SYLLABUS
AR 235 Introduction to Photography
Jerry Nevins , Professor
www.jnevins.com
Office at Albertus Magnus,
203 Aquinas Hall, 773 - 8546
Spring 2020
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(Art) is both the taking and giving of beauty; the turning out to the light
the inner folds of the awareness of the spirit. It is the recreation on
another plane of the realities of the world; the tragic and wonderful realities
of earth and men, and of all the inter-relations of these.
--Ansel Adams in a letter to Cedric Wright
Inspiration is highly overrated. If you sit around and wait for the clouds to part, it's not liable to ever happen. More often than not work is salvation.
::: Chuck Close :::
Introduction
AR235 will introduce you to the art of black and white photographic image
making and printing. You will learn to see and appreciate light in a new
way, learn to see and design shapes in the frame, and you will learn how
to make fine black and white prints and finish them to the matted presentation.
In this course, you will learn how to properly expose film, how to develop
that film, and to make beautiful exhibition quality black and white prints.
This is not merely a technical course however. The most important thing
you can bring away from this course is a new sense of seeing. To be able
to have a finer appreciation of light in its myriad manifestations, to discover
meaning in images rather than words, or most importantly, how to make images,
important and powerful in their own right, rather than merely "take pictures"
is the main goal of this course.
Topics to be covered include: ¨
The Camera, Rangefinder. Single
lens reflex, twin lens reflex, the view camera. ¨ . .
Camera controls: shutter, aperture, light meter, depth of field control,
how shutter and aperture work together. ¨
Lenses
Filters
for black and white film. ¨
Film: ISO and grain size,
developing the film properly, reciprocity failure. ¨
Massive List of Developing Times/Termperatures
How to make a print video
Printing
¨ The enlarger, set up, timer use, the safelight, condenser vs. diffusion
enlargers, enlarging lenses, the test strip, developing procedures, dodging
and burning, contrast control with variable contrast filters, spotting and
matting, archival processing. Instructables.com
TECHNICAL: Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO, how do they relate to one another?
Learning Outcomes For This Class
Technical:
-To learn to properly expose and develop B and W film to high craftsmanlike levels.
-To learn how to craft a fine print using traditional b and w paper in the darkroom. This will include extensive practice in dodging and burning, contrast control, archival processing methods and final print finishing including spotting and matting your final exhibition quality prints.
-To fully understand the workings of your camera in particular and broad concepts in general such as reciprocity in aperture and shutter.
Aesthetic:
-To learn how to "see photographically" That includes developing a fine appreciation for seeing light and the way light works on photo sensitive materials to produce expressive, elegant prints.
-To learn how space works in the frame to create intentional, elegant design.
-To come to understand the metaphoric possibilities in the images we create that transcend the literalness of the object(s) photographed.
The Classic Approach
This approach to photography was
first championed in America by Edward
Weston and Ansel Adams in the
1930's. This approach affirms the legitimacy of "straight" photographic
seeing and shooting. This method encourages us to discover the most important
things about a subject, to then visualize them as simply and directly as
possible, then to present them in a photograph as forcefully as possible.
Rather than mimic other arts such as drawing and painting, the classic approach
emphasizes unmanipulated printing, clear shooting using maximum sharpness,
the use of available light, whose images are rich in continuous tone and
have great detail.
1) Selection
Our world is fairly chaotic and
the light isn't always right, so the first job is to carefully look at the
environment you are photographing. Where is the light? Is the contrast too
low or too high? Or does the light transform the ordinary into something
beautiful and expressive?
2) Framing the Subject
Learn to be aware of the
edge of the frame, visible in the viewfinder. Think of it as a picture frame
that you hang in the world. Is it filled with a coherent, expressive design?
Does the essential subject fill the frame? Don't rely on the enlarger to
crop the image for you. Robert
Capa stated, "If your photographs aren't good enough, its because you
are not close enough."
3) Light and Form
The shape of the
object(s) in the frame usually is the photograph's major organizing element.
We isolate the form from its surroundings by closing in and by seeing the
light. Light shapes the appearance of objects. Light and its absence (shadow)
can separate those objects from its surroundings. Light can be a magnet,
drawing the viewer into the picture. Usually we make the area of light the
focal point of the picture, leaving the edge of the frame a bit darker.
Week by week expectations....
Week 1. Introduction to the course. 2nd class, bring in your camera for a discussion of lenses, aperture, shutter, depth of field, loading film, etc. Shoot your first roll of film.
Assignment 1, Introduction to composition. Concentrate on geometric, built structures. Windows, doorways, edges of buildings, etc. Pay attention to the way light and shadow work on your subject. Move in, fill the frame. Look for angles, reflections, corners, street life, etc. Emphasis here on design and abstraction. How does the frame pull together shapes to create new visual relationships?
By the end of the 2nd week, you should demonstrate to me that you camera is fully functional, you know how to load it, make proper exposures that are perfect, you know how to load and develop film, and we have started our first contact sheet and print.
Weeks 3-4... You have settled into a comfortable shooting routine. You are going out once or twice a week to shoot a roll film. You are seeing the role natural light plays in creating an expressive print. Your skills in printing independently are growing. You begin to take a personal interest in developing a coherent portfolio centered on the strengths of strong seeing and sensitive appreciation of light.
Weeks 5 - 7... You are preparing for the mid-term critique. You are able to articulate your appreciation for the role depth of field, lens choice, focal point and strong design plays in your work.
Week 8 Mid term. Present your best 4 prints for a group discussion. Discuss your successes as well as difficulties.
Weeks 9 - 10 Light and Shadow. Concentrate on finding both projectins of light and shadows the objects you photograph cast.
Weeks 11-12 Water, reflections, moving water, water and rocks, etc.
