Digital Basic Photography

a syllabus

Fall 2013
PHOT 1010.01
© Bill Barrett 2013

"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera."
Dorothea Lange (1895-1979)

Feedback (general opinions, problems, suggestions, etc.) on this hypersyllabus is encouraged!

Class description: This course covers basic concepts and practice of digital photography, including understanding and use of the camera, lenses, and other basic photographic equipment. The course will address aesthetic principles as they relate to composition, space, exposure, light and color. Technological requirements of digital formats will be addressed, such as formats and resolution. Basic digital manipulations of images will be taught in preparation for creating a photo portfolio of images. This course may not count towards the BA in photography electives.

Class attendance and participation is very important in this course. Your participation and attendance are a large part of your grade -- make sure both are exceptional.

Course Learning Outcomes:

• Student recognizes and understands the basic technical, aesthetic and expressive concepts of photography.
• Student demonstrates a competency with a digital photographic work flow (operating a DSLR camera, adjusting photographic files on the computer, outputting them for print or web, understanding the difference between RAW and JPEG file formats)) by the production of photographs in response to class assignments.
• Student demonstrates an appreciation and understanding of photography as a means of visual and artistic expression by the production of photographs in response to class assignments.
• Student develops the ability to speak about photographs, through class critiques and by giving an oral presentation on a photographer of his or her choice.

Global Citizenship Program Outcomes and Coding:

• Arts Appreciation Expected to help students demonstrate knowledge of human artistic expressions gained through analysis, reflection, or practical experience. (To be assessed through graded photographic assignments produced in the class.)
• Oral Communication A prepared and purposeful presentation designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding and/or to promote change in the listener's attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors. (To be assessed through the 'Critique Presentation' grade which is factored into the
  student's grade in the class.)

A useful book: Henry Horenstein, Digital Photography: A Basic Manual It is in paperback, and should not be difficult to find from multiple sources.

How you're graded: Your final grade is based on your performance throughout the semester. Your portfolio counts for 50%; attendance and active participation count for 30%; your periodic assignments count for 15%; in-class quizzes count for 5%. Doing more than required can earn you extra credit; talk to me outside class if you're interested. This is what the grades mean....

Week 1 (8/27 & 29). Introductions. Some general concepts of how photography works. Light sensitive material, light itself, the idea of the camera (and how film and digital cameras are the same and different.) Shutter speed and aperture and their relationship.

For the first assignment, you will shoot JPEG format (at the highest available resolution), and use the camera in manual mode. (Using the camera on any automatic or programmed settings will reduce your assignment grade by 50%.)

You will need your own digital storage, whether flash drives (acceptable) or an external hard drive (better). It's hard to know how much storage you will need over the course of the semester. Having your own memory cards is highly recommended. You will also need to purchase appropriate paper for printing your assignments.

Intro to digital cameras; if you have a good digital camera of your own, bring it to class on Wednesday. If not, Nikon D50, D80 and D90 cameras are available through the Media Center; please check one out before class (You will need your Webster ID; you might want to reserve it ahead of time). What to consider when purchasing a digital camera.

Assignment 1: Topic: "This Is Me." Due in two weeks. Make at least 3 dozen images, from which you will present 2-3. However, you will turn in all the images.

Week 2 (9/3 & 5). Downloading photos from your memory card onto your storage medium. Looking at your photos in Adobe Bridge, making basic adjustments in Photoshop.

Photoshop CS6, aka Photoshop 13.0.5 (13.0.1 if Windows), is the primary software we will use for this course. (NB: Adobe has moved to a subscription model for their software. CS6 is still available, but they are now marketing Photoshop as part of their "Creative Cloud" suite. You can download a trial version, but first be sure your computer meets the system requirements to run it.)

In-class work session for students to work on their image files with instructor supervision. Choosing images, ranking them, adding keywords. Layers, and correcting minor problems. The principle of "Non-Destructive Imaging."

Week 3 (9/10 & 12). Critique of first assignment. Color temperature of light sources and other factors that can affect color balance. In-class work session for students to work on their image files with instructor supervision. Adjustment layers, and adjusting color balance with an adustment layer. Saving in the TIFF file format.

Assignment 2, due in 3 weeks. Topic: "Seeing the Light." Again, select 2-3 images to present, but have at least 3 dozen to choose from.)

Week 4 (9/17 & 19). Tuesday: Quiz on technical information covered in the course. Thursday: Selection tools and masks.

Week 5 (9/24 & 26). In-class work sessions for students to work on their image files with instructor supervision. The oral presentation assignment (your topic must be turned in by week 8, before fall break.)

Week 6 (10/1 & 3). Tuesday: Critique of second assignment. Thursday: Motion in photographs. Shutter priority mode. Assignment 3, due in 4 weeks, right after break. Topic: "A Moving Image."

Week 7 (10/8 & 10). Adjusting shadows and highlights. In-class work sessions for students to work on their image files with instructor supervision. For Tuesday's class next week, bring at least three examples of photographs you really like. It can be from a book, magazine, or any other source. Thursday: Guest speaker John Nagel, Director of the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum on "What would Ansel Adams think of Photoshop." Meet in EAHL 102.

Week 8 (10/15 & 17). Tuesday: looking at photographs: what's the work you admire? (Be prepared to talk about the work you show us.) Thursday: Midterm on technical information covered so far.

Fall Break

Week 9 (10/29 & 31). Critique of third assignment. The Raw file format. Raw vs. JPEG, flavors of RAW. The DNG converter. The Adobe Camera Raw sub-program. EXIF data and XMP sidecar files.

Week 10 (11/5 & 7). Oral presentations. In-class work sessions for students to work on their image files with instructor supervision. Assignment 4, due in 2 weeks. Topic: "The Neighborhood."

Week 11 (11/12 & 14). Review of the interaction of film speed, shutter speed and aperture. Lenses and optics, and how they change how we see (including wide angles and telephotos). Chip size and its relation to focal length. Oral presentations. Assignment 5, due in 2 weeks. Topic: "Time for a Change."

Week 12 (11/19 & 21). Tuesday: Demonstration of depth of field realtive to focal length and chip size. Thursday: Lensbabies.

Week 13 (11/26). UPDATED AGAIN TO REFLECT REALITY Printing. Meet in Digital Darkroom, SV 143.

Week 14 (12/3 & 5). UPDATED AGAIN Tuesday: Critique of Assignment 4. Critique of instructor's photographs. Thursday:Oral presentations concluded. Assignment 6, due next week. Topic: "Patterns of light and dark."

Week 15 (12/10 & 12). ) UPDATED AGAIN Tuesday: Printing continued. Thursday: Critique of Assignment 5 & 6. (You may choose to do either one. If you do both, it will be extra credit.

Week 16 (12/17). Final Exam 8-10 am Tuesday. Final group critique. All work must be presented in its finished, final form. (NB: When you make your end of semester travel plans, be sure you're here for this critically important class!)