NYIP Photo Assigments

For those of you who visit Persimmon Tree Photography only in your search for NYIP information, DOFmaster has posted photographs submitted for NYIP assignments from 2000 - 2003 along with comments from the NYIP advisers that you may find interesting.

You may also want to visit DOFMaster's main page where you can find applications, charts, tables, and articles for depth of field (hence the name DOF Master). You can also find the Navy Basic and Advanced Photography Courses from 1993.

I don't understand how NYIP decided on their assignments. The first assignment is to take a photograph "using shutter speed to express a sense of motion or speed."  I'm not a photographer nor an educator, but as a student, I think something else would be more appropriate for one's first photograph.  Something that would re-inforce the lesson, but would let the student be comfortable with the camera.   I also think the assignment should emphasize technique more than subject.  Each of the assignments do help reinforce learning about exposure and lighting, but then they should just be about the technique and let you choose an available subject.

While I'm complaining, I don't know why NYIP insists on having all the assignment photographs mailed instead of sent electronically.  It just looks to me like using modern technology would be less expensive and easier on everybody.  They could still have one or two assignments on printing photographs if they wanted.

I don't think I've listed them before, so here are the assignments in 2011 (they aren't quite the same as in 2000, but close).  Each assignment is for 3 - 5+ photographs.

Unit 1:

1. Using shutter speed to express a sense of motion or speed.
2. Using selective focus to make the subject stand out
3. Creating a feeling of distance by using great depth of field

Unit 2:

1. Emphasizing the subject by the size and off-center placement
2. Using framing to focus attention on your subject
3. Using leading lines to draw attention to your subject

Unit 3:

1. Using sidelighting to emphasize surface tension
2. Using backlighting to enhance the surface
3. Using "open shade" to photograph a person outdoors
4. Using a reflector board as a second light source

Unit 4:

1. Using window light for a portrait
2. Using one or two lights for a portrait
3. Making an indoor location portrait
4. Photographing a baby, young child, or pet
5. Making a group portrait

Unit 5 (you only have to do 3 of the 4):

1. Photographing a newsworthy event
2. Photographing a sports event
3. Making a fashion photograph
4. Creating a photo essay/photograph story (10+ photos)

Unit 6 (you only have to do 5 of the 9):

1. Shooting a product photograph
2. Photographing a building exterior in daylight
3. Photographing a building exterior at night
4. Photographing the interior of a home or office
5. Photographing close up
6. Photographing a still life
7. Creating a glamorous portrait
8. Photographing to minimize facial flaws
9. Creating a special effects photograph

I still haven't got started with the assignments and I meant to have them completed by now, but I have 2 more years so I'll probably wait another year (I'm such a procrastinator!).  I have read in a couple of forums that students got stuck at Unit 4 because they couldn't find anyone willing to pose for the portraits.  I will probably have that problem also.  I read that several (many?) years ago NYIP sent you a plastic or foam, bald head (called Shirley) that you could use for portraits, but, dang, they don't do that any more.