For the eighth CMA Photo Hunt assignment (and the second to last challenge) here is your assignment:

• Capture something that reflects the word “Summer”
• Tag your work on Instagram, Twitter, or Flickr with #CMAPhotoHunt and #Summer plus your #city.
• For this next assignment you have until Friday August 24, 2012.

Catherine Evans, our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, will select a few of her favorites, and your creation could grace the walls at Columbus Museum of Art come this fall. Catherine recently chose another round of her favorites. See what she picked in this Curator’s Choice post. Her choices ranged from an ethereal shot of Scioto Mile to a moving portrait of a veteran.

See how people captured and interpreted all the assignments so far in the CMA Photo Hunt Gallery.

CMA Photo Hunts are inspired by our The Radical Camera show and the Photo Leaguers, who challenged themselves with assignments that captured a word or phrase. Through the run of The Radical Camera we’ve been posting new photo assignment challenges. Anyone around the world can participate. Photos you have already taken that fit each assignment, are also encouraged.

(Photo: Muscle Beach, Santa Monica California,  by Max Yavno, 1949, Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, Photo League Collection, Museum Purchase with funds provided by Elizabeth M. Ross, the Derby Fund, John S. and Catherine Chapin Kobacker, and the Friends of the Photo League)

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Our CMA Photo Hunt assignments are inspired by our The Radical Camera exhibition and the Photo League, a group of young photographers from the 1930s-1950s who took to the streets with their cameras just as photography was becoming recognized as an art. Their ranks including some of the most well-known photographers of the early to mid-20th century including W. Eugene Smith, Weegee, Lisette Model, Berenice Abbott, Aaron Siskind, Arthur Leipzig, and more.

Catherine’s ultimate favorites from the CMA Photo Hunts will be on display in our Community Gallery this fall.

Community

The little girl appears to have emerged out of a misty alien landscape in this surreal expression of community. The filter only enhances the atmosphere of this scene in this photograph by Rebecca (@reblyen).

In this shot by Taker of Photos people are scattered throughout the frame of the photograph with a slight aerial perspective. You can still read the individuals within the group, and the heart in the center is a subtle punctuation mark.

A charming and energetic view of a small community on parade from Nick Carron (@urbancurse). The leader in red animates the procession in full stride, while the van remains static in the background.

Pride

In this photograph by Liz Celeste (@mamawooste), pride is interpreted in a jar of pickles. A subject not often photographed is elevated to the status of an Old Master still life.

In this moving portrait of a veteran by @faytlefoto, black and white gives the subject a kind of gravitas. The creases of his face are elegantly reiterated in the folds of his shirt.

This view from the back makes the viewer a participant. The flag askew in the subject’s hair is a poignant detail in this photograph from Taker of Photos.

Contrast

Black and white. Male and female. Priest and nun. Contrast abounds in in this shot from Mitchell (@cbusgodfather).

This study in garish color by Tim Courlas (@durtball) demonstrates contrast in an unexpected, stylized way.

This photograph by Rebecca (@reblyen) offers an emphatic example of contrast from a worm’s eye view. The light and sliver of space between the buildings give dimension to this Columbus architectural gem.

Can’t wait to see what everyone submits for the last three assignments.

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Catherine Evans, CMA’s William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography

Sign of the Times Assignment

In this photo from Nick Carron (@urbancurse), verticals and horizontals are in harmony and intention with one another. It has an industrial feel, but has this human touch with the handwritten instructions.

This is an elegant reference to our current housing problem with a good use of filters to underscore a distressed situation. Nice work by @_Thisspace_.

A big and bold sign with a provocative imperative challenge in this shot from Tim Courlas  (@durtball).

Resourcefulness Assignment

This was a tougher assignment, however this picture by @mamawooste clearly embraces the resourcefulness theme. It’s an interesting use of recycling and meta-messaging all in one.

Joy

The light lands perfectly on the baby, and makes her the surprising center of this photograph from @uponadaydreamer.

Energy, movement and water come together in this dynamically cropped shot from Nick Carron (@urbancurse). The empty space in between is an effective compositional strategy.

Even without an actual human being, this is the perfect icon of summer joy in this picture from @LittleMissLibrarian.

Looking forward to seeing what you submit, and choosing favorites from the next several assignments. Great work from everyone who has tagged their photos so far!

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Catherine Evans, CMA’s William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography

For the fifth CMA Photo Hunt assignment here is your challenge:

• Capture something that reflects the word “Pride.”
• Tag your work on Twitter, Flickr or Instagram with #CMAPhotoHunt and #Pride plus your #city.
• For this next assignment you have until Friday July 13, 2012.

We expect there will be a lot of fireworks submissions, but we challenge you to capture those small moments of pride, as well.

Catherine Evans, our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, will select a few of her favorites, and your creation could grace the walls at Columbus Museum of Art come this fall.

