Photography 10, 11, 12
Course Outline
Welcome to Photography 10, 11, 12. Our medium of choice is
photography, and we explore Visual Art themes this way. We
don’t just learn how to shoot pictures – we will approach
photography as artists, looking at things like aesthetics as much as
the technical side.
Photography is about the capturing and drawing with light to
create images.
Major Themes include:
• Capture Technology: how are images recorded –
cameras, film, photo paper, sensors; photograms,
pinhole cameras, film cameras, digital cameras; history
of photography.
• Display/Development – darkroom chemistry &
procedures; monitors, display software (single image,
slide show, collage/montage, animation, projection);
printing
• Exposure : reading light, controlling the amount of
light and exposure time; compensation. Use of lighting.
• Composition & Critiquing: elements and principles;
rules of thumb; what makes a "great" photo vs. an
ordinary photo? What ruins a photo?
• Manipulation: darkroom tricks; Photoshop; layering,
collages; digital file storage
• Significance: why shoot photos?; photographic art;
photojournalism; commercial photography; great
photographers
Photo Shoots
Of course a major part of the course is shooting and processing
photos. Here are some of the variables:
Alone or in pairs and groups? You’ll do all.
Film or digital? We start with older technology – exposing and
developing film and photo paper, then we leap into the digital
age.
Photo Exposure Record – Every image that you hand in, whether
printed or in a digital file, must be documented: what were
the conditions, the camera settings, and your intentions.
Assessment or Evaluation? Some of the photo shoots are for
practice. I’ll give you feedback, and check that they’re
done. Other shoots will be evaluated as part of your course
mark.
Photo Shoots We’ll Do (we’ll try to squeeze in as many
as possible):
Photogram; Pinhole: DOF, ghost, time; film basics:
exposure, focus, clarity; B&W art; motion & panning blur,
frozen action (digital); portrait; sports;
documentary/photojournalism; lines; contrast; texture; still
life composition; repetition; sequence; a process;
micro/macro/wide angle; landscape; nature; shadow/traces;
low light; night; flash; into the light; colour; theme shots
Class Activities
There’s a lot going on in this course. Here’s a list of some of the
common activities you’ll take part in:
Slide Shows – view, critique & learn from photos shot by the
teacher, students, or found on the net
Critiques – learn from commentary on your work as we go
Lectures, writing notes
Lessons
Videos
Guests
Demonstrations
Photo Shoots
Processing shots – tanks, darkroom, computer, scanner
Printing
Investigation e.g. file sizes; comparing the same shot with
different ISO or compression
Documenting shots & assembling for display/submission
Research: finding photos, techniques, photographers, social
aspects
Work sheets
Tests
Journaling
Image Journal
You are required to bring your Image Journal every day.
What should be in it?
Some classes will include lectures and demonstrations where you
need to take notes. These will assist you with assignments
and when studying for tests. Notes will be checked.
Photo shoots require documentation. Your notebook is the place
to jot down details of what you shot, when, and how, as well
as your comments. Comments will be checked.
Journaling – As you develop as a photographic artist, chronicle
the advances you make. Use words and sketches and pastedin
prints to capture the discoveries, the experiments, the
mistakes, the successes, the thoughts you have on the
process, ideas for future work, reactions to your own and
other artists’ work, and random inspirational doodles! This is
your soul on paper!
Evaluation
The list of assignments and other evaluations shifts every semester,
because I like to respond to the needs and abilities of the class, as
well as opportunities that spring up. Follow the links and dates on
the main index page to see what’s due and when.
Here are the evaluation categories:
Photo Shoots 50%
Research assignments 20%
Tests & Quizzes 10%
Summative Activities 20%
Expectations:
As students you are required to meet all the guidelines placed on you in your
agenda.
Students are expected to be in class and ready to work by second bell.
Required Supplies:
Check List
__ One inch three ring binder dedicated to photography
Please make it a dedicated binder as you will be handing these in from time to
time as well as keeping your notes, assessment sheets and photo shoot
documentation. The binder will serve as an image journal where you will be
keeping interesting images as well as assigned Friday photos.
__25 sheet protectors.
These will hold your projects in your binder as well as be the way you will be
handing in projects. Larger projects we will discuss hand in protocol.
___A min. 1gigabit SD memory card.
Yours to keep. You will be responsible for the purchase and management of
that card. There will be no cards from the school for photography class use.
