Sunshine
and Shadow: Outdoor Photography Lesson
Objective:
Students will take outdoor photographs that incorporate the play of
sunlight and shadow in a composition to evoke emotion, sense of place,
or formal values.
Grade
Level: Middle School and up
Time required: one class period to photograph; one period to
critique finished photos. (Students could also mount and display best
photos with comments in an exhibit or online, on a CD, etc.)
Online
Collection:
https://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/art/Sadorus/ Sadorus Collection
Other
Sadorus Resources:
https://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/art/htmls/dd.html Double Exposure
module
Bial, Raymond. 1983. Upon a Quiet Landscape. Champaign County Historical
Archives, Urbana,
Illinois
Photography Resources:
https://www.saugus.net/Photos/photography_tips.shtml
Tips on Photography https://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm/recID/174
Tips
on snow photography
https://photographytips.com/page.cfm/160 Photography tips
on light.
Materials:
Digital or disposable cameras
Computer (with writable CD drive or web site)
blank CD
Software to manipulate images (Photoshop, et al)
Display Board for critique
Mounting supplies (mats, frames)
Motivation:
Frank Sadorus was very interested in how photographic film could record
light and shadow. His outdoor photographs contained the play of light
and dark across the composition, to dramatize a composition, and to
add details to his compositions. Snow, ice, sky, clouds, water, and
textured areas (such as tree bark) were often featured as his choice
of subject matter. Students can experiment with camera effects and with
their choice of compositions to create these light effects.
 •
Directional diffused lighting comes basically from one direction with
some light that has been diffused or scattered from other angles. Edges
are softer and shadows have more detail.
• Fully diffused light comes from many directions and shows very little
or no  directionality.
Shadow edges are indistinct and the subject seems surrounded by light.
Sadorus’s Elmer with Cat is an example of this type of lighting.
•
Silhouette lighting is the back-lighting of a subject so that the contour
of the subject is sharp, but the details toward the viewer are in shadow.
Sadorus’s GWB in Window is an example of silhouette lighting.
Students can do this, too. 
Concepts
to keep in mind with outdoor lighting are:
• Clear, sunny
days with bright light produce dark, strong shadows.
• On overcast
days or at dusk light will be diffused and soft. This is a nice light
for portraits because it molds the planes of faces and softens skin.
Many photographers love to shoot at dusk because of this.
• In the morning
and late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky, there are long
shadows and an increased sense of texture and volume.
Procedure:
· Students will look at Frank Sadorus’ photographs on the Museum’s web
site. Class discussion of chosen images will focus on his capture of
light, shadow, and contrast.
· Teacher reads Photography Tips and presents principles to students
with examples of lighting.
· Students go outside (school grounds, home, field trip, etc) and take
photographs, keeping principles in mind.
· Photographs are developed professionally (or digital ones downloaded
into computer).
· Prints are displayed on a board for a critique of their composition’s
use of light and dark. Each student can describe what he/she was trying
to capture. Peers can comment on what the images evoke as they view
the image.
· Students choose their best image and mount it for display or for a
CD or Web site. (They can also manipulate their image in photo software
to enhance their composition, either before or after the critique.)
Assessment:
Student, peer and teacher comments are recorded for each photographer
to learn from (if this works with your class). Students may self-assess
with a point system or critique in a group as to how they rate their
own and others’ compositions with regard to:
1) balance of contrast in the composition
2) creation of a discernible mood or feeling through use of light and
dark
3) how they manipulated their image to adjust contrast to create the
mood they wanted.
Illinois State Board of Education Goals Addressed:
Art: Middle School: 25.A.3e Analyze how the elements and principles
can be organized to convey meaning through a variety of media and technology.
Early High School: 25.A.4 Analyze and evaluate the effective
use of elements, principles and expressive qualities in a composition/performance
in dance, drama, music and visual arts.
Late High School: 25.A.5 Analyze and evaluate student and professional
works for how aesthetic qualities are used to convey intent, expressive
ideas and/or meaning. Middle School: 26.A.2f Understand the artistic
processes of printmaking, weaving, photography and sculpture.
Early High School: 26.A.3e Describe how the choices of tools/technologies
and processes are used to create specific effects in the arts.
Late High School: 26.A.4e Analyze and evaluate how tools/technologies
and processes combine to convey meaning.
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