Portrait

Minnesota 9-12 Media Arts Standards
Used in this Lesson

  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area.
  • 1A. Analyze how the elements in media arts such as image, sound, space, time, motion and sequence, are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to media arts.

  • 1b. Evaluate how the principles of media arts such as repetition, unity and contrast are used in the creation of, presentation of, or response to media artworks.

  • 1c. Analyze how the characteristics of a variety of styles and genres such as documentary, narrative or abstract, contribute to the creation of, presentation of, or response to media artworks.

  • 1d. Apply understanding of the health and safety issues related to creating in media arts.

  • 2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrating technology when applicable.
  • 2a. Integrate tools, materials, and techniques to create original products for artistic purposes.

  • 2b. Integrate linear and non-linear software including video- and sound-editing software to create original products for expressive intent.

  • 3. Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence the arts areas.
  • 3a. Analyze how a work in media arts influences and is influenced by the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

  • 3b. Synthesize and express an individual view of the meanings and functions of media arts.
  • 4. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 4a. Create a single, complex work or multiple works in media arts.

  • 4b. Revise creative work based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 4c. Justify an artistic statement, including how audience and occasion influence creative choices.

  • 5. Perform or present in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 5a. Present, exhibit, publish or demonstrate collections of media artworks for different audiences and occasions.

  • 5b.Revise a presentation based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 5c. Justify artistic intent, including how audience and occasion influence presentation choices.
  • 6. Respond to or critique a variety of creations or performances using the artistic foundations.
  • 6a. Analyze, interpret and evaluate a variety of media artworks by applying self-selected criteria within the traditions of the art form.

  • 6b. Justify choices of self-selected criteria based on knowledge of how criteria affects criticism.

    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Science: Human Anatomy/Facial Structure
  • Science: Aging process
    • Students are shown a presentation about portrait photography. Topics included are:
  • Lighting
  • Background
  • Pose
  • Focus
  • Portrait Genres and how they differ
    • Click here to download the powerpoint presentation.

    In addition images from professional photographers are shown and discussed.

    Finally, examples from former students are shown.

    Students are encouraged to read 8 Portrait Tips Everyone Should Know.

    Students are shown various Photoshop techniques to edit portrait photos. Tools covered include:
  • Airbrushing
  • Clone tool
  • Healing Brush
  • Blur techniques
  • Cepia tone and Black and White


    • Evaluation:
    Portrait Photography
    (Always leave original as an untouched layer)
    Hand in 2 photos. One untouched in Photoshop, One modified to IMPROVE the photo or model. Photos must be of two different people!

    4 points -- Raw composition of the shots (Focus, Detail, Lighting, Crop, Color saturation, etc.)
    4 points -- Natural Corrections/improvements on one photo. (Don't do too much!) (And don't do too little either!)
    2 points -- Followed directions (one corrected, one not, untouched layer in corrected one, titled: "your name untouch.jpg" and "your name mod.psd")
    10 points total

    Check out this website as well: https://www.magnanimouspictures.com/Portfolio/Luminescent/