Ghost Animation / Trick Photography
DOUBLE EXPOSURE- A HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Author: Zachary Baggett Year: 2017 Artform: Visual Art Grade: 5th Duration: 50 Min session
OVERVIEW
Learners will participate in detective work and build critical thinking skills as they try to explain techniques that could be used to create "spirit photographs" by exploring the history of photography, gaining an understanding of the processes involved, and ultimately by creating their own "spirit images" by utilizing the principles of trick photography.
FINE ART STANDARDS
Standard 5.V.CO.1: Apply formal and conceptual vocabularies of art and design to view surroundings in new ways through art-making. Standard 5.V.CO.2: Identify how art is used to inform or change beliefs, values, or behaviors of an individual or society.
INTEGRATED STANDARDS
Social Studies Standard 5 b.Describe the wide-ranging impact of the Industrial Revolution (e.g. inventions, industries, innovations).
SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES
One projector with computer connection One slide based presentation that highlights some important progressions in photography One camera with a controllable shutter speed, or an ipad or similar device with an application for controlling shutter speed. The application I used was on an Ipad, found on the apple store for free, titled: Magic Movement Camera
OBJECTIVES
I can view surroundings in new ways through art-making. I can be a detective. I can use art and learning strategies to think critically. I can critique. I can use my art to help others think critically too. I can utilize photographic processes to create trick photography and movie magic.
TEACHING AND TIMELINE
INTRODUCTION
(5 Min) Welcome Class. Show class a video I captured using Movement Magic App, without disclosing that I used a special app, or that I am the one in the picture. Vote for active response from students as to whether they believe it is a real ghost. Pull up slide show. First images show pictures taken in the 1800's that seem to depict ghosts. Again have the class vote, real or fake.
Google Slide Show Presentation at:
Begin explaination of the history of photography. Go through slide show, explaining the camera obscura, early cameras, how cameras operate, the components, and processes. Explain similarities of the eye ball to the camera. Explain what happens when cameras or people move while a picture is being shot. Explain how old cameras take a long time to capture image. Have students hold a pose for 5 minutes while lecture is being given. Introduce William Mumler, explain the story of the photographer, how he claimed to take images of spirits. Explain the controversy. Explain that he was taken to court. Explain the prosecuting and defense side of the case. Have students vote if they think he went to jail for being a fraud, or if he was deemed innocent.
He was deemed innocent, because the judge said he couldn't prove that the pictures were fake.
Show video of a modern photographer that utilzes the methods of Mumler to create double exposure photographs, that look like spirits.
DEMONSTRATION
(20 Min) Pull up slide show. First images show pictures taken in the 1800's that seem to depict ghosts. Again have the class vote, real or fake. Begin explaination of the history of photography. Go through slide show, explaining the camera obscura, early cameras, how cameras operate,
Explain similarities of the eye ball to the camera. Explain what happens when cameras or people move while a picture is being shot. Explain how old cameras take a long time to capture image. Have students hold a pose for 5 minutes while lecture is being given. Introduce William Mumler, explain the story of the photographer, how he claimed to take images of spirits. Explain the controversy. Explain that he was taken to court. Explain the prosecuting and defense side of the case. Have students vote if they think he went to jail for being a fraud, or if he was deemed innocent. He was deemed innocent, because the judge said he couldn't prove that the pictures were fake. Show video of a modern photographer that utilzes the methods of Mumler to create double exposure photographs, that look like spirits.
WORK PERIOD (15 Min) Briefly explain to class that we will be creating a movie in which they look like ghosts. Wait for cheering to cease. Explain the steps. Have students fill in the steps based on what we learned from history of photography. Students will line up outside class. Teacher will set up camera and hold it steady. Students will walk in front of camera, while walking in different manners at at different speeds. Video will capture the movement, but will blur students because of shutter speed. The device used to capture for this assignment was an ipad. The application used is called magic movement camera, and can be found on the app store for free.
CLOSURE/SUMMARY (5 Min) Open class for questions about movie magic and trick photography.
