Photo Series à la Alec Soth

Minnesota 9-12 Media Arts Standards
Used in this Lesson

  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area.
  • 1A. Analyze how the elements in media arts such as image, sound, space, time, motion and sequence, are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to media arts.

  • 1b. Evaluate how the principles of media arts such as repetition, unity and contrast are used in the creation of, presentation of, or response to media artworks.

  • 1c. Analyze how the characteristics of a variety of styles and genres such as documentary, narrative or abstract, contribute to the creation of, presentation of, or response to media artworks.

  • 1d. Apply understanding of the health and safety issues related to creating in media arts.

  • 2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrating technology when applicable.
  • 2a. Integrate tools, materials, and techniques to create original products for artistic purposes.

  • 2b. Integrate linear and non-linear software including video- and sound-editing software to create original products for expressive intent.

  • 3. Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence the arts areas.
  • 3a. Analyze how a work in media arts influences and is influenced by the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

  • 3b. Synthesize and express an individual view of the meanings and functions of media arts.
  • 4. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 4a. Create a single, complex work or multiple works in media arts.

  • 4b. Revise creative work based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 4c. Justify an artistic statement, including how audience and occasion influence creative choices.

  • 5. Perform or present in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 5a. Present, exhibit, publish or demonstrate collections of media artworks for different audiences and occasions.

  • 5b.Revise a presentation based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 5c. Justify artistic intent, including how audience and occasion influence presentation choices.
  • 6. Respond to or critique a variety of creations or performances using the artistic foundations.
  • 6a. Analyze, interpret and evaluate a variety of media artworks by applying self-selected criteria within the traditions of the art form.

  • 6b. Justify choices of self-selected criteria based on knowledge of how criteria affects criticism.

    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Humor
  • Local Artists

    • Wordlist:

  • Best friend
  • Hot
  • Cold
  • Repetition
  • Bark
  • Splash
  • Close
  • Pull
  • Ferocious
  • Fall

    Alec Soth (b. 1969) is a photographer born and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His photography has a cinematic feel with elements of folklore that hint at a story behind the image. He has received many prestigious awards including fellowships from the McKnight and Jerome Foundations. His Photographs are in the collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The Walker Art Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and many others. A sample of work for his show, "Sleeping by the Mississippi" can be seen at:
    "http://alecsoth.com/photography/projects/sleeping-by-the-mississippi
    A few samples are also illustrated below.


    Charles Lindbergh's childhood bed, Little Falls, MN 1999


    Charles from Vasa, MN 2002


    Herman's Bed

    Students are to create a series of photographs that relate in some way to the list of words above. The only work done in Photoshop will be resizing each image to 10 inches wide.

    Students are encouraged to take MANY photos that relate to each word and turn in only the best of the best.

    Each photo should have the word it illustrates as the file name for that photo.

    Instructions for turning in your Soth Series:
    Resize each photo to 10 inches wide. Name each resized photo with the word from our list above that it illustrates. Make a new folder titled, "your name -soth". Put all the resized photos in the folder and drop that folder into the Photography File on our server.

    Evaluation:
    5 points -- Image Quality (Good lighting, composition, focus, etc.)
    3 points -- Interesting/creative/humorous ways of interpreting the 10 words
    2 points -- Followed directions. (resizing and titles)

    10 points total.

    Some of the best (and worst) photos will be shared and critiqued in class at the completion of this project.

    Click below to view Alec's blog and see his pics for a similar exercise of photos that illustrate words (This was shown and discussed in class):
    http://littlebrownmushroom.wordpress.com/flickr-assignment-1/
    Archived PNG version