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Middle School, Photography, Digital Photography & Video Projects, Lessons, Activities (17 results)

Photography utilizes many different technologies to produce the pictures and videos we've come to take for granted: optics, electronics, mathematics, computer science, materials science, and mechanical engineering, to name a few.

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The Wagon Wheel Effect Optical Illusion
STEM Activity
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Have you ever seen a video where it looked like a car's wheels were spinning backwards even though the car was driving forward? This is called the wagon wheel effect, named after old movies where it looked like wagon wheels were spinning backwards. Even though you cannot see the effect in person, it can show up in videos of spinning objects. Find out why in this project and make your own videos of the wagon wheel effect! Read more
Camera 'Shakes'
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
You can compare the picture quality for photos taken at different shutter speeds with the camera handheld vs. with the camera on a tripod. (This is best done with a camera that has manual exposure control.) Read more
Digital Pinhole Camera
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
If you sit under a leafy tree on a sunny day, you may notice spots of sunlight on the ground from light passing through spaces between the leaves. Try putting a piece of cardboard on the ground and examining the spots of light on the cardboard. Even though the spaces through which the light is passing are irregular in shape, the spots on the cardboard are round. What you are seeing, in fact, are projected images of the sun. Light passing through an aperture forms an image. A pinhole camera… Read more
Measuring the Speed of Moving Objects with Stroboscopic Photography
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
A strobe light can illuminate an entire room in just tens of microseconds. Inexpensive strobe lights can flash up to 10 or 20 times per second. This project shows you how to use stroboscopic photography to analyze motion. Read more
Picture This: Building a Cell Phone Microscope
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Imagine you are on a trip and see something interesting that you want to share with your friends. What do you do? You take a picture with your cell phone and e-mail it to them, of course. But did you realize that the same technology can be used to save lives? Using their cell phones modified as inexpensive microscopes, medical personnel can look at blood smears to help diagnose diseases like malaria and cholera. In this photography science project you will build a simple and inexpensive cell… Read more
The Wagon Wheel Effect
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Have you ever seen a video where it looked like a car's wheels were spinning backward even though the car was driving forward? What about helicopter blades that looked like they were spinning very slowly, or even not moving at all? This illusion is called the "wagon wheel effect," named after old movies where it looked like wagon wheels were spinning backward. In this science project you will learn how the wagon wheel effect works and how you can film it yourself. Read more
Bit Depth, Colors and Digital Photos
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
How many bits of information are in a digital photo? It depends on how many possible colors there are. Learn how to choose the right number of colors and bits to post your photo on the web or send it to your best friend. Read more
Camera Lens Testing
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Do you ever use the manual camera settings when taking pictures with your phone? Does your phone have more than one camera lens? This project is a great way to learn more about your phone's camera(s) and how to take better pictures. You can also do this project with a traditional point-and-shoot camera or another camera like a DSLR. Read more
Color Profiles
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Did you know that the same digital photo you see on a computer monitor may not look as good in print? When it comes to color profiles, there are a lot of options: RGB, CMYK, grayscale and indexed color! How do you choose the right color profile for the job? Read more
Digital Photos and Dynamic Range
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Digital cameras can be a great way to learn about photography. Most digital cameras today have LCD screens, so you get instant feedback on your photo. If you make a mistake, no problem, you just delete the picture. It's nice that you don't have to worry about the expense and bother of developing film! This project can help you learn to take better pictures. Read more
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