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STANDARDS
CCSS: 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
TEKS: 3.3C, 3.3G
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W hen photographer Ami Vitale first picked up a camera, something amazing happened. The once-shy young woman began to interact with people, learn new things, and experience new cultures. Over the years, she has since traveled to more than 100 countries to take pictures.
“I am constantly seeing the wonder and magic of this world,” she says.
When photographer Ami Vitale first picked up a camera, something amazing happened. She was shy before. But after that, she talked with people. She learned new things. She experienced new cultures. Since then, she’s traveled to more than 100 countries to take pictures.
At first, Vitale photographed human struggles like war and poverty. But then she realized most conflicts involved environmental issues such as climate change and lack of water. So Vitale switched her focus to photographing nature and wildlife.
“My photographs are a tool for creating understanding across cultures, communities, and countries,” she says. “They show how small and deeply connected our world is.”
At first, Vitale photographed human struggles like war and poverty. But then she noticed most problems involved environmental issues such as climate change. So Vitale decided to photograph nature and wildlife instead.
In 2009, Vitale photographed the release of one of the last remaining northern white rhinos from captivity into the wild. She’s worn a panda suit to get close to pandas in China. And in 2018, she won an award for her story about a community in Kenya working to protect elephants.
In 2009, Vitale photographed one of the last northern white rhinos in the world. The rhino was being released from captivity into the wild. She wore a panda suit to get close to pandas in China. She also visited a community in Kenya that protects elephants. In 2018, she won an award for her story about them.
When taking pictures of animals, Vitale is careful not to stress them out by getting too close. She also spends time learning about them.
“The secret is a mix of understanding the animals’ behaviors and having the patience to wait for an interesting moment,” she explains. “That’s when they reward me with something beautiful.”
Vitale is careful not to get too close to the animals she’s photographing. That can stress them out. She also spends time learning about them.
Vitale’s photos have raised millions of dollars for communities and organizations that protect wildlife. Her nonprofit, Vital Impacts, provides money and training for conservation efforts.
Vitale sees all these efforts as supporting one mission. “These stories about wildlife and our environment are really about all of us, our home, and our future.”
Vitale’s photos have raised millions of dollars to protect wildlife. She also runs a nonprofit called Vital Impacts. The company provides money and training for conservation efforts.
If you were a photographer, what would you photograph?
A common technique in photography is the “rule of thirds.” To follow the rule, think of a photo as a grid divided into 9 equal parts with 3 rows and 3 columns. The subject of the image should be placed where dividing lines intersect (cross) or along one of the lines itself. Draw a picture using the rule of thirds.
Materials
paper • pencil • ruler • colored pencils (optional)
Procedure
STEP 1 Use your ruler to make a 6-inch-by-6-inch square on your paper. Use the ruler to lightly draw 2 horizontal lines equally spaced within the square to form 3 rows. Then draw 2 equally spaced vertical lines to form 3 columns. Your square “frame” should now have 9 equal sections.
STEP 2 Draw a picture within the frame so that the subject is in a spot where some of the lines you drew intersect. You now have a picture that follows the rule of thirds!
Analysis
Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
About how many sections does the subject of your drawing fill? What fraction of the picture is that?
How many sections in your drawing are empty? What fraction of the picture is empty?
If you wanted your subject to fill of the picture, how many sections would it need to fill?
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