Paper Airplanes » Assignments

February’s Assignment Gallery – The Eyes Have It

Bob McGowan — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 01:15:53 +0000

Seeing is believing and the photographers who participated in February’s assignment, The Eyes Have It, sure made a believer out of me! And it sure is difficult not to be attracted the power and symbolism of the eye. Many images here are bullseyes on the topic, and range the gambit of plant, animal, mineral…and even zombie! We couldn’t have imagined a more eclectic gallery when it comes to catching the light in the eyes of all types. Please enjoy the visual efforts by those who all see the world differently with their own two eyes!

Kudos to the brave souls who submit images to these assignments. It’s usually a huge first step for anyone to show the world their particular vision of it. This month, we’re asking you to talk a walk on the darkside…oh, and the light side, too!

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

March’s Assignment – Opposites Attract

Bob McGowan — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:24:39 +0000

March is a transitional month in terms of climate where the opposing forces of wind, rain, snow and sleet do battle with the warming northern hemisphere temperatures caused by the earth’s shifting axis toward the sun. Eventually spring wins out helping to pave the wave toward summer, but the contrasting elements of bluster versus blister is sure evident this time of year. So in March, we’ll ask you to show us the world of contrast with Opposites Attract.

How you choose to do so is entirely up to you. Is it in a single image of harsh shadows being cast by bright sunlight? Is it in an image of the peaceful moment of a sleeping white cat on the back of a docile black lab? Or is it a series of juxtaposing images illustrating the idea of opposites? Two images; one taken at night and one at day, perhaps. How creative can your mind wander when it comes to showing us the connected opposites that can’t exist without one another. Let the yin and yang of your visual self come out to play.

All images should be:

• jpeg format
• 72 ppi
• 600 pixels on the longest side
• If possible, we’d love it if the images you submit have your name in the file name and include a watermark (that’s the “© John Doe” at the bottom of the pic). Please submit three to five images.

Deadline:

April 2, 2013

Email all images to Bob McGowan at bobm@rmsp.com. Submitted images will appear in an online gallery on Paper Airplanes, RMSP’s blog on or about April 9 2013. All images will be used in the online gallery for this specific assignment only and will be copyrighted to the photographer. An email confirmation will be sent once your submission is received. If you do not receive the email confirmation, please contact bobm@rmsp.com.

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

January’s Assignment Gallery – A Fresh Look

Bob McGowan — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 21:22:41 +0000

Seeing things anew was the challenge in February, and those willing to bravely take a fresh look at their world, sure did so…and in amazingly creative ways. BINGO! Whether it be in their indoors environment at home or in their homeland’s external natural environment, the sights, feelings and essence of things are what shine through in this eclectic and outstanding work. Both the abstract and the literal shot in unique fashion are in equal abundance in this month’s gallery. We could not be more proud or delighted to share this collection with the world. Enjoy, and read what some of the photographers have to say about their work:

“Image ’0121 Oil and water128′- a pine cone under a bowl of oil and water
Image ‘BATBClass’ – a reflection in the water from a building at Broadway at the Beach
Image ‘block’ – my neighbor’s house through my glass block window!
Image ‘IMG 0436′ – lichen/fungus on a tree branch
Image ‘more oil and water’…wrapping paper underneath the oil and water…” Sandi Blood

“What a terrific exercise: everything is worthy of ‘a fresh look.’ ” – Barry Grivett

“On a walk with my brother in a mountainous region of France called Jura, a week ago, we went by a small frozen creek. Getting closer to take pictures I noticed intricate designs in the ice. Fascinated with the patterns I took many photos. Then looking at them I thought about the January assignment and not just because of the fresh look of the ice; because of the discovery I made this day.” – Genevieve Fix

“This month I have been working on some new work for a local art walk I will be participating in this February. It happens to fit perfectly for this assignment. The following photographs were taken outdoors near Red Lodge, Montana amongst snow, small creeks, trees, and branches, etc. My ISO was set at 100, and by using very narrow apertures ranging from f16 to f25, I was able to achieve the slow shutter speeds I was after, namely, shutter speeds ranging from 1/5 to 1/8 of a second. Then during exposure, I moved my camera either up and down, side to side, etc. I find the results absolutely breathtaking, and am reminded that there is beauty to be found in what you would think to be the most mundane of photographic opportunity!” – Jesse Meyers

