The Blue and White interviewed Ms. Goldstein, our digital photography teacher. She gave us her opinion of what makes a good photographer and her list of some of the most memorable student photographs this year.

“The goal, like any other teacher in the field and subject area, is to have students learn and understand photography… it’s not just about being ‘Instagram ready’, it’s about knowing how to express and explore what you’re trying to say in a photograph. I want them to know the history, and [learn] how to analyze and produce pieces of art.”

Ms. Goldstein goes over her method of teaching when it comes to creating the best photograph. “In Photo 1[the name of the class] we learn Photoshop [editing and creating software] and the basics of setting up a photo. We learn the vocabulary and how to be ‘Instagram ready’. How to set up the frame, composition/angles, and some basic lighting skills, are some of the basic lessons they will do. In Photo 2, we learn more about the manual setting of the camera, lighting, and composition and work in Illustrator [a vector program for creating logos and designs]. Students will take photos and trace them and make logos and other product designs in this class. Photo 3 and 4 are based on building on the skills and producing a portfolio.” 

Ms. Goldstein then explained why these benchmarks are important in order to succeed in her class. “Both Photo 1 and have a certification in Adobe Creative Suits. This is a CTE class, and you need to complete both levels one and two to get the full Certification Credit (CTE check mark).”

Ms. Goldsien went onto explain,”[You may be wondering], what experience does photography give? Learning to use composition and design elements in your imagery. You can express yourself through art. Mastery of the camera and all it can do. Learning to edit the images helps to stop time and tell a story.

This [would] help us in many fields: markings, photography of all kinds/Photojournalism, Commercial/ Industry photography, Graphic Design, Lighting tech, video editing, and Art director. Some projects we have done are double exposure when you place two images on top of each other to create a piece of work. This uses both photography and Photoshop. A Surrealism project is when you create a strange juxtaposition to create a cohesive piece of work at the end. [I’m] looking for a good understanding of the elements and principles of design and composition. I want to see the artist having fun [by] expressing themselves in through their work. You can get a feel and understanding of what they are saying or trying to say in the work or body of work.”

With that being said here are a few of the photos that her students have created.

Madeline Sherrer Junior at Apopka High School ~

What I love about this photo is not only the contrasting colors but also the angle. The angle shows a perspective of how large the tree is, and how it continues to branch out and appears to be getting smaller.

This might be one of my favorite photos because of how it makes me feel. The sunrise was beautiful and the colors reflected on the water perfectly, and I feel that riding the bike completes the photo. Although you can’t tell if it’s a sunrise or sunset, I think either or, it could be considered “a beautiful start of the day,” or “the end of a beautiful day”. This photo is really simple. A deep meaning could be, “If you take a closer look, you will notice the small beautiful parts of life”.

Mackenzie Mack, another astounding photographer~

Here are some of her words of wisdom, “Some of my favorite things about photography are that you can express feelings through pictures. You can make a simple grassy hill, look like a fantasy land.”