Chasing Light Slides CHASING LIGHT
Lens Legends: Lesson 1
The Lighting Mystery
Can you make a friendly teddy bear look mysterious just by changing where the light comes from?
"Photography is the art of capturing light."
Image: A teddy bear in shadow
1. Front Lighting
BRIGHT & CLEAR
Light Source
[Front Light Setup Diagram]
Shows lots of detail and color.
The light is behind the photographer.
Best For:
Portraits where you want to see faces clearly!
2. Side Lighting
Shadow Play
Makes things look 3D and "poppy".
Creates long shadows on one side.
Secret Sauce:
Use this to show texture, like rough stone or soft fur!
3. Backlighting
The Silhouette
Turns your subject into a dark shape (silhouette).
Light comes from BEHIND the subject.
Pro Tip:
Perfect for sunrise or sunset photos!
Your Mission
1 Find a subject in the room.
2 Take 3 photos: Front, Side, and Back lit.
3 Decide: Which one tells a better story?
Light Lab Log Worksheet Light Lab Log
Lens Legends: Lesson 1
Name:
Date:
The Mission
Explore how light changes the look of your subject. Use a tablet or camera to take 3 photos of the same object with different lighting.
Experiment 1: Front Light
Behind the Camera
Observation Sketch
Sketch what you saw here...
How did it look?
Bright and clear
Soft colors
No shadows on face
Experiment 2: Side Light
To the side
Observation Sketch
Sketch what you saw here...
How did it look?
Where were the shadows?
Did the object look "pop out" more?
Yes
No
Experiment 3: Back Light
Behind Subject
Observation Sketch
Sketch what you saw here...
How did it look?
The subject looked like a...
Ghost
Shadow
Silhouette
Outline
The Final Snap
If you wanted to take a mysterious or scary photo of a toy, which lighting would you choose? Why?
Lens Legends Teacher Guide Lens Legends
Teacher Facilitation Guide
Unit Overview
This 5-lesson sequence introduces 3rd-grade students to the technical and narrative aspects of photography. By the end of the unit, students will understand how to manipulate light, perspective, and composition to tell a story without words.
Essential Question
"How can we use a camera to tell a story without using any words?"
Primary Tools
Tablets or Digital Cameras, Basic Editing Apps (Photos, Google Photos, or similar).
Lesson Procedures
Lesson 1: Light and Shadow Explorers
Activity: Students photograph a single subject (e.g., a toy) from three lighting positions. Use flashlights if natural light is insufficient.
Key Discussion: Which lighting feels "happy"? Which feels "scary"? (Front = friendly/clear, Side = dramatic/3D, Back = mysterious/silhouette).
Lesson 2: Giant and Ant Perspectives
Activity: The "Extreme Angles" challenge. Students must physically move their bodies (crawling for Worm's Eye, standing high for Bird's Eye).
Safety Tip: Ensure students are supervised if standing on chairs/benches for Bird's Eye shots.
Lesson 3: The Tic-Tac-Toe Grid
Tech Check: Before starting, walk the whole class through turning on the "Grid" feature in their specific camera settings.
Activity: Comparison shoot. Students take a "centered" shot and a "thirds" shot of the same subject to see the difference in visual energy.
Lesson 4: Stories Without Words
Activity: Planning and shooting a 3-part sequence. Encourage simple, repeatable actions (e.g., pouring water, putting on a coat).
Focus: Emphasize that the photos must flow. If Photo 2 is missing a key detail from Photo 1, the story breaks.
Lesson 5: The Pixel Gallery
Curation: Students will have dozens of photos by now. Helping them select just 3 is the core skill of this lesson.
Gallery Walk: Arrange tablets on desks or project photo essays. Use the Snap Critique Cards for peer feedback.
Differentiation
Support: Provide pre-made subject "stations" for students who struggle with finding subjects.Challenge: Encourage advanced students to try "Leading Lines"—finding natural lines in the hallway that point to their subject.
Viewfinder Views Slides GIANT VS. ANT
Lesson 2: Angles & Perspectives
What does the world look like to an Ant versus a Giant?
Today, we aren't just taking pictures. We are changing our size!
"Changing your angle changes the story."
VIEWFINDER
Bird's Eye View
High Angle
Looking DOWN at your subject.
Makes subjects look small and weak.
Shows the "whole scene" from above.
Great for maps or floor patterns!
[Image: Looking down at a tiny toy car in a giant parking lot]
Worm's Eye View
[Image: Looking up at a dandelion that looks like a giant tree]
Low Angle
Looking UP at your subject.
Makes subjects look POWERFUL and HUGE.
Get the camera close to the ground!
Great for making flowers look like skyscrapers.
THE ANGLE CHALLENGE
1
Eye Level
Just normal.
2
Bird's Eye
Stand on a chair or look down!
3
Worm's Eye
Belly on the ground!
"Which perspective makes your object look like a superhero?"
Perspective Power Worksheet Perspective Power
Lens Legends: Lesson 2
Photographer:
Mission Date:
Your Target
Choose one object on the playground or in the room. Photograph it from 3 heights. Observe how it changes from small to huge!
My Object:
1. Bird's Eye View (High)
Looking Down
What happened to the object?
It looked small and far away.
I could see the top of it clearly.
I saw the floor/ground around it.
Sketch the "Shape" you saw:
2. Worm's Eye View (Low)
Looking Up
Sketch the "Shape" you saw:
What happened to the object?
