Your third challenge of the 4-H Year is to plan and capture the best black & white photo you can take. Here some tips to keep in mind as you compose your shot:

• Emphasize high contrast in your images
• Look for textures, patterns and shadows
• Shapes and lines make for strong B/W images
• Use a filter or setting on your camera or phone to achieve black/white, or edit in Photoshop
• Slightly overexposed images will reveal better shadow details
• Black makes white pop: Look for solid blacks in your image
• Try experimenting with a flash

Abstract photography can mean many things, and can be achieved in many ways. One way to look at abstract photography is to simply remove the subject matter, and let the image simply exist without too much context: rather than look at a specific object, look at a part of that object, look at how it is illuminated, what feelings it invokes, how does it catch your attention?

In our workshop we discussed several good guidelines and factors to consider as you find your abstract photo.

Your challenge:

1. Construct a scene to shoot an abstract photo. This means you have to arrange elements, determine your source of interest, think about lighting and composition. Going outside and taking a photo of the first thing you see is not an option here: you must compose your image.
2. Take a minimum of 20 photos of your abstract scene:
   • Walk around your subject,
   • Change the lighting
   • Rearrange the elements
   • Change your angle of where you’re shooting from
3. Choose just one image from your photo shoot. Select what you feel is your best, and most effective abstract photo. Then email the photo to Luke so we can look at them together at our next workshop.
   • Email to elementl@bresnan.net
   • Include “Abstract Photo” in the subject line
   • Be sure to include your name

As we discussed in the workshop, here are a few things to keep in mind as you compose your shot. This information is from a great article from Adorama. You can view the details here >>

It’s time to start thinking about what photos you want to exhibit in the 2020 Photo Show. You may have a vision or an idea, so start thinking about how you will achieve and capture that photo.

Considerations:

• What type of photo do you want to pursue? A portrait? An abstract photo? An artistic image? An outdoor landscape? The possibilities are limitless, so challenge yourself.
• Thinking about your composition: will you photograph in vertical or horizontal format? Which orientation will work best for your images?
• Think about light: will you use natural light, like sunshine or ambient room light? Or will you set up your own lighting?
• Do you need to ask people for help? Do you need to go somewhere, or have some materials to compose your image?
• There is a limit of just two images you can exhibit in the Photo Show, so be a strong critic of your own work, and choose your very best to display. If you’re not happy with your images, keep taking more photographs until you are happy with the results.
• Remember that your photos need to be behind glass in a black frame, no exceptions! Make sure you allow plenty of time to get your photos printed, and to mount and frame them. Remember you’ll need to have a hanging bracket or a wire on the back of the frame, or it will not be included in the exhibit.

In our second challenge, we discussed the concept of shadows. We looked at examples of how photographers have captured interesting and beautiful photos by finding naturally occurring shadows, creatively manipulating natural shadows, and creating their own shadows through artificial or natural light sources.

Your challenge is to review examples of shadows in photography, and:

1. Find and photograph a naturally-occurring shadow, and
2. Create an interesting shadow using a natural or artificial light source, and photograph it.

Once you have a good image, email your photo to Luke by February 15, 2020. Please include the subject line: Shadow Photo, and be sure to include your name. Email address: elementl@bresnan.net.  Late submissions will not be included in the slide show.

We will then look at your images together as a group at our February Photography meeting on Wednesday, February 19.

In the first challenge, we discussed the concept of light reflection and look at some examples of how photographers have used reflection to create interesting and compelling images.

Your challenge is to review examples of reflection photography, and capture your own image that demonstrates reflection. It can be a lucky photo where you just saw a naturally-occurring reflection, or you can set up and create an image that demonstrates reflection. It may take shooting a lot of photos to get one great image.

Once you have a good image, email your photo to Luke by January 3, 2020. Please include the subject line: Reflection Photo, and be sure to include your name. Email address: elementl@bresnan.net
We will then look at your images together as a group at our January Photography meeting.