Digital Photography

Art 82 - Section#0197 - Santa Rosa
FALL 07

Location:
Room 1261

Class Schedule:
Lecture / Lab, Mon./Wed. 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Office Hours: 3:00 - 4:00 Mon./Wed. by appointment.

Instructor:  John Sappington - john@basearts.com

ANALY HALL - ART COMPUTER LAB HOURS

Monday - 9:30 - 12:30
Tues./Thurs. - 12 - 4:30

Overview
Schedule
Resources

REPEAT Students <---CLICK HERE

Course Syllabus

Online Syllabus (this page):

http://www.basearts.com/L2-pages/currentsyllabi1.html
Outline: http://www.basearts.com/L2-pages/DigPhotoOutline.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 aesthetic and technical mastery.
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. Scanning Techniques
2. Digital Camera Operations *manual
3. File Management Practices
4. Printing Procedures
5. Text and Image, Alternative approaches to graphic use of photographic materials
6. Presentation Methods *Web/Internet

Recommended Technical Texts:

"Photoshop CS3 for Windows and Macintosh", Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas, Peachpit Press 2005
www.peachpit.com

"Photoshop CS2 for Windows and Macintosh", Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas, Peachpit Press 2005
www.peachpit.com

"The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers", Scott Kelby, New Riders Publishing, 2005
www.scottkelbybooks.com

"The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers", Scott Kelby, New Riders Publishing, 2005
www.scottkelbybooks.com

Alternate Technical Texts:

Photography, Barbara London, John Upton, Ken Kobre, Betsy Brill, Prentice Hall

Photography, Revised Edition, Henry Horenstein, Russell Hart Prentice Hall

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


Required Supplies / Equipment:

A 5 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/DVD-R, 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:

20% of student grades will be based on class participation. Students must attend class in order to effectively participate.

70% 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.

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.

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Attendance Requirements

It shall be the policy of the Sonoma County Junior College District to maintain an attendance policy and procedures consistent with State and local requirements.

1.0 Attendance

1.1 Students are expected to attend all sessions

of the course in which they are enrolled.

1.2 Any student with excessive absences may be

dropped from the class.

2.0 Excessive Absence Defined

2.1 A student may be dropped from any class when that student’s absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time.

2.2 Instructors shall state in each course syllabus what constitutes excessive absence for that course.

3.0 Excused vs. Unexcused absences

3.1 Unless state or federal law requires that the absence be deemed excused, no instructor shall be required to make a distinction between excused and unexcused absences.

3.2 If individual Instructors wish to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences the instructor shall state in each course syllabus all criteria for any excused absences in addition to those required by state or federal law.

4.0 Nonattendance

4.1 Students who fail to attend the first two class meetings of a full semester course may be dropped by the instructor.

4.2  Faculty are required to drop all No-Show students by the Census Date of each census course.  A No-Show is an enrolled student who has not attended any class meeting of the course at any time, or who has not contacted the instructor to make arrangements to remain enrolled in the course.

 Policy 8.15, Revised July 10, 2007

Syllabus Overview Expectations, Requirements, Objectives, Best Practices.

Assignment:

• Bring in a minimum 5 images in any form to the second class meeting- representing your interests, motivations in photography.
  
• Email john@basearts.com with your current email address
  - include SRJC Digital Photo and your section number in the subject line.
  
• Locate and Read Camera Manual - Cover to Cover
  Begin JOURNAL of questionable functions, settings, usage.
  
• Set Camera to highest resolution / lowest compression.
  
• TURN OFF THE FLASH!
  
• Bring Camera to second class meeting with cables (usb/firewire), or card reader.

Lomographic Society
http://www.lomographics.com

Camera Reviews

http://dpreview.com
www.steves-digicams.com
http://www.keh.com

Lecture:

Digital Technology

Camera / Scanner
Scanning Procedures

Transferring images from camera/media to system.

Begin fundamentals of camera technology.

Lab:

Establish Home Directories
Work with camera connection / file transfer

Assignment:

Shooting in Low Light without a flash.