"It looked much more powerful because..."
The Power Pick
If you were taking a photo of a Supervillain , which view would you use to make them look scary? Why?
Grid Master Slides TIC-TAC-TOE GRID
Lesson 3: The Rule of Thirds
The Photographer's Secret
Why do professional photographers play Tic-Tac-Toe on their screens before taking a picture?
Hint: It's not because they are bored!
The Rule of Thirds
Off-Center
Imagine a Tic-Tac-Toe grid over your photo.
Don't put your subject in the middle ! It can be boring.
The Goal:
Place your subject where the lines CROSS.
[Diagram: A photo of a tree placed on one of the side lines]
Why move off the center?
Eye Travel
It makes the viewer's eye move around the whole picture.
More Action
It makes a still photo feel like it's in motion!
Pro Look
It's how the world's best photographers balance their images.
THE GRID CHALLENGE
1 Turn on the Grid on your camera.
2 Find a subject (friend, flower, or chair).
3 Take two photos: One in the middle , one off-center .
Tic-Tac-Toe Tracker Worksheet Grid Master Log
Lens Legends: Lesson 3
Name:
1 Grid Detective
Which of these photos follows the "Rule of Thirds"? Circle the one that looks more interesting and explain why.
Subject in Center
Photo A
Subject on Grid Line
Photo B
I think Photo ________ looks better because:
2 Design Your Own
Sketch where you would place your subject to make a "Masterpiece" photo!
Sketch 1: A Flower
Sketch 2: A Friend
Pro Tip
Place the most important part of your photo (like a person's eyes or the center of a flower) exactly on a Power Point (where two lines cross)!
Tic Tac Toe Key Answer Key
Tic-Tac-Toe Tracker
Teacher Only
Part 1: Grid Detective
Correct Answer: Photo B
Why? Photo B follows the Rule of Thirds because the tree is placed on a vertical grid line rather than in the center.
Acceptable student reasoning: "It looks more professional," "The eye moves around the picture," "It's not boring in the middle," or "It's on the Tic-Tac-Toe line."
Part 2: Sketch Evaluation
Strong Sketch
Subject is clearly placed on one of the four intersection points.
Background is simple or clear.
Common Misconception
Student puts subject exactly in the center square.
Student puts subject on the edge, far away from grid lines.
Quick Checklist
Criteria Mastery (3) Developing (2) Novice (1) Understanding Identifies Rule of Thirds correctly. Identifies it but can't explain why. Confuses center with thirds. Sketching Uses power points effectively. Uses grid lines but not points. Sketches in the center.
Story Snap Slides STORIES WITHOUT WORDS
Lesson 4: Visual Storytelling
Silent Stories
If you couldn't speak or write...
How would you tell me what you did at recess using only three pictures?
The Magic Three
1
Beginning
Show who is in the story and where they are.
2
Middle
Show the ACTION ! What is happening?
3
End
Show how it turned out. The "Happily Ever After".
Pro Storyteller Tips
Show Emotions ! Faces tell big stories.
Get Close ! Show the tiny details that matter.
Use Angles ! Remember Bird's and Worm's Eye?
Your Mission Today:
Capture a sequence of 3 photos that tell a story without saying a word.
Story Snap Storyboard Worksheet Story Snap Storyboard
Lens Legends: Lesson 4
Director:
Title of Story:
The Script
What happens in your story? (Example: "A student finds a lost pencil and returns it.")
Visual Plan
1. Beginning
Sketch your first photo here...
Notes: Focus on the person and the setting.
2. Middle
Sketch the action here...
Notes: Show what is happening! Use a close-up.
3. End
Sketch the ending here...
Notes: How did the story turn out?
Director's Checklist
Did I use an interesting angle?
Is my subject off-center (Rule of Thirds)?
Is the light good in each shot?
Does it tell a story without words?
Pixel Polish Slides PIXEL POLISH
Lesson 5: Curation & Editing
You are the Curator
Today you are a Museum Curator.
How will you choose and fix your best photos to show to the world?
"A great photographer doesn't just take pictures—they choose the best ones!"
Select. Edit. Present.
The Magic Crop
Zoom & Trim
Did a trash can get in the corner of your photo? CROP IT OUT!
Removes distractions.
Makes your subject LARGER and clearer.
Helps you fix your "Rule of Thirds" grid.
Trim the edges to focus on the story!
Brightness
Light Fix
Adjustment Slider
Is your photo too dark to see? Slide it up!
Is your photo so bright it looks white? Slide it down!
Editor's Rule:
Keep it looking natural. Don't go too far!
THE FINAL SHOW
Present your 3-photo story. Be ready to explain:
Why you chose this story.
How you used light or angles.
Great job, Lens Legends!
Snap Critique Cards Gallery Critique Cards
Lens Legends: Final Presentation
Cut these cards out and leave a "Snap Critique" for your classmates!
Snap Critique
To:
I loved how you used:
Light
Angles
Grids
Story
Leave a nice comment...
From:
Snap Critique
To:
The story felt like a...
Mystery
Comedy
Adventure
Thriller
I liked the part where...
From:
Snap Critique
To:
Favorite Photo Angle:
Bird's Eye
Worm's Eye
This angle made it look...
From:
Snap Critique
To:
You are a Lens Legend because...
Write a big compliment!
From:
