Notes to new photo students

Dear next year’s students 

This elective could easily be your next favorite one. Mrs. Cauchon is a funny, sweet and clear teacher that you can easily connect with and ask questions too. She will teach you how to use a camera, and online programs such as photoshop and lightroom. This elective is highly interactive and fun, the more people you know, the easier it is to have fun and be creative. You’ll learn the history of photography, and understand the importance of capturing the moment. You’ll have absolute freedom in this class, and the best part is being able to look back on your work and seeing your best work. My favorite assignment was Alphabet Photography. For that assignment, you look for images which represent letters and create a word in photographs. I chose the word “Happy” and used various objects such as a door for the letter “H” and my friend’s head for the letter “P”. This assignment helped me view the world in a totally different perspective, and you will too as soon as you are holding a camera in your hand. This class is stress free, and filled with freedom, so have as much fun as I did and make friends.  

Brandon Avalos

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Dear future digital photography students, 

This class will probably be your favorite class of your school year. The class is super fun, and you get to interact with others. Throughout the year you will learn so many things. You’ll even get to post your work to your own website to show others. In this class you’ll learn to edit your photos to how you like them and learn lighting, how a camera works and more. Some of my favorite assignments were painting with lights which you used led lights and drew whatever and, in your photo, it’ll show, collage of things we liked and motion assignment. In many assignments you get to work with other students which makes the class more fun. I would highly recommend taking this class every year of high school and going into photo 2 and so on.  

Matthew Alvarez

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Dear Students:

Let me start off with saying, this will be one of the best classes you will ever take. A lot of enjoyment and good memories come from this class. You learn a lot about cameras and photography methods. I learned how to shoot in Manual Focus, Aperture Mode and Shutter Speed Mode. It may sound like nonsense now, but they are very easy to understand if you really want to put in the work for this class. I also learned how to work in a studio with hot lights and strobe lights. The studio can be a bit intimidating but after a couple of uses, it becomes super easy. The main two software you will be using is just Photoshop and Lightroom. Personally, I do my editing in Lightroom and then I do collages and other things that I can not do in Lightroom in Photoshop.  

The assignments are pretty fun, but I am going to be honest. There are some assignments that will be better than others. I liked doing HDR photography, Black and White photography, and really just anything with a camera. I did not really like the ones where it was only in Photoshop. That is just a personal opinion.  

Another thing you learn is to run your own blogsite. It was all right. It was not the greatest thing. After the first two weeks of the class, everything becomes very easy to go through and is only the place where you just upload your assignments. It sounded hard to me on the first day then I got used to it.  

With going in the assignments, you need to collaborate with other students. If you do not, then some assignments will not come out good. It is good to have friends in the class as you can help each other in assignments. I mainly used the students in my class as subjects in my photography.  

Overall, I will recommend this class to every student if they enjoy the arts and want a different way of expressing themselves or just having fun than just a plain art class. It is an excellent class and teaches you a lot of skills that could be useful in understanding photography whether if it is with your phone or a high-end camera.  

Sincerely,  Andrew D Gutierrez 

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Dear upcoming IB Photography Students, 

I hope you are doing well and are excited for this upcoming year and specifically are excited for this photography class. I know maybe if you are just entering IB it may seem scary and like too much, but you will be alright. Something I can say about this class is I learned a lot about not only photography, but also about myself. I learned that I love nature and photographing people from different cultures. I know this may sound dumb, but I truly learned so many things I did not know before. I hope you find your love for different things just like I did. I guarantee you’ll have a lot of fun and take many good pictures.  

At the beginning of my photographic journey, I did not like to use photoshop or edit anything because I liked seeing things more natural and normal. Yet after some time I learned that there are different types of editing, some types that I really began to start loving. Editing does not mean that your photos are drastically changed, at times editing may be fixing the lighting, the background, improving the pictures taken. One tip I could give if you do not like editing as much would be to always try and take the best possible pictures that you can while you are shooting because once you get to editing them, you won’t have to edit as much, and you’ll have a more original sense to it. Now, if you personally like edited pictures, then you will also have a lot of fun editing different pictures. There are several different types of ways and apps that you could use to edit photographs that are really cool. Also editing or not, many students will find a genre or type of photography that they love and will begin to personalize it that will give you guys your own personal label. 

