F A 381 Beginning Photography

F A 381 Beginning Photography

Spring 2016, WSU Pullman

Monday, Wednesday, Friday-1:10-2.50

Instructor: Dennis DeHart, Assistant Professor

E-Mail: dennis.dehart@wsu.edu

Office: FA 7025, Phone #: 5-4981

Office Hours: Monday / Friday, 12-1, or by appointment

Course Objectives / Goals 

This is an introductory class in digital photography. As students, you will be entering from a variety of skill levels and experiences; thus certain sections may be review for some, while new for others. No matter what level of experience you may have had previously, this class is will expand your possibilities of the creative, technical, emotional, formal, and conceptual aspects of photography. 

The goals for the class, in no particular order, include developing an understanding and working knowledge of the craft of photography, including the ability to make technically competent work. The second goal is to expose you to the creative and aesthetic possibilities of image making, while introducing you to experimentation with photographic processes, ideas, and presentations. The third goal for the class is to introduce you to photographic history, artists, and ideas involved in the culture of image production.

Note that this is a challenging class and will require a good amount of your time, energy, and resources (money).

Expectations/Requirements/ Attendance 

Consistent and engaged attendance and participation in all aspect of the class is required. Please discuss absences in advance with the instructor. Repeated absences will result in the lowering of your grade. Two unexcused absences are allowed. Additional unexcused absences will reduce your final grade by one-half a letter grade. Eight (8) or more unexcused absences will result trigger an “F” 

Not coming to class, arriving late, or leaving early, is not acceptable. Each occurrence will reduce your final grade by one-half a letter grade. Each instance of being unprepared to work will reduce your grade by one-half a letter grade. You are expected to complete all assignments on time. A final portfolio will be due for this class, in addition to several technical and artistic assignments. 

Evaluation 

Students will be evaluated through a combination of assignments, attendance, quizzes, and participation. Full participation in all aspects of the class including critiques will be graded. Additionally, because this is an art class, students will be evaluated on creativity and their ability to produce work. This means that if you make a considerable effort, the instructor will take your labor into account, though this does not guarantee an "A."

For maximum success, concern yourself less with your grade, and focus on investing yourself into the process of photography and art making. For some of you, this might mean the one and only art class you ever take, while for others it might be the beginning of something you will continue to do indefinitely. Either way, treat the class seriously and challenge yourself to learn the most you can about photography. 

The grade breakdown is as follows:

20% final project 10% for each assignment (total 4)

10% portfolio 15% participation/attendance 

15% quizzes, writing assignments, presentations

Grading

Each assignment will have a specific due date. Half a letter grade will be subtracted from your assignment’s final grade for each class period late. Your final grade is the average of the letter grades received for your assignments and tutorials, and is adjusted for attendance.

Simple definitions of grades:

“A” Indicates superior effort, craft, execution and ideas.

“B” Indicates above average effort, craft, execution and ideas.

“C” Indicates average effort, craft, execution and ideas.

“D” Indicates little effort, poor craft, and undistinguished ideas.

“F” Indicates a failure for the assignment. Little or no work completed; little or no effort shown.

Academic Honesty

WSU is committed to principles of truth and academic honesty.  Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication in the process of academic work, and can result in suspension or dismissal from the university. In this class, academic dishonesty will result in failure of this course and will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct

Disability Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the professor during the first week of class regarding accommodations needed for the course. Late notification may cause the requested accommodations to be unavailable. Students needing accommodations must first have them approved through the Associate Director of Student Services, VSSB203a. 

Cell Phones & Hand Held Media Devices

WSU is committed to providing a quality- learning environment. All cell phones/I-Phones, and hand held media devices, need to be placed in a non-audible mode while in classrooms, computer labs, the library, the learning center, and testing areas. Devices must be used outside these facilities. 

Lab Fee

$75.00 dollars.

You should expect to put a significant amount of time and energy into this class, which inevitably you will find very rewarding. Photography is generally expensive. 

