| Cerritos College Photo 102 - Intermediate Photography Syllabus Fall 2011 Teacher: Ed Heckerman Room: FA 40 Office: FA 64A Class hours: TTH 4:00 - 7:00 Office hours: MW 3:00 - 4:00, T 10:00 - 11:00 Office phone: (562) 860-2451 x2603 http://www.cerritos.edu/eheckerman/ Course Description: This course will introduce to the student the basics of the 4 x 5 View Camera, as well as advanced exposure and darkroom techniques. In addition to fine-tuning and expanding fundamental technical skills, themes such as staged photography, contemporary landscape, documentary style, typologies, narrative and the use of text with photographs are among the topics to be examined. The fundamental aim of this class is to empower the student to better understand why they make photographs and to help them make better, more meaningful ones with competence and care. Lab Fee: $ 20.00 Attendance Three tardy arrivals are equivalent to one absence. Any student with more than six unexcused absences, including lab days, will be dropped. Absences due to illness, family emergencies, jury duty, and religious holidays will be excused unless excessive only if it is feasible for the student to make up the lost time. It is the student's responsibility to notify the instructor promptly of the expected dates of predictable excused absences. Also, if a student arrives fifteen or more minutes late, or leaves class early without requesting to do so for whatever reason, they will receive a half-absence. If a student does not work on lab days they will be marked absent even if physically present. Grading and Withdrawal Criteria: The following factors will influence the final grade: a. Participation, including class discussions, critiques, and attendance. Also included in this category will be effort and enthusiam, courtesy, and appropriate lab etiquette. (10%) b. Excellence and punctuality of assignments (80%) - Late assignments will receive one full reduced letter grade. Late assignments will not be accepted in excess of one week past the due date, except for excused absences. - All assignments except the final project may be redone after the due date for a higher grade, but late assignments will not receive an "A" unless the student's absence on the due date was excused. c. Take-home mid-term and in-class closed book final exam (10%) 1. Documentary Style (20%) 2. Typologies (10%) 3. Exhibition Review (10%) 4. The Directorial Approach (10%) 5. Vernacular Landscape (10%) 6. Final Project (20%) For additional information on attendance and grading see the Cerritos College Class Schedule. Plagarism Statement Representing the ideas of another as one's own is not acceptable. Classroom Conduct Please turn off your cell phone. Do not cause disturbances in class. Please do not chat while the teacher is lecturing and during class discussions and critiques. Make an effort to be courteous to the teacher and remain vertical during all classroom activities. Do not take extra long breaks. Please do not come to class under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol. Darkroom Conduct Please do not handle other student's work unless unavoidable. If you must touch another student's prints or negatives please handle them as if they were your own. Be careful to recycle the appropriate chemicals (stop bath, fixer, hypo clearing agent) when developing film. Always thoroughly wash all beakers and return all checked-out equipment clean and dry when finished. Be sure not to mix up the tongs in the darkroom trays, otherwise the next student's print will be contaminated. You will be responsible for washing and drying your own prints. If you are unsure what to do regarding any darkroom activity or cleanup procedure, ask the teacher without hesitation. Special Needs / Disabilities If you think you will require any special assistance please contact the Disabled Persons Programs and Services (562) 860-24511 x2333 (DSPS) office on campus immediately and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Materials Needed - can opener Darkroom chemistry, film development hardware, and ink in the digital lab will be supplied by the school. Professional camera stores (a selection): - Samy’s Camera, 4411 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, (310) 450-4551 - Samy's Camera, 431 Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 938-2420 - Bel Air Camera, 10925 Kinross Ave. at Gayley in Westwood Village, (310) 208-5150 - Calumet, 1135 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA (213) 466-1238 - Calumet, 1430 S. Village Way, Suite A, Santa Ana, (714) 285-0143 - Freestyle, 5124 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 660-3460 - Freestyle Catalog Quick Order Counter 12231 Florence Ave. Santa Fe Springs, (800) 292-6137 Class Calendar This calendar is subject to alteration, additions, and omissions at the teacher’s discretion, including due dates for assignments. If absent the previous session make sure to check for updates and revisions to the calendar. In the event that we should find ourselves ahead of schedule, a field trip to a gallery or museum housing a photo exhibition may be arranged. Please always bring film to be developed or negatives and digital files to be printed on non-lab days in case the lecture or critique ends early. Otherwise, bring in your camera so that you can use the time to take photographs. 