BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Photography club lessons?

This year we had 90 students sign up at our club fair-- more than ever before! I'm very excited about it, but also worried that I won't be able to keep their interest. I'm hoping we well loose some members who just signed up to say they did so that we can have a smaller, more active group. Our first meeting is this Thursday(20th), but I just plan to run through what we plan to do/try to accomplish.

Does anyone know of any lesson plans or have any suggestions of things we can try for this year?

I've looked on this site, www.webphotoschool.com, for some ideas I just worry they may be too much for most of the kids.

Any help at all would be MUCH APPRECIATED! Thanks!!!

- Devon Henderson

To love this question, log in above
September 18, 2007

First and foremost: please be very careful about where you get information and lessons, particular when you have to pay for this information. As you already know, online classes run the gamut from great (here at BP – IMO) to really bad. You want to make sure that whatever information you get, from whatever source, is accurate, timely and geared toward true education rather than trying to suck you into a “program”. I took a glance at the website you mentioned and was not terribly impressed. While nothing was overtly wrong, I do wonder why there is no listing of instructors and their credentials for teaching the course. I also wonder about the content of these classes. The one “free” class example that I looked at was that for photographing sunsets. Again, nothing really bad, but nothing that good either. I was also a little disappointed that the images shown of the photographer do not feature the use of a tripod. If you have been shooting for a while, you already know that the use of a tripod will almost instantly improve your images. Shooting in the contrasty light of sunset really requires a tripod. Anyway, regardless of the good/bad aspect, much of what is featured on similar sites is available online for no cost from your school or town library. There are some terrific books that could be of use for the club and some even provide optional suggested exercises. A few of my personal favorites:

Bryan Peterson – Understanding Exposure – just about the best book on exposure that I have ever seen

Jim Miotke The Betterphoto Guide to Digital Photography – okay, so it is a plug for BP, but it is still a good beginner book

Brenda Tharp – Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography

Jennie Bidner - Amphotos Complete Book of Photography: How to Improve Your Pictures with a Film or Digital Camera

National Geographic Field Guide to Photography

You might want to have several groups of students study a particular issue covered in one of these books and then ask them to speak on this topic at your meetings. Of-course you do not want to make this just another school assignment, but you can do it in a way that would interest and challenge the group.

Some ideas that we are kicking around while planning our program: Giving weekly assignments asking students to go into the community and photograph something that appeals to them. Then asking them to photograph this subject in varying conditions – different times of day, under different weather conditions, etc. Having students express a particular emotion in their photography; asking students to photograph their friends doing something that tells a story about the person.

We have also discussed having a community exhibit at the local arts center. This might be something you could try either at school or even at a local arts center. The exhibit could be judged or not and each student could enter their work and include a small blurb about what the subject means to them.

I think that one of the secrets to having a successful program is to encourage creativity rather than just technical perfection. While it is important to learn the rules of making good images, it is equally important (sometimes more important) to have fun while you are creating. I think I’d tend to go light on the absolutes with the greater group and encourage people to create ‘story images’ - those that tell that person’s story. It is sometimes amazing how much we learn when we relax and just start working on capturing that perfect – to us – image. Those who are more seriously inclined could form a group within the club and could encourage each other through more in depth studying and trying new ideas. You will want to try really hard to keep judgment and “snobbishness” from the club – meaning that people should not feel that their work has to be perfect in order to enjoy the club.

I wish you well with your efforts and come back here to share your successes and even your failures.

Irene

To love this comment, log in above
September 18, 2007

I have to agree I wasn't too impressed with the site I mentioned, but after a (very) short time looking on google it was one of the better ones I found, which isn't too good! hah

Thanks for the information on the books, I will be sure to go check them out. I have a few kicking around from my collection over the past few years I might bring in but most of them are on things much too technical for this club. I'm the only one in the club who has a DSLR at this point, everyone else is using a small pocket sized point and shoot, which is perfect for a school club as long as they care about taking pictures. (I started as a member with an "advanced" point and shoot and with some help from work/ my uncle I was able to move up another step to a dslr.)

We tried the weekly assignments last year and only a few members actually followed it. I love the idea about taking pictures that tell stories about themselves, maybe they will be more encouraged to show off their lives than just ordinary pictures.

We had a display case last year, and we had a small wall in the school art show last year.

I've been told we will have more room to work with this year, and as long as we provide pictures often we will be able to put more shots up in the main hall way.

