ART 308: Advanced Photography. 4 hours (2, lecture; 2, lab), 3 credits.

Course Description
ART 308: Advanced Black-and-White Photography.

4 hours (2, lecture; 2, lab), 3 credits (maximum 12 credits). Application and aesthetic analysis of the silver print. Fine printing techniques, alternate photographic techniques, toning, multiple printing, solarization, and final presentation methods. PREREQ: ART 208.

Meets Monday 1-4:30 in room 021 and the darkroom

This course is a continuation of the photography sequence. The course will emphasize photography as a means of personal creative expression through experimentation. 

Instructor Information 

Terry Towery, Associate Professor 

Terry.Towery@lehman.cuny.edu 

extension 8260 

office 045 

office hours Wednesdays 3-5 and Mondays by appointment

Required materials:
intellect, wit and good humor. 

Materials list
In an attempt to defray costs for the course I have chosen to use online resources in lieu of a text book. 

I recommend National Geographic's ultimate photo guide
This is free ebook might also be helpful Basic Photography by Jeff Curto 

AND
Criticizing Photographs An Introduction to Understanding ImagesTerry Barrett ISBN#0-767411862

Suggested Text If you prefer a written text, I recommend Upton and London's book any edition is fine.

recommended materials:

If you prefer a standard Textbook
Henry Horenstein's Basic Photography ISBN#0316373141 as a reference

I also recommended text Pinhole Photography by Eric Renner Focal Press ISBN#0-240-803507 

Useful Links:
National Geographic's ultimate photo guide
Strobist lighting guide
B&H tutorials page
Photogs rights
American Suburb X
DPreview
Photograph Magazine exhibitons listings
26 Seminal Readings on Photogrpahy
digital Rev

Bob Hirsch's Transformational Imagemaking 

F295
Photography Beyond Technique: Essays from F295 on the Informed Use of Alternative and Historical Photographic Processes 


Assessable tasks:

Develop a visual vocabulary  

master visual literacy. 

Apply elements of design.

Use tools and materials effectively.

Create original objects of art in a specific medium.

Select media appropriate to concepts and forms.

Analyze artwork within a personal and historical context.

Demonstrate a step by step problem solving process.

Defend visual projects through individual and group critiques.

Reflect on art after visiting museums, galleries, and artists' studios.

Following are How To guides for developing film and making enlargements:

Ilford's Processing your first roll of black and White film
Kodak's Black and White Tips for Darkroom enthusiasts

Pinhole links:

Bob Hirsch's Origins and how to build a pinhole camera
Tech info about pinhole photo
contemporaary pinhol camnera artists
Clock work pinhole camera
how to make a 6 month duration pinhole camera
Make these pinhole exposure calculator dial
Meniscus lens  

Useful links:
excellent black and white resources from Freestyle Photo

Understanding Toners

Filters for black and white photography

transformational imagemaking resource for extending the image assignment 

pinhole exposure calculator dial 

Beautiful black and white images of china in the 50-60s. 

ilford products

ilford lab for processing, printing and making digital silver prints from your photoshop files

Good 6min video about lenses 
Better introduction-to-lenses 

Make your own Rodinal developer

Course Learning Objectives

  1. Demonstrated proficiency in fundamental analog or photographic processes as shown by the student’s ability to shoot, process and output lens-based work
  2. Engagement in the coursework and development of photographic work flow
  3. Attendance
  4. Completion of assignments to specification as described in the syllabus or assignment sheet
  5. Demonstrate an increasing fluency with contemporary lens-based technical processes.
  6. The ability to merge technique and content in lens based images produced for weekly and long term assignments.
  7. Participation in group discussions, field trips, demonstrations, critiques and collaborations 

Exhibition visitation reports:

You must do TWO photography exhibition reports. These should be more than one, but not more than two, double spaced pages. I want you to see and experience photography first hand and not through reproduction. Photography in New York is the best place to find out about exhibitions.

Use of Technology and Blackboard Information (if applicable)

Blackboard
I do not use this ill designed awkward tool. Chek the web site devoted to this course for any information.

If you have any questions about your Lehman email address or your password, or if you have any problems accessing the college website please call the computer helpdesk at 718-960-1111.

Grading Policy

Semester Long Projects
ART 308 and graduate students should see me individually to work out a semester long project. You will be expected to participate in all other class assignments. The critiques will be aimed at your individual project. Since this is the advanced section of the course I expect you to have some idea as to where your vision is leading you. You should determine what you are interested in concentrating on for the semester and Propose that to me in a clear and uderstandable manner. I expect you to set specific goals and achieve them. I expect to see progress on the project at each class session

Grading Criteria:
Weekly Assignments 20%
Midterm project 20%
Semester long Project 40%
Paper(s) 10%
Class Participation 10%
You must attend Photo Expo or Aipad depending on if it is the Fall or Spring semester.
Class participation, attendance and participation in critiques are required

Critiques are the Art department's equivalent of exams. Be on time and prepared. Missing a critique is the same as missing an exam on a more traditional academic class. There are no make-up critiques as they are conducted as a group discussion. . 