Feel free to experiment, try to find the lowest level of light possible to render a readable image.

Depending on what you may or may not know regarding ISO, experiment with this setting in your camera as well.

Artists:


Paul Strand
Eugene Atget
Eadweard Muybridge

Todd Hido

Reading:

Camera Manuals continued - journal with questions/notes from the manual.

Digital Camera Review - Technical Glossary
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Camera_System/


LOCAL GALLERIES:

A Street Gallery
312 South A St., Santa Rosa

Arts Council of Sonoma County
529 Fifth St, Santa Rosa
www.sonomaarts.com

Sonoma County Museum
425 7th Street, Santa Rosa
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Santa Rosa Junior College Art Gallery
Bussman Hall, Santa Rosa

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
6780 Depot Street Sebastopol
www.sebarts.org

SF Camerawork
http://www.sfcamerawork.org

Robert Koch Gallery
http://www.kochgallery.com/

Fraenkel Gallery
http://www.fraenkelgallery.com
49 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Map

Hours:
Tuesday - Friday: 10:30 - 5:30
Saturday: 11 - 5

(415) 981-2661 p.
(415) 981-4014 f.
mail@fraenkelgallery.com

Haines Gallery
http://www.hainesgallery.com
49 Geary Street, Suite 540
San Francisco, CA 94108

Tel: 415-397-8114
Fax: 415-397-8115
info@hainesgallery.com

Urban Digital Color / Gallery 16
http://www.urbandigitalcolor.com/gallery16/galleryframe.html

Lecture:

Camera Basics
Photoshop Introduction

• File Browser - Bridge
• File Types, Format

Artists:

Lazlo Moholy-Nagy
Man Ray
David Hockney

Olivia Parker
http://oliviaparker.com/newindex.php

Bruce Conner
David Hockney

Sites:


Photo Sharing

http://www.dpchallenge.com
http://www.flickr.com/
http://www.slide.com
http://www.kodakgallery.com/
http://www.snapfish.com/
http://www.shutterbook.com/home/
http://www.deviantart.com/
http://www.zoto.com/

Lecture:

• Contact Sheet
• Automation Tools
• Layers Palette Introduction
• Adjustment Layers
• Levels Adjustment Layers
• Histogram
  
• Size / Resize / Resolution
  
  

Lab:

Assignment:

- Equivalents
- Depth of Field
3-5 Images which illustrate the side effects of aperture selections.

Aperture:
Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Depth of Field Calculator
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Reading:

Depth of Field Calculator
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
Zone System | Wikipedia Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System

Artists:

Stephen Shore
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Henry Wessel
http://www.renabranstengallery.com/wessel.html
Michael Light
http://www.michaellight.net/


Sites:

Lecture

Photoshop:

• Curves - Adjustment Layers
• Channel Mixer- Adjustment Layers
  
• Size/Resize/Resolution
  
• Shadows and Hightlights
  Working with layers as masks

PS Best Practice #1 - Duplicate the pixel based background layer as first step on opening a .jpeg.

PS Best Practice #2 - All adjustments to adjustment layers - no pixel damage.

Lab:

Assignment:

Motion / Blur
3-5 Images which illustrate the side effects of shutter speed / time value selections.

Shutter / Time Values:
Fig 1

Assignment:

Critique - 5 pnts.

5 Images - should represent beginnings of portfolio subjects either content or technique.

- contact sheets / within home directory under "contacts".


Adobe Instructional Resources Pages
http://www.adobe.com/education/instruction/main.html

Artists:

Harold Edgerton

Larry Sultan
John Divola
Uta Barth

Sites:

Lecture

Photoshop:

• Working with and around Selections
  
• Photo Filters- Adjustment Layers
  
• Sharpening
  Unsharp Mask
  
• History Brush
  

Lab:

Finish First Critiques

Artists:

John Baldessari
Sophie Calle
Nick Waplington

Candace Gaudiani

Mid Term Interviews:

Sign up for a time on the Sign-up sheet

Evaluation Form <--click here
(Please Complete and Submit from your home system)

Photoshop:

• Compositing
  
• Blending Options
  
• Extract
• Selections - Paths (Pen)
  
  
• Roxio Toast
  
  CD and DVD Burning
  

Mid-Term Interviews - 5 pnts
The midterm interview is mandatory and = to a shooting assignment.

