When Joseph Germaine's students study photography, they have one goal — to move beyond the snapshot. He encourages them to "rethink the obvious click-and-shoot approach."
To do that, he uses an old 35mm camera with a macro zoom lens, sets up some garage drop lights, and the students do studio work, bracketing every shot. He sent 16 of their photographs to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and 12 were chosen for an exhibit to open the museum.
The pictures can be seen on a Web site created for the exhibit at (www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/index.html). Click on "Kids Framing Kids."
You'll also find these suggestions for making interesting photographs:
1. Use strong lines, shapes, colors, values and textures.
2. Use an unusual place, background, setting or location.
3. Have your subject wear something eye-catching — a costume, makeup, jewelry, scars or tattoos.
4. Have your subject do something unexpected — an unusual action or activity.
5. Create a point of view with a camera angle or different focus.
6. "Fool the eye." This is an illusion created by the camera of something that couldn't happen in reality.
7. Say something meaningful by depicting a feeling or emotion.
8. Use a fascinating person as subject matter.
9. Use interesting lighting.
10. Create a well-planned composition.
11. Use a group of people as subject matter.
12. Create a portrait in which the whole person doesn't appear. Use hands or other body parts, a personal object or shadows.