I know you are probably confused right now not knowing how to use a camera or even take good pictures. Some things I can suggest are really paying attention to the lectures about the camera’s ISO, aperture, lighting, etc… Not only this but when you are confused asked Mrs. Cauchon, she is sweet and understanding, always willing to help anyone out, judgement free. Once you get the hang of taking pictures then you’ll realize that it really isn’t that hard and it is more so enjoyable. After some time you’ll find a way you love to take pictures, maybe you’ll like taking portraits, maybe landscapes, maybe you may like surrealist photographs. This will say a lot about you, not only this, but you will also like taking photographs of a certain topic. I for example really loved portraying mental illness through photography and became known for this. Everyone knew who had created a piece when they saw it was about mental illness. This will all go on your blog, which you will decorate and personalize, it is really cool to have it show all your work for the whole year. It is not difficult to use and looks very professional, yet fun. 

I hope you have a great year in this class, I know you’ll enjoy it and find out many new things about yourself in it. Find ways in which people can find out new things or messages through your work. More importantly, try to evoke emotion through your work, that is what the best types of art do to people, they make them feel something. 

 Sincerely,  

Kimberly Martinez (a previous IB photography student) 

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LETTER FOR YOU 

 Hello Newcomers, I’m glad you chosen this class for your elective, I promise you, you won’t regret it. Ms. Cauchon is our photograph teacher, shes the nicest human being ever and her vibe is just so positive, but I suggest you listen to the lectures about the light room and ring lights, the light room is used to take gel photos or hot light photos and many more . One of my Favorite Assignments are the gel lights and silhouette story or make your own magazine cover, you just need to have fun with it and let your feelings control your photos. A blog site is used to post your photos you’ve token or see your other classmates’ photos as well as customizing your own blog to make it as your liking. Its very to talk to kids in there and be comfortable with one another because you might get asked to take photos for an assignment, Overall I do recommend photography its one of the best electives ever and in the same time it’s fun and you can enjoy it very  much and put your own creativity into it .  

 Joceline Torres

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Over this past year I have learned a lot about cameras, the lighting, what lighting works or what lighting makes certain pictures look better and how to use the software in order to get the best photo product possible. It may sound difficult but if you are truly dedicated and you pay attention, I promise it will not be hard, but it will be enjoyable and fun to try and learn new things. I’ve learned how to change the shutter speed of my camera settings as well as the ISO and knowing when the flash is needed to get the best lighting. I would say that almost all of the assignments were my favorite because it was always fun being able to go out take photos. The “take a vacation” assignment I enjoyed a lot because I was able to be creative about it. “What color is your aura” was also one of my favorites because I had a lot of fun using the photoshop designing it . I really liked blogging because it was a lot of fun to create my own website and uploading my work for others to see. I think that I worked well with the other people in the classroom and it was also fun meeting new people. I would definitely recommend Digital Photography 100/10 plus the teacher is amazing and the sweetest.  

Valerie Arellano

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Dear photography students,  

Photography can be both a fun and insightful class. You learn how to modify different variables in photography to achieve your ideal photos. It’s a very hands-on class which can be very enjoyable. You’re given the freedom and opportunity to walk around the school to find things to take pictures of and explore your imagination through a camera. It can be difficult to portray your ideas into a single image, but it is doable. In class we learned how to set a digital camera to have the proper exposure, what shutter speed to use, how to take pictures of things in motion, and much more. Through various assignments, we would be assigned to focus on specific parts of photography each week. For example, one week we would focus on HDR photography, and the next week we would do monochrome photography. My favorite assignments were the ones where we’d go outside. HDR was a fun one since I was able to walk around outside and decipher which area in the school would be fitting for my specific landscape portrait. It was also nice working with my friends and seeing what they wanted to do for their pictures. I was able to incorporate friends outside of photography into my work as well, which was really cool. In photography, we make a blog or website that includes all our work from the year. I liked having my own blog to keep track of all my work and found it nice that I was able to modify and decorate it the way I wanted to. Overall, I would recommend this class to other students at Jurupa because you get to meet and work with people, use your own imagination when taking pictures, learn how to take a good photo, and overall, can explore the world of photography. 