“To gardeners, gloves are a very personal thing; almost an extension of yourself. But when they’ve been worked hard enough to be able to pose by themselves like this, it’s not hard to imagine their taking on a life of their own, and become helpers in themselves. The crystal ball reminds me of, as a kid, having an two-sided signaling mirror to play with, and discovering that you could look though it in a way that let you pretend you were walking on the ceiling.” – Bob Scott

“My husband and I live in an old Victorian house built in 1883. A few years ago we stumbled upon a lighting fixture store that sold refurbished ‘old’ lighting fixtures so we replaced all of the chandeliers in our home. So, this month I did a ‘fresh look’ at the chandeliers by photographing directly from below. This is the result.” – Lisa Seguin

Kudos to the brave souls who submitted images. It’s usually a huge first step for anyone to show the world their particular vision of it. This month, we’re asking you to eyeball your situation.

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

February’s Assignment – The Eyes Have It

Bob McGowan — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 21:09:03 +0000

Recently, we’ve had you looking freshly at scenes using all of your senses, but primarily with just one; sight. Seeing is one thing mentally, but the origin of it relates to physical properties of both the environment and the body in order to sense light in our brains. So how is that we do this? The organ of our body most responsible is visual in nature, but rarely itself is the object or subject a photographer’s image. February’s assignment is to capture all that this beautiful and precious about our multi-colored-surrounded-by-white-with-a-dark-center windows to the soul with The Eyes Have It.

As with all of these monthly assignments, literal or figurative interpretations are encouraged. How does an eye “see” and how can you capture that? Is the eye your own or that of another person or creature? Are all eyes even animal versus vegetable or mineral in nature? How do – or what – emotions can be expressed in one’s eyes? Or what emotions you can evoke with an image of an eye? Perhaps the ultimate challenge for you is to approach a complete stranger and ask them if they’d allow you to get up close and personal with your camera lens to get a shot of their eye(s). Does the thought of this give you a shutter? Why not see where this takes you? My belief is that we all love a good challenge now and then.

Whatever you show us, show us your “eye” in the world of eyes.

All images should be:

Deadline:

March 5, 2013

Email all images to Bob McGowan at bobm@rmsp.com. Submitted images will appear in an online gallery on Paper Airplanes, RMSP’s blog on or about March 8, 2013. All images will be used in the online gallery for this specific assignment only and will be copyrighted to the photographer. An email confirmation will be sent once your submission is received. If you do not receive the email confirmation, please contact bobm@rmsp.com.

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

December’s Assignment Gallery – City Life

Bob McGowan — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:37:09 +0000

The city – any city – possesses a charm of its own that can capture the imagination of those who seek it out and find it. That’s exactly what happened with our photographer friends who chose to participate in last month’s City Life assignment. The result here is exactly what we had hoped for with the assignment; a menagerie of the city environment that many of us encounter in our immediate surroundings. Enjoy the imagery of folks who have found its charm all on their own.

“These are from a recent weekend in Philadelphia, attending a wedding…” – Sandi Blood

“Here is my take on city life or maybe I should say city no-life! I took these pictures on the afternoon of Dec. 24th and downtown Missoula was deserted.” – Genevieve Fix

“The current assignment is intriguing: what is special about City Life for me is the variety: people, entertainment, food, hardware/home-improvement stores, whatever. I hope to see this in other submissions. I’m not imaginative enough to show this in one image or even five; so, maybe that’ll be a project! Finally, talk about man-made environment(s): Light at Night is huge; Extravagant Houses of Worship is another and––you’re not apt to see, or need, a Pedestrian Overpass outside a city.” – Barry Grivett

“When I saw the topic, I immediately knew I wanted to capture Memphis while I was there over Christmas. Gray skies and limited number of people out made the assignment more challenging, but still fun to shoot.” – Amy McRae

“I had fun with this assignment. I tried to find some photos I already had as well as go out and shoot some new ones. This City Life assignment let’s me share a favorite deli, a favorite neighborhood hangout, a favorite movie art house, a favorite view….definitely fun!” – Elizabeth Wallen

Kudos to the brave souls who submitted images. It’s usually a huge first step for anyone to show the world their particular vision of it. This month, we’re asking you to take a fresh look at your world.

