Flower Lab

In Photo 2, we treat this project like a true science experiment. Students have learned how to use the manual settings on their camera,  but now they need to practice applying those settings to challenging situations. I provide a very loose demonstration, but everything after that introduction is based on testing hypotheses. What is the best way to attach the weights to get the flowers suspended in the water? What is the best aperture? Tripod or no? What happens with experimental lighting? What are the best ways to edit these images?

Students work in partners or small groups—sometimes switching these teams up each day so that we learn from each other. We shoot over several days, often introducing new variables into the experiments, like different flowers, new colors of acrylic, and  variable lighting. The studio is energized as students collaborate to work through frustrations and achieve stunning results.

SAMPLE STUDENT FLOWER LAB RESULTS