In the fourth Columbus Museum of Art Photo Hunt assignment we challenged you to capture something that reflects the word “Community.” (You have until midnight tonight to submit Community photos). See how people captured and interpreted the first several assignments in the CMA Photo Hunt Gallery.

CMA Photo Hunts are inspired by our The Radical Camera show and the Photo Leaguers, who challenged themselves with assignments that captured a word or phrase. Through the run of The Radical Camera we’ll be posting new photo assignment challenges. Anyone around the world can participate. Photos you have already taken that fit each assignment, are also encouraged.

Catherine has selected some of her favorite photos from the first few assignments. Look for a blog post soon with her choices, and and why they work so well.

Have a great Fourth of July, Doo Dah, Canada Day etc. Happy shooting!

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

In the third Columbus Museum of Art Photo Hunt assignment we challenged you to capture something that reflects the word “Joy.” (You have until midnight tonight to submit Joy photos). See how people captured and interpreted the first few assignments in the CMA Photo Hunt Gallery.

CMA Photo Hunts are inspired by our The Radical Camera show and the Photo Leaguers, who challenged themselves to capture a word or phrase, and then they’d have a big party to critique and celebrate. Through the run of The Radical Camera we’ll be posting new photo assignment challenges. Anyone around the world can participate.

For the fourth CMA Photo Hunt assignment here is your challenge:

• Capture something that reflects the word “Community.” How you capture it is up to you.
• Tag your work on Twitter, Flickr or Instagram with #CMAPhotoHunt and #Community plus your #city.
• For this next assignment you have until Friday June 29, 2012.

Catherine Evans, our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, will select a few of her favorites, and your creation could grace the walls at Columbus Museum of Art come this fall.

Most of you are submitting through Instagram. We encourage you to follow your fellow modern day Photo Leaguers, and comment on work that impresses you or moves you.

Look for a blog post in the next week or so from Catherine, who will be blogging about some of her favorite photos from the first three assignments, and why they work so well.

Keep up the good work!

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Become a modern-day Photo Leaguer by participating in Columbus Museum of Art Photo Hunts. Every few weeks through early September and the run of our critically acclaimed The Radical Camera, we’ll be sending you out with new photo assignments, and an opportunity to flex your creative muscle. Anyone in the world can participate.

Our CMA Photo Hunt assignments are inspired by the Photo League, a group of young photographers from the 1930s-1950s who took to the streets with their cameras just as photography was becoming recognized as an art, and magazines such as Life and Look were forming. Artists in the Photo League were known for capturing sharply revealing, compelling moments from everyday life. Photo Hunts were their way of giving themselves creative challenges, and having fun. During Photo Hunts, Photo Leaguers were sent out to capture a word or phrase, then their work was developed, and they’d have a big party to critique and celebrate.

For the first Photo Hunt assignment here is your challenge:

• Capture something that reflects the phrase “Sign of the Times.” How you capture it is up to you.
• Tag your work on Twitter, Flickr or Instagram with #CMAPhotoHunt and #signofthetimes, plus your #city.
• For the first assignment you have two weeks (until Friday June 1, 2012). After that we’ll be announcing new assignments biweekly.

Along the way we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite CMA Photo Hunt submissions via our blog and social media. Catherine Evans, our William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, will select a few of her favorites, and your work might be hanging on the walls at Columbus Museum of Art come this fall.

If you need some inspiration, be sure to check out our The Radical Camera exhibition. Questions about the CMA Photo Hunts? Let us know in the comments. Happy shooting!

(Above photo: Times Square from the Astor Hotel by Photo Leaguer Ruth Orkin).

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Utilizing the power of photography to engage teens in socially relevant conversations, the Columbus Museum of Art’s Columbus In Focus program invites students from two Columbus City high schools, Linden McKinley and Marion Franklin, to examine the rich history of Columbus and document it during the Columbus Bicentennial. With these photographs, students invite you into their world as they uncover their communities past, confront today’s most pressing issues, and explore their place in their city and the world at large.

This years participants also looked to extend their reach into the community. Three students from Linden McKinley helped create QR Code plaques that are installed in locations thoughout Columbus. These plaques direct viewers to their exhibition at CMA and online resources located on this page.

To see more student work please visit the Columbus In Focus Flickr Group or check out the Columbus Underground story on the Columbus In Focus program.

The work the In Focus students created is on view at CMA May 3 – September 8, 2012. Columbus In Focus will also dovetail with CMA’s Radical Camera exhibition, which highlights the work of the Photo League, the pioneering documentary photography movement of the 1930s and 1940s. For more information about the Columbus In Focus teen photography program please contact Kristin Lantz at kristin.lantz@cmaohio.org.

The Focus program is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and Puffin Foundation West, Ltd.

Art Speaks. Join the Conversation.

Kristin Lantz, School Programs Coordinator