Prepare a selection of ideas for you your final portfolio. Write up a brief description of each and submit during the interview. Reference specific images within your home directory if you have images related to the subjects chosen for the final portfolio.


You are only required to show up for the time of your interview.

Evaluation Form <-- click here

The lab will be open and available - between students /no shows, I will be available to work with you if you are having any problems with Photoshop, etc...

Artists:
Bernd and Hilla Becher
Gregory Crewdson

Lecture:

Composition

-tone
-balance
-line
-framing

Lens Selection:
Link to external sites of interest regarding lens selection.

Angle of View:
Fig 1

Assignment:
------------------------------------

5 prints - 5 pnts. - 8x10 minimum

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Added Assignment:

Subject explorations / Framing exercise. Shoot a minimum of 20 images of a single subject from every angle and a variety of compositional arrangements.

explore position/ balance/ background/ etc...

Discussion:

Artists:
Diane Arbus
Jeff Wall

Richard Barnes

---
Rule of Thirds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rule_of_thirds_1845_George_Field_Chromatics.png
Golden Mean
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

Lecture:

Photoshop: Printing

Handout - Processing a Digital Image.pdf



• Resolution (review)
  
• File Preparation
• Color Management
• Color Modes
  



Papers
Surface/Finish
Texture
Color
Weight




 

Lab:
Printing

Printing Demonstration - Epson R1800 / 1280 Printer Drivers

• Lighting

- Utilizing Ambient Light
- Flash

Assignment:
Critique - Current progress on portfolios

Shooting Assignment:
3-5 images of light
- Pre-Visualization
- sensitivity toward the lighting conditions(less focus on subject)

Artists:

Harold Edgerton
Irving Penn
Richard Avedon

Reading:

Sites:

Review Lens Selection:
Link to external sites of interest regarding lens selection.
Angle of View:
Fig 1

Lecture:

Photoshop
- Sharpening - LAB Color Mode/Luminance Sharpening

Review: Images of Light

Additional Printing Resources:

http://www.basearts.com/curriculum/PDF/ - see contents for various PDFs

Epson R1800 Printing Guide

Lecture

Review: Images of Light

PDA Flex Nov.21
No Class

Thanksgiving Holiday November 22, 23, 24, 25

Lecture:

Batch and Automation techniques

Internet Distribution

• Image Ready
• Optimization

Lab

Printing continues through to the end...

Critiques contine through to the 12.12...

Photo Sharing

http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/
http://www.dpchallenge.com
http://www.flickr.com/
http://www.slide.com
http://www.kodakgallery.com/
http://www.snapfish.com/
http://www.shutterbook.com/home/
http://www.deviantart.com/
http://www.zoto.com/

Compliments of Dennis De Naut:
www.smugmug.com

Commercial Photographers - Online presence (sampling)

http://www.svenwiederholt.com/
http://www.peterkoval.com/
http://www.nadavkander.com
http://www.jockmcdonald.com/
http://www.milesaldridge.com/
http://www.marcleclef.com/


Artists :
Lynn Hershman Leeson
http://www.lynnhershman.com

George LeGrady
http://www.georgelegrady.com

Reading:

Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that offers flexible copyright licenses for creative works.

http://creativecommons.org/

Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org

Intellectual Property Online: Patent, Trademark, Copyright
http://www.eff.org/IP/

U.S. Copyright Office
http://www.copyright.gov

Digimarc
www.digimarc.com
http://www.digimarc.com/mypicturemarc/

The Free Expression Policy Project
http://www.fepproject.org/fepp/fairuseintro.html

Artists:

Sites: