Ideas for content/assignments for Portrait class at University?

[chauncey_huffman]

<p>I am a "former" portrait/wedding photographer turned Professor. I have taught introductory photography courses for years, but next semester I will be teaching our section of Portrait Photography. I am putting together my curriculum now, and I thought that I would open it up to the professional world to see what your opinions are on these questions:<br>

1. What type of content would you put into a class like this, or what type of content do you think is most important?<br>

2. What assignments would you use?</p>

<p>For this class, it will be almost entirely Juniors and Seniors, so 20 years of age and up. All will either have their own cameras, or will use the school cameras (Canon SL1's). We have a host of equipment to use, including these lenses:<br>

50mm 1.8<br>

70-200 f/4<br>

100 f/2.8 macro<br>

And also, we have access to a Canon 1DX, Canon 6D and a Hasselblad H3D2-39 with 80mm f/2.8 and 120mm f/4 lens. </p>

<p>I want to make the most out of their experience, so any/all suggestions are welcome. Thank you in advance!</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Assignments ideas:<br>

Executive Portrait- Location/environmental<br>

Family Portrait -Sun Sync fill flash<br>

Album cover (musician)-Creative approach-square composition<br>

Engagement couple<br>

Up close and personal profile - five shots of same person showing various interests<br>

Studio portrait three point lighting-high key, low key, broad lighting, short lighting-Basics<br>

Four ages - child, teen, middle age, senior<br>

High Fashion look</p>

[tim_ludwig2]

<p>It's all about the lighting with posing being quite secondary, so teach them how to make light behave.</p>

<p>That's everything from balancing highlight and shadow ratios, how various modifiers effect the quality of light, how reflector panels help to control contrast and brightness ranges, and especially the control of light out doors. I am most definitely NOT talking about poorly placed and exposed fill flash, but rather skilled subtractive lighting to deal with all patterns of traditional portrait lighting, only in the outdoor environment. </p>

[bob_bill]

<p>I expect most of your students will not have access to studio gear after finishing your class. I think Tim is right on because learning to find or use soft, low contrast light can be done with only something dark like black paper or fabric as well as things in the environment, subtracting to create contrast. I would also teach them to use window light. They are free soft boxes along with reflectors and subtractors or bounce speedlights. This will give them the skills to make better photos with minimal or no lighting gear after they complete their classes. I would cover the light basics of diffusion, direction, intensity and color and controlling them. The convenience of studio strobes allows them to create and see the above in class and later recognize it or parts of it that can be manipulated in their every day photography. Assignment would be use of reflectors and subtractors, using a window, using bounce flash. </p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>The one thing I've seen in classes and books is that there is often too much information presented upfront. The beginner is hit with two many lighting options, too many posing options, too many equipment options.<br /><br />If I were teaching a class, I would try to start with very clear instructions on how to do a basic head and shoulders classic portait. I would do it as if I had a portrait studio at the mall and I was training a new employee in the way we do it: the backdrop goes here, the posing stool goes here, this light goes here and this one goes there. Here's the lens to use, the focal length, the f-stop, etc. Here's which way to point the subject and where to put his feet and hands, etc.<br /><br />Now I know that sounds regimented and uncreative. But I think the point is that the student comes out of it with at least one basic portrait that he/she can nail every time. If they never learn anyting else, they've got that one saleable portrait that they can do over and over again. If they can learn more later (later in your class or later in life) fine, but they've got this one down. Having it nailed can give them the confidence that they can do the job and be covered, which then gives them the freedom to get creative and expand and grow. Too many times I've come out of a class with a bunch of ideas but no one thing really solid. And I would keep it basic -- no need to teach a souffle if they can't do a burger.<br /><br />Bob makes a good point that most are not going to have access to sophisticated studio gear after the class. So I would do this with cheap $20 umbrellas and ordinary light stands, not big expensive soft boxes, booms etc. And even if you do with with studio strobes with modeling lights so they can see what they are doing, once they've nailed it I would show them how to do with with shoemount speedlights. Send them to the strobist site and let them see that once they know what they're doing they can create a studio portrait with a couple of hundred dollars worth of lighting gear, not thousands.<br /><br />I'm not sayng not to go beyond this. But do get them grounded in the one basic shot before filling their heads with things that will confuse them.</p>