High School Narrative Photography

My photography 2 class discussed the use of photography to enhance or tell a story. They watched the documentary “War Photographer” and viewed photographs by several artists that tell a story using a series of images. I encouraged students to choose a story they thought was important to tell, whether fiction or real. The student created their own narratives using 3-5 photographs.

High School Printmaking Poster Unit

Students viewed historical propaganda posters, recent motivational posters, and de-motivational posters and discussed the use of the poster as a method for conveying a message and making the viewer feel, think, or do something. Students created their own posters and printed them using linoleum block. Additional student examples can be seen in the “Sample Student Work” album.

High School Book Project

For this project I worked with a Photography 3 class to create a book of their favorite photographs they have produced over the last 3 years. Student designed their own personal layout for their pages and the book was published on Blurb.com. This unit tied in with a lesson on artist statements. Students were asked to reflect upon their experience as photographers over the last 3 years and how their photographs affects the viewer.

High School Artist Statement Lesson

I worked with students to write their own personal artist statements. We read Leonardo da Vinci’s resumé and talked about what might appear on a resumé to get a job in comparison with an artist’s resumé. We also reviewed artist statements from multiple sources; one famous artist, one of my own, and a sample artist statement from an arts college. We talked about artist statements being unique and explaining what we want our art to do for the viewer and that they could explain one’s artistic process.

Sample section from student artist statement:

“I could say that when I’m creating something I lose myself in my thoughts and enter the world of my mind, but I’m already there. I never leave the world in my head, I am never not lost in my own thoughts. I pay more attention to what’s going on in my head than to the rest of the world because I don’t want to miss a thought that might lead to an idea.”