Lumen PhotoVocab Game
Vocabulary & Image Analysis
What is Lumen?
Lumen transforms learning into an engaging adventure, equipping players with essential vocabulary and honing their analytical skills. Through interactive gameplay, players are challenged to pair photography vocabulary with images, fostering a deeper understanding of photographic concepts. This educational experience not only enhances visual literacy but also encourages critical thinking, debate, and analysis, making learning both fun and impactful.
What's Inside?
GAME CONTENTS
- Player Guide
- 100 Vocabulary Cards
- 300 Photo Cards
- QR Code to Access Digital Extras
Game Overview
Game Stats
- 4-8 Players
- Age 14+ (For legal reasons we have to list the age as 14+ but you decide)
- 20-40 minutes (or do a timed variant)
- Low Difficulty
Overview
Make learning fun. Equip players with essential vocabulary and help them grow their analytical skills through interactive gameplay.
Designed as a fun and engaging educational experience, Lumen is a card game that challenges players to pair photography vocabulary with photos. It teaches players to have a keener eye for photography and introduces them to vocabulary useful in photographic discussion and critique while also encouraging critical thinking, debate, and analysis.
Classroom Tips
- You can divide the deck up to accommodate 2-3 small groups.
- Use Lumen during the first week of class or right before a critique session to serve as an icebreaker and warmup.
- Assign each of your students vocabulary terms from the game to shoot and then create a custom print-to-play version of the game using their images.
Player Guide
Visit Lumen’s Player Guide page to preview game instructions.
100 Vocabulary Cards
Art, design, and photography vocabulary chosen to help build confidence in visual literacy vocabulary.
300 Photo Cards
Visit Lumen’s Photo Credits page to view the images included in this version of the game.
Education Edition Digital Extras
To help increase the value of Lumen since our first production run was so expensive to produce, and to aid in our mission to help educators and students the Education Edition of Lumen comes with bonus digital content to help in the classroom such as:
- The Print-to-Play Sampler for you to share with your students and colleagues.
- Templates to create your own custom print-to-play version of Lumen.
To access digital extras register with the QR code on the side of the box.
The Story Behind Lumen
Lumen Prototypes 1-3
Lumen started out as part of my MFA thesis project on game-based learning. It was tool I created for myself to help solve multiple problems I witnessed while teaching in grad school. People were so excited about Lumen that I changed my career plans and dedicated more hours than I want to count to figuring out how to manufacture a game and all of the business stuff that goes with it.
This first edition of Lumen was created specifically with schools and educators in mind. I had hoped to Kickstart it so I could get the price down by producing a larger quantity but ultimately ended up wiping out my savings to produce a small run so my photo education friends wouldn’t have to wait another 1-2 years. It’s my hope that in the near future I can put together a Kickstarter to raise funds for a mass market version at a price comparable to other games. In the meantime a digital print-to-play version is available for those who can’t afford the Education Edition.
It’s been a long and unexpected journey but I’ve learned a lot and it brings me so much joy to see the smiles on peoples faces and hear how Lumen is impacting classrooms.
Thank you for supporting me and this project.
2020-2021
2021 MFA Thesis Project
Lumen, Prototype 1
Conceived by Carol Record as part of her MFA thesis on game-based learning at Jacksonville State University, Lumen emerged from her personal challenges in the realm of education. Drawing on her passion for games, education, and photography, Carol designed a game that effectively engages students, breaking the ice and facilitating camaraderie while also serving as a versatile tool for delivering course content.
Designed as a fun and engaging educational experience, Lumen introduces players to terminology useful in photographic critique and discussion, while also encouraging critical thinking, debate, and analysis.
Lumen has been play-tested by over 100 players in and outside the classroom, and teachers, students, and the general public all love it. It was play-tested in several introductory design and photography classrooms. Instructors reported an increase in student engagement, and students indicated that the game helped them feel more comfortable with others and taught them new things. Woohoo!
Lumen Prototype #1
Lumen, Prototype 1
The first prototype of Lumen was created for Captain Carol’s MFA Thesis Project. It contained 80 vocabulary cards and 170 photo cards.
The Research Behind Lumen
Game-Based Learning Research
Interested in game-based learning? Check out Carol’s research paper on game-based learning and Lumen published online in Jacksonville State University’s Digital Commons.
Game-Based Learning: Building Competence in Visual Literacy Through Simulation.
Abstract
Game-based learning is an ideal experiential learning framework for introducing the critique process to reduce student anxiety and create competence in visual literacy and self-assessment. Critique, the assessment, and analysis of one’s work is an essential step in any creative process. It is an integral part of art school. However, it can also be a source of high anxiety for new students. This paper discusses the importance of critique, the challenges associated with teaching critique, and the benefits of utilizing game-based learning. Examples of game-based learning solutions are explored, including the development of, and response to, Lumen, a card game designed to prepare students for photographic discussion and critique.
2022-2023
2022-2024: Refining & Producing the Game
- Lumen was increased from 250 cards to 400 cards to increase replayability, and the packaging and player guide were redesigned.
- Many hours were spent learning how to manufacture a game, work with international manufacturers, and legally create a business.
- Captain Carol continued to present on game-based learning and playtest Lumen at conferences and in classrooms.
2/20/2023: Lumen Prototype #2 Size Increase
Lumen, Prototype 2 (2023)
- More cards were added, some terminology was changed, and the box and player guide were redesigned.
12/17/2023: Prototype Production Photos from Nice Funny Games
Production Photos from Nice Funny Games
12/21/2023: Lumen Prototype #3 Name Change
Lumen, Prototype 2 (2023)
12/5/2023: New Prototypes Ordered
- The game’s name was changed from “Lumen: A Game of Photographic Terminology” to “Lumen PhotoVocab Game”
- The player guide was rewritten, the box was adjusted, and a few images were swapped out.
2024
Lumen PhotoVocab Game: Education Edition
Lumen PhotoVocab Game, Education Edition ©2024
After years of research, testing, and the development of three prototypes 500 copies of Lumen PhotoVocab Game Education Edition are produced. This edition is crafted specifically for educators with digital extras to supplement the game.
1/29/24: Photos of Prototype #4 from Nice Funny Games
Lumen PhotoVocab Game Prototype #4
Prototype #4 – Almost there!
Only a few minor adjustments were made with the main one being the addition of “Education Edition” and a QR code to allow people to access the digital extras that were added to this edition to help add value to offset the cost.
3/06/24: Production of Lumen is Completed
Production of Lumen completes just in time for me to have a few boxes airshipped in time for the national Society for Photographic Conference in St. Louis. The rest will arrive in the summer via freight.
3/22/24: Early copies of Lumen arrive just in time for SPE St. Louis
Blackwater’s Vendor Table at SPE St. Louse; March 2024 (Captain Carol)
Blackwater’s Vendor Table at SPE St. Louse; March 2024 (First Mate Karl)
Early copies of Lumen arrived just in time for SPE’s national conference in St. Louis. Captain Carol and her First Mate Karl were beyond excited to finally have Lumen available for educators.
Summer 2024: Lumen Arrives in the US!
A few months later the rest of Lumen’s inventory arrives in Ohio but Captain Carol takes off overseas for an adventure in Japan so Lumen’s official release is put on hold.
11/25/2024 Lumen Official Game Launch
Lumen PhotoVocab Game celebrates it’s official game launch!