Sincerely, 

Sabina M. 

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Digital Photography Students,  

 Welcome to Digital photography. This class is a great class if you want to learn how to photoshop and edit your photos. Mrs. Cauchon’s is a great teacher and is a very fun and exciting person. She’s very friendly and family oriented. And her taste in music is amazing. When I took this class, I learned how to use a camara and learn to use light room and photoshop to make my picture’s better. All the assignments are fun and very creative, my favorite assignments are probably the collage, Illustration of an iconic image, the 50 photos and My aura. I really liked the idea of having a blog and turning in your assignments through there. That way everyone can go to your blog and see the pictures you took for the different assignments. Also being able to choose what style of blog you want. There were so many things to choose from. The class would be 10 times better if you have a friend to go shooting with and even be their muse. There are a lot of assignments that you can have different people in the shot and that makes the picture more meaningful. I would recommend taking photography. Whether you see yourself doing it as a career or just for fun. Really recommend it, you’ll have a fun time.  

Noelia Castillo

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To the next year photography students,  

Photography was a very enjoyable class, way more fun with friends. You get to take many pictures, learn how to edit, and more. One of the most important things you need to memorize in this class is just the basics of shutter speed, ISO, and the aperture. Some of the things I have learned are leading lines, how to edit, JPED vs RAW, and White balance. Some of my favorite assignments were portraits, and mainly editing assignments. Though they were hard, they were incredibly fun and nice to do. Blogging is very fun, you get to make your page like your vibe if that makes sense. It’s quite easy to manage once you understand how to do it, but some you may need to ask Mrs. Cauchon. It’s also really nice being on the class page, everyone gets to be on it at least once. One of the funest (I know not a word) things is collaborating with others in this class, you may even develop a photography buddy or buddies. Overall, this class is very easy to pass if you do your work and put effort into photos (so, make sure you edit your photos!!!). The editing can get hard sometimes so again don’t be scared to ask someone for help. Anyways that’s all I’m going to put here, so have fun and take pictures! 

 Wishing you a Great Year! Janiya Campbell 

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To next year class 

From Darion 

In this class I learned everything there’s to learn about photography from no other knowledge. I learned how cameras work and edit photos mostly. My favorite assignments are the ones that let you take pictures of whatever you want which gives you a lot of freedom. Blogging sounds fun or it doesn’t to you, but it really wasn’t a big part of this class. The only fun part was making the website at first lowkey. Collaborating with other students is fun but also really hard when it comes to photography, just get one friend in the class and you’re fine. Overall, a 10/10 class actually though. 

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Dear Digital Photography 1 Students, 

I just wanted to tell you a bit of stuff that I learned that you will soon know to do. One of the things I learned in Digital Photography is to know how to shoot a balanced picture, over exposed, and under exposed. Shutter speed is how fast you want the photo to be taken, a low shutter speed takes longer for the picture to be taken but it also lets a lot of light come in. A high shutter speed would be more to capture the action very sharp, but it lets less light com in. If and object is outside in the shade, you can attach a flash to the camera a to lighten up the abject. In terms of the software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom I like photoshop more because there is a lot more you do in there that you can’t in lightroom. quick tip, when you are completely done editing your pictures, always save as a JPG. My 3 favorite assignments in Digital Photography 1 are shooting in black and white/monochrome, candid moments, and portfolios. The reason why is because you can go back months, look at your old work versus your new work and see how you have improved. I really liked managing my own site because you can customize it however you want and post you on work so others can see it. The students in my class were great and would produce good work, it is great to collaborate with student to get your work done and get their opinion on it. I recommend you follow instructions, go out and shoot for pictures, manage your time, edit your pictures the best you can and as ordered in the instructions and post all your work on your blog. Overall, I do recommend taking this class, it is very fun, and memorable, and creative. 

