Traces – Part of your Portfolio Assignments

In this assignment, which is part of your Portfolio, you’re asked to do a photographic exploration of the idea of “traces”.

Traces are signs left behind by a person, an animal, a process, showing in some way that they’ve been there, or that something has happened.

You’re encouraged not to be too literal here. Instead, try to interpret the theme creatively. You want to evoke the person, thing or process without actually showing it directly.

Here are some ideas we brainstormed in class:

• Shadows
• Footprints
• Buildings (traces of who built them)
• Ruins
• Graffiti
• Yellow snow!
• Abandoned nest
• Hair – someone else’s on clothing
• Hair – on a hair salon floor
• Litter
• Bloodstain
• Dirty dishes; empties
• Trampled grass
• Wear marks in old floors, stairs
• Reflections
• Meteor crater
• Ashes
• Glacial deposits
• Time lapse of car lights
• Patterns in a field or lawn from something that used to happen there
• A worn path
• Lipstick on a cheek

Requirements

Create the folder G:/AWT4/Portofolio/Traces

In it place between 6 and 12 jpegs that will fill the screen – no less than 1200 pixels in their larger dimension, no more than 2400. Do NOT leave anything but your best pics there – leave other “keepers” in AWT4/Pics, or at home. There should be no PSD files for this assignment, unlike ones where I need to see all the layers.

Each file must be a photo taken by you which develops the theme.

You can use 2 photos taken previously (e.g. last summer), but the rest must be taken after this assignment begins. (You can use more old photos if you do more than the minimum.) You can’t use a photo that’s been used in another assignment or course.

Give the files descriptive names – the same as you would title them if they were to be mounted and displayed at a show. Also include your name in the filename – this will help me give you credit if I collect the work to show others. E.g. “

Finally, include a Word document in the same folder that lists each filename (you can omit your own name from the filenames in this list). Under each filename, in brief point form, give the date of the shot, time of day, and location, what we’re looking at (e.g. closeup of tracks left by worms in wet earth), any major changes you’ve made to it in PhotoShop (besides cropping and minor level changes). Finally, write one sentence explaining how you think this develops the theme.

Some Thoughts

• As always, I’m looking for photos which are interesting, striking, out-of-the-ordinary, well composed and clear
• Try to think of interpretations of the theme that are unique
• Some shots might work better in black and white
• Use Photoshop to enhance all your photos. For some, you might decide to be extreme – use filters, blend textures etc. However, several of your photos should be basically as you shot them with standard enhancements like cropping and levels.
• Keep your artistic eyes open for good shots 24/7. Grab a camera and go back if you need to.
• Have fun! If you try to shoot a couple of good shots every day or two, you should be able to enjoy the process.