Project: Photographer Presentation
Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Schedule
Course Home Page | Semester Schedule |
Presentation on the History of Photography
During the 1st half of the semester, you'll give a presentation on an historical photographer.
Project Goal | Project Requirements | Presentation Outline | Topic Options | Links & Resources | Alt Formats
Presentation on Contemporary Photography
During the 2nd half of the semester, you'll give a presentation on a recent or contemporary photographer.
Same general guidelines as above, except for Most Compelling Images and In the Style of
Goal:
Research a key participant in the history of photography and summarize their contribution during an in-class presentation.
Requirements
— Select topics from the assigned list.
You may propose alternatives, but don't commit until the professor has approved the alternative.
— Get approval for topic from instructor, along with a presentation date.
— Explore your subject’s key images, image traits, shooting tactics and/or their imaging concepts.
— Explore who or what influenced them... and who their work influenced.
— Present a 7-10 minute Powerpoint* presentation to the class.
Include presentation notes in the PPT file. [Spring '14 — we may try presenting via G+ as well.]
— Turn in the .ppt file*.
— Write 3 multiple choice questions that viewers should be able to answer after your presentation.
Questions should be difficult enough that not everyone gets them right …
... and easy enough that folks could answer them after listening closely to your presentation.
Turn this in via email along with your attached PPTX file.
Historical Photography Presentation Outline
As you plan your presentation, follow this general outline:
Title Page:
your name and the name/title of your subject
(1 slide)Introduction and background:
photographer’s name, brief biography, context/influences, goals, what he/she is most known for.
(its a good idea to include at least some small samples of the photographer's work on the page -- it helps your listeners have some context for the background you give.)
(1-3 minutes; 1-5 slides)Survey of images:
Show us a series of their images fairly quickly.
The goal is to familiarize us with the body of work of the photographer -- their style and their progress or stages of development. You don’t need to say a lot about each image — we just need a quick, general visual introduction before the critiques that come next.
Fill most of the screen with the photos/images — we want to be able to see the photograph...not the slide background.
Show the images in an ordered fashion — often this means “chronologically”, but sometimes other groupings or orderings will be more appropriate.
Where available, show title, size, medium (daguerreotype, collotype, iris print, etc.)
(2-5 minutes; minimum 6 works )Critique of Select Images:
Examine a few images closely, exploring traits that typify the photographer’s approach to image-making.
This is where you slow your presentation down and tell us what is special or distinctive about this photographer’s images.
Find images that exemplify the noteworthy traits that this photographer is known for.
(3-6 minutes; minimum 3 works)Summarize:
Restate your key observations about the photographer’s approach. What are the essentials that we most need to remember about this photographer?
(1 minute; 1 or 2 slides )Links/Sources:
Include a slide or two with references to the key sources of information and imagery used in your presentation.
(1 or 2 slides)Take questions:
Let folks ask questions about other aspects of the photographer or the photographer’s work. (you might leave a blank slide with “Questions?” on it)
(take however long is needed, though the instructor will likely limit this to just a couple of minutes.)Followup:
If you don’t have answers to audience questions, you will research and prepare answers for next class. (with new PPT slides for the added info)
(done!)
Contemporary Photographer Presentation Outline
For the most part, this presentation will follow the same format as your historical photographer presentation.
IN PLACE OF Critique of Select Images include the following:
Most compelling images:
Select (at least) 3 images by your photographer that you personally feel are powerful.
For each of these images...
Discuss what this image makes you feel or think. What does it evoke in you?
Discuss what traits or features contribute to the power or effectiveness of the image.In the style of:
Conceive, plan, shoot and edit (at least) 1 image in the style and attitude of your photographer.
Present the image that you shot.
Present any of your photographer's photos that particularly inspired or influenced your image.
Tell us about the traits of the photographer's images that you emulated, or....
... the methods of the photographer's process that you followed.
Discuss the tactics you used to capture and process your image.
Discuss the problems or challenges involved in creating this image.
*Note: Presentation file format — Powerpoint vs. Keynote vs. Prezi, etc.
Yes.
You’re right.
There are other presentation programs than Powerpoint... and some are, by some standards, better than Powerpoint. However, most labs on campus have Powerpoint available to you. Many computers come with Microsoft Office installed. So you’ve got access to Powerpoint.