Sincerely, 

Hector Rosales 

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Hello Incoming Photo 2 Students! I hope you are enjoying this class a little more now that you will be attending a more advanced Photo 2 class. In this Photo 2 class, you are still learning a lot about the use of cameras and the use of the lighting. You are still learning about the use of the camera, even though you think you have learned a lot about the camera. But in Photo 2, you will be using more high-quality cameras and you will learn more about the use of photoshop. This was a very enjoyable experience during Photo 2 because we were able to learn about the different ways to edit photos using photoshop. Photography 2 contains some of my favorite assignments, such as Black & White & Shades of Gray, Light Painting Portraits, Image Projection, Image Transfer On Wood, Graduation Cover Design, and more. These assignments enabled me to be more creative, particularly with the digital assignments, which were my personal favorites. It is also enjoyable to be in photo 2, as you will be able to interact more with your peers. You will be able to form a strong connection with them and work with them on various tasks. Initially, it may be uncomfortable, but as time progresses, you will have different types of acquaintances in photo 2, and you may be able to assist each other when required. In my opinion, I wouldn’t make any changes to photo 2. I really enjoyed every single assignment that Mrs. Cauchon gave us. I don’t think she needs to change anything about the class. I like that in photo 2, the class is a little bit more advanced. All in all, I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn a new skill or is just curious about Jurupa Hills. 

Belia Mancera

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Mrs. Cauchon’s photography class at Jurupa Hills High School is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore their creativity and learn valuable skills in the art of photography. With a focus on both technical and artistic aspects of photography, students are able to develop their own unique style and vision. Mrs. Cauchon is a knowledgeable and passionate teacher who encourages her students to experiment and take risks with their photography. The class is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and software, allowing students to produce high-quality images and learn valuable editing techniques. Overall, Mrs. Cauchon’s photography class is a wonderful experience for any student interested in the art of photography. 

Dan Encinas

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Dear New IB Photo Students,  

 You’ve decided to take an IB class, well you are in for a wild exhausting ride. At least if you are in this class, then it will be easy. All of the other classes are not the easiest and they are mentally draining. Photography is actually an easy and fun elective to take in your Junior or Senior year. I learned so much from the greatest teacher here at Jurupa Hills, Ms. Cauchon. She inspired me to pursue my photography dream and has guided me on where I need to be. I feel in love with the art of photography even more because of her.  

I learned how to use a camera properly, as well as learning the right settings for the perfect photo. I learned how important lighting is in a photo. Lighting can make all the difference in a photo. I also learned how to use photoshop to edit my photos. Even though it was a pain at first, I eventually got the hang of it the software, but I wouldn’t call myself a Professional, I am always learning. Learning all these aspects of Photography has helped me improve to make better quality photos. Simply learning these aspects of Photography will make a huge difference in your work.  

You will have your favorite assignments once you are done with the class. My favorite assignments were definitely the ones I got picked for. I honestly think that I don’t have a favorite assignment, all the assignments Cauchon assigned were a whole new learning experience for me. If I were to pick my favorite assignment, it would be Composition and Photography story. The portraits I took of my friends for this assignment were simply amazing to me. It sounds cocky to say it, but I just love looking back at them knowing that the photos were all unforced, that’s the beauty of portrait photos.  

When you get into this class, you will post your work on your blog. It is honestly easy to manage once you get the hang of it. The blog is all you and you can design it to your liking, that’s why it’s “your blog.” Make it look appealing as well, that’s what makes people look at your photography. Make sure you have your blog organized; you don’t want a messy blog. This was honestly great practice for me, it will help me when I make my own website for my Photography career. I have confidence that I will manage, and you will too.  

