Digital Photography

Digital Photography
ART 82 - 4186
Fall 2004

Location:
Room 1261

Class Schedule: Lecture / Lab, Monday & Wednesday 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Office Hours: 3-4 Wednesday

Instructor: John Sappington - john@basearts.com

Course Syllabus

Online Syllabus: http://www.basearts.com/DigitalPhotoSRJCfall.htm

DESCRIPTION:

This course is an introduction to approaches and techniques of digital imaging with a focus on the use of the digital camera and Adobe Photoshop. The course will cover the technical and practical aspects of the digital camera, and the use of image editing software (Adobe Photoshop), covering traditional darkroom concerns and exploring the technical particulars and aesthetic potential of digital photography.

This course will present and overview of digital imaging techniques as applied to the art of photography. Traditional and new electronic photographic methods are studied as a vehicle to understand the implication of this medium as an art form. Emphasis is placed on the creative process while exploring electronic image making as a means of communication used by contemporary artists.

Outcomes and Objectives:

Explore digital photography.
Understanding and applicable use of the tools of digital and electronic photography.
Employ creative thinking skills in assessing visual images
Develop skills in manipulating photo images with new tools
Examing past work for relevance
Practice aesthetic criticism

Topics and Scope:

Synthesize digital tool manipulation with photographic images.
Produce work using a variety of digital equipment.
Investigate how digital tools change photographic images.
Analyze the work of current artists and designers using these tools.

Assignments:

1. flatbed scanning techniques
2. printing procedures
3. combining text with scanned graphics

Recommended Technical Texts:

"The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers", Scott Kelby, New Riders Publishing, 2004
www.scottkelbybooks.com

Alternate Technical Texts:

"The Photoshop Book for digital photographers", Scott Kelby, New Riders Publishing, 2003
www.scottkelbybooks.com

"Photoshop 7 Professional Photographic Techniques", Janee, Nyree Costello, Gavin Cromhout, Vikas Shah, friends of Ed, 2002
www.friendsofed.com

"Photoshop 7 for Windows and Macintosh", Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas, Peachpit Press 2003
www.peachpit.com

Required Supplies / Equipment:

A 2 Megapixel (or greater) digital camera is required.

Students are required to obtain backup media to store class example files and work in progress.

Optional media types are:

- 100MB/250 Mb Zip disks

- CD ROM, Write-once or Re Writable: Approx. capacity 700+MB

- Flash cards, memory sticks, etc..

Students are also required to have an e-mail account. This can be accessed through the lab and may be a free account like those available from Hotmail, Yahoo, Freemail, Excite, etc. The instructor will assist students in obtaining an e-mail account if necessary. Students will be expected to check this e-mail account at least twice a week. General class announcements will be reported via e-mail.

EVALUATION:

50% of student grades will be based on class participation. Students must attend class in order to effectively participate.

50% of student grades will be based on the completion of assignments. These assignments will not be graded for skill or content, but will be evaluated for technical completion.

10% of the student grade will be determined by the final portfolio presentation.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Students 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.

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.

Digital Photography Schedule (subject to change)			Course Outline Recommended Reading List Updated Photography Resources http://www.basearts.com/resources.html#photography
Week 1		Syllabus Overview Expectations, Requirements, Objectives, Best Practices.	Assignment: Minimum 5 images in any form - representing your interests, motivations in photography. Email john@basearts.com with your current email address - include SRJC Photography in the subject line.
	Reading: Review Course Outline - http://www.basearts.com/curriculum/DigitalPhotoOutline.htm & Review Internet Resources Search Artists: Carl Maydans Dies - NY Times http://www.nytimes.com Van Deren Coke Henri Cartier-Bresson
Websites for people who are researching cameras: http://dpreview.com - Veronica Juelch www.steves-digicams.com - Guillermo Madrigal http://www.keh.com - Marke Blue Portfolios: Zack Geier http://student.santrosa.edu/~zgeier Eli Smith http://members.dslextreme.com/users/junpei/photography.html http://apfhex.deviantart.com/gallery/ Kathy Enedy http://hometown.aol.com/graphicvision1/index.html http://hometown.aol.com/graphicvision1/Art54.html Marke Blue - suggested here is a link for a photographer, who makes large format b/w digital negatives from color print films: http://danburkholder.com
Week 2		Lecture: Digital Technology Camera / Scanner Scanning Procedures Transferring images from camera/media to system. Begin fundamentals of visual phenomenology / camera technology.	Lab: Scanning Assignment: Scan 2-5 - 3 dimensional objects Scan 2-5 existing prints / images into photoshop
	Reading: William Eggleston Exhibition, Los Alamos @ SF MOMA - August 21st http://www.sfmoma.com/exhibitions/exhib_detail.asp?id=162 Search Artists: Lazlo Moholy-Nagy

