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Year 5

Digital photography: creating a series of facial expression photographs

I can take digital photographs of different facial expressions.

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New
New
Year 5

Digital photography: creating a series of facial expression photographs

I can take digital photographs of different facial expressions.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Understand how facial expressions convey emotion in portraiture.
  2. Practise posing and recognising facial expressions.
  3. Learn basic skills for capturing expressive photographs using digital devices.
  4. Create a series of photographs showcasing different facial expressions.

Keywords

  • Facial expression - the appearance of the face that shows feelings and emotions

  • Photography - the art of capturing images with cameras

  • Focus - the clarity of a chosen subject

  • Lighting - how bright or dark a photograph is as a result of the light

Common misconception

Emotions are only conveyed through words and physical gestures.

Facial expressions are a universal way to communicate emotions, even without words.


To help you plan your year 5 art and design lesson on: Digital photography: creating a series of facial expression photographs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to express different emotions through facial expressions as a form of acting or performance. Use a whiteboard to draw a basic face, changing the positions of facial features to highlight how they contribute towards different facial expressions.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Digital cameras, tablets or smartphones with camera functionality (1 per pair). A whiteboard or printed pictures to demonstrate examples of expressive portraits.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a portrait?
Correct answer: an image of a person
an image of a landscape
an image of geometric shapes
Q2.
What is photography?
the art of mixed media processes
Correct answer: the art of capturing images with cameras
the art of abstraction
Q3.
Which of these emotions would likely involve a smile?
Correct answer: happiness
sadness
anger
Correct answer: excitement
Q4.
Which area of the face is most important for showing emotion?
the nose and ears
the chin and cheeks
Correct answer: the eyes and mouth
Q5.
Why is lighting important in photography?
Correct answer: to make the subject clearly visible
to slow down the process
It is only important for videos.
Q6.
What is a good way to make sure a photo is clear and focused?
Move the camera quickly.
Correct answer: Hold the camera steady.
Use a zoom function at all times.

6 Questions

Q1.
How are facial expressions primarily used in portraiture?
to add colour to the artwork
Correct answer: to convey emotion
to fill up empty space
Q2.
What is an important factor in capturing expressive photographs?
Correct answer: focusing on the subject
number of photos taken
type of camera
Q3.
Which of the following is the best way to capture emotions effectively in a photograph?
Be sure to have the subject wear bright clothes.
Correct answer: Ensure good lighting and focus on the face.
Use a lot of background objects.
Q4.
When taking a photograph of an expression, why is it important to focus on the face?
to blur the background
to show the entire person
Correct answer: to capture the details of the expression
Q5.
What can be challenging when photographing facial expressions?
choosing the subjects' clothes
Correct answer: getting the subject to hold still long enough
filling up empty space
Q6.
Why is it useful to take multiple photographs of a facial expression?
Correct answer: to find the best version of the expression
to create a collage
to practise different techniques