Monday September 21 2015 Tuesday September 22 2015
Monday, September 21, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 and Wednesday, September 23 Objectives: To improve use of writing to organize and plan; To introduce images as arguments Agenda: 1. 2. 3. 4. Binder Check Warm Up- Identifying Perspectives web using Cecil the lion Work with Images as Arguments Analyzing Visual Arguments Homework: • Vocabulary study guide and quiz Due Friday
Identifying the Differing Perspectives
Look at this image. What do you think is happening-What is the time period? What is the occasion? What happened before? What is the Tone? How is your own perspective shaping how you interpret this photo?
Identifying the Differing Perspectives -What perspective(s) may be missing? Perspective The Civil Rights Movement and Police Dogs Perspective
The Rhetorical Triangle and Photos PHOTOGRAPHER PURPOSE AUDIENCE TONE STRATEGIES SUBJECT/MESSAG E
Images as Argument • What’s REALLY happening in this image? http: //www. newyorker. com/new-yorker-festival/video-malcolmgladwell-on-the-civil-rights-movement
Images as Argument • The problem with photographs is that they provide selective but seductive evidence: There is always more to the story than the picture contains, but images are so compelling, we can't help but believe they contain the Whole Truth, and that truth leaves no room for embellishment, for mythmaking, for wonder. W. C. Fields once grumbled that perfectly good stories are ruined by eyewitnesses. We're amassing an army of eyewitnesses, one grainy, poorly composed digital image at a time. • Cort Mc. Murray, special to the Houston Chronicle
Analyzing Visual Arguments • Visual arguments use images to engage viewers and persuade them to accept a particular idea or point of view. • Advertisements are only one type of visual argument. • Any argument, visual or verbal, contains 3 main elements: • Claims • Evidence • Assumptions
Testing Claims • Claims are declarative statements that are either true or false, but not both. • An argument is a series of claims one of which is the conclusion or Central Argument you are using as the main thrust of your argument. • In written argument, the Central Agrument is usually stated explicitly as a thesis statement or research hypothesis. • However, in visual arguments, the central claim and subclaims are often implicit. *What is the difference between Implicit and Explicit?
Weighing Evidence • Visual arguments use several types of evidence to support their claims. • Again, the evidence may be implicit or explicit. • They may use: Ø facts Ø examples Ø expert opinions Ø and appeals (Logical, expert, or emotional) • OR • There may be no words at all!
Analyzing Visual Arguments • How does the design of the visual enhance or hinder the argument? • What emotional appeals does the argument elicit, and how? • What ethical appeals make the visual argument credible? Does it call on any authorities or symbols to establish character or credibility? • How does the visual argument make logical appeals? Do words and images work together to create a logical cause-effect relationship? How are any examples used? • What claim/s does the visual argument make? • What reasons are attached to the claim, and how well are they supported by evidence? • What assumptions/s underlie the claim and the reasons?
Visual analysis is ego-driven. The analysis reveals the person making the analysis—not really the photo itself. You analysis is your own reaction to the photo. • What people and/or • • • objects are shown? How are they arranged? What is the physical setting? What other details can you see? What’s going on in the photo? Who are the people and what are they doing? What might be the function of the surroundings?
Viewing Images As you view the following series of images, Your group will have roughly 5 minutes to complete the argument analysis of each photo!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 • Today’s objectives: 1. Define and Understand photography language • AGENDA • Photography language • Homework: • Vocabulary study guide and Quiz due Tomorrow! • Binder Check Tomorrow!
Elements of Photography
Why? • For your photo essay, you will need to create an argument using images. • Unfortunately, just taking pictures of things doesn’t create an argument. • Lucky for you, there are ways for us to do this… • The methods we’ll talk about today are: the “rule of thirds”, leading lines, symmetry, viewpoint, background, depth, and framing.
The “Rule of Thirds” • Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect. • Doing so will add balance to your photo.
Example • Notice how the horizon falls on the lower third line and the lighthouse falls on the far right third. • This highlights our focal points!
Leading Lines • When we look at a photo our eye is naturally drawn along lines. By thinking about how you place lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey "through" the scene. There are many different types of line - straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc - and each can be used to enhance our photo's composition.
Example • How does “line” influence the way the viewer sees this photo? • Why do you think the photographer uses the line (the road) to split the natural world in separate halves? • What do you think the “argument” of this picture would be?
Symmetry • We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made. , They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene. • Think of symmetry the same way we think of repetition and motif in literature. What does that do?
Example • Where is the symmetry “broken” in this picture? • The symmetry in this picture leads our view to what focal point?
Viewpoint(Angle) • Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.
Example • The low angle in this photo emphasizes what aspect characteristic of the Eiffel Tower? • What does a low angle suggest about the subject of the photo?
Background • There are many ways to use background to your advantage when taking a picture. • For example, a sparse or empty background highlights our subject and brings it into contrast. • Inversely, a “busy” background makes us consider the environment of the subject of the photo.
Example • The focal point of this picture is clearly the couple sharing a kiss. In this case though, the simple kiss doesn’t tell the whole story. • How does the contrast between the focus and the background make the image more striking?
Zoom/Depth • Zoom is a close-up shot that we use to bring our subject into extreme focus. It is especially effective when we are trying to convey emotion. • Depth is when we are able to see the full scope of a landscape. It helps us see the full range of a photo. It helps portray scale and size.
• What emotion is clearly being conveyed here through zoom? • The extreme focus creates what question in the readers mind? Example • The massive depth of this picture creates an emphasis beyond the sheep. What do you think the photographer wants us to see here?
Framing • The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.
Example • How does the framing of the two women in the café create meaning in this picture? • The fact that the homeless man isn’t framed suggests what about him?
Practice Slides • For each picture, we will take 3 -5 minutes to individually jot down some notes on the design of each picture and the elements you notice. • Think about the elements we talked about today, but also think about the other things we’ve discussed, like color, contrast, perspective, and balance. • We will share these notes with the whole group. • NOTE: Don’t worry yet about focusing on the claim and evidence. If you feel like it is obvious, write it down. If not, just take notes on design.
Photography language notes • Framing: area of action that is captured by the subject (Long, Short, Close-up, Extreme Close. Up shots) • • • Zoom: a close-up shot that we use to bring our subject into extreme focus. Depth: when we are able to see the full scope of a landscape. Subject: object, person, and/or matter being studied in the frame Cropping: cutting off or concealing unwanted parts of an image within a photograph Lighting: the overall effect produced by the amount or type of light in a photograph Background: the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. • Angle (viewpoint): the angle of the camera relative to the subject. (Eye level, high, and low) • Rule of thirds: image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines and the most important elements in your scene are places where the segments intersect to add balance to the photo. • Lines and symmetry: these can be natural or man-made; curvy, straight, diagonal, etc. ; create equal or unequal pieces of the photo. They draw eyes to or away from aspects of the photo.
September 25, 2015 • Warm up: Quietly write 1 paragraph about how the educational system has not worked for you. • Discuss • View “Schools Kill Creativity” and discuss claims made and evidence used in the video • Complete rhetorical triangle of video together • View video about Independent Project • Discuss
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