In IB you will be collaborating with your peers in your IB class. You will need subjects for your photos, so you will need to make new friends. Collaborating with students in this class is fun, it’s a great way to build a new friendship. Don’t be a stranger, ask for help from your peers if they know how to do something. I feel like we were all strangers in this class, but once we were forced to talk to each other, we all felt at ease with one another. It will be a major benefit once you get into the real world.  

All in all, this class did meet my expectations for IB. Even though it was slow at first, it all picked up in the end. I was so proud to be a part of this class. I took 3 years of Photography, and I don’t regret anything. Cauchon is one amazing and motivating teacher ever. If you are inspired to become a photographer, you are in good hands with Cauchon. She will hopefully inspire you to follow your dreams, just how she is making me follow mine. Cauchon is a genuine human being and one of the greatest souls I have ever seen, but NEVER EVER get on her bad side. I do believe that you will have a good year in this class.  

Farwell, Jesse Juarez 

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A Letter to Next Year’s IB Students  

 My first and biggest piece of advice would be to get Pinterest. It’ll be your best source of inspiration. I used it to get inspiration for color palettes, makeup looks, portraits, clothing, lighting, and so much more. You’ll get so much photography inspiration and such. Through this class, I was able to learn how to handle a camera better. My own personal photos have come out better, and though I do not use Photoshop as much, I do use Lightroom a lot. I see Lightroom as a “fix-it-all.” Photos to dark? Turn up the exposure. Have chapped lips? Use the healing tool. Want your photo to be brighter? Turn up the saturation and tones.  

One of my favorite assignments was screen printing. It was something that you can customize yourself and have full control of. It was something I used Pinterest for inspiration. If I could do it again, I would definitely go with some 2-D mosaic piece, or anything along those lines. Before this class, I had never considered myself a creative person ever, and in true honesty, I thought my photography would just result in blurry pictures of flowers you see in Facebook. This class allowed me an outlet outside all the logic and constant pressure that was forced onto me in my other classes. I was able to explore different techniques and find out what I liked and disliked using. Running the blog was a fun experience for me, I had something that I could customize myself and truly call my own. I hope that you guys get to continue the blog next year as well, it was a great experience for me and I would love for others to have that experience as well.  

Our road on IB Photo was a little rocky, as it was a learning curve for everyone. Next year, I highly recommend that there be a mixture of what we experienced both semesters. Students should be able to go off on their own but also have assignments that they have to do, dispersed throughout the year. When it came to going off on my own, Pinterest really saved me! When I had no idea what to do, all I had to do was look on my homepage to be inspired. (I swear I’m not sponsored by Pinterest I just love that app.)  

One thing that I wish we could’ve done in our class and would suggest doing is a collaborative series! I did a collaborative series with my friend, Sam Aguba, and it was one of my things I did in IB Photography. You not only get exposure to someone else’s work and style, but you get to experiment with different techniques and are able to get outside your usual comfort zone! Though it may not be an assignment next year, I suggest it be one of your “go out and do it on your own” projects.  

I hope that next year’s IB students have a great time inside their class, and continue recommending the class to future IB Photo students.  

 Shayari Hogue

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Dear new students, 

Hello! My name is Vivian Ramirez and I used to be in photo 1. The class is amazing to learn more about photos! Mrs. Cauchon is a very open-minded person when it comes to your work. DO NOT GET HER MAD, that is going to big the biggest mistake you will ever make. She will teach you how to properly take care of a camera and how to edit your pictures like a professional. My favorite assignments would be capturing the moment, portraits, and landscapes. The blogging was incredibly fun as well, you get to decorate and make it your own. 

It took a while to get comfortable with the camera, it took me 3 weeks to fully understand how to use a camera. Especially editing, editing takes time, and it will test your patience. This class will also give you world skills. Not everyone is a winner in that class. This class will also humble you through the year. She will also try to get to know you and give you good advice on what you need to improve. This class overall is a place to have fun and feel safe to be your own self. I made 5 new great friends that inspire me and help me. I really do recommend this class for better communication and organization. I hope you will have fun. 

