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Grade: Senior
Subject: Art

#4278. Creating Vivid Black and White

Art, level: Senior
Posted Thu Dec 4 06:55:26 PST 2008 by Brian Cagle (Brian Cagle).
Warwick High School, Newport News, Va USA
Materials Required: Computers, Photoshop, Digital Cameras
Activity Time: 5 classes (2 weeks block Scheduling)
Concepts Taught: Black and White Digital Photography




Daily Lesson Planning Tool

Teacher: B. Cagle Course/Grade: Digital Photography I School: Warwick High School
Unit # and Title: Black & White Photography Date of Lesson: Pd:
Lesson Topic/Title: Ansel Adams/High-Contrast
SOL/Objective/Aim to Learn: Students will create high-contrast black and white images in the style of Ansel Adams.
Essential Question: Who was Ansel Adams and what was his impact on photography as art?

Do Now Define Contrast and explain how it is used effectively in black and white photography? Complete the question individually and discuss with the class after 15mins.

Lesson Step 1: Engage & Hook

1. (Teacher)Prompt students to read the article on Ansel Adams on Page 73 in Focus on Photography.
2. (Teacher)Facilitate discussion of Ansel Adams' photography by showing examples of his work on the LCD projector. Prompt students with questions. Focus on the use of contrast and how it affects the visual impact of the photograph.
3. (Teacher)Show a series of five photographs and ask students to choose which they believe are works by Ansel Adams.
4. (Student)Read the article on Ansel Adams on Page 73 of Focus on Photography.
5. (Student)Respond to questions asked by the teacher.
6. (Student)Choose works by Ansel Adams from a series of photos shown by the teacher.

Lesson Step 2: Explain & Model

1. (Teacher)Open the practice image and prompt students to follow along with each step.
2. (Teacher)Demonstrate how to use the channel mixer in Photoshop to convert a color image to black and white.
3. (Teacher)Demonstrate how to create an effect high-contrast image. Point out areas that are defined by different values.
4. (Teacher)Demonstrate how to use multiple layers and layer masks to alter and hide the values of individual areas of the image.
5. (Student)Follow along with the teacher to complete the practice image.
6. (Student)Turn in completed practice to the "Hand-Ins" folder on the desktop.

Lesson Step 3: Explore & Apply

Review the project description. Emphasize the use of contrast and the channel mixer tool in Photoshop.

Prompt students to begin using the demonstrated techniques to alter his or her images for the final project. (Students will have already completed taking pictures for the project before this class.)

Students apply demonstrated techniques on the photographs they have taken to create unique black and white photographs in the style of Ansel Adams.

Lesson Step 4: Evaluate

Students are evaluated on correct completion of each step in the demonstration process.

Final photographs are evaluated for content, creativity, craftmanship, ect. as deemed appropriate by the instructor. The use of Rubrics is highly recommended to keep students focused on the important techniques and qualities looked for by the instructor.