Course Description
This semester course is an introduction to the technical aspects and creative aesthetics of digital photography, as well as the relevant and appropriate use of Adobe Photoshop software for this field of study. Students are required to have a digital camera and a USB flash drive for their work. There are weekly assignments, beginning with basic camera operation, composition, proper exposure, then moving to more interpretative, personally expressive photo projects based on a theme. Each student will construct a portfolio and participate in a photography exhibit at the end of the semester.
Course Outcomes
Students will be expected to • Construct, plan, interpret, and discuss photographic styles • Produce visually and conceptually relevant digital photographs based on a weekly theme • Identify and analyze past and present photography • Create a digital photo portfolio that is technically and aesthetically successful, using Adobe Photoshop software as an editing tool.
Course Content
Unit One: Overview
• Past, present, and future of photography
• Photography as an art form
• Relevance to society and culture
• The impacts of technology on photography
Unit Two: Technical Areas
• Exposure with aperture, shutter speed and ISO
• Cropping-in-camera and depth of field
• Digital pixel dimensions and resolution
• Using Adobe Photoshop as a tool
Unit Three: Composition and Aesthetics
• The Golden Mean and The Rule of Thirds
• Visual emphasis, space, volume, shape, and form
• Color theory and the effective use of color
• Implied lines, movement, and rhythm
• Texture, balance, and symmetry
Unit Four: Conceptual Development
• Subject matter and informational value
• Symbolism and deeper meaning
• Themes in photography
• Styles of photography
Brief History of Early Photography
In 1837 the Frenchman Louis Daguerre perfected a technique to produce photographs on silvered, light sensitive copperplates called Daguerreotypes. This was the first widely practiced form of photography. Early in 1839 the Englishman William Fox Talbotpublished a process to produce photographs on paper. He also developed the Calotype (an early photographic process in which negatives were made using paper coated with silver iodide) on which the negative-positive process is based.
Brief History of Digital Photography
In 1963 when a student at Stanford University invented a videodisk camera that could take a photograph and store the image on a disk for several minutes, this would be the precursor to digital photography. With this new form of taking photographs digitally and storing the image to a disk, photography would become less time consuming and a whole new chapter would open to future photographers. In the mid 70s Kodak began to work on filmless technologies. In the mid 80s, with the release of the compact disc, digital technology was vastly increasing. By 1990 the first digital camera hit shelves for commercial sales. These would be the first steps into a new digital world, and pave the way for many things to come.
Suggested Reading
The Better Photo Guide to Digital Photography
by Jim Miotke
Learning to See Creatively
by Bryan Peterson
The A-Z of Creative Photography
by Lee Frost
Teach Yourself Photography
by Lee Frost
Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography
by Brenda Tharp
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SEMESTER 2
WEEKS 1 and 2
Jan. 30 - Feb. 10, 2012
Objectives: Students will observe and photograph compositions in the world around them using the Rule of Thirds, perspective, visual tension, and cropping-in-camera techniques for the project "Day in the Life". Procedures: Step 1 - Read about and define, using simple illustrations in your sketchbook, the following terms: exposure, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, cropping-in-camera, depth of field, composition, Rule of Thirds, and visual tension. Step 2 - Take a least 25 photographs per day utilizing the concepts and techniques from "Step 1". Step 3 - Present your best 50 images using Assessing Your Own Photos handout as a guide for your decisions. Materials: USB flash drive, sketchbook, folder for handouts. Assessment: Each section is worth five points for a total of twenty. Criteria 1: (Procedures) Followed directions for the project accurately. Criteria 2: (Effort) Took the necessary time to develop and complete the project without rushing to get it done. Criteria 3: (Craftsmanship) Demonstrated skillful use of the camera and media, as well as compositional qualities. Criteria 4: (Neatness) The work is neat, clean, and complete. References: Work from previous students.
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