Self Portraits

We set up two well lit areas in the classroom as simple portrait studios. One area had a plain black screen as background, the other had a plain white screen. The class of 25 pupils worked in two groups, one group taking black and white images and the other making colour images. The groups swapped after 20 - 25 mins and if the group completed all their portraits in this time they took close ups of eyes and hands etc. To make the images we used video cameras on tripods linked to a computer through a digitising board. Using video cameras in this way means that you are able to use the zoom lens, which is more effective as a portrait lens than the wide angle lenses found on most digital cameras. Zoom lenses also make it posible to take close-up pictures of fine detail.

If you are considering using digital photography in art it is important to consider buying a digital camera with a zoom lens. If your school already has a video camera it is possible to buy a digitising board. (We used a Motion Picture device which connected to the parallel port of the computer and can therefore be used on different machines, a useful feature in schools. The board is made by ATM who can be contacted on 0191 414 1939). We were able to make images quickly and with good resolution without creating files that were too large. An ideal solution is to use a digital video camera with a still photo facility. An expensive option, but worth considering because these cameras have flip up LCD screens and remote control handsets which make it possible for a small group to work around one camera on a tripod.