Photography: Concept and
Flash-FA 382
Intermediate Photography
Instructor: Dennis DeHart, Assistant Professor
Spring
2016, WSU Pullman
Monday, Wednesday, Friday-10:10-11:50
Rooms: 7093 /
Shooting Studio
E-Mail: dennis.dehart@wsu.edu
Office: FA 7025, Phone #: 5-4981
Office Hours: Monday/Friday, 12-1 or by Appointment
Course Objectives
The focus for FA 382, Intermediate Photography includes the continued development of the tools/techniques, aesthetics, form, concepts (ideas), and expression of photography as it relates to art making. Some areas of focus technically include the use of an external flash and studio lighting, technical and creative skills with Photoshop, and shooting/editing video using DSLR cameras. Aesthetically we will continue to refine the grammar of photography through a deeper understanding of formal attributes such as, for example, color, tone, dynamic range, and composition.
Photo Critic Geoffrey Batchen writes: “Over the past two decades, the boundary between photography and other media like painting, sculpture, or performance has become increasingly porous. It would seem that each medium has absorbed the other, leaving the photographic residing everywhere, but nowhere in particular.” Drawing from Batchen’s quote, we will be exploring photography though a diversity of creative studio art practices including creative play, performance, 4-d, drawing, and photography as sculpture.
The framework for the class includes structured assignments, critiques, lectures, class seminar/discussions, and one on one teacher/student feedback. In addition, your will conceptualize, design, and implement your own final photo projects. Critiques are an important part of studio class. We will have 2-3 works in progress critiques in addition to more formal critique for your final projects. The critiques will take the form of both printed and projected images, depending on the assignment.
A valuable resources for the class includes the class website/blog: www.wsuphotography.blogspot.com. You will find resources, links, previous student projects, and the class syllabus on the site. The class calendar is loosely organized around four sections/workshop topics. Each topic includes creative assignments that are designed to help you develop a technical understanding of the tools and techniques of photograph. While the tools and techniques are applicable to photography on a broad level, the intention of the class is within the fine arts. This means the discussion, grading, critical feedback, lectures, content, form etc. is geared towards photography within the fine art context.
As a studio arts class, self motivation, effort, practice, making, failure, and ultimately hard work will serve you best. The class is centered around you, the students, and is designed to enable and empower you to take advantage of the time, resources, and space to create photography/art. There are many valuable resources focused on the tools and creative culture of photography. The more that each of you as students are engaged, learning, developing and absorbing resources on line, in class, and through books and periodicals, for example, the more successful your experience will be. Ultimately you make the choice in how well you do in this class.
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 (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.
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
WSU is committed to providing a quality- learning environment. All cell phones/ smart phones etc. need to be placed in a non-audible mode while in classrooms, computer labs, the library, the learning center, and testing areas. Cell phones must be used outside these facilities.
Lab Fee
$75.00 dollars.
Supplies / Equipment
-Each student should have access to a high quality Digital SLR camera or a medium format film camera. We have some cameras that students may check out.
-External Flash
-Access to a tripod, cable release, remote trigger
-Memory cards for camera
Recommended Retail:
B&H Photo (NY) www.bhphotovideo.com
Freestyle (LA) www.freestylephoto.biz
Glazers (Seattle) www.glazerscamera.com
Optional Text
Photography,11th Ed, London, Upton, and Stone, Pearson Education, NJ, 2013. ISBN: 0-13-028271-5.
Course Calendar (Organized by Workshop theme)
Weeks 1, Photoshop:
-Curves (Tonal/contrast/dynamic range adjusting)
-Color Correction/Editing
-Compositing/Montage
Assignments: HDR, Extending Space, The Multiple
Weeks 5-9, Lighting Studio:
-Performative Studies
-Forces (High Speed capture)
-Principles of Basic Lighting Design
-Lighting for Portraiture
Assignments: Re-Photo project, The portrait
Weeks 10-13, Video with DSLR:
-Principles of shooting with a DSLR
-Editing Options
-Fundamentals of Video Editing
-Output
Assignments:, Group Projects, Performance Studies
Weeks 14-16, Final Projects:
-Written project proposals
-10-20 final images and/or extended video
Assignments: Self Designed Final Projects
