This is such an exciting time in the history of man! I want to share the history of photography with them, and get them thinking about the POWER they carry around with them – the camera in their phone. Never in the history of mankind have so many had such a powerful tool in their pocket. The 21st c. has seen the explosion of communicating information through visuals. The fact that a high percentage of the population of the world has the capability to transmit images globally in the blink of an eye has completely shifted the way we understand our world. It has been a huge democratization factor, and has changed not only art, but also politics and society.
This week’s Artist of the Day videos centered around the theme of Photography. I wanted to help them find out how to take better pictures, and to think more broadly about the kinds of pictures they might take. Here is the lineup:
- 9 Photo Composition Tips
- A Skydive Photographer in Dubai
- Epic Underwater Shoot, the Key to Success
- How to Take Amazing Animal Photographs
- 7 Photojournalism Tips by Reuters Photographer Damir Sagolj
My student teacher came up with these questions for the students to reflect on after viewing the videos:
- What is one way to improve the composition in your photographs?
- A photographer in Dubai takes photos while skydiving, how can you change the way you take pictures based on your interaction with your settings?
- What might be some challenges and considerations of taking successful photos underwater?
- Micro photography is taking photos of the smaller details in life (like the ant carrying the pink leaf). What objects or organisms would you be inclined to take photos of at the micro level?
- If you were a photojournalist, what story would you want to capture through photos?
Showing our students these viewpoints of professionals broadens their perception of the world. I asked each class how many students were interested in photography, and a healthy number of hands were raised in each class. Photography and video content are trumping text in information dissemination. Helping our students to strengthen their visual literacy is an important skill art teachers can pass on. Enjoy this lineup of videos, consider showing them to your students and use these questions, or come up with your own questions or activities to connect our students to the power of the image.