Department of Arts Administration, Education, and Policy

UNIT PLAN OVERVIEW

(Revised 2021)

Teacher Candidate Margaret Derrig

School Orange High School

UNIT TITLE Portraits – Photographing People

Length of Class Period 45 min
Approximate Number of Students in Each class 26
Grade Level or Course title Photo 1
Beginning Date for this Unit March 7th
Ending Date for this Unit April 13th

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
Personal Choice and Vision: Students construct and solve problems of personal relevance
and interest when expressing themselves through visual art.
Critical and Creative Thinking: Students combine and apply artistic and reasoning skills to
imagine, create, realize and refine artworks in conventional and innovative ways.
Literacy: As consumers, critics and creators, students evaluate and understand artworks and
other texts produced in the media forms of the day.

PROGRESS POINTS
The student will at the appropriate developmental level:
A. Recognize that people from various times and cultures create works of art to be looked at,
valued and enjoyed.
B. Explore a range of art concepts and artworks and construct meaning about the works.
C. Connect making art with individual choice and understanding personal cultural identity.
D. Produce artworks that express and represent their experiences, imagination and ideas using
a range of media including new technologies.

CRITICAL ISSUE / BIG IDEA

A. Anticipatory Set (what do the students already know)
B. Rationale (why is this lesson relevant?)
A. The students have started learning the different technical skills of working with a camera
and have worked with different editing processes. Now, the students will apply those
technical skills to explore concepts related to portrait photography and photographing
people. They will do this through five exercises, each dealing with a different aspect of
portrait photography, which most students should be somewhat familiar with already.
B. Portrait photography is one of (if not the) most common types of photography, and
something that most people are exposed to everyday, even if they don’t realize it.
Yearbook photos, driver’s license, school ID’s, advertisements, selfies, etc.;
photographic portraits are everywhere. The students will be using portraits to explore
and experiment with different camera settings and both technical and aesthetic aspects
of photography. Because of their exposure to and familiarity with portraits and the
styles/aspects we are focusing on, students will be able to conceptualize and understand
how the different settings impact their photos as they adjust their settings while shooting,
which will make it easier to then apply these settings and techniques to other subject
matter.

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Central Focus (creating, presenting, interpreting, responding, and/or relating art to context)
This lesson is going to explore the concept of the “portrait” and photographing people. We will
discuss how you can define “portrait” and how different artists use portraiture in their works. In
the first project, the students will experiment with different types of portraits. They will do five
exercises, each focusing on a different type/aspect of portrait photography. These are
silhouettes, dramatic/colorful lighting, close-ups, portraits with props, and experimentation with
perspective and viewpoint. Students will be learning how adjusting their camera settings creates
different affects in their photos. Exploring this through portraits, something they’ve been
exposed to a lot, will help them to be able to visualize and conceptualize the ways their settings
impact their photos and create the affects they are aiming for.

Essential Questions (provocative, engaging, critical)

1. How can you define “portrait”?
2. How can variations in portraits change how they are viewed and interpreted?
3. What technical aspects must be considered in each type of portrait?

Possible Integration
- History: how portraits have developed over time, the role/significance it has in societies

DESCRIPTION OF THE ESSENTIAL EDUCATIONAL CONTENT OF THIS UNIT

Lesson One
Title Intro to Portrait Photography
Lesson Description The intro to the project will be two days and is meant to help the students
start thinking about portrait photography. On the first day they will get a list
of some of the terminology used in portrait photography that they will have
to look up and take notes on in their sketchbooks. They will also get lists of
artists that use portraiture in their work that they should start looking at. On
the second day, we will have class discussions to help the students start
thinking about portrait photography. We’ll define “portrait”, talk about some
different types and how they can be used. I will show some examples of
different artists that they were supposed to start looking at, and we’ll
discuss how each artist approaches the idea of a portrait differently. Then I
will introduce their assignment and talk about the timeline of this unit.
Approximately how Two days (maybe one more depending on how the conversations go)
long?
Lesson Two
Title Portrait Exercises
Lesson Description This lesson consists of five exercises that focus on different types of
portraits. Each exercise will start with a short introduction to the type. We
will discuss some of the technical and aesthetic aspects that the students
should be considering while taking their photographs. I will also show
some examples of what I’m looking for and explain the variations I am
requiring for their photographs. Then they will have time in class to shoot
and edit photos. There will also be a few days throughout that are student
workdays where they can decide what they will work on for the project,
whether it be taking more photos or editing the ones they have.
Approximately how 18 days (divided up by exercises and workdays)
long?