Weeks 13-14The Portrait. Use natural window light, tight framing, and a longer lens to photograph a freind or loved one in a quiet, truthful session.
Weeks 15-16. Finish up your printing for the final critique. Matt
all yor best 12 prints edited down from approximately 20 of your best prints
from the semester's work.
Academic Expectations: The grade for this course is based upon the
care and attention you bring to your work in this class. The portfolio is
the most tangible evidence of your progress and attention. Care about what
you are doing, help others in the class to succeed, consult frequently with
me about your inspirations and problems and most of all, work hard. Attendance
is crucial. A maximum of 3 absences is allowed, with or without a valid
excuse. After that your grade will drop. I am asking for your prints to
be beautiful, exhibition quality and nuanced works... I need to help you
with the subtleties of contrast, burning and dodging, editing and final
presentation. Your portfolio needs to be matted with bevel cut mats... there
should be close attention paid to perceiving light and finding elegant design.
The final portfolio should be edited down to the very best 12 pieces from
a pool of 20 excellent prints. Only those who are able to pull off the above
criteria will be able to earn an A or a B.
Lab Fee: A $50 fee is billed to cover the cost of expendable
materials you use in class to create your portfolio such as chemicals, paper,
film, mat board, print files and darkroom equipment. This fee is now billed
directly by AMC.
Accommodations for Special Needs: Please advise the instructor of any special problems or needs at the beginning of the semester. Those students seeking reasonable accommodations based on disabilities should contact Shayna Chomko, Director of the Germain Center and Coordinator of Disability Services, (203) 672-1050 or schomko@albertus.edu, to obtain a Faculty Accommodation Letter. Albertus Magnus College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
In order to respect the independence, rights and dignity of students with disabilities, the College initiates services only after a student makes a voluntary disclosure of a disability to the Office of Academic and Student Disability Services. Students who are approved for accommodations are responsible for approaching instructors in a timely manner to provide faculty accommodation letters and to arrange how accommodations will be implemented. Accommodations cannot be retroactive, so we strongly advise students to make accommodation appointments as soon as possible.
In providing reasonable accommodations, the College shall not fundamentally alter the nature of programs, services, or activities, require a waiver of essential academic standards, or violate accreditation requirements.
Tradition of Honor: As a member of the Albertus Magnus College Community, each student taking this course agrees to uphold the principles of honor set forth by this community, to defend these principles against abuse or misuse and to abide by the regulations of the College. In art work, that means you have taken all of your photographs and have not appropriated any of the images presented as your own.
Tradition of Respect: In our class: 1) Everyone is allowed to feel they can work and learn in a safe and caring environment; 2) Everyone learns about, understands, appreciates, and respects varied races, classes, genders, physical and mental abilities, and sexualities; 3) Everyone matters; 4) All individuals are to be respected and treated with dignity and civility; and 5) Everyone shares the responsibility for making our class, and the College, a positive and better place to live, work, and learn.
Accommodations for Special Needs: Albertus Magnus College is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from its programs and services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Office of Disability Services is responsible for the determination of appropriate accommodations for students who encounter barriers due to disability. Contact the Office of Disability Services at disabilityservices@albertus.edu or 203-672-6671 to schedule an intake interview and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, the Office of Disability Services will provide you and your instructor with a Letter of Accommodation. Please discuss the accommodations with your instructors as early in your courses as possible
The Germain Center for Academic Success provides quality tutoring services to all students at Albertus Magnus College. Students can make appointments by booking through Navigate, emailing Germain-Center@albertus.edu, or calling 203-773-8590. The Germain Center is open for normal hours during the academic year (Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.; Saturday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) and abbreviated, virtual hours during the winter intersession and mod five. Further, Tutor.com (Online Tutoring 24/7) provides online tutoring for many subjects throughout the year -- even when the Germain Center is closed. Students can access Tutor.com through the link at the top of their eLearning pages. If students have any questions about tutoring, they can email Germain-Center@albertus.edu.
PGS offices are now located on the first floor of Aquinas Hall.
The Registrar's Office, Financial Aid, Human Resources, and the Business Office are now located in the former PGS suite, now called the Student Administrative Services Suite, found on the ground floor of Aquinas Hall.
WITHDRAWING FROM A COURSE:
It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. However, failure to attend a course for 14 calendar days may result in an administrative withdrawal from the course. The policies on course withdrawals and administrative withdrawals may be found online at http://www.albertus.edu/policy-reports/academic-policies-regulations-ug#apgr
Albertus Magnus College adheres to the definition of a credit hour in compliance with, and as defined by, NECHE commission policy.
Prevention of Power-Based Violence Resources
If you or someone you know is concerned about, have experienced, or currently are experiencing sexual harassment, assault, power-based violence, or stalking, there are many resources available both on and off campus for students to utilize.Click on the link above or here
Suggested Reading:
Schaefer, John P., Basic
Techniques of Photography, An Ansel Adams Guide: Little Brown and
Company, Boston, 1992
Horenstein, Henry, Beyond
Basic Photography, A Technical Manual: Little Brown and Company,
Boston, 1977
Craven, George M., Object
and Image, An Introduction to Photography. Prentice Hall, Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey, 1990
Aperture
B&W Magazine
British Journal of Photography
Blind Spot
View Camera
Camera Austria
Camerawork
Colors
European Photography
LensWork
Nature Photographer
Outdoor Photography
PDN Photo District News
Photo Life
PhotoMedia
PHOTO Techniques
Photo Review
Popular Photography
Portfolio
Practical Photography
Professional Photographer
Shots Magazine
Shutterbug Magazine
Zoom Magazine
Digital Photography Magazines
PC Photo Photography
Digital Camera
JPG Magazine Photography Magazines