F A 367
Special Topics—Photography
Washington State University-Pullman
Summer, May 9-June 3, 2016
Rooms: 7093 / Digital Lab
Instructor: Dennis DeHart, Associate Professor
E-Mail: dennis.dehart@wsu.edu, Office: FA 7025, Office Hours: By Appointment
Course Objectives / Goals
The goals for the class-in no particular order-include developing an understanding and working knowledge of the craft of photography. The second objective is to push the creative and aesthetic possibilities of image making, while inviting you to experiment with photographic processes, ideas, and presentations. The third goal is to expose one to photographic history, artists, and ideas involved in the culture of image production.
Course Objectives / Goals
The goals for the class-in no particular order-include developing an understanding and working knowledge of the craft of photography. The second objective is to push the creative and aesthetic possibilities of image making, while inviting you to experiment with photographic processes, ideas, and presentations. The third goal is to expose one to photographic history, artists, and ideas involved in the culture of image production.
Course
Theme: The Subjectivity of Place and Space
The emphasis in the course will
be on our psychological, emotional, and experiential perspectives on place and
space. This will include classroom lectures, seminar, technical demos, reading,
and photographing in the field. We will be taking several day trips to various
locations throughout the Palouse region. We will also be discussing issues
centered around how we interpret space and places through culture, memory,
physicality, and aesthetics. Technically, we will
be working with different imaging techniques in order to extend, layer, and
expand our perceptions of space. We will be looking at works by a variety of
contemporary photographers.
Our
Learning Outcomes include:
·Understand DSLR cameras, technically and artistically
·How to use Adobe Lightroom to import, organize, edit
and present images
·Use technical tools of photography to observe and
extend natural phenomena
·Explore psychological,
emotional, and experiential perspectives on place and space.
·View fine art photographers work
·Take field trips to several locations
·Exposure/how to meter/read light
·Photography in regards to Input (make photo) output
(print/upload, etc photo)
·Projects synthesizing conceptual, technical,
aesthetic, emotion, and design principles
· Discuss the effects of culture, memory, physicality, and
aesthetics in terms of place
You
are enrolled in class within the context of a fine art department. While many of the skills, processes,
and ideas are applicable to other areas of photography (such as in science,
commerce, popular culture-to name a few) we will be drawing from the form, content, language, aesthetics, and history
of fine art photography. I encourage you to research multiple areas of
photography (the field is vast) for inspiration and motivation. On the inverse,
the WSU photography department is not a commercial (trade) program.
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. Six
(6) 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
(graded) 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 and Other hand held Media Devices
WSU is committed to
providing a quality- learning environment. All cell phones and hand held
devices should placed in a non-audible mode while in classrooms, computer labs,
etc. If you need to text of make a call, please go into the hallway.
Lab Fee
$100.00 dollars.
Supplies / Equipment
-Ideally, I would like each
student to have access to a high quality Digital SLR camera. It would also be
helpful to have access to a tripod and a memory card reader.
-You will need Compact flash
cards or SD cards to store your photos on. A portable external hard drive or
flash/jump drive is also ideal.
Retail:
B&H Photo (NY) www.bhphotovideo.com
Freestyle (LA)
www.freestylephoto.biz
Glazers (Seattle) www.glazerscamera.com
Calendar/ Projects
Week 1:
Color Projects
Overview of DSLR, RAW capture, etc.
DSLR
Fundamentals (Quiz)
Artist Images
Technical Demos
Field Trips:
WSU Biology Greenhouse
WSU Environs
Week 2:
Extending Space, assignment and overview
Technical Demos
Lightroom (Quiz)
Artist Images
Field Trips:
Downtown Pullman
Snake River
Week 3:
Final Projects
(Self Design)
Field Trips:
Moscow, ID
Field Trips:
UI Arboretum
Phillips Farm
Week 4:
Editing final
projects
Digital Printing
Preparing images
for the web
Field Trip?
Please
note that field trips may be subject to change depending on the weather, class
enthusiasm, etc.
F A 367 Special Topics-Week 1
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 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.
Assignment #3: Composition
This assignment is about composition,
point of view, and how you frame your photographs.
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.
Due Monday of week 2.
Week 2 Assignments
Seeing in
Color/Thinking in Color
-Value, Hue, and Shade
Color permeates everywhere we look. Every color that
surrounds us is affected by: the other colors around it, by the quality of
light, time of day, and the context/environment.
Assignment #2: Subjectivity and Color
Color is highly personal, and how we see, experience, and interpret it is highly dependent on our brains. For this aspect of the project, I would like you to explore the idea color and subjectivity.
4 Portraits and/or still lives in very bright, and well-illuminated or “pop” scenes
4 portraits/still lives in dramatic, dark muted scenes
Examples ways of thinking about color: Pastel, High Contrast, Even Illumination
Dramatic darks and lights
Make 2 portraits of a friend
Assignment #3: 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)
Color Memory
From Joseph Albers book, Interaction of Color
Joseph Albers concluded that humans have poor color memory. He used the analogy of a red Coca Cola can, which though “red’ is seen differently by different individuals. Some thoughts he concluded:
·Color is deceptive.
·Color can and does evoke different readings depending on circumstances.
·Observation reveals discrepancies between “physical” fact of color perception and
·Color has a psychological effect.
·Color is in a constant state of change depending on relationships to neighboring colors.
·Color is a private experience.
·Color is ultimately in a constant state of flux.
Due Monday of week 3
Due Monday of week 3
Technical Assignment#6: Qualities of light
Characteristics of Light: Intensity, Color, Direction, Contrast, Quality
Basic Lighting Set Up: Key Light/Main light, Side Lighting, Back Lighting, Fill Light
Accent Light
Basic Concepts: Available light, Color/Context, Quality of light, Characteristics of lights, Mood, tone, emotion
Creative Assignment #3: Photography as Sculpture
Construct three
still lifes for your camera. These
Should be scenes, or tableaus and be table top
Size.
Create 1-2 objects,
that are portable and can be
Photographed in 10 different lighting situations
Imagine I large
still life/tableau that is life/room size.
You are welcome to use a combination of Photoshop/
Objects, mixed media, etc.
We will work on editing and printing the images next week.
Artist Websites of interest:
http://www.laurent-millet.com
http://lauraletinsky.com
Due Monday of week 4
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.
Due Friday of Week 4
Extra credit:
Week 2 Creative Project:
Week 2 Creative Project:
I would like
you to define two colors that interest you (for example blue, green, lavender,
yellow, etc.) and seek it out. This means getting out and actually looking for
color in your surroundings. Quickly you will discover that there is much more
to “yellow” for example, than merely yellow. You will find that different kinds
of yellow can be comprised of various shades, hues, and values. How you choose
to photograph the color is completely up to you. For example, do I zoom in so that the color fills the frame,
do I pinpoint color within the larger frame of the scene? How many angles can I
photograph the same color from?
I need you to make 10 digital captures for each color (20
digital captures total)
The images need to be shot with a DSLR, in RAW.
We will import the images into Lightroom and work with
editing the images.
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