Current CHESS Yearbook Homework
Mrs. McFarland, Adviser
carol@mcfarlandphotography.org
CHESS Yearbook Website:
http://yearbook2011.shutterfly.com/
Due 1/4/2012, Week 15
New Homework for this week:
1. Photo Scavenger Hunt: “Christmas Lights” is your inspiration this vacation! You will do two photos: one will be a BOKEH
photo using manual focus & a large aperture, where you blur out the background lights (see the tutorial for “bokeh”
below), and the second one will be a MOTION BLUR or LIGHT PAINTING photo, and should be at a long exposure [i.e., use
a slow shutter speed (like 1 second)]. Add your best Scavenger Hunt photos to the Shutterfly C.H.E.S.S. Yearbook website
by midnight on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 in the Scavenger Hunt photo album.
a. PLEASE READ THESE SHORT ARTICLES about bokeh and lights at these links:
1. DSLR Bokeh Tutorial: http://www.robertsdonovan.com/?p=702
ii. To get the blurred background with bokeh lights, put your camera on Aperture priority (typically labeled
“A” or “Av” on the program mode dial), and set the aperture on the smallest aperture number your
camera lens has (f 2.8, f, 3.2, f4, etc.), which is actually the largest aperture hole & most shallow depth of
field. Set your camera to manual focus; the lights should be a good distance away from you. If you don’t
have manual focus, focus on something in the foreground close to the camera, so that the lights in the
background will go out of focus. Email with questions. Samples can be found here:
http://creativefan.com/30-colorful-festive-christmas-and-holiday-bokeh-photographs/
b. Motion Blurs and/or Painting with Light:
Motion Blur/Streaks Tutorial/Sample (scroll down to “Special Effects”):
http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2466
Set your camera of SHUTTER PRIORITY and use a long shutter speed, such as 1 whole second (1”). When
you press the shutter release, move the camera in a circle or other shape during the exposure, or you can
zoom the lens if it’s a telephoto lens during the exposure.
For “Painting with Light” you can have your subject use a flashlight or hold Christmas lights and move
them in shapes or to form letters. If you don’t have a tripod to put your camera on, use a table or chair or
other furniture to hold it up. See samples and tutorials here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_painting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IS-DBZEXcA
2. If you need help with aperture and shutter speed, these are the videos that I was trying to show you in class on
exposure, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO:
a. http://michaelthementor.com/lessons.cfm?lessonCatID=2
b. EMAIL Mrs. McFarland if you can’t figure out how to set your aperture and/or shutter speed.
3. Take at least four photos at C.H.E.S.S. in between, and before & after classes, in the lunch room, hallways, in
classes with the teacher’s permission. Please do not disturb a class in session. Save them in the original file
size in your Yearbook Class photo folder on your laptop, as well as on the Yearbook Shutterfly Website in the
picture section. Label which class/activity and who is in the photo and put them in the comment section.
4. You need to bring the following equipment EACH week:
i. Laptop & power cord
ii. Camera with media card and charged batteries
iii. Thumb drive to transfer photographs (or a CD)
iv. Microsoft Publisher & GIMP
Have a great Christmas vacation!