Art Project 1 Instructions

Grab your phone and head outside at either sunset (or sunrise if you are a morning person).  Consider the time that you should go out and scout out interesting locations nearby.  Also think about what type of scenery you want in the foreground of your image.  You should get ideas from the background reading you should have already completed (along with the reading quiz).

Turn in three photographs and a written statement at least 300 words long in a single pdf file.  In order to produce the pdf file you can either use Word or Pages.  Simply insert the three images into your document, and then write a statement above or beneath them.  After you are finished, your word processing program should have an option to Export to pdf (or print to PDF).  This is important so that your peer graders can see your project no matter what type of computer they are using.

Two of your photographs should be sunsets (or sunrises) with a foreground of your choice.  They can either differ because they were taken two different days, in two different places, at two different times on the same day, or even just from a slightly different angle or from a different perspective.

The third photo should simply prove that the photo is original.  It can either be a selfie with the same scene in the background or if that is not something you feel comfortable with you can just photograph your hand in front of the same scene.

Here is a website that might serve as a helpful tool in your planning, if interested:  “SunsetWx (Links to an external site.).”  The site, started by some Penn State Meteorology program alumni, collects current meteorological data to form a general prediction of sunrise or sunset quality for a given day.  Note that there is a global prediction map as well (not just a U.S. map), if you look under the “Global Forecasts” drop-down link along the top of the page.

In your 300 word statement, you should first indicate where and when each photo was taken, and why you chose that location and time.  You should discuss how you made the decision you did about the foreground of your photo.  Please discuss how different that time is from the time of sunset (or sunrise) on that day.  You can indicate if it would be in the “golden hour” or the “blue hour.”  Also indicate whether the sun will set (or rise) earlier or later on the following day.

Your statement should describe for each photo at least three principles of photography or composition that you included in setting up and taking the photo. These could include: 1) choice of subject; 2) rule of thirds; 3) lines; 4) simplicity; 5) framing; 6) scale; 7) depth; 8) corners; 9) balance; 10) rhythm; 11) pattern; 12) emphasis; 13) contrast; 14) unity; 15) movement.  For definitions, discussions, and examples of these concepts please consult the Art Project 1 Background Reading.

Next you should indicate which of the two photos you feel is a better one, again referring to the specific principles of photography or composition.  Of course there could also be different reasons such as a better location or better weather conditions on that day/time.

Finally, you should discuss why the sunset appears the color/colors that it does.