In many of my classes the work is not complete until it is an object, usually a print. Submitting files or negatives of unprinted work is may not be acceptable.

Assignments must be ready for presentation and grading on time. Every session an assignment is late will count as a grade markdown. You must attend the critique without your work to have the opportunity to re submit it. If you do not attend the critique you fail the assignment. All of the work you submit for grading must be your own. You may not download images, animations, or any other material/graphics/text off of the web. As well, you may not scan material from books or magazines to use in your assignments. Any assignment containing any such material will automatically receive a failing grade. I may request evidence of your creative process - therefore, save and have available any source material that you produced - photographs, sketches, items that you scanned, etc, as well as any intermediate digital files. By doing so, you protect yourself from undue scrutiny.

You are expected to spend considerable amount of time outside of class shooting photographs and working in the lab. It is crucial that you come to class prepared. If you are shooting digitally, you must edit your images and label them appropriately. We simply cannot waste class time while you search for the correct image.

Exhibition visitation reports: You must do TWO photography exhibition reports. These should be more than one, but not more than two, double spaced pages. I want you to see and experience photography first hand and not through reproduction. Photography in New York is the best place to find out about exhibitions.

Grading and Evaluation
Students’ ability to meet the course’s learning outcomes will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  1. Demonstrated proficiency in fundamental photographic processes as shown by the student’s ability to shoot, process and output lens-based work
  2. Engagement in the coursework and development of work ethic
  3. Attendance
  4. Completion of assignments to specification as described in the syllabus or assignment sheet
  5. Demonstrate an increasing fluency with contemporary lens-based technical processes.
  6. The ability to merge technique and content in lens based images produced for weekly and long term assignments.
  7. Participation in group discussions, field trips, demonstrations, critiques and collaborations



Attendance Policy 

Attendance is REQUIRED. If you miss more than three sessions you fail this course. Students are expected to attend all class sessions and be prepared and on time for the beginning of the class session. This may mean doing outside preparation PRIOR to class such as editing your images for presentation. Classes begin on time, so be in the classroom at the scheduled hour. Additionally, each class will contain information pertinent to the assignments, and each week builds upon information learned the previous weeks, so, make the commitment to be here for the classroom sessions or do not take the class.

Class starts on time. It is your responsibility (DURING THE BREAK) to make sure I put you on the rolls if you arrive late 
3 lates = 1 absence
3 Absences is one letter grade dedustion from course earned credits
4 or more absences and I will fail you for the course based on my own discretion. I am quite strict about this. Miss my class and you fail. 

All exams, programs, and homework must be completed in order and on time to complete this course, regardless of lateness. Unexcused late course work will lose 10% of its points for each weekday that it is late. Arrangements for "excused lateness" must be made in advance and approved by the instructor. 

Please be prepared for lab sessions by bringing materials to all classes to work in the lab. Failure to do so may be considered an absence from class.

Attendance  (from student handbook)
Faculty members may fail any student who is absent for a significant portion of class time. A significant portion of class time is defined as three absences for classes that meet once per week and four absences for classes that meet two or more times per week. Lateness or early departure from class may also translate into one full absence. 

Students are expected to attend classes regularly, and instructors are required to record attendance for grading and counseling purposes. Individual instructors, as well as departments or degree programs, may establish specific attendance requirements. Instructors have the right to weigh attendance and class participation in determining grades. It is the student's responsibility to ascertain the effect attendance may have on the grade in a course. Students receiving financial aid must be certified as attending classes regularly for continuing eligibility.

Course Calendar

 

Week

lecture Topic

lab 

Assignment

readings

1

Intro session

Class requirements set forth. Orientation to the facilities.

Cliche

Camera and Gray card discussion, exposure triangle

Show John Cleese on Creativity start at 

Text version

First Assignment is to request calibration print from Ilford Digital printing service 

Light as Subject and Split grade prnting

First time ART 308 students should look at This I believe. Browse this site and write your own essay. Follow their guidelines and then consider how to intergrate this belief into your semester long work. Your essay is due to me next class. Your semester long proposals are due the 4th session. 

Second time ART 308 and graduate students should see me individually to work out a semester long project.

You will be expected to participate in all other class assignments. The critiques will be aimed at your individual project. Since this is the advanced section of the course I expect you to have some idea as to where your vision is leading you. You should determine what you are interested in concentrating on for the semester and Propose that to me in a clear and uderstandable manner. I expect you to set specific goals and achieve them. I expect to see progress on the project at each class session. 

Using a gray card 

35mm on a starving artist budget

Excellent vintage 35 mm cameras available for cheap 

some guys top ten vintage manual SLRs

2

Darkroom demo day

 

GIve Oral presentation assignment

______________

 

 

 

excellent overview of the film workflow

http://www.d-log.info/timeline/index.html

off-camera-lighting-gear-recommendations

Depth of field

Art in the age of Mechanical reproduction

3

Uelsmann Postvisualization

Photograms - all 308 students must integrate projected imagery into the negative space of their photograms.

