Ask students to take a picture a day for the semester.
In high school, many students opt to take a photography class. By the time students are seniors, they should have more advanced photography skills. Have projects that require seniors to take responsibility and think creatively to take good pictures for more advanced photography projects. The projects can be modified to fit both novice and more experienced photographers.
Personal Yearbook
Seniors enjoy reflecting on their high school years. Have them make a personal yearbook that details their senior year. They can fold several pieces of construction paper and staple them together to resemble a book. Ask them to take pictures, or bring in pictures, that represent important events from the year. For instance, on one page, they could paste pictures of their spring break, and on another, they could place pictures of a school dance. Have them write captions underneath the photos. To get a better quality of pictures, tell students about the assignment at the beginning of the semester and ask them to work on taking good pictures throughout the semester to use in their books, as they should be graded on photo quality.
Camera Basics
If your seniors are learning the basics of photography, have them complete a project that asks them to take pictures of photography basics. For instance, require them to have three pictures that demonstrate the rule of thirds, three that show some sort of repetition and three that are taken from an unusual angle. Ask them to avoid straight-on headshots. Allow them to also include photos that are their favorites. To make the project more like a photo shoot that they have been assigned to, assign students to different school activities for seniors. For instance, one student could cover the senior sports banquet for the football players and another could cover the prom. They should print the photos and mount them on a poster board, labeling what type of requirement the photo meets and also include a short caption.
Photography 365
During the course of the semester, require that students take a picture every day. The picture they choose should be something meaningful from that day, something that stands out. When they near the end of the semester, have them either print their pictures or save them in order on a CD. They should title each picture and write a one- or two-sentence caption about the photo. Not only will students receive a grade for the project, but it helps them document their senior year. Along with the CD, have students name their project once they see a pattern developing with their photos. Because it is their senior year, ask them to focus their pictures on the school and things important to them as they finish up the year and look ahead.
30 Viewpoints
In photography class, students often learn that positioning themselves is what can make a photo great. Help them practice the many different ways to look at an object with a 30 Viewpoints project. Students should choose one object, person or place to photograph every day for 30 days. Have them choose their favorite spot in the school. For instance, one student might choose the computer lab, while another could choose the library. Each day, though, they should choose a different angle or viewpoint to take the picture from. After a few days, they will have to stretch their creativity, which will lead to some interesting pictures. At the end of the 30 days, have them print out their pictures and make a montage of the object to share with the class. Students should name their project. For instance, a student who photographs an object in the library could name his "My High School Haven."
Tags: have them, instance student, senior year, students take, take picture, their pictures