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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

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Scouts Photographer Activity Badge

Scouts Photographer Activity Badge

Photographer badge

Take an image, freeze a moment, and discover the art of photography.

Choose 1 of the following options:

  1. Still photography
    1. Show that you know the main settings on a digital camera or a smartphone camera.
      • This should include focus and exposure control, and flash settings. Explain the impact of shutter speed and aperture size on the image.
    2. Describe what accessories are available to use with digital cameras or smartphone cameras.
    3. Choose one of these two activities:
      • Produce 12 photographs, featuring at least two of these photographic techniques: portrait, still life (or similar), landscape or seascape, sport or action, or timelapse.
      • Produce six black and white photographs, based on a theme of your choice. Explain the steps you took to create them and the impact of using black and white as an alternative to colour images.

        You could produce high quality prints on photographic paper or present them on screen.

    4. Edit a selection of your images, using editing software on a computer or using an app on a smartphone.
      • This could include cropping, colour, contrast or light levels. Explain what you have changed and how it improved your image.
    5. Diagnose typical faults that happen at the photographing or editing stages, such as over or under exposure and high or low contrast.

      Explain how to reduce camera shake and how to respond to subject movement.

    6. Show that you know how to care for a digital camera or smartphone camera.
  2. Video photography
    1. Produce at least two short films from two of these categories.
      • documentary
      • music video
      • drama
      • comedy
      • advertisement
      • training film

      Create a storyboard and script for each of these. Edit the film using editing software on a computer or a smartphone app.

    2. Show that you understand:
      • camera techniques such as panning, zooming, close-ups, long shots and using additional lighting
      • production techniques such as editing, how to avoid jump cuts and maintaining continuity.
    3. Choose one of these two activities:
      • Show that you know how to care for a video camera and accessories, such as storage media, batteries, microphones and lights
      • Discuss the differences between recording video on a video camera, digital camera and a smartphone.

Tips

  • Whichever option you choose, you should use a camera that allows you to modify settings and use an optical zoom. Most camera functions on smart phones and tablets don’t have these features but if you have one that does, you can use it.

March 2024.

Requirements can be adapted to suit each young persons abilities. See our guidance on flexibility.

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