Course Syllabus

Online Syllabus:  http://www.basearts.com/curriculum/SRJC.BasicPhoto.htm

DESCRIPTION:

This course will present an overview of traditional photographic processes as well as an historic exploration of the aesthetics of photography. From concept to print, this course explores the technical and chemical processes required as well as the conceptual and critical issues inherent to the medium. Traditional and new electronic photographic methods are presented as a vehicle to understand the implications of photography as an art form. Emphasis is placed on the creative process while exploring image making as a means of communication used by contemporary artists.

Required Texts:

A Short Course in Photography, Barbara London/ Jim Stone

Recommended Texts:

Photography, Barbara London, John Upton, Ken Kobre, Betsy Brill, Prentice Hall
or
Photography, Revised Edition, Henry Horenstein, Russell Hart Prentice Hall


Black and White Photography, A Basic Manual, Henry Horenstein, Little Brown and Company


Required Supplies / Equipment:

35mm Camera with manual exposure controls.
(the camera should also have a built-in light meter, or you will need a handheld light meter)

1 Gallon of Lauder Dual Fixer

Film - Kodak TMax or Tri-X (* or equivalent 400 ASA general purpose black and white)

Photographic Printing Paper - (Resin Coated)

1 Towel (*this will accumulate stains so don't take your mothers best towel, use an old throwaway)

Rubberized Apron (optional)
Rubber(latex) Gloves
Sharpie Permanent Marker
Sissors
Anti-Static Brush
Can of compressed air
Negative Storage Binder (3 ring binder) and Protective Pages (*35-7B)
5 - 9x12 Manilla Envelopes
oo or ooo spotting brush

Mounting Board - to be dicussed.

EVALUATION:

30% of student grade will be based on attendance and participation.

50% of student grades will be based on the completion of assigned exercises and journal. 
Incomplete assignments will be considered not done. 

20% of student grade will be based on the complete of a final portfolio containing a minium of 20 prints.


ATTENDANCE POLICY:

You are expected to attend all of every class meeting unless they have received prior permission from the instructor.
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting. Anyone absent when attendance is taken will be assumed absent from the class.   If you are late to class it is your responsibility to make sure your attendance is acknowledged by talking to the instructor. 

More than three absences will affect a student’s grade; the fourth and each subsequent absence will drop a student’s overall grade one portion of a letter grade (e.g. from a full B to a B-). Repeated tardiness will also affect a student’s overall grade; every three tardies will count as equal to one absence.

If you are intending to drop the class, please notify the instructor.  You should not assume that the instructor will automatically drop you because of absences.  If you stop attending classes and you do not drop the class, and the instructor has not dropped you from the class; the instructor may be required to give you a grade of F for the class.

Lecture: Syllabus Overview - Expectations, Requirements, Objectives, Best Practices.

Lecture: Department and Facilities Policy Review and Tour
Begin fundamentals of visual phenomenology / camera technology
Basic Camera Operation

Lab:

Critique / Review 5 images of influence.

Assignments:

Bring in 5 Images either of your own or from public media sources
that best represent your interest in photography.

Bring in Camera * practice framing

Initiate Journal - 5 pnts.

Reading/Handouts:

Camera manual
Chapt. 1 & 2 Short Course
Review Online Syllabus
Review Internet Resources

Search Artists:

Henri Cartier Bresson
Robert Frank
Ansel Adams
Robert Adams

Lecture:

Camera Fundamentals
Beginning Exposure

Artists:
Moholy-Nagy
Man Ray
Jerry Uelsmann
Olivia Parker

Assignment:

Photograms - object compositions - 10 pnts

Consider an assortment of objects that you would like to construct 3-5 compositions with ... translucent and reflective objects make for interesting shadow and outlines, light streaks etc...

Reading / Review:

Photograms and Montage works... <--Online Click Here

Moholy-Nagy - From Pigment to Light - 1936

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Optional Assignment for Extra Credit Pinhole Camera
Reading/Handouts:

Oatmeal Box Pinhole Photography by Stew Woodruff
- How to Make and Take Pictures With Pinhole Cameras Made from Oatmeal Boxes
http://www.bonus.com/contour/pinhole_camaras/http@@/users.rcn.com/stewoody/index.htm

The Pinhole Gallery
http://www.pinhole.org/

Photo.net
http://www.photo.net/learn/pinhole/pinhole

Artists:

Jo Babcock

Lecture:

Continued Exposure...
Download and Print:

Printing Quick Reference


Print, Sign and Return field trip liability waiver in pdf form below.

