Suggestions for photography class project

Cafe Society
#1

I’m taking a beginning black & white photography class at the local community college and our final project is due in about a month. The gist of the assignment is to print 10 photos that depict a specific subject, concept, or theme. I’m having difficulty coming up with a topic for this and I was hoping you Dopers could help me out.

I’ve thought of a few things, but when I start trying to scope out my approach to them, I come away thinking “Man, how boring would it be to view 10 photos of that!” For example, I’m really interested in the architectural “relics” of the 30s, 40s, and 50s that still exist in my area today. You know, stuff like old gas stations, motor courts, diners and drive-in restaurants. At first that sounded like a good topic, but as I drove around town looking for those things, I began to have second thoughts. Most of what I found was uninteresting architecturally and photographically.

So I ask you, Dopers, what would you find interesting enough to view 10 photographs of? What would be an intriguing subject or theme to explore photographically? I would love to hear suggestions, especially from those of you who have done a similar project.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

(Moderators: I debated whether to place this here since it deals with “art”, or to place it in IMHO since it’s sort of a poll. Please feel free to place it wherever is most appropriate.)

#2

Live near a trainyard? Trains always look great in black and white.

And since you’re in the trainyard, I was also thinking grafitti could be interesting, and it’d be unusual to see it in black and white. Some grafitti is done by very talented artists.

#3

Things you are eating for dinner.

Household textures. (crumpled aluminum foil, bed sheets, stucco)

Clocks (digital, new, old)

People playing games

Office stuff (pile of thumbtacks, paper clips, pencils)

Lamps and lights

Body parts (close up of elbow, can you identify it?)

What does an ant see?

Things on walls (light switch, thermostat, phone jack)

Things in my bathroom

#4

Go to a graveyard, seriously. headstones, little statues on them, etc… They go great with B&W.

#5

Actually, the architectural idea could work, if you go for the details: bits of original trim, windows, signs, electrical and plumbing fixtures, and so on.

Industrial stuff could be good too, especially if you can get inside a large-scale factory of some sort: views of big machinery, close-up details, workers, stacks of raw materials and product. (I’m thinking of a refinery or mill of some sort; assembly-line doesn’t appeal to me.)

A single tree could give lots of views: a long shot for context, one of just the tree, branches against the sky, leaves, flowers, bark texture.

And since you’re in Fort Worth anyway, you could probably get in touch with a local belly dancer and her associates through this board. :smiley:

#6

I’m with rjk. I mean about trying some less “architechtural” approach to the diner etc.- close up detail, unusaul angles. Maybe juxutopositions with modern people.

If you find them interesting- why? what aspect? the beautiful 30’s lines? the decay? the combination? something else? focus in on that, don’t think about what pictures of buildings are supposed to look like, and you’ll have something interesting.
or even if he wasn’t serious, go with the belly dancer. What people are really interested in is people (and sex. Duh.)
And, no offence to the Big Cheese- graveyard ARE great, I can’t help shooting them myself- death, monuments, nicely textured stuff that looks good in shades of grey- but I’ve seen sooo many graveyard pictures!
There are no interesting subjects, just interesting photographs of subjects. So go with what interests you.

#7

Horses and old people are both great for texture.

If you are in Ft. Worth, you could take pictures of the water gardens.

Is it bluebell season yet? I think a series of photos of other people taking photos of their children in the bluebells would be cute.

#8

I had a very similar assignment once. I did mine on “round things in nature.” Seriously. I had the sun, the moon, a tree stump, a circle of stones, a mushroom ring, two puppies lying curled next to each other facing opposite directions, etc. I actually got a respectable grade.

#9

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! These are all great ideas, and I’ll give them some serious thought.

Another topic I’m considering ties in very closely with my hometown. For those of you familiar with Fort Worth, you know that we love to play up our connection to the Old West. Heck, our nickname is “Cowtown” after all. So, Old West stuff is all over the place - cowboys, boots, Stetson hats, cows, horses, the whole shootin’ match (pun intended). I’m thinking about focusing on cowboys and cowboy related imagery - everthing from kitschy store window displays to real live bronc-busting, steer-roping rodeo cowboys. In fact, I went out to the Stockyards last night and shot off half a roll of film in about an hour. For the first time in this project, I felt like I was on to something. I’m planning to go back this weekend and shoot some more.

But keep your ideas coming, just in case this one doesn’t work out! I really appreciate all your suggestions.

Thanks.
Jeff