Basic Visual Language #3: Composition

Henri Cartier-Bresson - Derriere la Gare Saint-Lazare

 

Henri Cartier-Bresson - Ezra Pound

This is the third of a three part exercise that introduce students to the fundamental elements of visual language: camera angel, lighting and composition. 

Materials / Preparation

1. Cameras / Camera phones
2. Computers / Internet connection
3. Students should pair off into groups of three to five.

Photo Exercise  (20 minutes)

In your groups choose a location and photograph one of your peers using two different compositions.

1. Close up (the camera should be no more than an arms length way).
2. Wide shot  (take a picture of your subject from far away)

Edit / Submit (20 min)

1. Select two of your best photos (one photo to represent each composition).
2. Email Mr. O your images with your period and student names in the subject line.

Presentation / Reflection

Students present photos and discuss how these techniques influence the various meanings we can take from a visual message.

Basic Visual Language #2: Light

Martin Luther King by Graeme Phelps

Salvador Dali by Roger Higgins 1965

The Beatles by Mike Mitchell 1964

This is the second of a three part exercise that introduce students to the fundamental elements of visual language: camera angel, lighting and composition. 

Materials / Preparation

1. Cameras
2. Computers
3. Students should pair off into groups of three.

Photo Exercise  (20 minutes)

In your groups choose a location and photograph your peers using three different lighting techniques.

1. Back lighting (the light source must come from behind the subject)
2. Front lighting  (the light source must to be directed at the subject)
3. Side lighting (the light source must hit the subject from one side)

Edit / Submit (20 min)

1. Select three of your best photos (one photo to represent each lighting technique).
2. Email Mr. O your images with your period and student names in the subject line.

Presentation / Reflection

Students present photos and discuss how these techniques influence the various meanings we can take from a visual message.

Basic Visual Language #1: Camera Angle

Che Guevara - Alberto Korda

Tianenmen Square - Jeff Widener

Migrant Mother - Dorothea Lange

This is the first of a three part exercise that introduce students to the fundamental elements of visual language: camera angel, lighting and composition. 

Materials / Preparation

1. Cameras
2. Computers
3. Students should pair off into groups of three.

Photo Exercise  (20 minutes)

In your groups choose a location and photograph your peers in the same scene from three different angles.

1. Low angle (like a worm looking up from the ground)
2. Hight angle (like a bird looking down from the sky)
3. Eye level (the camera lens should be level with the subjects eyes)

Edit / Submit (20 min)

1. Select three of your best photos (one photo to represent each shooting angel).
2. Email Mr. O your images with your period and student names in the subject line.

Presentation / Reflection

Students present photos and discuss how these techniques influence the various meanings we can take from a visual message.

Media Advancing Movements – Case Studies

We’re going to look at some examples of how various groups have used media in their fight for justice.

Split the group into teams of 2-5. Each group gets a case study, a Liberation Media Worksheet and markers.

Case Studies:

• Case Study 1: The Black Panthers  - http://wp.me/p1VKAb-t
• Case Study 2: F.I.E.R.C.E - http://wp.me/p1VKAb-x
• Case Study 3: ACT UP - http://wp.me/p1VKAb-z
• Case Study 4: THE IMMOKALEE WORKERS - http://wp.me/p1VKAb-E
• Case Study 5: THE ZAPATISTAS - http://wp.me/p1VKAb-I

Each team has 40 minutes to go through their case study and use the Liberation Media Worksheet (handout) and respond to the following five questions:

What type of oppression are they fighting against?
What are they fighting for?
What types of media do they use?
Who is their audience?
What impact are they trying to achieve?

Teams should be prepared to present a summary of their findings.

When each team is finished with their research, they have will have 5 minutes to share their findings.

Wrap Up

Reflect on the diverse ways that media can support social justice movements.

Processing Questions:

Why is it important to look at how media has been used by activists in the past?
Given media’s capability for supporting oppression or liberation, what does that mean for the responsibility of media-makers and consumers?