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 Lesson Three
Title Portrait Critique
Lesson Description For the last part of this unit, we will have a two-day critique in class. The
critique will be broken into different parts, which will be determined once
the students start working on the projects and I see what I want to focus
on.
Approximately how Two days
long will this
lesson take?

Explain how technology has been used in this unit

The students can use their technology and the internet to do research for this project when it is
needed.

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 LESSON PLAN

Teacher Candidate Margaret Derrig

School Orange High School

LESSON NUMBER 1
Lesson Title Intro to Portrait Photography
Length of Class Period 45 min
Approximate Number of Students in Each class 26
Grade Level or Course title Photo 1
Beginning Date for this Lesson March 7th
Ending Date for this Lesson March 8th

CONTENT STATEMENT – PERCEIVING/KNOWING

3PE Identify the relationship between community or cultural values and trends
in visual art.
4PE Identify the factors that influence the work of individual artists.

CONTENT STATEMENT – PRODUCING/PERFORMING

N/A

CONTENT STATEMENT – RESPONDING/REFLECTING

1RE Explore various methods of art criticism in responding to artworks.
3RE Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques and materials used to
create works of art.
6RE Identify various venues for viewing works of art.

Performance-based Assessment Objectives

1. Students will be able to identify and use the vocabulary associated with portrait
photography.
2. Students will be able to identify and describe how artists use portraiture differently in
their works.

Performance-based Assessment Strategies

(attach assessment documents if applicable)
1. In their sketchbooks, students have written down definitions/notes for each of the
vocabulary terms associated with portrait photography that they were given.
2. In their sketchbooks, students have chosen two artists (from the list of artists provided)
to research how they use portraiture in their work and wrote summaries for each and
how the two compare.

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Academic Language
Vocabulary
Portrait- (not just one definition) a piece of art that represents the likeness of a person
Ambient Light- existing light or that is present in the immediate environment or which is not
subject to control
Main/Key Light- the primary light source for a photograph
Fill Light- the secondary light source to the main light, used to “fill” in the shadows
Hard Light- harsh light that creates high contrast
Soft Light- diffused light that produces soft shadows
Backlit- when the light source is coming from behind the subject of your photograph
Lighting pattern- how the light falls on the subject’s face
Overexposure- too much light
Underexposure- not enough light
Bracketing- taking the same photo with a range of settings to try to get the best exposure
setting
Composition- how elements are arranged within the frame
Viewpoint- position and distance between camera and subject
Bokeh- aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus parts of an image
Prop- anything besides the person in the photograph (can be anything)

Additional Language Demands (specific speaking or writing activity)

The students will have to take notes about some of the terminology associated with portrait
photography in their sketchbooks. They will also have to research two artists (from a list I will
provide) and write brief summaries of how they use portraiture in their work, as well as how the
two artists compare to each other. We will also have conversations about these in class. We will
define “portrait” and have discussions about photographing people.
At the end of the unit, we will have a critique in class, the format of which hasn’t been
determined yet. It will depend on how the students are working and what I think we should focus
on while wrapping up the lesson.

Accommodations for Special Populations

I will provide assistance to students who may need help with technical or conceptual
components of the project.
Art/Visual Culture Examples
Artists:
- Phillip-Lorca DiCorcia
- William Eggleston
- Nan Goldin
- Graciela Iturbide
- Dorothea Lange
- Annie Leibovitz
- Sandro Miller
- Arnold Newman
- Cindy Sherman
- Alec Soth
- Mark Steinmetz
- Carrie Mae Weems
- Francesca Woodman
https://www.pinterest.com/margaret_derrig/photo-1-portraits/

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Preparations
Materials/Resources for Teacher
Computer, Projector, PowerPoints

Materials for Students

Sketchbook, computer (or something with internet access)

Safety Procedures

LEARNING ACTIVITY
Getting the Classroom Environment Ready
I will have materials prepped for when the students will need them. Digital copies of handouts,
PowerPoints, and other resources will be posted for the students to access and reference when
needed.

