Hands are one of the most expressive parts of the human body. We express art and music with our hands, we speak with our hands, we interpret with our hands and we make things with our hands. Your assignment will be to take photographs of expressive hands.
Hand portraits, like traditional portraits, can tell a lot about a person. Alfred Stieglitz, a famous photographer, took a series of photographs of the famous painter Georgia O'Keefe. He was surprised to see how the developed prints captured the essence of the painter. In 1919 it was a novel idea that hand portraits were just as expressive and meaningful as traditional head and shoulder portraits.
Hand portraits, like traditional portraits, can tell a lot about a person. Alfred Stieglitz, a famous photographer, took a series of photographs of the famous painter Georgia O'Keefe. He was surprised to see how the developed prints captured the essence of the painter. In 1919 it was a novel idea that hand portraits were just as expressive and meaningful as traditional head and shoulder portraits.
ASSIGNMENT # 1 Skill Building
OBJECTIVE: Working within a small group use your digital cameras to take 10 photographs of different expressive hand poses (Foundations Course Media Arts Standards: F.MA.Cr.02).
INSTRUCTIONS: Experiment with a variety of expressive hand poses using lighting, shadows, and different backgrounds. The backgrounds should be black or white or void of any distracting details. Hands should be the only focus of your photos. Post photos to your Weebly website in a gallery labeled, "Expressive hands".
Tips:
OBJECTIVE: Working within a small group use your digital cameras to take 10 photographs of different expressive hand poses (Foundations Course Media Arts Standards: F.MA.Cr.02).
INSTRUCTIONS: Experiment with a variety of expressive hand poses using lighting, shadows, and different backgrounds. The backgrounds should be black or white or void of any distracting details. Hands should be the only focus of your photos. Post photos to your Weebly website in a gallery labeled, "Expressive hands".
Tips:
- Hands are three dimensional. Take photos that show more than one side of hands.
- Solid black or white backgrounds are the easiest backgrounds for this assignment. I have paper for backgrounds.
- Use lighting to create shadows that will add interest to hands. Use phone flashlights or sunlight in a window.
- Zoom in on hands. Make hands the subject.
ASSIGNMENT # 2 Film Photographs
OBJECTIVE: Shoot a full roll of film of expressive hands. Tell a story, express an emotion or mood. You will develop the film and print one or two of your best examples of expressive hands in the darkroom.
OBJECTIVE: Shoot a full roll of film of expressive hands. Tell a story, express an emotion or mood. You will develop the film and print one or two of your best examples of expressive hands in the darkroom.