Supplies / Equipment

•DSLR camera or equivalent. The camera must have the ability to capture in RAW. You will also need a manual for the camera.

•Memory card reader or cable to offload your images from your camera

•Appropriate memory card for your camera 

The following list is optional, though recommended:

•A tripod and cable release that fits your camera.

•Lens Filter, Options will be discussed in class

Retailers

B&H Photo, New York    www.bhphotovideo.com

Freestyle (LA)               www.freestylephoto.biz

Glazers (Seattle)    www.glazerscamera.com

Text:
A Short Course in Photography, Digital, 3rd edition, London and Stone, Pearson, 2012/15

Optional:

Photography, 11th Edition, London, Upton, Kobre, and Stone, Pearson Education, NJ, 2013. ISBN: 0-13-028271-5. This is a comprehensive book that will serve you throughout your photo career. You may choose to buy previous editions of the book, though they might not be as relevant for future classes.

Assignments

Below is a breakdown of the assignments you can expect to have in the class. I will give you a handout for each project that more thoroughly goes through what is expected.

1. Bracketing and Equivalents 

2. Show great depth of field, short depth of field, Showtime passing, Stop time

3. Edge, scale, High/low vantage point (composition)

4. Lighting: Qualities of light

5. Content: Self -Portrait, 2 with you in it, 2 with you not

6. Final Project, 10-12 images

In addition, you will be evaluated on:

•Quizzes on technical information 

•Readings in the book

•Class Portfolio

Calendar

Weeks 1-5

Camera fundamentals

Assignment  #1: Bracketing and equivalents

Assignment  #2: Short/great depth of field, stop time, show time passing/stop time

Assignment #3: Composition: Edge, small, vantage, framing,

Quiz #1: Review on fundamentals

Weeks 6-10

Editing the images: Input and Output Options

Assignment #4: The Portrait

Assignment #5: Qualities of Light

Weeks 11-15

Printing, final portfolio, conceptualizing

Final Project: Series/Sequence

Quiz #2

Assignment #1: Bracketing and Equivalent 

Bracketing is a technique you will use to ensure that you expose for an image correctly. When bracketing an exposure, you will take a number of shots of the same image with different metered exposures. Bracketing ensures that you capture/expose a ”correctly” for the specific lighting condition.

1. Set your camera on manual. 

2. Choose a scene that has a diversity of highlight and shadow (a landscape might be easiest) 
3. Point your camera at the scene and note the light meter read out inside you camera, or on the   

    display-depending on your camera.

1. Make 3 exposures that are overexposed. I would suggest either 1/2 to 1 full stop. Write down each shutter aperture combo in addition to the image numbers.
2. Make 3 exposure that are underexposed. I would suggest either 1/2 to 1 full stop. Write down the shutter aperture combo in addition to the image numbers.

Equivalent Exposures

Equivalent exposures are essentially the same exposure using different aperture and shutter combinations. By changing the aperture, you would then need to adjust the shutter speed and vice versa. In each instance, the exposure should be the same, though the aperture/shutter speed combination will be different. For example 1/125 @ F11 is the same as 1/60 @F16.  (slower shutter speed=more light, smaller aperture=less light which is the same as 1/125 @ F11.

1. Choose a scene with a clear foreground and background. Camera is still on manual. Also make sure that your scene has a moving subject in each exposure (cars, people, water, a ball bouncing etc. ) Focus.
2. Note you first exposure combination and take the picture. 
3. Now, bracket 12 more exposures. Please make sure to make 12 bracketed exposures based on your original meter reading.
4. Your images should all have the same exposure, though how the time is stopped, in addition to the depth of field, should be slightly different in each image.

Assignment #2: Depth of field and Time

1. Make 2 images that show great depth of field, 2 images that show short depth of field.

Depth of Field is the plane of focus where the circles of confusion fall within the area of acceptable sharp focus. Three Factors that control Depth of Field: F/Stop, Focal Length, Camera to subject distance.

