Hillsboro High IB and AP Visual Arts

Photo Clinic

IB VISUAL ARTS – PORTFOLIO PHOTOGRAPHY

Carol Hagen’s photography clinic at Hillsboro High School Visual Arts department provided an opportunity to test the Nikon Coolpix S570 with approximately 100 images. Below is the set up and the minor Photoshop enhancements applied. Keep in mind, the set up is meant to demonstrate to high school art students how to photograph their college portfolio on a shoestring budget.

  1. Tripod – $50 and up
  2. Painting easel with a 1’6″ string tied for a quick reference because the Nikon S570 offers 1 ft. 6 in. minimum focus range – this is actually a reminder to the students not to inch too close to the subject  –  approx. $65 or borrow one
  3. 2D art leans against a white card board background – $6
  4. Simple 2 light Photoflood kit  – approx. $150
  5. ECT bulbs – 3200K/500W – $6ea – $12 total
  6. For the attached images I used a pair of home-made Mylar diffusing filters (foam board frame + mylar sheet taped to the foam board + the filters are wired to the light heads) – $20
  7. Gray card – $3
  8. Level – $12

Nikon CoolPix S570 – $150

  1. There is a manual control option within the Shooting Menu – these are the settings I used for the images attached
  2. Image Mode – 4000 x 3000 High: 4000★ for 13″ x 10″ images
  3. White Balance Pre Set Manual allows the user to cancel any prior setting before measuring for a gray card. The gray card setting consistently enabled accurate color with this camera.
  4. ISO 80-3200 settings are offered.  Since I am using a lighting kit with a tripod, I choose the ISO 80 setting, as recommended by Nikon for optimum quality with low digital noise
  5. Color Options – turned off
  6. Auto Focus is substituted with Center Focus
  7. 2.7-in. high-resolution LCD monitor provides an accurate preview and timed review

Adobe Photoshop CS4 – Basic – $400, but available at most college art or photography departments

  1. The sample images are taken so the students can see a limited view of the set up – their artwork leaning against a simple white card board background
  2. Raw JPG – 300ppi – 13.33″ x 10″ – 4000 x 3000 pixel
  3. JPG is Saved As a titled PSD
  4. Cropped with slight perpendicular correction
  5. Level adjustment – increase contrast 2
  6. PSD is Saved As a titled JPG
  7. Resize to 72ppi / 3.5” x 3.5” and paste to a white canvas at the same size

The results are consistent, the cost is low, and this test met the needs of art students on a limited budget.
Hillsboro High School Visual Arts Technology Grant  Feb. 2010 / posted Nov. 2011

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