Also, we have Powerpoint installed in HU’s Smart Classrooms. Our classrooms are not smart enough to have Keynote also installed. So if you bring a Keynote presentation to class, we can’t show it...it won’t run. Sorry.
But what if I love Keynote?
You can design your presentation in Keynote, and then Export to create a Powerpoint version of the file. Bring the PPT file to class and turn that PPT version in.
If you absolutely want to show your Keynote version in class, you can export to a Quicktime presentation. There may be other export options as well.
However,
a) be sure well before class that you know your presentation will run in class, on the available computer with software installed on that computer. (It will be a Mac, and Powerpoint IS installed.) You ARE expected to be ready to present when you are scheduled to present...and, no, it is not the professor’s job to figure out a way to make it work. That’s your job.
(best practice: whatever else you bring, bring a PPT version as well.)
b) turn in a Powerpoint file for grade.
Other paths to PPT:
OpenOffice Impress is an open-source counterpart to PowerPoint. You can legally download, install and run it without cost. Impress also allows you to export your presentation to a Powerpoint file.
GoogleDocs, Prezi and SlideRocket (and others) allow you to create presentations online. (if you’ve been using GoogleMail, you already have access to the GoogleDocs Presentation program. ) Of these, GoogleDocs allows you to save/download your presentation as a Powerpoint file. Prezi only allows this if you pay their subscription.
*** If you are determined to set up your presentation in Prezi, or similar, then propose why you want to, and also propose how you would make the full presentation available to for other students to view. (which IS possible with Prezi)
Bring/Transfer your file to class
Plan to get your Powerpoint file to class by the most reliable means possible — bring it yourself on a USB memory key or on a CD. Be in the classroom about 10 minutes before the bell so we can transfer your file before class begins.
(Not ideal...but if you must...) You can also email it to the instructor — as long as a) he knows its coming and b) has time to transfer your file, and c) the file is not so huge that it chokes our email server. (there may be attached-file-size limits. It used to be 5mb.)
Font Incompatibility
Be aware that Powerpoint can only display fonts that are installed on the presenting computer.
What does that mean?
It means that you can create an absolutely gorgeous layout in Powerpoint using your favorite, most neat and stylish font. But when you show your presentation in class, the fonts might be ugly and won't even fit on the page.
Why?
Because the computer in our classroom, does not (likely) have your fancy font installed. Thus, Powerpoint (in our classroom) can't find and display your beautiful, stylish font.
How can I work around that problem...
The simplest option is to use what are usually called "web-safe fonts". These are fonts that are typically installed on most computers — whether Mac or Windows.
But I really like my favorite font... what can I do?
Explore and use Powerpoint's Embed Font option, or Package for CD feature.
(more Embed instructions)
(more)
Topic Options
Select topics for your presentations from the list below.
Before Spring Break we'll each present a historical photographer — topics selected from "Early Photographers" and "Mid-20th Century", below.
After Spring Break, we'll each give a presentation on a contemporary photographer. This presentation will be similar to the historical presentation. But note that we want to hear you discuss the three images that you find most compelling.
and
You'll shoot and present an image in the style of or in the method of your photographer.The presentation schedule will be posted here.
Send your 1st/2nd/3rd/4th choice for presentation topics to GClayton@Harding.edu
Pick at least one photographer from each period (each column, below)The instructors will select and distribute topics and presentation dates.
In general, topics will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
We'll make sure all essential photographers are covered, and that each period of photographic history is covered.
Resources & Links
Links on the History of Photography
The History of Photography Archive — many, many relevant links. Start here.
A Timeline of Photography-- key dates and links to some photographers along the way. (Photo.net)
Timeline of Photography (another one) -- With Emphasis of George Eastman (pbs.org)
National Geographic photography collection |
NatGeo History of Photography
(click on History of Photography link/tab to see an interactive timeline of photography.)
History of Photography (About.com)
Period-grouped photos (Flickr)
Stieglitz & The Photo Sucession (Flickr)
History of Photography course podcasts
All course lectures from College of DuPage/Jeff Curto
Course Home Page
Greg Clayton |
2D Design |
Color Theory |
Back |
|||||
Photography Course |
Course Schedule |
Course Schedule |
Independent Study |
|||||