Imaginative Arts Apprentice

 Imaginative Arts!

1. Choose one of these questions to answer in our book discussion.

1. What is a “zealot” in the first century? Look up the tradition of Jewish zealots and see what the meaning of that word and tradition are.

2. Today we understand that Daniel’s sister Leah was suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder (a collection of symptoms induced by witnessing the untimely and horrific deaths of her father and mother). In the first century, this collection of symptoms was attributed to demons. Leah never had any way to integrate her fear, anxiety and grief. What helps her to begin her recovery in the story? What thwarts it? How do you understand her healing at the end of the story? (Hint: not only does Jesus pray for her, but the week four passage is a part of that healing... how? Take some time to explore the possibilities.)

3. How does Daniel see Rosh’s band of zealots’ actions in town and toward fellow Jews when he shares his home with them in the mountains? How does his feeling about those actions change when he becomes a town’s blacksmith? How do you account for that change?

4. Can you make a list of some differences between Rosh’s vision of justice and Jesus’? Why might Jesus’ view of the kingdom have been upsetting to Daniel when he first heard it? What changed him by the end?

5. Rosh calls Daniel “soft” repeatedly in the story. Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not? Would Jesus have considered being “soft” a strength or weakness? Why?

6. Romans are portrayed as especially oppressive rulers of this conquered people. Look up some historical information of the time period to understand crucifixion, the practices of soldiers in the town and so on. Jot down some of their practices (as described in the novel) and why the citizens may have been so keen to overthrow them. Which ones are the most upsetting and unnerving to you?

7. Thace (Joel’s sister) is a wonderful character, though perhaps unrealistic to the time period (she seems to have an exceptional freedom and sense of self for the era). List some of her characteristics that make her interesting and that help Leah heal, and Daniel to grow into the man he is meant to be.

8. The novel tells of the deep divide of prejudice between Roman soldier and Jewish citizen. They could not talk civilly to one another, they were unable to share meals, and certainly neither was welcome in the other’s home or military camp. What kind of Roman soldier does the blonde-haired boy (who spoke with Leah) turn out to be? Did you realize that he, too, is from a conquered people? He had no special desire to serve as a soldier or any particular allegiance to Rome, either, yet was conscripted to serve in the Roman army anyway, taken far from home doing the bidding of the emperor. How does Daniel slowly evolve in his compassion for this particular Roman? 

2. Get together with your culture groups and figure out the culture you unburied.  I will also give you time in class.  You will be presenting on your findings in class.

3. Come prepared to share one thing that you learned at the BYU Museum of Peoples and Cultures.

4. Have a great week!  If you signed up to do your end of year presentation, make sure you get that done.

Imaginative Arts #6 Journeyman

 

To culminate everything we learned for photography this year we are doing a final project for our last inspirement. You can choose option #1, a photoshoot, or option #2, a photo project. Please read through all the requirements for each assignment. I can't wait to see what you create!

Choose one of the two assignments below:

Option #1: Photoshoot

Read this article on how to find locations

Read this article on how to choose clothes for photoshoots -- I frequently have clients ask for advice about what to wear so believe it or not, this is part of the job! You don't have to tell your clients what to wear, but knowing tips about how clothing can impact their photos will go a long way in adding to the beauty of your photos. The importance of texture, thinking about maybe not having the baby wear the same color as mom since mom will likely hold her, the importance of not having too much pattern or too little. It all can add a lot to photos so if your clients want help then it's important to know how to guide them. 

*Plan a photoshoot with people that are not in your immediate family and not in Vanguard

*Choose a location for the photoshoot that is pretty and will have good light. There is a chance timing could work out for photos in orchards with spring blossoms. If you would like to do an urban photoshoot or need ideas for locations feel free to text me! 

*Schedule your photoshoot for a time of day with good light. My recommendation is 1-2 hours before sunset. 

*You will need to turn in one of each of the following: 

• A portrait of a person (not fully body)
• A portrait of a person, different pose, can be fully body
• A group photo that you have posed
• A faux candid that you have staged 

Turn in all four photos to me before noon on Wednesday! 

