek words phos – light and graphos – writing and that is exactly what you are expected to due with this assignment, write with light. Using your digital cameras, choose a location where the sun is particularly active. This could be early in the morning or even late in the day. It could also be in the heat of the afternoon, it all depends on what you are trying to explain, communicate or describe to the viewer. Choose more than one location and visit them multiple times over the course of the weekend. Create several photographs keeping in mind that the subject matter for this assignment is light. That does not mean that there is nothing else in your photos, it does however mean that light is the key player in your images and if someone were to ask what your photos were about, you would say, Light!

*Your photos do not need to be landscapes as might be suggested from the above assignment, but I do want you to think about what might make a good photo and not just photograph things with light on them. Consider how the light interacts with the subject making some things visible and other things not. Consider shadows and how light might emphasize certain aspects or information in your frame.

Tips

Choose a location that you are either familiar with or that you enjoy going to. The place should be relatively quiet and without interruption so you can concentrate on watching the effects of light and how the landscape around you changes. Be aware of your surroundings and the effect that light has on those objects. Keep in mind that light comes in all forms, so don’t neglect foggy or overcast days or even rainy ones. Light can be intense or even soft, it can be bright or dark. Lack of light is still referring to light. Move around, kneel down, lie on your back, tilt the camera or even stand on a chair. Show us (the viewer) things we wouldn’t normally see or expect to see.

Kinds of Light