ART 140•Phoenix College•Portrait Photography
Fall 20010: 08.23.2010 -12.13.2010 matthew.garcia@pcmail.maricopa.edu
Instructor: Matthew Garcia
Meeting: Monday @ 6pm-10pm
Location: Room Art F204
Class blog: www.phx-commercial.blogspot.com

Course Description
Insight into the profession of Portrait Photography. Application of the principles of design and
fine art in lighting, composition, and posing. Prerequisites: ART131 or permission of instructor.
•Use basic studio lighting portraits.
•Evaluate and employ natural lighting techniques, both indoors and outdoors.
•Execute balanced lighting techniques to create mood, tone, and drama.
•Use basic principles of and corrective techniques in posing.
•Apply natural and creative posing to a variety of clientele.
•Apply composition and the principles of design to create the greatest impact on portraits.
•Identify and describe the practices which relate to portrait photography as a business and
profession.

Class structure:
First half of class will be devoted to lab time. Lab time includes use of studio equipment and Use of digital processing applications; Photoshop, light room etc. First half of class is time use for you all to work on assignments. Second half of class will be devote to class discussion (lectures), assignment critiques and in class assignments. We
will critique all assignments as a class. Student will be notified by the instructor of any changes in course requirements or policies
It is a college policy to provide reasonable accommodations to student with disabilities. If you would like to request accommodations due to a physical, mental or learning disability, please contact the Disability Resource Center office, Learning Center (LC) Building, 602-285-7477

Grading:
12 assignments are equally weighted – 80percent
In class assignments-10percent
1presentation -10percents
Subject of student presentations – Complete in team of two.
Levels and Curves
Reflective Light
Digital Composite
Color Temperature
Gamma
Posing
Soft vs hard light
Artificial light
Color saturation
Masking techniques

August 23rd
Intro to portrait photo. Evaluate class proficiencies. Styles of portrait photography? What are your expectations? Go over basic camera functions. Talk about natural light and composition.
FIRST PHOTO ASSIGNMENT DUE NEXT WEEK - A self-portrait with natural light.

August 30rd: Self-portrait Due
Go over blog upload process. All assignments will be graded from blog. First half of class lab - time to work on assignment images in Photoshop/Studio time. Second half of class we will critique the assignments. More on natural light. One subject. Natural light. In class assignment natural light. In class levels and curves.

September 6th: NoClass.

September 13th: A single portrait due
Go over posing subjects to prepare you for next assignment - Family Portraits (couples, children). Tradition pose vs. Creative pose. Discuss traditional portrait photography businesses. Intro to studio lighting. Use lab time to work on equipment and techniques of artificial lighting in
tradition portrait photography. In class portraits in class studio. Discuss family or couple traditional portrait.

September 20th: Family Portraits Due (natural light) Challenges when photographing children and babies or pets. Discuss Portrait series.

September 27th: Animal Portrait or Children& Baby portrait due
Discuss portrait series. In class new media presentation exercise.

Oct 4th: First Portrait Series due/w (new media) Natural Light. Discuss light for traditional and dramatic headshots. Discuss composition when shooting environmental portraits. In class levels and curves.

October 11th: Headshots-dramatic due artificial light /Fashion due. (First round of prints due.) Introduce final project - Portrait series. The final project will be a series of portraits that expresses, or translates a story of person, place, culture, lifestyle, or emotion. Start thinking of a concept. In class digital composite exercise.

October 18th: Digital composite portrait due. Discuss composition when shooting environmental and editorial portraits. Introduce final project - Portrait series. The final project will be a series of portraits that expresses, or translates a story of person, place, culture, lifestyle, or emotion. Start thinking of a concept. Discuss sports portrait photography and props. Out door artificial lighting in class.

October 25th: Environmental /Editorial portrait due (magazine style)
Discuss sport photography lifestyle portrait photography and how
it’s used in industry. Discuss first Friday show. Open lab must produce one portrait during class.

NOV 1st : Create own assignment/Speaker/ Sports (business) portraits due Discuss the concept of abstract portraits. Discuss first Friday show. Visit location of first Friday show.

November 8th: Abstract/ Digital portraits due
Discuss the next week concepts and the reshoot day. Finalize concept work on final portrait series.

November 15th: Concepts for final portrait series due
Also a day to turn-in re-shoot any assignment that was missed in concept or failed to turn in.

November 22th: Guest speaker/1st round (daft) of portrait series due
Wayne Rainey will be discussing emotion and passion in portrait photography. Wayne will be willing to take a look at your projects

November 29th: Passion portrait due
Work on portrait series in class. Discuss progress as a class
December 3rd. First Friday. – One image each.
December 6st: Portrait series due for final review.
December 13th: LAST DAY OF CLASS