Black and White Photography: First Project

As part of my personal development goals for 2016, I decided to take a Black and White Photography class and the course was extremely rewarding. Initially, I was scared of taking the class because although I have been doing food photography for Samuella’s Kitchen, I have never had my pictures professionally critiqued. The course really allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and as with all things that are new and uncomfortable, I learned that practice definitely makes it perfect.

I will share the instructions given by my Professor for each assignment below along with the final prints I submitted. I took hundreds of pictures per assignment but part of the assignment was being able to choose “the best four” to be critiqued and graded.

*Shout out to my friend, Wonuola Lawal of The Photographer’s Corner for the encouragement on this project – I appreciate you!

Positive and Negative Space: This project is the first of three photographic exercises to teach you to focus on organization and composition of the photograph without relying on subject matter as the context. The idea is simple, the illustration of positive and negative space. However, instead of using the additive process, you will be using a subtractive approach with your camera to use your viewfinder as the final canvas.

Streets of Philadelphia

Streets of Philadelphia – Part of Philadelphia City Hall

Volume, Space, and Scale: This project is the second of three photographic exercises to allow the student to focus on organization and composition of the photograph without relying on subject matter as the context. Taken with the foundation of basic 3D design principles, the assignment will help you understand how to translate volume, space and scale into a two-dimensional photograph successfully.

Explore local architecture and urban spaces in which these design principles are the foundation on which these structures were conceived. Try to successfully covey the volume, scale, and space that exist in the area that you have chosen by using thoughtful framing, elevation, lighting and juxtaposition of objects to render scale (e.g., small figure next to a grand building façade).

Drexel Park

Streets of Philadelphia

Streets of Philadelphia – Part of Philadelphia City Hall

Organic vs. Geometric: This project is the final of three photographic exercises to allow you to focus on organization and composition of the photograph without relying on subject matter as the context. This project begins to assemble all of the past design assignments. You have investigated positive/negative space, scale, and volume. Now you will use all of those tools in your composition to juxtapose organic shapes with geometric shapes.

You are encouraged to photograph off Campus for this project in hopes that you will discover more in the Center City district and other sections of the city. You should include a variety of images/subjects both organic and geometric, in order to make a successful comparison in the final presentation of this assignment.