Some Project Ideas Wanted

[PhotoTurtle]

I have six weeks left in the semester. Today our teacher gave us a new assignment as the decisive movement project is finally over.

Anyway today he told us he wants four things - one has to be portraits of people who are aware of the camera - we have to be a participant rather than an observer in the photos.

Then he told us that we need to think about three different projects for our final - he wants us to play with the ideas, come up with some examples and be as detailed as possible about what we want to take pictures of. From the three ideas we will narrow it down to one by the end of the semester.

So here's my ideas - benches and what can be seen from the bench or the benches surroundings (I have a thread about this idea already).
Churches - I love the look of old country churches with the big steeples and stained glass windows.

The third idea I am not sure about yet. I like the idea of old and forgotten places like overgrown cemeteries that haven't been used in decades, buildings that are falling apart, etc. But I don't know if I could locate enough of a variety of places on my own since I am fairly new to the area (I moved here in Aug).

I am also thinking about light and dark contrast like this photo with a lot of shadows.

I was also thinking about something like "the Chickamauga Campaign Trail from a newcomers eyes" I live in a very historic area just outside Chattanooga, TN and there's lots of historic places.

So out of all the ideas that I have going through my mind, can anyone give me some feedback, suggestions or whatever?

 

[Forkie]

I really like your bench idea, but you could refine it further by concentrating only on the view from the middle of the bench looking forward, always using the same aperture, shutter speed and ISO - the weather will dictate whether it's even exposed properly and the view, using the same lens, aperture, etc., will determine what is in focus.

OR!

The same view from the same bench everyday. You could document how the view changes over the 6 weeks. That would be much more interesting than just random views from random benches.

Your "trail from a newcomers eyes" idea sounds dangerously like "be a tourist and photograph the same stuff everyone who ever came here for the first time has already photographed". Also, how can you do it from newcomer's eyes when you live there? Your view would be entirely biased.

If you want to do something about where you live, what about something like front doors? How do people decorate their front doors, or indeed, let them deteriorate? Are you brave enough to ask people in their houses if you can photograph them by their front door? Do the owners look like their front doors?! Does a bright red door with flowers around it belong to an eccentric old lady with a gardening obsession? Does the crazy cat lady have cat statues in her porch? That could be fun!

Taking photos of old cemeteries is nice and all, but it could just end up being a bunch of photos of foliage around some non-descript gravestones. What about the details? Make study of the gravestones. What year did the occupant die? Is their stone straight, or is it starting to sink/lean? By looking at the year of death, is there a pattern to how old the graves are before the stone starts to sink/lean? I don't know - I just think something more concentrated and detail orientated would be more interesting, fun and educational that just rocking up and clicking away in an overgrown graveyard.

The portrait idea sounds fun too, but I don't quite understand what they mean by "we have to be a participant rather than an observer in the photos." - do they mean your model has to be "interacting" with the camera as if the camera were a person i.e., the viewer?

 

[gsgary]

The benches idea sounds interesting but find a bench where there is lots of action and I would only use 1 bench and visit at different times of the day, what about pictures of the different people that use that bench it could even be used for your 4 projects

 

[Didereaux]

Maybe try a 'dogs eye view' from below, and behind the benches. Then you would see the action in context with the location (under the bench.). I like this idea, and would actually do it myself if I weren't so dam old and decrepit.

 

[PhotoTurtle]

I am liking these suggestions, it is really helping me think in more detail about what I want to photograph.
I love the front door idea, but I don't know how brave I am to go knock on random strangers doors and ask if I can take a photo of them standing next to their front door.

Also to clarify "being a participant", mainly means that we have to let people know they are being photographed rather than just taking random street photos. People have to be aware of the camera and we can ask them to pose if we want. I am thinking about going out on Friday afternoon or early evening and seeing if I can get kids to show off their Halloween costumes for me.

 

[Derrel]

I have what I think would make a great class project. Buy a small but sturdy mirror, and take portraits of people holding the mirror, with the mirror aimed RIGHT AT YOU!!!!!!!! So, it's a photo of them, holding a mirror, which shows YOU!

I honestly think this would work out great, and be easy to do, and at the same time, really kind of fun, and DEFINITELY you would be involved because you'd be shown, and you'd have to tell them exactly how to angle the mirror so you'd show up, hopefully positioned about the same in terms of size of reflection in the mirror, from frame to frame. (Or not...you could shoot everything from say 15 feet and jeep yourself the same size by using the same lens length from 15 feet, OR you could mix up the focal lengths and/or the shooting distances).

 

[PhotoTurtle]

That definitely sounds like a unique perspective on things. I might play around with the idea, maybe start with people I know and just see how the photos come out.

 

[Paul Josaph]

helpful post for my photography career!

 

[PhotoTurtle]

The more I think about this the more all over the place I seem to be. I am thinking maybe do another abstract project (that was our first assignment), armed with more knowledge and experience than I had when I started the class in August. Maybe something along the lines of showing that I've learned depth of field, contrast, etc.

 

[Didereaux]

The more I think about this the more all over the place I seem to be. I am thinking maybe do another abstract project (that was our first assignment), armed with more knowledge and experience than I had when I started the class in August. Maybe something along the lines of showing that I've learned depth of field, contrast, etc.

Be careful. Abstraction requires a very high level of skill, and MOST importantly has to have a reason. Even Dada had a reason. Think Dali, consummate skill, and always an underlying thought. Abstraction without thought, skill, and a reason is just so much junk. My impression of it it anyway (yes, pun intended!)

 

[sm4him]

I like the bench idea, particularly the same bench, different days concept.
I like Derrel's idea with the mirror.
Haha--maybe just to do an interesting tie-in between your themes, the people holding the mirror could ALSO be sitting on the bench you used for the other series. Or YOU could be sitting on the bench, so your reflection always shows the bench.

I love old things, and I especially love cemeteries, so I think that's also a great idea. So much, that I think I may just do something with it. The thought that came to me was to call it "Passed Lives," a takeoff on Past Lives. I would think that, even as a newcomer to the area, you wouldn't have to look too hard to find plenty of material. Chattanooga, and on up a little to the north, towards Dayton, is a great area for that sort of thing.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Seems like the instructor liked your previous ideas like the benches, just a matter I think of how you photograph them (or from them or both, depends on what you see from any particular bench how interesting a photo might be).

I think the last idea seems rather involved for one part of a final project but could be an idea for an entire project itself (if you don't use it now, maybe keep it in the back of your mind for later on). But the historic places and cemeteries could be great subject matter.

I like the idea of the B&W photo you posted, and doing something with shadows and light and dark. I've been playing with patterns from shadows thru the trees now that the leaves are coming down (but the sun seems to go low in the sky fast and the shadows seem to change and move quick! lol). I think the perspective of the B&W crosses makes it interesting, if there were other historic buildings or church towers etc. that you could photograph with an interesting perspective and think about the vantage point you might have something there.

 

[dennybeall]

How about a project where you used a fixed slow shutter speed only. I can see more creative photo possibilities with this if you're located in the city than if located in a more rural area .
"The World at 1/30th of a second!"

 

[PhotoTurtle]

I am in a small town outside of Chattanooga. I hate dealing with the traffic in the city so I don't think I'll be doing a world at 1/30th of a second, but thanks for the idea. Maybe that is something I will play with for a photo or two.