Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy

Unit Miniview

Author Margaret Derrig

Unit Title Portraits and Photographing People

Grade Level or HS Photo 1

Course
# of Class Periods 2

Example Artworks

Riley Miller Emma Roberts

Will Musgrove Tallulah Conforti

 Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy
Unit Miniview

Ava Ongaro Adam Yamasaki

Central Focus This lesson explores the concept of the “portrait” and photographing people. We can find portrait
photography all around us, in ID photos, advertisements, social media, etc., so we are exploring technical
aspects of photography through portraits. We start with research and brainstorming, which includes
conversations about how you can define a “portrait” and how different artists use portraiture in their works.
The project consists of three exercises, each with a different focus around portrait photography. The
exercises are Dramatic/Colorful Lighting, Closeups, and Using Props. Students use these exercises to learn
how to adjust their camera settings in order to achieve the desired effect. They learn how to use aperture
and shutter speed to adjust the lighting in their photos, and how to adjust their focus to specific areas of their
photo. Exploring this through portraits, something they’ve been exposed to a lot, will help them to be able to
visualize and conceptualize the ways their settings impact their photos and create the affects they are aiming
for.
Standards Lesson 1:
3PE Identify the relationship between community or cultural values and trends in visual art.
4PE Identify the factors that influence the work of individual artists.
1RE Explore various methods of art criticism in responding to artworks.
3RE Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques and materials used to create works of
art.
6RE Identify various venues for viewing works of art.
 Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy
Unit Miniview

Lesson 2:
2PE Identify and describe the sources artists use for visual reference and to generate ideas for artworks.
4PE Identify the factors that influence the work of individual artists.
2PR Apply the elements and principles of art and design using a variety of media to solve specific visual art
problems.
3PR Explore multiple solutions to visual art problems through preparatory work.
4PR Establish the appropriate levels of craftsmanship when completing artworks.
1RE Explore various methods of art criticism in responding to artworks.
3RE Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques and materials used to create works of
art.

Key Objectives Lesson 1-

1. Students will be able to identify and use the vocabulary associated with portrait photography.
2. Students will be able to identify and describe how artists use portraiture differently in their works.
Lesson 2-
1. Students will be able to use their technical skill to create various visual effects in each exercise.
2. Students will be able to use their creative thinking and personal choice to create variations in their
photographs for each exercise.
3. Students will be able to take inspiration from the works of other artists and use it to inform their own
creative decisions and technical choices.

Vocabulary Portrait- (not just one definition) a piece of art that represents the likeness of a person
Ambient Light- existing light or that is present in the immediate environment or which is not subject to
control
Main/Key Light- the primary light source for a photograph
Fill Light- the secondary light source to the main light, used to “fill” in the shadows
Hard Light- harsh light that creates high contrast
Soft Light- diffused light that produces soft shadows
Backlit- when the light source is coming from behind the subject of your photograph
Lighting pattern- how the light falls on the subject’s face
Overexposure- too much light
 Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy
Unit Miniview

Underexposure- not enough light

Bracketing- taking the same photo with a range of settings to try to get the best exposure setting
Composition- how elements are arranged within the frame
Viewpoint- position and distance between camera and subject
Bokeh- aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus parts of an image
Prop- anything besides the person in the photograph (can be anything)
Closeup- taken at close range and showing the subject on a large scale

Materials, Resources Digital Camera Equipment

& Equipment Students have access to the school’s Photo Closet which has lights, backdrops, and props that they
can use.

Lesson Overviews Lesson 1:

The first lesson lasts 3 days. The students complete research and brainstorming before they start the project.
They have a list of vocabulary words related to the project they must define, and an artist they must research
and find examples of their work that relates to the project. In class I showed a PowerPoint that went over the
vocabulary words, with example photos from the artists that the students researched, and then looked
specifically at each artist, highlighting photos that relate to the project so they students can see examples
and get ideas before they start. The students are responsible for sharing their research about their artist as
we go over them in class, highlighting the key facts and notes they made about their work.
Lesson 2:
The second lesson is the project itself, which is broken down into chunks by exercise. Each exercise starts
with an introduction PowerPoint, which includes tips/tricks that the students should think about as they are
shooting, and then example pictures from me and ones I found online. Then, the students have a few days in
class for each exercise to shoot their photos. After a few days, we wrap up the exercise we were doing, and I
then introduce the next one. Towards the end of the project, there is one day where the students won’t be
taking pictures, instead they must start looking through the photos they have and start picking their final
photos they will turn in. There are requirements for how many photos they should have for each exercise and
how many final photos they must turn in, as well. After they start sorting through their photos, they have a
few more days to shoot and get any last photos they need to make sure they meet all the requirements.
 Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy
Unit Miniview

Formative & There are a few different assessment strategies I use during this project:
Summative While the students were shooting their photos I would walk around and check on how they were doing. If
students had questions or needed help with anything I would answer them or help them out. This allowed
Assessment Strategies
me to see how they were using class time and if they were staying on task and doing what they were
supposed to.
After the first exercise, I taught the students how to make a digital contact sheet on Photoshop, which they
made and submitted for the photos they took so far. I had them do this so I could see all the photos they had
so far and give them feedback on how they are doing. The only grade attached to this was for completion.
At the end of the project, the students have a few different things they must submit. They must submit 2
contact sheets for each exercise, which is between 31-60 photos. They must also pick their 5 best images for
each exercise, which should be in focus, not blurry, and have good lighting (not underexposed, not
overexposed). Of their five best photos, they must pick one to edit on Snapseed (an app they used for other
projects) and submit the edited version as well as the unedited photo.