Project: Photography and Visual Literacy

Step Description Expected Student Results
1 Letter of introduction to mentor. Included in letter will be personal information about school and community that was not included on student application.
Mentor writes intro letter to student explaining community, career,family and personal interests. Students will also evaluate their own fitness and they can share this with the mentor as well.

Mentor will respond to letter of introduction with an introductory letter of his/her own and discuss importance of physical fitness.		 Letter of Introduction
2 Student will find 10 photos that they will then critique for composition and content, background, and personal feelings of photo. Student will select photos from areas of photography that they are interested in taking. Student will also select at least 5 of their individually taking photos to share with their mentor and critique them.

Mentor will guide student in critique using some of the following questions:
What is the center of interest in the picture? Where did the photographer place it in the frame? Did the photographer get close enough to the subject to include only what is important, or are there wasted parts of the picture with elements that do not add to the message of the photo? How did the photographer represent the background in regards to focus and depth of field? How does the background add or distract from the message of the photo? Is the subjects sharp and clearly in focus?
What do you like about the selected subject? Is it an emotional shot, a story, a statement, a humorous photo? What would you do differently if you had the chance to take the same photograph?

Mentor will also share some of personally taken photos for student to critique		 10 critiqued photos from other photographers
5 personally taken photos to critique
3 Student will utilize photo editing software to digitally alter photos. Acceptable are adjustments to color, contrast, brightness and sharpness, removal of dust and scratches, cropping, black and white conversions, and use of HDMI where multiple exposures of the same scene are combined for a greater tonal range. Student will submit 5 personally edited photos to mentor showing before and after adjustments.



Mentor will answer questions student has on adjustments to photographs and guide students 		5 edited photos
4 Students will explore the impact of photography on impressionism by taking photographs around the school to turn into impressionist works of art. Student will first select 2 photographers who specialize in impressionist photography and critique 1 of their photographs. Students will illustrate their understanding of impressionist-era work through the different imaging techniques they choose to use and turn at least one of their photos into impressionistic artwork. Student will show original photo and completed photo and description of alterations made to photo.

Mentor will aid student in finding impressionistic photographs and guide them in applying filters and effects including watercolor, neon glow, etc. to their photograph.
Critique of 2 photographers work.
1 personally taken photo turned into a piece of Impressionistic artwork.
Description of alterations made to photo.
5 Student will research a famous photographer such as Ansel Adams, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, Robert Capa, W. Eugene Smith, or William Eggleston. Pick one of your favorite photos from your chosen photographer to critique. Attach a short paper (be sure and include sources used )about the photographer including:
What were his/her usual subjects photographed
Who or what influenced him/her in their field
A brief background of the photographer
How chosen photographer has influenced the field of photography.
Student will select 2 personally taken photos he/she chosen photographer might have influenced and share with mentor.

Mentor will aid student in critiquing photographer.
Mentor will help student understand types of photos the chosen photographer would like and/or have influenced.



 Critiqued photograph of chosen photographer with short paper.

2 personally chosen photos
6 Student will prepare an exhibit of at least 5 photos to present at parish AIM expo. Include favorite photo, most impressive photo, and most difficult to take.

Students will work as a group to prepare a powerpoint poster on noted photographers and their work and importance in the field of photography at AIM Expo.

Mentor will help students choose photos for exhibit.
Mentor will critique PowerPoint Poster.		 Personal Exhibit
PowerPoint Poster
8 Students will research 1 photographer noted for his/her documentation or study of a culture. Examples are Matthew Brady, Dorothy Lange, Roger Fenton Students will create their own ethnographic study of some culture.

Mentor will help student chose a documentary photographer (possibly based on student interests) and help student choose a subject on which to complete an ethnographic study.		 Brief paper of chosen documentary photographer.
Ethnographic study of a culture with at least 5 photos.
9 Student will choose 1 type of photography that interests them and take at least 5 photos to critique.

Mentor will help student choose a type of photography to study further.

The student and the Mentor will co-compose a letter to the teacher describing their perceived accomplishments and any thing either of them could have improved upon.
3.The student completes final survey. The team sends the mentor a thank you e-note.
4.Mentor will send a final e-mail to the group sharing how they felt about the experience and offer a final goodbye.		 Critiqued photos

Final letter

Final survey
Thank you letter