Option #2: Photo Project

Now that you know how to take beautiful photos it's just as important to DO SOMETHING with those photos -- don't just let them sit on a camera card or computer. 

For this project you need to choose a photo project. This project is pretty wide open, I'll share ideas below but feel free to choose something else. This project should take at least 2 hours and you'll need to share the project with the class.

Here are some ideas (some will cost $, some will not). 

***BE PREPARED TO SHARE THESE IN CLASS***

Ideas that would cost some $$: 

• Create a photo book (a digital book, a scrapbook, a chatbook, even just a photo album where you slip them in slots!)
• Design a wall of photos to display in your home. Click here for wall art designs and ideas. 
• Go to pinterest and look up "Photo Crafts" -- there are tons of ideas! I've made a family photo yahtzee game, family photo matching games, family history bingo using photos, all sorts of projects using photos. Here are a few ideas. 

Ideas that do NOT cost $$:

• Edit a photo or two using Photoshop (or the free version online, Pixlr). Show us the before and after and talk about what you did.
• Use photoshop to create something brand new and creative (example: Photos inside a box) 
• Try one or two new creative photo techniques you've never done before. One example is here, another is here or here. Search out new ideas as well :) 
• Design a card (Christmas, grad announcement, birthday invite etc) using more than one photo, print it and bring it to class.
• Backup your family photos (work with your parents on where they want them stored) and get them organized. This could mean uploading photos off old devices, creating folders and a system for storing, or anything that saves your photos and makes them easier to enjoy.
• Make a slideshow of memories, add music and share it with your family or friends.
• Learn how to shoot in manual (youtube if you learn best through videos, a blog or the book Understanding Exposure if you like reading to understand). Bring a photo you shot in manual mode.

Become and Serve:

Watch this super short video and then take action -- text a beautiful photo to a friend or family member and share something nice, uplifting or encouraging with them! Share goodness :) 

Imaginative Arts: Journeyman

 Photography and Creativity!

We have learned all about light, composition, posing and candid photography so this month we are going to do something different. 

One of the reasons I love photography is because it allows me to take pictures of everyday life in a more creative and aesthetic way. For example, when one of my kids makes a cool dessert I can take a pretty picture instead of a lame snapshot. When someone wins an award, dresses up for Easter or is engrossed in their hobby -- these are all opportunities to create a beautiful photo instead of just pointing and shooting with my camera. 

Some objects or everyday life stuff we capture takes a little effort and creativity to turn it into a beautiful and interesting photo. Sometimes that will mean changing up our perspective and other times that means adding a creative element or staging the object. 

Study and Learn: 

1. Read this article to get some ideas of ways to take an everyday object and make an interesting photo. Note that I don't think all of these ideas have merit when taking picture of a pinecone (which is the example in the article) BUT all the ideas could be applied to a different object with good results. The point of this article is mostly to get you thinking outside of the box. 

2. Look at the examples in this article. Especially pay attention to how everyday objects became beautiful or artistic because of how they were captured. 

Here is a simple example. The story of how my husband and I met has to do with cereal, so each year we eat the cereal in celebration of when we first met. Last year I wanted to document that tradition. I could have easily just snapped a pic of the boxes of cereal on the table. I could have taken a picture of my kids eating the cereal at the table. Instead I decided to take one extra minute and set up a photo using some creativity. What I got was a much more meaningful picture that is a lot more fun to look at. It doesn't take a ton of effort to take a more creative photo of everyday objects!

Here is another super simple example. Which photo of our South American feast do you prefer? As cute as Jennah is, I think we can all agree that the first photo captures the variety, beauty and fun of our feast much better than the second photo. The difference? I just stood on a stool. That's it. :D 

Another example. Shaylie had a mural job painting pineapples on a bathroom wall for a client. I wanted to help her document the process so I snapped that first photo of the supplies. I immediately knew that I was lame and could do a lot better with a ITTy bit more effort. In the second photo I arranged the supplies on the floor, got rid of distractions and had a much better photo. Is the second photo going to win me any awards? nope. haha. It's just a better photo and it didn't take much work to improve it. 