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

January’s Assignment – A Fresh Look

Bob McGowan — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:17:49 +0000

With the flip of a new calendar year – and perhaps a perceived apocalyptic world paradigm along with it – it can naturally occur to people to refresh their own lives with updated lists of resolutions designed to clean house of the old and make room for the new. So what better month than January to pry your camera out of its hiding place and enlist it to do your bidding with visualizing and capturing A Fresh Look at life.

Maybe this journey starts with adopting the point of view of a newborn where literally EVERYTHING in line of sight, sound, and touch is wondrous and new in the world. What would your images look like if you approached your subject with that same sense of unfiltered wonder? I’m guessing your heart would end up in the final product as much as the subject itself. Use every bit of conscious and unconscious skill you possess as a photographer to be present in the very instant you press that shutter button. All we ask is that you do so with your eyes wide open. Much like this inspiring guy, so to speak.

The subject matter you choose is entirely up to you, it’s more how you see – or feel - it rather than what it actually is. Bugs, buildings, beds, blueberries, babies, books, flower bunches, backyards, beaches, blue skies, big mountains, or blue moons – look at the ordinary in extraordinary ways. Get creative with your composition. Point up instead of down, or vice versa. Be curious of what’s behind you during that gorgeous sunset rather than the eye-catching-lit-up-in-golden-light iconic mountain landscape. Shoot with senses other than sight alone. Even if it exists in the same familiar surroundings you see every waking moment, we encourage you to take a Fresh Look at it and share what you create with fellow admirers of this same big, beautiful world!

All images should be:

Deadline:

February 5, 2013

Email all images to Bob McGowan at bobm@rmsp.com. Submitted images will appear in an online gallery on Paper Airplanes, RMSP’s blog on or about February 8 2013. All images will be used in the online gallery for this specific assignment only and will be copyrighted to the photographer. An email confirmation will be sent once your submission is received. If you do not receive the email confirmation, please contact bobm@rmsp.com.

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

November’s Assignment Gallery – Spin

Bob McGowan — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:15:37 +0000

With a “dizzying” array of images, our beloved readers/photographers who chose to participate in November’s challenge did so with the type of energy and thoughtfulness we have come to expect from them; depicting both circular movement and spinning commentary. In the voice of one participant, Jesse Meyers, she described her submission in the following terms:

“My ‘spin’ on this assignment takes a look at the trash our culture’s many treasures leave behind. There’s also a bit of a double meaning, considering tires ‘spin’ as well!”

Now that’s what we’re talking about! Take a look at their amazing work; it’s enough to make your head spin!

Kudos to the brave souls who submitted images. It’s usually a huge first step for anyone to show the world their particular vision of it. Next month, we’re asking you to get all citified on us.

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

December’s Assignment – City Life

Bob McGowan — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:13:26 +0000

Since the dawn of civilization, the human species has found it mutually purposeful to live in collective fashion in the form of villages, communities, towns and cities. It would be impossible to say what our lives would resemble without the constant cacophony of sights, sounds and commerce that exist in today’s modern urban or not-so-urban cities. For some, this environment becomes a playground of sorts, or a blank canvas on which to create art in all of it’s various genres. Any Main Street in America has it’s own unique story to tell – including massive Broadway in NYC. From alleys to avenues, any man-made environment in your town is what we’re after here. This month’s challenge is to go out with your camera and capture the meaning of City Life in your own view.

In the places you live, we encourage you to be an observer of the cityscapes that exist in your surroundings. We challenge you with seeing the previously unseen – by you, anyway – in any town, big or small. Be as obvious or as clandestine as you’d like. Let loose that inner street photographer that you’ve always wanted to set free. Be the next great Henri Cartier-Bresson or Vivian Maier. Show us the “decisive moments” that create your City Life.

Don’t live near a big city, you say? Well, do you live near or in any sort of community with daily or nightly activity? Then that’s city enough for the purposes of this exercise. Get down to the nitty-gritty of your city and tell us its particularly human story.

All images should be:

Deadline:

January 1, 2013

Email all images to Bob McGowan at bobm@rmsp.com. Submitted images will appear in an online gallery on Paper Airplanes, RMSP’s blog on or about January 4, 2013. All images will be used in the online gallery for this specific assignment only and will be copyrighted to the photographer. An email confirmation will be sent once your submission is received. If you do not receive the email confirmation, please contact bobm@rmsp.com.

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October’s Assignment Gallery – Nature Calls

Bob McGowan — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 23:12:08 +0000

If you are a human on this planet, chances are you’re a nature lover at some level. Whether it takes the form of an enormous natural waterfall, the grandeur of snow-capped mountain scenery, a vast churning ocean, critters, birds singing in the trees, flowers blooming in your garden, or the big ol’ pile of freshly fallen leaves you just raked up in your front yard – nature calls to us consistently and steadfastly to pay attention to it. Whether we realize the fact or not, we’re a part of it ourselves. In terms of photography, it calls us to capture, preserve and relish in it. This month’s group of intrepid photographers have taken to the outdoors to do just that and have provided us with a beautiful tapestry of natural wonders…as seen through their vision. Immerse yourself in their inspiring work and perhaps you’ll be inspired to grab your camera and capture your own unique version of the natural world.

Here’s what some of these photographers had to say about this assignment:.

“This IS the world I see. It’s what gets me up in the morning. Most of these images (Lichen, Spider & Galls) are from my own neighborhood–within 2 miles of my home. The Bison & Pika images are from closer to yours: Yellowstone NP & Jasper NP (Canada), respectively.”
-Barry Grivett

“What can I say about this assignment? This is without a doubt my favorite time of year. There are fabulous photographic opportunities everywhere.”
- Elizabeth Wallen

Kudos to the brave souls who submitted images for the very first time. It’s usually a huge first step for anyone to show the world their particular vision of it. Next month, we’re asking you to get a bit dizzy…sort of.

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

November’s Assignment – Spin

Bob McGowan — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 22:54:22 +0000

Unless you’ve been living in a cave lately in the U.S., you may have noticed a certain national election is upon us. With this year being one of substantial political divide, the outcome is still anyone’s guess. All sides of the political aisle have been frantically and expensively doing their best to influence voters and color the so-called issues with their own particular palette. Some call this trying to promote a biased agenda by framing any relevant issue with a particular “spin” on it. In honor of this election year, we thought you’d like to try a bit of the same with photography. November’s assignment - Spin - is all about portraying movement of a spinning nature in your images or giving your subjects your own spin on them.

Spin can mean many things and this assignment is wide open in terms of interpretation. The rotation of the wheels of a bike, star trails in the night sky, or a wobbling top would all be literal versions. Or, perhaps you as the photographer or the camera itself are the spinning objects while shooting with a slow shutter speed. The effects you can achieve by moving the camera are endless, fascinating, and will most likely create blurred, abstract motion of some sort in your images. And how about trying to represent a “spin” of your own on any subject matter? What beliefs can you attempt to “sell” to a captive audience to “see” the subject or idea your way? This may require a wildly imaginative approach for an assignment like this, but that’s the whole idea. Stretch yourself! What we’re going for here is for you to get out there and create dynamic images, giving them all your own spin on things. There’s no right or wrong to this – just spin them your way.

All images should be:

Deadline:

November 27, 2012

Email all images to Bob McGowan at bobm@rmsp.com. Submitted images will appear in an online gallery on Paper Airplanes, RMSP’s blog on or about November 30, 2012. All images will be used in the online gallery for this specific assignment only and will be copyrighted to the photographer. An email confirmation will be sent once your submission is received. If you do not receive the email confirmation, please contact bobm@rmsp.com.

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