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.

Camera Bags review

I recently acquired 2 new photo bags to go with the one that I bought when I got my camera. Finding the right camera bag is not an easy task for most photographers.  It's probably especially hard when (1) you're an experienced photographer with a lot of gear to carry around and (2) you're new and don't know what you need.

There are some very informative tutorials and articles on selecting the right bag.  Here are just five of the many hundred articles, tutorials, and forum discussions available on the subject.

1. Photo Tuts+: How to Choose the Perfect Photo Bag for Travel/ by Peter Carey
2. tutorial 9: Choosing a Camera Bag by Federick Silverglimth
3. Digital Photography School: Choosing a Day Bag for Your Camera by Peter Carey
4. Berger Bros: video - Selecting The Best Camera Bag For Your Needs by Yvonne Berger
5. byThom: Carrying 101 by Thom Hogan

No matter what you read, or how much advice you get, you have to find your own bag.  I have a difficult time just trying to buy a handbag.  Currently, I have two that I use, one for summer and one for winter.  They are just alike except for the color and they each cost about $15.  I wish they were about 1 inch bigger.  I have another bag that cost about $75.  I carried it for a month before I went back to one of the cheap ones.  What I'm saying is that I care more about function than fashion. 

Now I (finally) come to the review part of this post.  I haven't used any of the bags very much so I can't speak to their durability, ease of use, or comfort factor in actual use.  They all come in black when I would have preferred some accent color.

I purchased the Lowepro Adventura 170 Camera Bag for $22.32, but it's now priced at $28.36.  I measured the external measurements as 9.5 W x 8.75 H  x 5.5 D.  There's about 3/4 inch of padding all around so it's nicely padded.  There are 2 removable/adjustable padded dividers so you can have up to 3 sections. I have a Canon Rebel with the kit lens in the bag and only have room for one other section which would hold one lens or one flash.  The bag has a zippered 9.25 x 6.25 pocket on the front with 2 insert pockets (for things like memory cards) - there's little depth to the main pocket and none at all to the insert pockets.  I don't think it would hold the camera manual.  There are 2 "pouches" on the sides with elastic tops that will fit slim water bottles.  It got good reviews, but don't believe those who told you how roomy it is.  I'd probably give it 4 to 4 1/2 stars because it's smaller than advertised, but it may be just the size you need.

Pros: It appears well made and well padded.  It has adjustable section dividers.  It closes with a zipper and a fold over flap that buckles so the camera is secure.  It has both a padded carrying handle on top and an adjustable, sturdy shoulder strap.

Cons: It's too small to hold much except the camera body and one or two lens.  It closes with a zipper and a fold over flap that buckles so it's difficult to get to the camera quickly.  It looks like a camera bag.



Last week I got the AmazonBasics Backpack for SLR Cameras and Accessories.  At under $35, it was reasonably priced.  I measured it as 10.5 W x 16 H x 6.25 D.  The straps and back are well-padded; straps are adjustable.  It has a chest strap which lies too close to my neck for comfort even though it's adjustable and the waist strap is for skinny people.  (I didn't expect it to fit me, but I'm repeating what other reviewers said on that one.) 

It has 2 pockets on the front.  One is a flat, zip-at-the-top-only pocket in the front that would hold maps or a manual and I can easily slide my hand to the bottom to retrieve small articles. The other pocket unzips1/2 way down each side as well as the top and contains a large mesh pocket, approximately 9 x 9, and 4 insert pockets (2 pen size, one 8 x 6 and one 5 x 5.  There's a pocket on both sides that close with Velcro and are about 4 x 5 with expandable sides. It has 2 straps on one side to hold a small - moderate size tripod.

It has 1/2 inch padding front, top, bottom, and sides.  There are 6 small (3 inch wide) adjustable/removable section dividers and 2 large ones that fit lengthwise in the bag so you can get 9 different sections and there are 2 straps to fit over the sections to hold stuff in.  There are 2 zippered vinyl pockets about 10 1/2 x 5 1/2 in the main compartment. It holds more camera stuff than I own right now.  There are video reviews on Amazon.com and YouTube if you want to see what other photographers put in there. 

All the straps seemed to be secured well.  The zipper pulls are padded.  I'd probably give it 4 to 4 1/2 stars.  I'm not built for a backpack so I'm not the best judge on this one.  I'm not sure how easy it will be to get off my shoulders when it's loaded.

Pros: Good price/good value; holds a lot, but not too big; well padded; doesn't look like a camera bag.  Not too hard to get camera out, but not all that fast either.

Cons: Doesn't come with rain cover.



The last bag I'm reviewing today was an impulse buy.  I got the Neewer Large Camera Case/Bag because of the reviews and the price.  At only $3.56, including shipping, I just had to see it.  The reviewers were right. 

This little bag measures 7.75 W x 8.5 H x 4.75 with about 1/8 inch of padding all around.  (It's only 2 inches deep when empty which makes it easy to store.)  Inside there's a flat pocket about 5.5 x 6.5.  I can easily slip my hand to the bottom of that pocket. On the outside there's a zippered pocket about 7.5 x 6.  The zipper goes 3/4 of the way down both sides so it's easily accessible, but there are no little pockets inside that.  It's big enough to comforatbly hold my Canon Rebel with the kit lens attached. It closes with a flap and Velcro and there's an adjustable shoulder strap that's long enough to make this a cross body bag for safety.  The strap attached to webbing that goes around 3 sides of the bag that should increase the stability and durability of the bag as well as the strap.

I can use this bag for odds and ends when I carry the LowePro bag, or vice versa.

Pros: The price!  This is a great bag for the price.  Can remove camera fairly quickly.  Doesn't look like a camera bag.  It's not all black. Empty, it stores more easily than other bags.

Cons: the Velcro closure, not much padding (but for $3.50, you can't really expect 1/2 inch padding now, can you?)

A New Project

During my studies and research, I have read several articles that suggested photographers study pictures taken by professional photographers to help improve their own skills in lighting and composition.  One of the NYIP photographers said that when she started, she had studied the lighting in photographs.  An article I read this summer recommended that the new photographer start a scrapbook using magazine pictures.  It gave me the idea to create a digital scrapbook or album using on-line pictures.

I chose Composition as the theme for my project and not only have I enjoyed creating the album, I found it to be a fun way to learn more about photography.  Composition is a very broad topic and my project is still a work in progress even though I’m up to 180 PowerPoint slides.  I may have to divide it into several different files if it gets much larger. 

Here’s the outline for a "course" on making a Photography scrapbook to enhance your photography skills if you’re interested.  There’s more information about what I did on the page Project: Photography Composition .

1. Choose an electronic medium.
2. Choose a theme
3. Start your album
4. Divide the theme into appropriate sections if it’s a broad topic
5. Create a Table of Contents (with hyperlinks to each section if you have 180 pages!) 
6. Add the pictures
7. Learn more
8. Practice what you learn.
9. Take your own photographs and add them to the project.
10. Keep learning