Physics and Photography

Homework #3

Due SEPTEMBER 24, 2003

Reading:

1) P. H. Emerson- Science and Art

2) Gertrude Kasebier- Studies in Photography

3) Gleeson White- The Nude in Photography

4) Sample critique

These articles are being Xeroxed and can be picked up in the Honors Office in Milledoler Hall on Friday, September 19. We will discuss them in depth next week in class.

5) “Photography”- Chapter 7

Written Work:

The “standard” weekly submission (which will be due each Wednesday, starting next week, October 3) consists of:

1) two critiques, one of which will be of your own photo to be handed in with the analysis, and one of which will be an “outside” image of your choosing. You must include either a facsimile print of the work you are considering, or a URL where I can locate it, etc. (Obviously, I need to see the photograph for your critique to make any sense to me.) The outside work should address the photo assignment in question. I.e., next week you will be asked to strive for SIMPLICITY (see below). Your outside photo (and critique) should focus on this as well.

2) Three technical questions, from which I will select for class discussion.

I will often give you one or more “problems” which are also to be turned in with your other work.

Problems:

1) You know that the sequence of f-stops is one that doubles (or halves) the amount of light that is admitted into the camera. The sequence of f-stops is:

1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, etc.

How is this sequence related to the sequence of doubling (or halving) the amount of light when we progress to different f-stops? In other words, how does the above sequence of numbers relate to the sequence:

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc.

(Putting it another way, what mathematical operation do you need to perform on the first sequence to get the second?)

2) Many lenses have “click stops” that are spaced every ½ f-stop.

a. Interpolate the sequence: 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, etc. and find out what the numerical values of the intermediate f-stops are.

b. What is the multiplicative factor between each ½ stop?

Photo assignment

SIMPLICITY-- For next week, I want you to strip your subject matter down to the essential bare bones. Eliminate clutter and unnecessary distraction. Invest the photo with emotion