Procedures for the Teaching/Learning Structure (indicate approximate time for each step)
Day 1:
Time: Activity: Notes:
5 min Start class, take attendance
5 min Strohl introduces me, tell them a little about myself
5 min Pass out questionnaire for students and explain what I want
them to fill out on it
Explain the sketchbook assignment they’re starting with-
- Write down definitions for each of the vocabulary
words I give them (in ways that they understand, not
just directly copying the definitions)
- Look up two of the artists from the list provided and
write a brief summary of how they use portraiture in
their work, and then compare the two artists with
each other
25 min Students work on the questionnaires and sketchbook
assignments
5 min Wrap up class

Day 2:
Time: Activity: Notes:
5 min Start class, take attendance
15 min Define and discuss what a “portrait” is, what it can be
Talk about the definitions they came up with for the vocab
words I gave them
15 min Briefly look at each of the artists on the list I gave them
Allow students to share what they found, then share some
of the things I found as well
10 min Introduce the project and explain the format and
requirements for it
Wrap up class during the last few minutes

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Clean-up Procedures (Room, Materials & Work Storage)
If students finish their questionnaire in class they can turn them in before they leave. If they
logged into a computer, they should log out before they leave class.

Closure, Review & Anticipation (what’s next?)

At the end of each class I will try to briefly summarize/remind the students what we will be doing
the next day and if there is anything they need to do before then.

Supplemental Activity
If students finish early, they can start brainstorming for the photos they might plan to take for the
project.

Teacher reflection focused on the lesson after it has been taught

Lesson 1 Teaching & Learning materials

Include attachments of any resources, slide shows, teacher samples, and/or

assessments related to this lesson.

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 LESSON PLAN

Teacher Candidate Margaret Derrig

School Olentangy Orange High School

LESSON NUMBER 2
Lesson Title Portrait Exercises
Length of Class Period 45 min
Approximate Number of Students in Each class 26
Grade Level or Course title Photo 1
Beginning Date for this Lesson March 9th
Ending Date for this Lesson April 11th

CONTENT STATEMENT – PERCEIVING/KNOWING

2PE Identify and describe the sources artists use for visual reference and to generate ideas for
artworks.
4PE Identify the factors that influence the work of individual artists.

CONTENT STATEMENT – PRODUCING/PERFORMING

2PR Apply the elements and principles of art and design using a variety of media to solve
specific visual art problems.
3PR Explore multiple solutions to visual art problems through preparatory work.
4PR Establish the appropriate levels of craftsmanship when completing artworks.

CONTENT STATEMENT – RESPONDING/REFLECTING

1RE Explore various methods of art criticism in responding to artworks.
3RE Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques and materials used to
create works of art.

Performance-based Assessment Objectives

1. Students will be able to use their technical skill to create various visual effects in each
exercise.
2. Students will be able to use their creative thinking and personal choice to create
variations in their photographs for each exercise.
3. Students will be able to take inspiration from the works of other artists and use it to
inform their own creative decisions and technical choices.

Performance-based Assessment Strategies

(attach assessment documents if applicable)
1. Students show evidence of how they used the different camera settings to achieve
various effects in their photographs.
2. Students show evidence of their creative decisions they made while composing each
shot for the different exercises.
3. Students can explain where they found inspiration from the artists we looked at in class
and how it is represented in their photographs.

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Academic Language
Vocabulary
Portrait- (not just one definition) a piece of art that represents the likeness of a person
Ambient Light- existing light or that is present in the immediate environment, or which is not
subject to control
Main/Key Light- the primary light source for a photograph
Fill Light- the secondary light source to the main light, used to “fill” in the shadows
Hard Light- harsh light that creates high contrast
Soft Light- diffused light that produces soft shadows
Backlit- when the light source is coming from behind the subject of your photograph
Overexposure- too much light
Underexposure- not enough light
Bracketing- taking the same photo with a range of settings to try to get the best exposure
setting
Composition- how elements are arranged within the frame
Viewpoint- position and distance between camera and subject
Bokeh- aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus parts of an image
Prop- anything besides the person in the photograph (can be anything)
Silhouette- the image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a
single color, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject
Closeup- taken at close range and showing the subject on a large scale

Additional Language Demands (specific speaking or writing activity)

I will check in with students while they are working to ask how they are doing and have them
explain their process and what they are doing so I can check their understanding.

Accommodations for Special Populations

I will provide assistance to students who may need help with technical or conceptual
components of the project.