Know and Understand:

Take a GREAT photo of an object that matters to you -- yes, it has to have meaning. So even if it sounds fun to take a cool photo of colored pencils, that probably wouldn't work unless you love art and drawing with colored pencils. Pay attention to your light and composition, we are building on our skills so don't leave those out. 
Before noon on Wednesday email me your BEST photo. If you send me more than one I'll pick the one I think is the best for the slideshow. 
There will be winners and the way to win is to show a photo that had thoughtful/intentional lovely light, solid composition and shows how to creatively take a boring everyday object and make a portrait out of it. Go for the gold and shoot for having ALL THREE elements in your photos!

Become and Serve:

Watch this message from Elder Uchtdorf. I have never forgotten the first time I heard him speak these words at a women's broadcast. The truth of the words struck me -- we are creators! That's part of our divine heritage as sons and daughters of God and he has placed in us that desire to be like Him, to be a creator. How do you feel the spirit moving you to create in your life? Do you create peace in your relationships? Do you create art or music? Do you create ideas that bring people together for good? Ponder on the ways you've been inspired to create and say a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for those blessings. 

Imaginative Arts Apprentice

 Imaginative Arts Apprentice

It's your lucky day!  There is no homework!

Just Kidding!

Study/Learn:

1. Chose one of these questions to answer in our book discussion, or write a question of your own and answer it.

1. If the characters stood for particular virtues (like in the medieval allegorical sense), what would each of the main characters represent?

2. What makes Buttercup discover she’s in love with the farm boy she had previously overlooked?

3. There’s much emphasis on whether women are “beautiful” or not. How do you feel about that? What implications does that have?

4. When Vizzini says, “He didn’t fall? INCONCEIVABLE,” Inigo Montoya replies, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” How is Vizzini using the word “inconceivable?” What does it actually mean?

5. Why did Fezzik, Inigo, and Vizzini try to murder Buttercup at first but then later help her and Wesley?

6. Prince Humperdinck built a Zoo of Death. What is significant about the fifth level? How would you characterize the Prince’s brand of sadism (feeling pleasure from inflicting pain on others) and the sadism of Count Rugen and his life-sucking machine? Is evil necessary to the universe of a fairytale?

7. What does this book tell us about the nature of reading, writing and literature in general?

8. Goldman says Morgenstern’s original work is a satire (the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule to expose and deride vice or folly). Give examples of this from the text.

9. Watch the film version of The Princess Bride and then compare it to the book. Keep in mind that Goldman wrote the screenplay for the movie. Do you agree or disagree with the changes he made? 

2. I know I said we would skip the spelling bee, but I have since decided that we will do it.  We will break into 2 or 3 groups, so you will get more words to spell.  So... Study!

Know/Understand:

1. Come in clothes that can get dirty and with good shoes.

2. Please bring a shovel or 2/group.  You will be digging up the artifacts that we buried last month.  You will have time to start deciphering what you have found.

3. Archaeological excavation is the procedure by which archaeologists define, retrieve, and record cultural and biological remains found in the ground. Past activities leave traces in the form of house foundations, graves, artifacts, bones, seeds, and numerous other traces indicative of human experience.

It is important for us to remember that as we dig, we do not want to destroy anyones culture.  

4. Get with one other person and learn about one of these archaeological excavations.  You will do a brief (like 2 minutes or less) presentation about it.  We won't have time for more than that, so I will cut you off after 2 minutes.  Basically, you just need to share the highlights with us.