I've also been told (which I'm very excited about) that we received a new printer for this year. Supposedly this printer was very expensive but the school thought we needed it so they approved it!

Thanks again for your input it was very very VERY helpful to me. I will be sure to communicate with our club moderator tomorrow about these ideas.

-- Devon Henderson :)

To love this comment, log in above
September 18, 2007

First, it's not the camera but the "nut behind the wheel" so-to-speak. Some people can do just spectacular work with a plain old point and shoot film camera.

Having guest speakers, even at high school level, is really useful too. You can find them locally, call around to photographers to come in and talk about their profession, whether they're from newspapers or wedding or portrait photographers, industrial or product photographers. Many photographers are glad to give insights into their work.

Also, Kodak, Ilford, and other photographic companies, manufacturers including camera and lighting manufactuers all have local/regional Technical Service Reps. who love to come and talk to student groups or clubs. Some times they even bring free samples like film, literature, and AV presentations. Fun stuff.

Giving people a choice of open end assignments sometimes is a good way to get them engaged in the process. If they don't want to follow a particular theme, just suggest they go out and shoot anything that interests them and then bring in some of the work to talk about. Or, if they feel embarassed by that, break the group down into much smaller groups, say 5 or 6 people in a discussion group.

Take it light ;>)
Mark

To love this comment, log in above
September 18, 2007

Thanks for the ideas!!!!

Devon Henderson

To love this comment, log in above
September 18, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

When I was at the club table in our club sign-up fair I put a book out with some of my pictures printed out in the book. At first most of the kids just blamed the shots on the camera that I was using...one of the very last to step up to the table told me that I must have downloaded the images from a website... while this is nice to hear that he thought they were good it was also very annoying since I told him I took the shots and he continued to argue with me.

I told our moderator of some the ideas that have been posted and she seemed to like most of them, so hopefully we will be able to use some of these ideas to keep the club going.

Well I'm off to make up some posters for the hallways and send out our email reminder for our first meeting tomorrow.

THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP EVERYONE!

-- Devon Henderson

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

On the open day I laid out a lot of the 8.5x11 prints that I took with a little p&s digital camera during a recent trip to Egypt on a long table. I also put that little p&s digital camera and the $20 tablepod that I used on the table. When people ask for proof, I even showed them the pictures still in the camera. Also I had given the clue members a 2-page handout on tips how they can take good pictures with a p&s camera.

That's where my using a p&s camera suggestion came from. Good luck.

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

Andy, I love those shots in your gallery. They are wonderful! I never pay any attention to what camera a photographer uses because it doesn't really matter in your composition and composure.

Would you be able to email me a copy of the page on p&s suggestions that you handed out? (henderson.devon@gmail.com) Or show me the website where you found it? If not, no problem at all.

I found a few images that I had taken over summer break with a p&s camera. I don't think it will be enough to impress any of these other kids though...?

http://www.berkeleycomp.com/devon/p&s.htm

Anyways, thanks for all the ideas everyone! This is wonderful!

-- Devon Henderson

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2007

--Devon Henderson

To love this comment, log in above
September 20, 2007

I had printed out posters for the hallways and posted them where we were allowed to post them. I made up sign in sheets and printed off all of your suggestions to share with the club and our moderator.

Our moderator LOVES the ideas, and wants to put some, if not all of them into effect during this school year.

We sent the kids off to take pictures that illustrate line, in any ways shape or form they could come up with. I will be sending out a reminder, via email, with some examples in case they get stuck.

We have also talked about displaying the club's work in the hallways and they seemed to like that idea. We talked about contests in our area and we can still only come up with one that we can enter; because we are all under 18.... we've thought about sending work into local newspapers, maybe into the teen section?

Also we are thinking of setting something up online so we can share our work when outside of school. I thought of using BP, or Deviant Art. Anyone else know anything we could use that is free that might be better for our purpose?

And one last thing.... where does everyone get their pictures printed? I need to get my last upload(9/11 tribute) to BP printed for a friend, he is going to have it airbrushed on to his motorcycle and needs a print of it. I've tried Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, Snapfish and Shutterbug. I think the best is Snapfish but if anyone has any suggestions I'm open to hearing them. (My printer doesn't work anymore)

Thanks for your time,
-- Devon Henderson

To love this comment, log in above
September 21, 2007