1. 8/16/11 Review of syllabus / materials needed for class Slide lecture and Discussion: The Documentary Style – (part 1) Walker Evans' American Photographs Assignment #1 explained Reading assignment: A Backward Glance At Documentary by Beaumont Newhall. Bring to class one quote from the handout you agree with, and one quote you either disagree with or don’t understand. 2. 8/18/11 Slide lecture and Discussion: The Documentary Style – (part 2) Robert Frank's The Americans; Joel Sternfield's American Prospects and other documentary portrayals of America. Continuation of discussion of "the documentary style," including the reading assignment. 3. 8/23/11 Slide lecture and Discussion: Typologies Assignment #2 and #3 explained Exposing for the shadows and developing for the highlights Demo: how to use a hand held light meter 4. 8/25/11 Printing review, including dodging, burning, and use of variable contrast filters Introduction to printing, washing and drying fiber-base papers Lab 5. 8/30/11 Lab 6. 9/1/11 Lab 7. 9/6/11 Lab 8. 9/13/11 Lab 9. 9/15/11 Critique of Assignment #1 10. 9/20/11 Slide lecture and discussion: Gothic Dreams: Directorial Photography Assignment #4 explained Formation of groups for this assignment / brainstorming Reading Homework: The Directorial Mode by A.D. Coleman. Bring to class one quote from the handout you agree with, and one quote you either disagree with or don’t understand. Lecture: advantages and disadvantages of medium and large formats Demo: an introduction to 4 x 5 camera movements Form Groups of three Lab 11. 9/22/11 Demo: how to load film in 4 x 5 film holders Demo: how to process 4 x 5 sheet film Lab 12. 9/27/11 Lab or Group Project Work 13. 9/29/11 Lab or Group Project Work 14. 10/4/11 Lab or Group Project Work 15. 10/6/11 Lab or Group Project Work 16. 10/11/11 Critique of Assignment #2 and #3 17. 10/13/11 Slide lecture and discussion: Classical and Contemporary Landscape Video: Cadillac Desert Assignments #5 and #6 explained Reading homework: Two Landscapes by Robert Adams. Bring to class one quote from the handout you agree with, and one quote you either disagree with or don’t understand. 18. 10/18/11 Lab or Group Project Work 19. 10/20/11 Lab or Group Project Work Distribute Mid-Term take-home exam 20. 10/25/11 Lab or Group Project Work 21. 10/27/11 Critique of Assignment #4 Discussion of Coleman reading assignment Review Mid-Term Exam 22. 11/1/11 Slide lecture and Discussion: Image / Text / Narrative: layering by means of composition, multiple exposure, combination printing, Photoshop, and scissors Extra Credit Assignment explained 23. 11/3/11 Lecture: archival display and storage Demo: selenium toning, cutting window mats 24. 11/8/11 Lab 25. 11/10/11 Lab 26. 11/15/11 Lab no class 11/17/11 27. 11/22/11 Critique of Assignment #5 Discussion of Robert Adams reading assignment (All redo and late assignments due) Final Project Proposal Deadline Thanksgiving 28. 11/29/11 Lab 29. 12/1/11 Lab 30. 12/6/11 Lab 31. 12/8/11 Lab 32. 12/9/10 Critique of Assignment #6 33. Finals Week - no class Tuesday, 12/15/11 at 4:00 Pick-up Final Project Review Final Exam Review Grades (optional) Assignments Enough darkroom time will be provided to complete all assignments during class time. However, a considerable amount of extra time outside of class hours will be required to successfully take photographs and complete the reading necessary to actively participate in class discussions. Do not use old work. New images must be generated for each assignment. (See individual assignment sheets for descriptions, related reading, objectives, suggestions, and evaluation criteria.) Please hand in your assignments together with proof sheets, and the appropriate assignment description sheet with your name on it. Unless your exposure was dramatically off, the contact sheets (also known as proof sheets) should be made using the shortest exposure possible in order to get the clear part of the film (known as "film base plus fog") to print black. Please note: Poorly done redos will not improve your grade. However, you may redo the assignments more than once. Extra Credit Assignment Image / Text / Narrative Learning Outcome Students will create projects based on intermediate techniques and concepts discussed and demonstrated in class. Students will critique projects based on a rubric of standards developed in class. Appendix Participation (10% of grade) |
|||