Sign up Here

Pompeii

Tutankhamun's Tomb

Rosetta Stone

Terracotta Army

Richard III's Grave

Olduvai Gorge

Cave of Altamira

Dead Sea Scrolls

Easter Island Moai

Staffordshire Hoard

Become/Serve:

This week is St. Patrick's Day.  If you haven't noticed, the blog is green and I wore green to class on Thursday.  This doesn't really mean anything; but it does mean that there is a holiday coming up and even though it's one of those arbitrary holidays, it's a great chance to get out and serve someone.  Make someone's day by taking them some cookies, or some other homemade gift.

Imaginative Arts Journeyman Month 4

 

We've reached one of my favorite topics in photography: How to take beautiful candids. I take and share photos all year long and do you know the ones that get the most response from family and friends? The candids. 

It's no wonder that these are the favorites; seeing people laughing or caught in a beautiful moment or living a joyful life evokes feelings in the viewer. They see themselves in that moment or remember a similar experience or FEEL a bit of the feelings that are captured in the photo. 

The key to candids is being prepared to take a picture. Figure out your lighting, your settings, pay attention to your background and where you want to stand and then let the people do their thing while you unobtrusively take photos of it :) When the light + the action + the emotion are all top notch you'll find that you captured some of your all time favorite photos. 

ASSIGNMENT #1: READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT CANDID PHOTOGRAPHY

Now all candids don't have to be this action packed, but those are some of my favorites :) 

Another type of candid is what I call the "faux candid." This simply means YOU set up an opportunity to capture people acting naturally ... but it's fake ... but it's not :D For example, asking the person you are taking pictures of to DO something or to INTERACT with others in some way can create a much more interesting photo. In the picture of Melody with her cousin it was easier to ask them to give each other a huge hug then to try to get a non-cheesy/fake, holding-still-smile. A snapshot became a little bit better by turning it into a faux candid. 

I ALWAYS work faux candids into photo sessions and they add a lot of variety so you can capture more than just posed and styled photos. Ask the people in the photo to hug, to laugh, to jump, to walk .... there are so many options! What actions can you add to the list?

ASSIGNMENT #2: Make a list of TEN photo action/interaction prompts you can use when taking photos. Sorry, you don't get to use hug, laugh, jump or walk since I already shared those! 

We'll be sharing our ideas in class. 

ASSIGNMENT #3

Take a GREAT candid photo of someone. Pay attention to your light and composition, we are building on our skills so don't leave those out. 

Before noon on Wednesday email me your BEST photo. If you send me more than one I'll pick the one I think is the best for the slideshow. 

There will be winners and the way to win is to show a photo that had thoughtful/intentional lovely light, solid composition and a great candid. Go for the gold and shoot for having ALL THREE elements in your photos!

Imaginative Arts Apprentice

Study/Learn: 

Choose one of these 10 things questions to answer from the book, "Percy Jackson." Be prepared to share your answers.

1. Percy says his mother was the best person ever and he’d never heard her raise her voice or say one unkind word to anyone. Do you think that’s realistic? Why or why not?
2. Mr. Brunner (Chiron) made things like Roman armor interesting to his students. If you could acquaint others with something you’re passionate about, what would it be and how would you introduce it to them?
3. A deleted scene was released when the Percy Jackson facebook page reached one million “likes.” The scene involved an initiation of Percy into camp life. The Camp Half-Blood campers picked up Percy and made him kiss the boar head on the Ares cabin before dumping him into the lake. Have you ever been the “new kid” someplace? If so, what was your experience like?
4. Chiron says, about the effects of Mist: “Remarkable, really, the lengths humans will go to fit things into their version of reality.” How is that true in the story? What about in real life?
5. Were you surprised when it’s discovered that Percy is Poseidon’s son? Give examples from the text where hints were dropped.
6. Imagine you’re a half-blood. Write an account describing your arrival at Camp Half-Blood and how you would come to learn which god is your parent.
7. There are many humorous passages in the book. Describe some of your favorites.
8.  Author Rick Riordan’s website contains classroom activities based on the book. One of his suggestions is to write character letters, where students write letters from one character to another. For instance, he says: “Clarisse wrote her dad Ares, telling him to stop being a bully. Percy wrote a letter to his mom, promising to save her. Grover wrote a letter to Chiron, explaining why he should get his seeker’s license to find Pan.” Which characters would you have exchange letters and what would the letters say
9. Do you sympathize with the betrayal Luke felt? Why or why not?
10. A movie based on the book was released in February of 2010. It was titled Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. The film’s plot deviates from the book’s but is still considered a faithful adaptation. Watch the movie for yourself and compare it to the book.