Week 3		Lecture Photoshop Introduction File Browser File Types, Formats Layers Camera Operation - Exposure basics	Lab Clean up scans/camera images beginng file preparations. Assignment: Bracketed Exposures - Choose a subject and make 5 bracketed exposures. 1st exposure according to meter reading. 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. Experiment with the shutter speeds + and or - one shutter speed is equal to a full stop.
	Reading: Companion Website for Photography-By Barbara London, John Upton, Jim Stone, Ken Kobre, and Betsey Brill http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_london_photo_8 Search Artist: Misha Gordin
NO CLASS FOR MONDAY SEPT. 6 - LABOR DAY HOLIDAY - SEE YOU WED.
Week 4		Lecture: Photoshop Cropping Selections Layers	Lab Review Bracketed Exposures Contact Sheets Bracketed Exposures Assignment: Shoot Same Scene throughout a 24 hour period. Pick a location and photograph it periodically (morning, noon, evening, night) throughout the course of a day. Be sure to shoot one with and one without the use of the flash.
	Reading: The Lomographic Society - http://www.lomography.com/ - from Mason Baird 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. Search Artist: David Hockney

Week 5		Lecture: Photoshop: Saving Selections Adjustment Layers Masks	Lab Assignment: 5 in 1 Through a process of cropping, copying and/or layers create from a single image source 5 different image files.
	Reading: Snapshots of William Eggleston Special Event and Book Signing William Christenberry, artist Andy Grundberg, critic and photography chair, Corcoran College of Art and Design September 18, 2004 3:00 p.m. Phyllis Wattis Theater - SFMOMA Capturing images of everyday Southern life and vernacular culture, William Eggleston developed a highly personal style that flirts with the banal and exploits the visual vocabulary of the snapshot. In this special event, Grundberg presents a critical perspective on Eggleston’s extraordinary career. In relation to Eggleston's practice, Christenberry talks about his work, which also pays tribute to his Southern roots. The event concludes with a conversation between these colleagues and friends. Eggleston will make a special appearance for a book signing following the program. $12 general; $8 PhotoAlliance and SFMOMA members, students with ID, and seniors. Tickets are available at the Museum with no surcharge or through Ticketweb.com. Search Artists: Jerry Ulesmann

Week 6	09.20.04 09.22.04	Lecture Adjustment Layers Color Modes Luminance / Color Corrections Curves Levels	Lab Selections/Cropping Cont... Assignment: Shoot Same Scene throughout a 24 hour period. Pay particular attention to the movement of the shadows and your primary subject. *Pick a location and photograph it periodically (morning, noon, evening, night) throughout the course of a day.**
	Reading: Search Artists: Chuck Close
Week 7	09.27-29.04	Lecture Photoshop: Burn / Dodge Clone Healing History	Lab Preparations for Midterm Assignments: 24 hour 5-n-1
	Reading: *Digital Photography: The Dubitative Image, from Snap to Grid: A Users Guide to Digital Arts, Media and Cultures, by Peter Lunenfe Art and Technics*, by Lewis Mumford
Week 8	10.04-06.04	Lecture Discussion	Lab
	Reading: Review Photograms and Montage works... Click Here Moholy-Nagy Man Ray Jerry Uelsmann
Week 9	10.11 -13.04	Mid-Term Reviews 20 Images - Source: Scanner or Camera Contact Sheets	Lab Assignment: Evaluation Form (Please Complete and Submit from your home system)

Week 10	10.18-20.04	Lecture Photoshop: Text Tools Batch Processes	Lab Mid-Term Reviews Continued...as required Assignment: Composites - 5 total - minimum 3 images per image
	Search Artists: Richard Prince John Baldessari Duane Michaels
Week 11	10.25-27.04	Lecture Photoshop: Printing Reviewed File Types Color Management Resolution File Preparation Proofs / Printing Options from w/in PSD	Lab Assignment: Proof Print
	Reading/Discussion: "Thinking about photography: Debates, historically and now.", Photography: A Critical Introduction, Edited by Liz Wells "Appendix A: On the Theory and Practice of Seeing",
Week 12	11.01-03.04	Lecture Photoshop:Printing Lighting - Utilizing Ambient Light - Backlight - Flash Modes - Corrections	Lab - Tuesday Injet Printing - Field Trip to Analy Hall Lab - Proofs Paper Surface / Textures / Types
	Reading: Apprendix B: on reading visual texts Printers - Materials - Supplies PS Print http://www.psprint.com/ Preparing files for print - Pagemaker, Illustrator http://www.psprint.com/helpcenter/preparingyourfiles/digitalcheck_pm.asp Digital Art Supplies http://www.digitalartsupplies.com
Week 13	11.08-10.04		Lab Thurs: Discussion - Inkjet Printing in Analy Hall - Art Lab
	Assignment: 15 Image minimum representing primary subject of your photography for critique with visiting artist and photographer - Caitlin McCaffrey 11.24.04 Reading: The Decisive Moment - Cartier-Bresson Leaflet, Written for Los Angeles Museum - Edward Weston A Personal Credo - Ansel Adams Search Artists: harold edgerton - http://web.mit.edu/museum/exhibits/flashinsp.html minor white todd hido jim goldberg
Week 14	11.15-17.04	Lecture Photoshop: Web Output Image Ready Optimization Automation Techniques	Lab Assignment: Presentations for Visiting Artist Critique

Week 15	11.22-24.04	Lab	Thurs: 15 Image minimum representing primary subject of your photography for critique with visiting artist and photographer - Caitlin McCaffrey 11.24.04

Week 16	11.29.04-12.01.04	Lecture Legal / Copyright Issues Protecting your images Respecting the work of others	Lab
Week 17	12.06-08.04	Begin Final Critiques
Week 18	12.13.04	Final Critique 4-7 pm Room 1261