The following is a direct copy and has been Pasted in for future reference from the Art of Photography coursework PDF Doc. (pasted in Maroon)
5 – 15 photographs
This project requires you to set yourself an assignment and then photograph it. Based on what you have learnt so far, tell a story of any kind, in a set of pictures numbering between 5 and 15. You could photograph an event that you have researched, or you could choose something closer to home and more accessible or controllable. It could even be something as simple as the preparation of some food.
Keep in mind that ultimately the success of your narrative will depend on how interesting, attractive and varied your photographs are. You might have to work harder with your imagination if you choose a homely subject than you would with something that was inherently unusual. But this, in itself, is an interesting challenge.
The way in which you lay out the final selection of photographs is very important. In dealing with a number of photographs, it is not simply a matter of deciding on the shape and size of a single image. The whole reason for shooting a variety of images is so that, when seen together, they work together as a set. Presentation can help this enormously. Some pictures, for example, need to be big to be appreciated; others can work well if small – see the examples on the next page.
Beyond this, you can create interest between images in the way they are combined. For instance, it might seem logical to place a large photograph of someone making something next to a small photograph of a close-up detail of their hands on the object. However, it might well be more interesting to reverse the treatment, so that the close-up detail is printed larger than life-size, while the more obvious large-scale view is printed small alongside.
You should certainly try to print the results in order to do this. Alternatively, you could sketch a layout very simply. In either case, take one, two or three large sheets of paper (depending on how many photographs you have selected), and arrange the pictures together, in different sizes, in such a way that they tell the story in as visually interesting a way as possible. For instance, decide which is the most important photograph, and think whether or not this should be the first, largest picture in the essay.
Write a short caption under each picture, describing what it shows.
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Equipment
Nikon D4
24/70 – f2.8 lens
80/400 f4/5.6 lens
Tripod
Monopod
Method & Approach
This exercise just happened to coincided with an event and worthy cause for the injured veterans who have served with our forces. The event is called the ‘Ride of respect’ where each rider is asked to pay an entry of ten pounds, this in turn raises funds for The Royal British Legion. The event is now in its fifth year and sees rider numbers approximating ten thousand, each riders money raising vital funds for this cause. The Police, Charity workers and event organisers all perform their duties free of charge which means even more is donated to The Royal British Legion. The event starts at nine o-clock in a small village called Dry Sandford (located just outside Abingdon) and finishes in a small town called Carterton, after the event ride it continues with numerous activities such as local rock bands and attractions.
Please see pictures and captions below.
Note – all pictures have been compressed hence there might be a quality reduction when enlarging.
Picture 1
Caption – The night before the event I went out and took several pictures through various village locations, I also spied out several vantage points along the journey.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f16
ISO 4000
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 116 mm
Picture 2
Caption – A cropped image showing one of the many event signs. The signs were positioned at various roadsides directing the riders throughout the event.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/90th sec
Aperture f16
ISO 4000
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 330 mm
Picture 3
Caption – Flanked by police and event riders, the first group set off. Each new group sets of at intervals of half an hour and each group totals approximately five hundred motorcycles which are all shapes and sizes, at this road junction they just kept coming …. and …. coming …. and …. coming!
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/750th sec
Aperture f8
ISO 400
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 90 mm
Picture 4
Caption – Flying the flag, with matching boots … I hasten to add ‘on fire’
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/90th sec
Aperture f22
ISO 400
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 80 mm
Picture 5
Caption – All shapes and sizes were out in numbers.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f22
ISO 640
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 125 mm
Picture 6
Caption – All are welcome, a group of cyclists performing their part too.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/180th sec
Aperture f19
ISO 1000
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 135 mm
Picture 7
Caption – Just some of the many supporters on the roadside supporting the good cause of this ‘Help for Heroes’ charity ride event.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/500th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 400
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 400 mm
Picture 8
Caption – One of the official flags of the day draped over the back of this bike.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/350th sec
Aperture f4.5
ISO 100
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 80/400 mm
Focal Length 80 mm
Picture 9
Caption – This ride was an English job. The designated roads were not only occupied by motorcycles but by hundreds of people too who lined the streets through the various villages on route. This picture was taken just outside the main runway fence at RAF Brize Norton.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/180th sec
Aperture f16
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 70 mm
Picture 10
Caption – “Biker” – Erre mate? Someone told me there was a motorbike ride happening today?
“Steward” – Duno mate, only burger & chips for sale here!
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f8
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 70 mm
Picture 11
Caption – A female ‘Trike’ rider just about to park up and soak up the atmosphere.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/180th sec
Aperture f8
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 38 mm
Picture 12
Caption – Another rider just arrived, this time a lady wearing an appropriate tee shirt.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/500th sec
Aperture f4.8
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 70 mm
Picture 13
Caption – The final venue, rows upon rows of people & motorcycles.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/500th sec
Aperture f4.8
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 70 mm
Picture 14
Caption – I spoke with this lady for some 20 minutes and it turns out that she too is a veteran and served with our boys, her leg was injured hence the walking stick
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/750th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 70 mm
Picture 15
Caption – Yet another poor sole having forfeited his Sunday dinner for Burger & Chips!
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/180th sec
Aperture f8
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 38 mm
Picture 16
Caption – After a days fun it’s time to go home.
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4
Speed 1/90th sec
Aperture f16
ISO 560
White Balance Setting Temperature 5500°K
Lens 24/70 mm
Focal Length 70 mm
What have I learnt from this exercise
I have learnt from this exercise that to cover an event properly, you need to do some research into the actual event and make a list of notes to work to.
Listed below are the topics I worked with
- the necessity of the event i.e. reason or cause, what charity, is it a charity?
- Event location.
- Number part taking.
- Is there an entrance fee, who is it payable to?
- Find best locations.
- Take before and after pictures.
- The event is not just about the main attraction, to keep the pictures interesting capture other groups of people, families, alternate things happening during the day.
- Make sure your camera & kit are all charged up, lenses cleaned and ready to go.
- Check the weather forecast and pack appropriate clothing, including sun block!
- Get there early.
Thoughts and Reflection
To capture an event like this is quite involved and to cover it with any kind of interest its not just about pointing a camera and taking pictures. I was up at six o-clock and at my first location by 08:00 and here I spoke with many of the crowd who had been here during previous events, I also spoke with an event marshal and this not only got me into the spirit of the event but also provided me with additional information about other things happening throughout the course of the day not advertised.
After the event had started and two of the groups had left I then made my way to several other locations each on the designated route where I took several more pictures of even more riders. Having been to these locations the night before and ear marked them was starting to pay dividends as the clock was now running and there was no time to waste, there was only a certain amount of time I had to get to each of my chosen locations before the roads would become choked with motorcycles again.
I did enjoy this exercise and also the event itself, having done a few edits to the pictures, created an order and now writing brief captions makes me feel like I doing this for a local paper as a journalist …. Now there’s a thought?
stingray493 