2. 2 image that shows time passing, 2 images that stop time

Time passing refers to the shutter speed being open for an extended duration of time so that one can literally see “time passing.” Stopping time refers to stopping things in “mid” motion and literally isolating movement as it passes us by.

A total of 8 images are due week 4. 

Assignment #3: Composition

This assignment is about composition, point of view, and how you frame your photographs.
All the images need to edited in BLACK AND WHITE. Shoot in color, though once imported to Lightroom, we will be editing and outputting in black and white.

2 images that activates the edge

2 images that places something small, buy important in the middle

2 images from a child’s point view (or vantage point) of the world

2 images from a high vantage point or looking from above.

Total of 8 Images Due

Assignment #4: The Portrait

self-portrait, a portrait of an artist produced or created by that artist.

Make 4 self-portraits

Make 2 photos where you are in the photograph

Create 2 photos where you are not in the photo

Make 4 portraits

Create 2 Portraits of a stranger (please make sure to move in closer-move closer by 2 steps)

Make 2 portraits of a friend

Make 4 portraits
invented Personae

I would like you to invent a persona, employing a lighting situation that would enhance your persona.  You are welcome to dress up for your invented character, use a model, or simply employ lighting and theatrics to create expression. A good place to start is the artist/photographer Cindy Sherman:

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2012/cindysherman/

Persona

1.a person.

2.personae, the characters in a play, novel, etc.

3.the narrator of or a character in a literary work, sometimes identified with the author.

4.(in the psychology of C. G. Jung) the mask or façade presented to satisfy the demands of the situation or the environment and not representing the inner personality of the individual; the public personality ( contrasted with anima).

5.A person's perceived or evident personality, as that of a well-known official, actor, or celebrity; personal image; public role.

12 total

Assignment #5: Qualities of light and Still life

Characteristics of Light: Intensity, Color, Direction, Contrast, Quality

Basic Lighting Set Up: Key Light/Main light, Side Lighting, Back Lighting, Fill Light

Accent Ligh

Basic Concepts: Available light, Color/Context, Quality of light, Characteristics of lights, Mood, tone, emotion

 For these two assignments, I only want you to use available light (desk lamp, window, work lights, sun, street lights, etc,) and reflectors (such as a white board, tinfoil, mirror, etc.)

Part 1:

Choose a single inanimate 3 dimensional object (for example a toy, piece of fruit or vegetable, item from the $1 dollar store, a pine cone, etc.) You will need to photograph the same object under 10 different lighting situations employing the characteristics and various directions of light.

Part 2: 
Based on your studies, I would like you to construct and photograph 5 different still lifes.

Total of 10 studies
5 finished (photographed, edited) 1 final print

Final Project: Series and Sequence

Series

A number of things, events, or people of a similar kind or related nature coming one after another.

1 a series of lectures succession, sequence, string, chain, run, round; spate, wave, rash; set, course, cycle; row, line; formal concatenation.

Sequence

1 a particular order in which related events, movements, or things follow each other : the content of the program should follow a logical sequence.

2 a set of related events, movements, or things that follow each other in a particular order.

For your final project, I would like you to create 10 images in series and/or sequence. The topic can be of your choosing, though the images must relate to each as a series or sequence. Your biggest challenge may be the infinite possibilities that you can create. I would suggest that you keep your idea simple and build the complexity through simplicity.

Some suggestions might include doing a study of trees, perhaps how to bake a cake from beginning to end, a series/sequence of photographic illustrations from your favorite story, or an abstract response to your favorite music. There is no right or wrong way to approach the project.

Requirements:

You are required to make shoot a minimum of 100 images. I need a minimum of 10 final images, which you and I will edit down to your strongest 6.

-Students will be presenting there strongest 6 prints for final critique.

-We will print these images in class.

The project is due the final week of class