Vivian Ramirez

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This is a letter to next year’s photo 2 class. One thing about this photography class is Mrs. Cauchon. She is the most kind and supportive teacher ever. She teaches very well and knows how to show students what photography is really about. Through these 2 years of being in this class, I’ve learned so much. Skills, techniques, and so much more. Being in this photo class is going to teach you a lot. My favorite assignments that I’ve done are portraits. I love taking portraits of people. I feel like portraits can give off such good detail a can be used for so much. Another thing I enjoyed is having my own website. On my website I was able to show off all my work and show people what I enjoy doing. I think having my own website has shown me a lot. In the future, I want to become a businesswoman and have my own brand. So having my own website has given me a glimpse of how it can possibly be for me in the future. All photo 2 students have shown so much talent and skills on their website as well. I think I’ve learned so much and gotten inspired by seeing other students work. I think this class has definitely reached my expectations of photo 2. In photo 1, we started from the bottom and have now worked our way up in photo 2. One thing I will suggest in photo 2 is keeping up with the assignments and getting them done. I have learned the hard way that falling behind is very easy to happen. As long as you keep your head in the game and do your work, you will be good. So, to my next photo 2 student, you will love it here. Have fun, show your talent, and enjoy it!

Alyssa Eskander

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Hello! I’m Sam Aguba, and at the time of writing this, I am a junior in IB Photo. This was my first year of taking full IB which has been an indescribable experience so far, but I encourage you to get excited about IB Visual Arts as it is a class to remember. Seeing as this was my first exposure to a visual arts course after a year of being separated from any art elective, I gained back the opportunity to express my work in a new art form.  

I learned an exceptional amount about technical info, especially handling digital mediums the most. I point out this part because I enjoyed learning how to use big name software such as Photoshop the most. I had inspiration on lighting and camerawork from media I’ve consumed over the years and gained most knowledge on handling online tools to manage my photos. I also learned the general basics on camera settings, such as ISO… which is something you’ll learn enough of later, so I won’t go into depth with it. 

Without a doubt, my favorite projects were the ones that involved mixed media and hands-on experimenting with. This included physical mixed media and digital forms. To piece together art on paper was very stimulating for me, and I enjoyed the projects where I got to make things, such as block-printing or image transferring. They familiarize you with certain art tools as well, so you are exposed to both utilizing them on the computer and in front of you.  

A big part of this class was running our own blogs and managing a website. It always feels nice to own something you can customize so freely and casually add to every now and then. It made me feel in control of what I was creating, to be able to organize them so nicely and easily accessed. I most enjoyed adding to it and watching it grow as we proceeded to finish more assignments; as you add to your own website, you’ll find it satisfying to see it so full of your own works. It feels nice to build something from scratch, especially compiling a mini portfolio for yourself. 

I have done plenty collaborations with other students in class. We’ve done many discussion groups and collective analyses, all important for gathering varying viewpoints on how we perceive art. I personally collaborated with a good friend of mine, creating a combined photo series based on our shared interest… these things are possible, and they’re very fun to do! I encourage doing it, as you’ll have opportunities to doing so. Creative freedom in this class is very important. 

This class more than met my expectations of an IB class. You get the same in-depth research in each of your projects, and the final assignments of organizing your portfolio and comparative study hit every mark that IB offers. If you’re looking for a part of what an IB visual arts course looks like, this matches that criterion. You’ll have to use your time management skills and artistic expression greatly. 

I personally would’ve liked a clear syllabus on what was due to happen throughout this class. While the instruction and lectures were laidback and easy to understand, some warning for the big assignments would’ve been nice, especially something that would’ve answered any questions. Overall, I would recommend this class to fellow students whether they are into the arts or not; you learn collaborative skills and get more experience with dealing with a wide field dealing with what us humans perceive as art. 

Sam Aguba

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