Photography 1 Syllabus |
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| MCC ART141 Section 04 CRN#11370 Rooms HH-109 and HH-110 Teacher: Paul Light 781 280 3871 Required reading There is no required book for this class. I expect you to look at the following websites very carefully Also look at the student photographs that I have posted of photographs from previous classes. MCC Catalog Listing Examines photography as a fine art form and as a tool for communication and personal expression. Emphasis on exposure, development, printing and aesthetics of photographic vision. Students must provide their own camera (35mm or 120 format). Instructional Goals/Objectives 1 Basic usage of 35mm camera Students will demonstrate their ability to use the control mechanisms on their 35mm cameras to produce photographs that have a sense of vision. 2 Black and White Film Development Students will demonstrate their ability to develop film while carefully controlling agitation, time and temperature. 3 Black and White Printing Students will be able to evaluate and explain the advantages and disadvantages of various black and white printing techniques including contrast control, burning and dodging. 4 Using Photography to Create Fine Art Students will assess the merits of their finished prints as art and explain their reasoning. Class Description Part 1 Looking at Photographs 1:30-2:00 Part 2 Taking Pictures 2:00-2:30 Part 3 Making Prints 2:45-4:15 During the first class we will not be spending time making prints. During the second class we will only develop film. We will not make prints. This will be the only topic of discussion that day. Beginning the third class, from 1:30pm to 2:00pm we will talk about prints. Prints will be graded outside of class time and returned to students at the beginning of the next class. We will talk about your prints, my prints and photographs from the required websites. We will be using the websites as a visual dictionary. We will be using it as a standard to how people use photographs to communicate with the world at large. From 2:00pm to 2:30am we will talk about taking pictures. We will begin by discussing any questions that you have about your camera relative to the camera topic we are discussing for that class. Occasionally I will take a picture with one of my cameras to demonstrate a concept. This will be followed by a 15 minute break from 2:30pm to 2:45pm where you are free to take a break. During this time I will be setting up the darkroom. The last part of class, 3:00pm to 4:15pm will be reserved for printing. It will take about 15 minutes to set up the darkroom and the last 15 minutes will be reserved for cleanup. All printing must stop at 4:00pm
Grading and Attendance Policies One photograph is due each class beginning with the fifth class. Prints must be at least 8"x10". No grades are final without proof of negatives and contact sheets. No color photographs or digital prints will be accepted. The school has a darkroom which you will have access to that is set up for black and white darkroom work only. Work will be graded primarily on one's ability to make an inventive and original photograph rather than on technical things like how dark or light the photograph is or how much textural detail is evident. Photographs passed in late lose 3 points per day. In some special circumstances students will be given an extra class to produce a photograph. Method of Evaluation 25% Technical camera use 25% Technical printing ability 50% Content This is a measure of your ability to observe animals, people or spaces and then turn this into a photograph that is more than a simple visual record of what you saw. You will be judged on (1) choice of distance from subject, (2) choice of camera angle, (3) choice of lighting. In all of these situations I expect bold experimentation resulting in surprising and original visual images. Decide on each of these very carefully. Look at the required websites and see how professional photographers use distance, angle and lighting. The Darkroom Supplies Schedule You will be expected to do at least 3 hours of work outside of class between each class. Outside work will include taking pictures, making prints and looking at websites. Look over the schedule carefully as to what days we will be in the darkroom and what days we will not be in the darkroom. January 22 #1 Photography as Art We will discuss what makes photography art as well as types of film, exposure meters and choosing a camera. Great art keeps surprising the world. Photographs can simply be about love. Look at how lovingly Harry Callahan has photographed his wife With enough experimentation and going beyond the surface of everyday life you can even photograph your dog as art like Keith Carter has done so well If you are more interested in photographing places think about where you stand. Michael Kenna is very talented at choosing the alternatives to standing directly in front of the subject. If you are more of an indoor person you might want to arrange objects as Olivia Parker has so successfully done Visually explore don't just record. Types of film Homework: Create a series of photographs of any outdoor subject shot during the first two or last two hours of sunlight. Shoot on a sunny day if possible. Buy a Print File page. Negatives should be stored in archival quality plastic storage sheets, such as those produced by Print File. I use Print File pages #35-7BXW. You will need a plastic storage sheet to take your negatives home. January 29 #2 Developing black and white film Students will demonstrate the ability to develop film paying careful attention to agitation, time and temperature. We will not be printing during this class Homework: For the next class bring the negatives developed today, printing paper (Ilford Multigrade IV RC Deluxe Paper - 8"x10" sheets - 2 packs of 25) and your camera. Please bring printing paper and your camera, and your camera manual to all of the remaining classes. If you have lost your manual you may be able to purchase a new one at ManualsRus.com Watch for the special Ilford offer where you buy a pack of paper and get 2 free rolls of Ilford HP5 film. This is not available from all stores. It is often available from Zeff as well as Cameraland. #3 February 5 Students will demonstrate the ability to make a contact print of the negatives that were developed in the previous class. Homework: Shoot first half of a second roll of film. #4 February 12 Students will demonstrate the ability to make a work print. Work prints serve as a basic outline for final prints. Homework: Shoot remainder of the second roll of film. Process film. Make into contact sheet. Bring contact sheet and negatives to next class. First print is due next class. #5 February 19 Students will demonstrate the ability to use printing filters to control the contrast of the print. Homework: Second print is due next class. #6 February 26 Students will demonstrate the ability to spot out white spots due to dust on prints Homework: Third print is due next class. #7 March 4 Students will demonstrate the ability to burn areas of a print to selectively darken parts of the print. Homework: Fourth print is due next class. #8 March 11 Students will demonstrate the ability to dodge areas of a print to selectively darken parts of the print. Homework: Fifth print is due next class. March 17-21 Spring break #9 March 25 Students will demonstrate the ability to fully control shutter speeds on their cameras. Homework: Sixth print is due next class. #10 April 1 Students will demonstrate the ability to fully control aperture settings on their cameras. Homework: Shoot first half of a third roll of film. Seventh print is due next class. #11 April 8 Students will demonstrate the ability to use a wide angle on their cameras. Homework: Shoot remainder of the third roll of film. Process film. Make into contact sheet. Bring contact sheet and negatives to next class. Eighth print is due next class. #12 April 15 Students will demonstrate the ability to use a long angle on their cameras. Homework: Shoot first half of a fourth roll of film. Ninth print is due next class. #13 April 22 Students will demonstrate the ability to add light to an indoor shooting situation by adding light from a window, by using reflectors or by using electronic flash. Homework: Shoot remainder of the fourth roll of film. Process film. Make into contact sheet. Bring contact sheet and negatives to next class. Tenth print is due next class. #14 April 29 Students will demonstrate the ability to use filters to alter contrast while taking pictures. Homework: Eleventh print is due next class. #15 May 6 Students will demonstrate the ability to analytically explore new and original ways of seeing photographs. Paul Light
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