Letter to Parents
Dear Parent:
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to our class. Photography can be a very rewarding hobby or career. However, your child should not dismiss this as an easy course. I have very high expectations for my students, and they should expect to work as hard here as they do in any other academic classroom. We will average one project per week, with each project graded on creativity, technical skill, and the degree of effort students put forth. Students will also be required to prepare at least one research paper during the semester, as well as a final portfolio project.
Your child will need a suitable camera for creating good images in this class. The cost for high quality digital cameras has dropped during the past several years. Entry level or mid-range cameras will be fine. The recommended digital camera for this class will have at least a 3x optical zoom and a 3-4 mega pixel image. Cameras of a lesser quality may not give the desired results, and may frustrate your child.
If you do not have a digital camera, any of the better 35mm cameras with a good zoom lens will do. Students who use film cameras will be responsible for purchasing enough film to shoot all the assignments. Students will need at least 15 rolls of color film. They will also be responsible for developing their own film and bringing to class digitized images on cd.
Students will be responsible for all assignments regardless of any difficulties they may encounter with their cameras. If necessary, disposable cameras can be purchased for short-term use so as not to get behind on projects.
Students should bring their camera each day to class, unless otherwise advised. They should also bring the cable for direct camera-to-computer connection and/or their memory cards. Every effort will be made to protect cameras brought to school; however, we can not be responsible for theft or damage to cameras during school hours. Since every student will have a different camera, they should read over their individual User Manuals and be familiar with the basic operation of their own camera prior to class.
Because of the expense of printing, most assignments will be turned in digitally and graded in the same manner. Students may be allowed to print certain special projects, but they are responsible for providing their own photographic printer paper. It is suggested that students also have a USB flash drive. Students should retain copies of all projects to be used in their final portfolio assignment at the end of the semester.
As a rule, the only homework students will be assigned will be taking pictures, and they will have several days notice before a due date. They will be required to take pictures after school and on weekends. I am asking you to help your child get assignments done on time. By keeping on schedule, we will have better classroom discussion of student progress, and will be able to avoid last minute work. The only acceptable excuse for photos being late is if a student has an excused absence on the day the pictures are due, in which case the assignment is due immediately upon student’s return to school. If a picture-taking assignment is turned in late for any other reason, the student will receive a zero for the deadline grade. Late projects will lose one letter grade. I have created a web site "blog" where deadlines will be posted and questions about assignments may be asked. I invite you to monitor classroom assignments at
http://Finch-CreativityCounts.Blogspot.com.
Students will also be asked to sign the FFHS honor pledge that all photographs turned in for a grade will be taken by the student during the semester they are enrolled in photography class. If a student violates this rule, they will receive a zero for the assignment and will be referred to Administration. All student work that is turned in for a grade becomes the property of First Flight High School. We reserve the right to publish or display any or all student work. Every effort will be made to return student work if requested.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at FFHS (449-7000 ext.2459) or by email at finchli@dare.k12.nc.us.
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