Assignment:

Print, Sign and Return field trip liability waiver in pdf form via the link below:
http://www.santarosa.edu/for_students/student_affairs/pdf/SRJC_Field_Trip_Activity_Liability_Waiver.pdf

Bracket Roll (first roll) - Shooting and Developing - 10 pnts.

Bracketing Exposures - Choose a 2 subjects and make 5 bracketed exposures of each.

1st exposure according to meter reading with a gray card.
2nd + .5 half step greater aperture selection or more exposure (over)
3rd + 1 whole step (full stop) greater aperture selection (over)
4th .5 half step smaller aperture selection or less exposure (under)
5th - 1 whole step smaller aperture selection or less exposure (under)

*Be sure to make notes of the exposures in your journal.

With the remaining exposures experiment with the shutter speeds + and or - one shutter speed is equal to a full stop.


Reading/Handouts:

Film Development Quick Reference

Chapters 3 & 4 - Short Course

Artists:

W. Eugene Smith
Minor White
Pablo Ortiz Monesterio
Sophie Calle

Lecture:

Continued Exposure...

Reading/Handouts:

Leaflet, Written for Los Angeles Museum - Edward Weston

ARTSEDGE: Formal Visual Analysis: The Elements & Principles of Composition
Description:
Formal analysis is an important technique for organizing visual information. In other words, it is a strategy used to translate what you see into written words. This strategy can be applied to any work of art, from any period in history, whether a photograph, sculpture, painting or cultural artifact. http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3902/

Photo Alliance
http://www.photoalliance.com

The Lomographic Society - http://www.lomography.com/
http://www.lomography.com/about/
Welcome dear photo-adventurer. you are just about to discover the most interactiv, vivid, blurred and crazy face of photography worldwide. we heartily and most warmly invite you to dive into our unique online photo-features, to taste our cameras and -most of all- to become a lomographer. help us to simply build the biggest snapshot portrait of our planet and to revolutionize the picture communication from the hip. prost.


Artists:
Karl Blossfelt
Eudora Welty
Stephen Shore
William Klein

Lecture:

Printing Procedures :

Contact Sheets
Test Stips
Multi-Contrast Filters
Burning and Dodging
Multi-Contrast Filters

FIRST CRITIQUE - Contacts - (5 points)

-------------------------------------

Reading/Handouts:

Chapter 6 - Short Course

Printing Quick Reference


Artists:

John Baldessari
Sally Mann
Sherry Levine
Moriyama Daido

Lecture:

Working with
Ambient / Artifical Light

Reading/Handouts:

The Decisive Moment - Cartier-Bresson

Other readings :

http://www.basearts.com/curriculum/readings/

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Artists:

http://www.basearts.com/curriculum/masters/

Harry Callahan
Immogen Cunningham
Nan Goldin
Richard Misrach
Mark Klett


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Pushing Film allows you to shoot in lower light situations.

This solution essentially fools the light meter by setting it at a
higher ISO or ASA rating and then overdeveloping the film in
order to compensate for the underexposure.

Although your experiences may vary somewhat - here is a good starting base for pushing:

400 ASA pushed to 800 ASA - 50% overdevelopment - 10 minutes normal development time = 15 minutes.
400 ASA pushed to 1600 ASA - 100% overdevelopment - 10 minutes normal development time = 20 minutes.

Lecture:

Reading/ Discussion:


Artists:
Harold Edgerton
Irving Penn
Bruce Weber
Dieter Appelt

John Divola
Uta Barth

Lecture:

Legal / Copyright Issues

Protecting your images

Reading/Discussion:

Artists:
J. John Priola
Aziz and Cucher
Michael Light
Regan Louie
Linda Connor
Henry Wessel

Final Portfolio = All prints, contacts and negatives should be presented in a binder.
All assignments should be represented by a contact sheet and negatives

3-5 Contact Sheets w/Negatives
2 - Photogram Composition

5 - Final Prints
(An agreed upon choice of images may be substituted for the print requirement in each shooting assignment.)
---
2 prints - Light and Shadow
2 prints - OBJECT OF ART
1 print - SELF-PORTRAIT

Final Critique - 25 points
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