Ansel Adams and Nature Photography: Assignment

Take 75 shots of a variety of items that depict nature. Each shot must be different and be a variety of different subjects that show your viewer nature. These shots can be photographs of creeks, lakes, mountains, butterflies, birds, insects, spiders, snakes, trees changing from autumn to winter, clouds, rain/thunderstorms, rocks, cactus, flowering plants, aquatic plants, sunrise/sunset, etc.

Your photographs MUST be orignial and taken by you. Include animals in their NATURAL habitat. Thus, meaning you cannot go into pet store and take pictures of animals in tanks, cages, etc. When photographing landscapes and nature, explore areas outside your neighborhood, such as Franklin Mountains State Park, Hueco Tanks State Park, municipal parks, etc. Photograph at different times of the day to with lighting.

Take multiple shots of each subject you choose; remember curiosity and patience are key. Play around with settings on your camera for some photos such as rain/thunderstorms to change the feeling of the photo.

You will organize your photographs by subject into folders on a flash. Your create a contact sheet of your 20 best photos in Photoshop.

​ We will examine and critique your projects in class. 

Quick Facts About the National Parks:

• 1872 Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park
• 1906 Antiquities Act is passed. Congress gives power to the president to declare public lands as national monuments.
• 1916 Organic Act is passed. The National Park Service is created as, "The service thus established shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations hereinafter specified by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purposes of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."
• 2016 National Park Services celebrates its centennial birthday.
• 417 units are currently held within the National Park Service.
• 330,097,000 million people visited sites managed by the National Park Service in 2016.

Arts in the Parks

The National Parks have used art to tell the story of America's best idea since its conceptions. Today, the sights and sounds in national parks continue to inspire artists in more than 50 residency programs across the country.

There are programs for visual artists, writers, musicians, and other creative media. Programs vary, but residencies are typically 2 to 4 weeks in length and most include lodging. Often artists are invited to participate in park programs by sharing their art with the public. As part of the residency program, an artist must donate at least one piece of his/her work to the park.

Click HERE to learn more about Arts in the Parks

Using Sway, you will create a Photo Story Blog as a culminating project highlighting your top ten best nature photographs. Each photograph will include a writing piece that is broken into various themes based on multiple writing genres. All outside resources must be cited using APA in Noodletools.

INTRODUCTION:
Compose an introduction to your Photo Story Blog and your inspiration for your photography.

BLOG POSTS:
1) Color Reflection Essay  - Choose a photograph and select one color within the photography. Write about how that color tells the story of the image. (3 paragraphs)

2) Expository- Chose a black and white photograph that imitates the style of Ansel Adams. Write an expository essay on Ansel Adams and his contributions to nature photography. (3-5 paragraphs)

3) Free Verse Poem- Chose an animal photograph and write an original poem about the photo. (minimum 12 lines)

4) Haiku Poem- Chose a landscape photograph and write an original poem about the photo. 

5)  Persuasive Essay- Choose a photograph from a park. The photograph can be from a city park, state park, or national park. Write a persuasive essay on how why we should preserve and protect our natural world by protecting wide, open spaces. (5 paragraphs)

6) Analysis with Rule of Thirds- Select a photograph and analyze the photo using the Rule of Thirds. (6 paragraphs)

7) Quote- Choose a landscape photograph and find a quote that reflects the emotion you are tying to elicit in the photo. The quote must come from a well-known nature writer. You must include the name of the book and page number where you found the found the quote. You may select a quote from the following nature authors: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Edward Abbey, Aldo Leopold, Terry Tempest Williams, Annie Dillard, John Muir, Rachel Carson. The library will have books on reserve for you to look at. 

8) Quote- Choose a landscape photograph and find a quote that reflects the emotion you are tying to elicit in the photo. The quote must come from a well-known nature writer. You must include the name of the book and page number where you found the found the quote. You may select a quote from the following nature authors: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Edward Abbey, Aldo Leopold, Terry Tempest Williams, Annie Dillard, John Muir, Rachel Carson. The library will have books on reserve for you to look at. 

9) Photo Critique- Select a photography and critique the photo by evaluating and interpreting the process, techniques, and merit of the photograph (6 paragraphs) 

10) Photo Critique- Select a photography and critique the photo by evaluating and interpreting the process, techniques, and merit of the photograph (6 paragraphs)

​CONCLUSION:
​Write a reflection on how this project helped you as a photographer and journalist. 

REFERENCES:
All outside resources must be correctly cited using APA.

Assignment is due: April ____