Know/Understand:

• Get together with your culture groups either in person, or on zoom, or on the phone, or whatever.  
• You should have all the final touches to your culture completed before coming to class.  
• Bring all of your culture pieces that you have created.
• Someone from your group needs to bring a shovel.  (I'm sure Martin's have a couple shovels, but not 6!  So bring one!)

Become/Serve: It's almost Valentine's Day!  I love celebrating holidays.  I love dressing up for occasions.  I love serving. I love you!  

Do one of the following:

1. Find a scripture about love.  Write it out in your best handwriting on a nice piece of paper and bring it to display on the wall.
2. Write a note to a family member telling them how much you love and appreciate them.
3. Show someone that you love them by completing an act of service.  Make cookies, make their bed, heart attack someone's door, etc.  Maybe you can do this for someone lonely in your neighborhood, for a sibling, or for a friend.

Imaginative Arts Apprentice

 Imaginative Arts

Study/Learn:

Do the following:

1. Study your spelling words for Every Soul a Star.

2. Bring something that represents what you learned from the book.  

This could be 

a story, 

a piece of art, 

an object from home that you can talk about, 

something you have learned from your "labyrinth",  

 or an insight that you may have had.  

Whatever it is, be prepared to share it with the class.

3. Which character are you most like? Why?  Write down your answer in your notebook.

Know/Understand:

Get together with your culture groups.  Make sure you know what you need to bring to class to finish up creating your cultures.  Next month we are burying them!

Become/Serve: 

Do one of the following: 

1. Write a letter of thanks to someone who has influenced your life for good.

2. Find a quote about gratitude and print it out, or write it out in nice handwriting and put it where you can see it everyday.

3. Make a list of all the things you are grateful for.

Journeyman Week #3 Photography

This week in photography we're going to take everything we learned about light + composition and add in the third layer of taking great portraits-- posing like a pro.

The key to posing lies in a few simple tips + an ability to make the people you're taking pictures of feel confidant, good looking and natural in front of the camera (no big deal, right?!)

Study and Learn:

Watch this short slideshow of my most relied upon posing tips. 

WATCH HERE

Next, check out my pinterest page of posing inspiration. I always like to seek out new ideas for posing before a shoot, especially if I'm taking pictures of something I don't do that often (like newborns and weddings). I often write a list of poses I want to try during a photoshoot so that I come prepared to try new things and run out of ideas (I've been at this for 11 years and I still do that). These photos can give you inspiration for your next assignment so take note of what poses you like and why you like them. 

Do these pose examples follow my rules for posing? If they broke a rule, does it still look flattering and natural? Why? 

Know and Understand

1. Take a photo of a person (or persons!) with GREAT posing. Do pay attention to your light and composition. We are building our skills here so don't leave those out.  

2. BEFORE NOON ON WEDNESDAY email me your BEST photo. If you send me more than one I'll pick the one I think is the best to put in the slideshow. As usual I'll be picking a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and we'll all see one another's photos :) 

Also, has there ever been a more true meme then this one:

Become and Serve

Feeling confident in front of the camera comes from feeling confident in your own skin. I've taken pictures of people of all ages and it's obvious when they don't feel confident in who they are! Loving yourself and knowing your value whether you are dealing with pimples, braces, extra weight or a bad hair day is essential! Our value doesn't come from cute jeans, clear skin or a waistline. Your natural smile, the happiness radiating from your eyes, and your confidence that you look GREAT comes from knowing who you are and loving yourself where you're at. 

Watch this short video and when you are done spend some time journaling about why knowing WHO YOU ARE matters to you.