Case Study 1: THE BLACK PANTHERS

Directions: Review the materials provided to help you answer the questions on the Liberation Media Worksheet.  Then on the back of the worksheet include the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

1.WATCH: Part I of “All Power of the People” documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXrgaita9MU

2. READ short description of “Who was Emory Douglas” and then look at examples of his poster work at: http://www.moca.org/emorydouglas/ and http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/visualizing-a-revolution-emory-douglas-and-the-black-panther-new

3. READ Black Panther 10 Point Plan. http://www.blackpanther.org/TenPoint.htm

4. FILL OUT Liberation Media Workshop

5. WRITE a summary on the back of the worksheet. Include the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

Other Resources:
Brief History of the Black Panther Party by a former NYC panther http://www.thetalkingdrum.com/bla2.html

Case Study 2: F.I.E.R.C.E

Directions: Review the materials provided to help you answer the questions on the Liberation
Media Worksheet. Then on the back of the worksheet include the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

1.VISIT the FIERCE website and read a short description of who they are and what they do: http://www.fiercenyc.org/index.php?s=75

2. WATCH: The “FENCED OUT” Video on their website: http://www.fiercenyc.org/index.php?s=120

3. READ a description of one of F.I.E.R.C.E.’s campaigns, Cop Watch.

4. WATCH the video (the 1st 7 minutes) they made on YouTube: http://www.fiercenyc.org/index.php?s=123

5. FILL OUT Liberation Media Worksheet

6. WRITE a summary on the back of the worksheet. Include  the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

Case Study 3: ACT UP

Directions: Review the materials provided to help you answer the questions on the Liberation Media Worksheet. Then on the back of the worksheet include the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

“The mainstream media will NEVER represent us, our issues or states of mind… so we better damn well MAKE OUR OWN MEDIA.” – ACT UP

1.READ short description of the HISTORY OF ACT UP NY: http://www.actupny.org/indexfolder/NYC.html

2. READ description of the SILENCE = DEATH logo http://www.backspace.com/notes/2003/04/silence-death.php

3. LOOK at examples of media posters/actions made by ACT UP activists:
a. Gran Fury poster design and description: http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/GranFury/GFGllry.html -
http://www.actupny.org/indexfolder/GranFury1.html
c. Coverage of one of their direct actions in the NYTimes http://www.actupny.org/documents/capsule-home.html

4. FILL OUT Liberation Media Worksheet

5. WRITE a summary on the back of the worksheet. Include  the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

Other Possible Resources :
DIVA TV (Damned Interfering Video Activists): http://www.actupny.org/divatv/netcasts/index.html

Case Study 4: THE IMMOKALEE WORKERS

Directions: Review the materials provided to help you answer the questions on the Liberation
Media Worksheet.  Then on the back of the worksheet include the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

1.WATCH “Con Estas Manos”each at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItRPBp8kj8o

2. LOOK through their media materials from some of their recent campaigns – stickers, pins, postcards & flyers: http://www.ciw-online.org/freedom_march/materials.html - http://www.ciw-online.org/2007_BK_March/materials.html

3. FILL OUT your Liberation Media Worksheet.

4. WRITE a summary on the back of the worksheet. Include  the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

Other Possible Resources :

Read the Immokalee Workers use of Media on the Internet: http://www.ciw-online.org/media.html

Case Study 5: THE ZAPATISTAS

Directions: Review the materials provided to help you answer the questions on the Liberation
Media Worksheet. Then on the back of the worksheet include the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

1. READ about them on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapatista_Army_of_National_Liberation

2. WATCH this trailer for a feature-length doc on the Zapatistas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GE4svPVhsw

3. WATCH on YouTube: EZLN’s Marcos salute to Free Media Conference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T42DmSWyAbg

4. READ “Zapatistas winning the Mexican media war” by Gracw Rollins: http://yaleherald.com/archive/xxxi/2001.03.30/opinion/p11azapatistas.html

5. FILL OUT your Liberation Media Worksheet.

6. WRITE a summary on the back of the worksheet. Include  the years of existence; a brief description of its Social justic philosophy (1 or 2 sentences) and one way they used media to fight for social change.

Article Comment Thread: Class Assignment

In this class we’re going to examine how real-time online comment threads influence readers and the  articles they are associated with.

Assignment
1. Choose one of the two articles below.
2. Read the article and then the comment thread.
3. Answer the following questions:
- How does the comment thread change your views about the article?
- If you could add to the articles comment thread what would you say?
- Should people be aloud to post anything or should the editors be able to delete offensive comments?

Guidelines: Write your answers on the comment thread below. “Comment as: Name/URL” use you first name and last initial and include your blogs URL.

Articles

Article Title: Brown signs California Dream Act
By: Patrick McGreevy and Anthony York, Los Angeles Times
Date: October 9, 2011
Article Link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-brown-dream-act-20111009,0,2023563.story
Comment Thread: http://discussions.latimes.com/20/lanews/la-me-brown-dream-act-20111009/10

Article Title: Answers to why Blu’s mural was removed in LA
By:  RJ, Vandalog.com
Date: December 11th, 2010
Article Link: http://blog.vandalog.com/2010/12/answers-blu-mural/