Use what you've learned about Ansel Adams to experiment with value
You’ve seen how Ansel Adams explores composition and value in his black-and-white photographs. Now it’s your turn to take and edit photos that incorporate unique angles, natural light, and shadows.
cell phone (with camera) or digital camera
computer
printer
copy paper
Step 1: Create Your Composition
Select an outdoor space to photograph. Find an area that intrigues you and analyze the environment’s unique characteristics. You might focus on a large vista or a small detail in the landscape. Look for striking angles and interesting textures. Take note of the light, shadows, and colors in your chosen space. After you’ve explored the location, take several photos of the scene with your cell phone or digital camera. Think about where you’re placing the horizon line in the composition and how you can use perspective in a creative way. Take a closer look at your images. Note the way the value varies depending on the highlights and shadows in the scene.
Tip: Think about how you can establish a mood using composition in your photograph.
Step 2: Crop and Edit Your Photograph
Why is texture important in this photograph?
Import your photographs from your phone or digital camera to a classroom computer. Determine which of your images is the most successful. Look for a photo that incorporates natural light, shadows, and a unique composition. Use the computer’s image-editing software to convert the photo to black-and-white. Experiment with the contrast, saturation, and value. Try cropping your image in several different ways to emphasize its strongest formal elements.
When you’re satisfied with your work, print your image and display it in your classroom.
Tip: Try rotating the image for an unexpected composition.
Step 3: Experiment With Effects
Create a digital copy of your photo. Begin experimenting with various filters and effects on the second version of your image. Keep in mind the mood you want to express. Think about how you can emphasize the angles, highlights, and shadows in your work by adding a filter. You might blur the edges of the forms in your image for a softer look. Or try sharpening the edges to emphasize the shapes in the scene. When you’re satisfied, print your image and exhibit it next to your monochromatic photograph. Discuss your working process with your class. Explain why you selected this particular landscape and talk about your experiments with contrast, cropping, and value.
Tip: If you like the way a filter looks but want to keep experimenting, save multiple versions of the image.
Prepared by: Nancy Hoover, The Girls’ School of Austin, Austin, Texas
©Inti St. Clair/Getty Images for Scholastic.
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