Art/Visual Culture Examples

Works by the artists the students researched that they are using for inspiration for their proejcts
https://www.pinterest.com/margaret_derrig/photo-1-portraits/ Pinterest board with inspiration
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15jiU0M69Z6oinymvSkIOqbQ0QXnmC_4r?usp=sharing
my teacher examples (still editing, but they’re mostly there)

Preparations
Materials/Resources for Teacher
Computer, Projector, PowerPoints

Materials for Students

Cameras, various equipment
Tripods
Light sources (i.e. lamps, projectors, flashlights, etc.)
Filters for lights (color filters, pieces of lace, transparencies, etc.)
Various props (from school collection, brought in by students, found objects, etc.)

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Safety Procedures
The students are responsible for making sure they are using the camera equipment, and other
equipment and props, with care and while being safe. They will not act inappropriately with the
equipment or while using the internet to do research for the projects. Any student who is seen
abusing the equipment or using it in ways that are not safe or the ways it’s intended to use will
not be allowed to use them anymore.

LEARNING ACTIVITY
Getting the Classroom Environment Ready
Students will be responsible for getting their supplies and equipment they need. I will have any
supplies or equipment ready for them that they might need from me.

Procedures for the Teaching/Learning Structure (indicate approximate time for each step)

Each exercise will start with an introduction, where I will show examples and explain what I am
looking for from them. I will share some tips and tricks I have and answer any questions that the
students want to ask. Following the intro will be studio time for the students, they will be
responsible for using their time wisely, whether they are doing research, shooting, or editing
their photos they took. I will be around for the students to come ask questions and get help from
me if needed. Once I feel we are ready to wrap up with the current exercise and move on to the
next one, I will inform the class and have them wrap up the last thing they’re doing and then we
will intro the next exercise (this will happen at the beginning of a new class period). There are
also built-in workdays for the students where they can choose what to work on, so they can
revisit past exercises if they want to take more photos, retry a shot, or continue editing their
photos.

Students will keep their photos for each exercise in a separate folder on buildingshare. When
some students are ready, I will demo how they can make digital contact sheets of the photos
they’ve taken for each exercise. These will be used to review their photos and determine which
they would like to use for their final images they are submitting. Each student will make contact
sheets for each exercise. This way, I can assess the variations they were supposed to take for
each, and they can look at all of them together to figure out which they like the best and want to
submit. They should create their contact sheets once they feel they are done with an exercise
(don’t need to take more photos or reshoot anything). These will be turned in with their final
images.

Week 1: March 7-10

[Mon- introduce myself, questionnaire for students, portrait terminology for them to look up
Tue- define what a portrait is, discussions about photographing people, look at artists, intro
project]
Wed- (intro) exercise #1- silhouettes
Thur- exercise #1- silhouettes

Week 2: March 14-18

Mon- wrap up exercise #1 , intro exercise #2- dramatic/colorful lighting
Tue- exercise #2- dramatic/colorful lighting
Wed- exercise #2- dramatic/colorful lighting
Thur- wrap up exercise #2 , intro exercise #3- close ups

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Fri- exercise #3- close ups

Week 3: March 21-25

Mon- wrap up exercise #3 , intro exercise #4- props
Tue- exercise #4- props
Wed- exercise #4- props
Thur- wrap up exercise #4 , workday- student choice
Fri- workday- student choice

SPRING BREAK

Week 4: April 4-8

Mon- intro exercise #5- perspective experimentation
Tue- exercise #5- perspective experimentation
Wed- exercise #5- perspective experimentation
Thur- wrap up exercise #5 , workday- student choice
Fri- workday- student choice

Week 5: April 11-14

Mon- final workday for portraits, pick photos to submit
Tue- class critique: portraits
Wed- class critique: portraits

Clean-up Procedures (Room, Materials & Work Storage)

The students will be responsible for returning any supplies or equipment they used during class
to its proper place.
All workspaces will be cleaned and organized before they can leave class.

Closure, Review & Anticipation (what’s next?)

At the end of each class, I will try to briefly summarize/remind the students what we will be
doing the next day and if there is anything they need to do before then.

Supplemental Activity
Students will always have the option to take more photos or edit the ones they already took. I
will have some different questions and writing prompts that the students can write about in their
sketchbooks if they don’t have anything to work on. They will also have to make contact sheets
for each exercise so if they finish one before the rest of the class is ready to move on, they can
work on making those and assessing their photos.

Teacher reflection focused on the lesson after it has been taught

Lesson 1 Teaching & Learning materials

Include attachments of any resources, slide shows, teacher samples, and/or

assessments related to this lesson.

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Be sure to attach to the full instructional unit

Teacher Example
Bibliography in APA format
Any printed material that relates to the unit and/or the lessons

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