(AP Studio Arts: 2D Design – Photography Concentration
Ms. Palecek - myphotoclass@gmail.com
Summer Assignments
*Summer Assignments are to be submitted on the first day of the school year completely edited and ready for
critique. On the first day of school you will be placing the final images into your z-drive on the school
computers. You will not need to turn in all of your in progress images.
1. Aperture and Shutter Speed Exploration
Every AP student must complete this project using a DSLR or Point and Shoot Camera with Manual Settings. If
you do not have one, you must complete this project with a school camera before the 2013-2014 school year is
over. These images must be turned in unedited.
Aperture Exploration – Set up an object on a table, the ground or other steady surface with a lot of space
behind it (not in front of a wall, for example. There must be approx. 8 feet of nothingness behind this object).
Place your camera on a tripod directly in front of this object. Focus on your object sharply and balance your
light meter while photographing the object with each of the following Apertures:
f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
-Your object must not move at all while photographing it.
-Fill in the worksheet and turn it in on the first day of school with your photographs.
(If your lens doesn’t have all of these it’s okay – shoot the ones it has.)
Shutter Speed Exploration – Set up a moving object or person in any space. Place your camera on a tripod
directly in front of the object/person. Focus on your object sharply and balance your light meter while
photographing the object/person with each of the following Shutter Speeds:
2seconds, 1second, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000.
-Your object/person must be moving for the duration of the shutter opening and closing for each image.
-Fill in the worksheet and turn it in on the first day of school with your photographs.
(If you cannot capture each of these with a perfectly balanced light meter, try changing your ISO setting to
adjust the amount of light entering the camera.)
2. Projects
AP Students will be expected to complete FIVE of the following ten suggested project assignments:
Narrative - Develop a series exploring the documentation of one developed concept. You must write a
paragraph about your concept to accompany your photographs.
Symbolism - Develop images exploring non-literal means of Visual Communication.
Word Play – Create a 5 letter word using visual imagery. (Each letter is its own image)
Perspective - Develop images using perspective as a method of visual communication. (Birds Eye, Worms Eye,
Shooting Through, Closeup, Interesting Angle, Ground-Level, and Experimental)
Alter Egos - Develop imagery documenting the duplicity of human nature through Portraiture.
Unexplored/Forgotten Places - Develop a series exploring a non-traditional location.
Abstraction - Develop images exploring means of Visual Abstraction through various techniques.
Visual Elements - Develop a series exploring the Elements of Art in pre-existing visual situations. (Line, Shape,
Form, Color, Value, Texture, Space, Pattern)
Visual Principles - Develop a series exploring the Principles of Design in pre-existing visual situations. (Balance,
Visual Movement, Emphasis, Unity, Rhythm, Harmony, Pattern, Variety, Proportion/Scale)
Lighting – Develop images that explore the use of traditional and non-traditional light sources and light
modifiers as a means of visual communication and imagery.
Guidelines
-You must complete five of the above assignments
-There are no set guidelines on how many photographs need to be taken for each assignment, but you must
have five final photographs to turn in for each assignment you complete. You will be turning in your final
photographs only on the first day of school.
-Bring your 25 completed images (from all 5 of your completed projects) to school with you on a flashdrive.
-Can you have more than 5 final images? SURE!
Name:
AP Studio Arts: 2D Design – Concentration in Photography
You are expected to use manual camera settings in your AP Photo course. Use this
exploration as a reminder/review of these settings and practice with them throughout the
completion of your summer assignments.
Shutter Speed Exploration – Set up a moving object or person in any space. Place your camera on a tripod
directly in front of the object/person. Focus on your object sharply and balance your light meter while
photographing the object/person with each of the following Shutter Speeds:
2seconds, 1second, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000.
-Your object/person must be moving for the duration of the shutter opening and closing for each image.
(If you cannot capture each of these with a perfectly balanced light meter, try changing your ISO setting to
adjust the amount of light entering the camera.)
FILL IN THIS CHART AS YOU TAKE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS
SHUTTER SPEED
2 Seconds
1 Second
1/2
1/4
1/8
1/15
1/30
1/60
1/125
1/250
1/500
1/1000
APERTURE
ISO
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
f/
When complete, write a paragraph about the differences in each photograph and what
you’ve learned through this exploration.
Aperture Exploration – Set up an object on a table, the ground or other steady surface with a lot of space
behind it (not in front of a wall, for example. There must be approx. 8 feet of nothingness behind this object).
Place your camera on a tripod directly in front of this object. Focus on your object sharply and balance your
light meter while photographing the object with each of the following Apertures:
f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
-Your object must not move at all while photographing it.
(If your lens doesn’t have all of these it’s okay – shoot the ones it has.)
FILL IN THIS CHART AS YOU TAKE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS
APERTURE
f/1.8
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
f/22
SHUTTER SPEED
ISO
When complete, write a paragraph about the differences in each photograph and what
you’ve learned through this exploration.