Photographing for resources: what makes a good photograph
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can take photographs to inform and support my creative work
Key learning points
- When photographing for resources, whether for inspiration, documentation, or research, what makes a good photograph?
- Try different angles and perspectives to find the most dynamic view of your subject.
- Consider notes about each photograph, including the context, location and any relevant information about the subject.
Keywords
Subject - the main focus of the image
Focus - to intentionally highlight or emphasise something
Viewpoint - the position or angle from which the photographer takes the photo
Common misconception
A common misconception about this lesson is that photography is just about capturing what you see, when in fact it involves making creative choices.
Photography is about deciding how to show the subject to communicate an idea or feeling. Understanding that really opens up creative possibilities.
Teacher tip
Encourage the students to think of symbolic photographic opportunies to explore when confined to a classroom.
Equipment
Cameras or phones, sketchbooks, pens, digital technology.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which three of the following makes a good photograph?
Q2.Match the terms to the best definition:
The main focus of the image
To intentionally highlight or emphasise something
The position or angle from which the photographer takes the photo
Q3.Where should you position the subject of a photograph?
Q4.In what three ways can changing the viewpoint of a photograph affect its impact?
Q5.What is the 'rule of thirds' in photography?
Q6.Why might artists incorporate annotation, writing, or text directly into or alongside their photographic work?
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Photographing for resources: what makes a good photograph, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Photographing for resources: what makes a good photograph, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 art and design lessons from the First sustained project: working from a theme unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.