Semester Long project proposals due to me!

these must be very specific including the number of images you plan to produce and the approach yoiu will be taking. There must be an overlying conceptual cohesivenesss to the project

 

You must choose one of the readings from Click Photography changes everything and make work in repsonse to the ideas discussed in the reading. This is due NEXT WEEK

This is not photogrpahy

4

 

Cyanotype demo
Making digital negatives demo

Semester Long project proposals due to me!

these must be very specific including the number of images you plan to produce and the approach yoiu will be taking. There must be an overlying conceptual cohesivenesss to the project

 

Pinhole cameras - 308 students must build a film based pinhole camera. Consider how to advance the film and build a clever shutter. 

 

 

5

Discuss CLick

Printing session

Toning demo

 

 

6

Critique

The Fine Print

 


Extending the image 

 

7

The Third dimension

Bring examples of 3d photography to next class.

 

Conceptual project

 

8

look at typologies

 

 

 

9

Individual meetings to discuss progress on final projects

 

 

 

10

Critique of light as subject & conceptual assignments

 

 

 

11

Print session

 

 

 

12

Look at conceptual projects

 

 

 

13

Oral Presentations

 

 

 

14

Demonstration on Spot toning and presentation of works on paper

 

 

 

15

FINAL CRITIQUE AND LAB CLEANUP!

DUE:

Final open project 

Final Protfolio of 20 best images

 

 

Alternate assignment
Typologies assignment:
Themes/Topics: Typology, Framing, Focal Length, Quality of Light
Lecture: The Dusseldorf School Movement
Visuals: Typology
Bernd & Hilla Becher
Candida Hofer
Thomas Ruff
Thomas Struth
Andreas Gursky
Books of 100

Assignment:
Seek out and photograph subjects for typological study (two weeks).
Skills to consider:  Consistency in composition, quality of light, angle of view, focal length.

  

Accommodating Disabilities
Lehman College is committed to providing access to all programs and curricula to all students. Students with disabilities who may need classroom accommodations are encouraged to register with the Office of Student Disability Services. For more information, please contact the Office of Student Disability Services, Shuster Hall, Room 238, phone number, 718-960-8441. 

The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and the Science Learning Center (SLC) The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and the Science Learning Center (SLC) are two of the tutoring centers on campus. The ACE provides appointment-based and drop-in tutoring in the humanities, social sciences, and writing, as well as general writing and academic skills workshops. The SLC provides drop-in tutoring for natural science courses. To obtain more information about the ACE and the SLC, please visit their website at http://www.lehman.edu/issp, or please call the ACE at 718-960-8175, and the SLC at 718-960-7707.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy

Don't Cheat - don't steal - don't lie

All of the assignments must be completed by the date listed on your syllabus, as late work is not accepted in this course.
Lastly, learning is synthesis of ideas. Try to use the ideas presented in this class to your best advantage by putting them together with what you already know to produce high quality work. If you have problems, see me.

Additonal statements may be found in student handbook. For more information refer to http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/student-affairs/documents/student-handbook-02.pdf.

Classroom Specific Policies
In Class: Mute phones, no e-mailing, no social media, no surfing the net, No IMing, it is a tobacco free campus. No food or drink in the labs or classroom. 

Checking your facebook/social media/email during class time isstrictly prohibited and a valid reason for me to dismiss you from class. This will count as an absence. Everyone around you knows you are not paying attention to the material including myself. 

Avoid cliches

 Responsibility 
Students are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent.  Late projects/papers, failure to complete the readings assigned for class discussion, and lack of preparedness for in-class discussions and presentations will jeopardize your successful completion of this course. 

 Participation 
Class participation is an essential part of class and includes: contributing meaningfully to class critiques and discussions, keeping up with reading, active participation in group work, and coming to class regularly and on time.  

Include statements important to the instructor such as use of cell phones, lateness, make-up exams, class participation, etc.

Papers: do not plagarize your work. The bulk of your papers must be your own words/thoughts. You may quote source material, but this may not comprise more than 20% of your paper. You must provide footnotes and a bibliography if you reference any outside sources. If I catch you plagarizing, you will automatically fail the entire course.

Delays 
I rely on the MTA to get to work. If the trains arent running I can't get to class. Regardless of school policy. In rare instances, I may be delayed arriving to class.  If I have not arrived by the time class is scheduled to start, you must wait a minimum of thirty minutes for my arrival.  In the event that I will miss class entirely, a sign will be posted at the classroom indicating your assignment for the next class meeting. Alternatively, check your COLLEGE email account for any other information. 

Other:

This is college. It is for adults who want to learn. Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes it is fun. Oftentimes, it is both. Most jobs return what you put into them and if you give this course maximum effort, you will learn and earn a high grade.

You have a job as a student. That job is to come to class, be attentive, ask questions, keep your mind open to new ideas and fulfill assigned projects on time. Doing your job will assist you in being perceived as a serious student.

In an educational forum, it is always best to inform the professor in advance about problems with correct completion of an assigned project. When understood and anticipated, contingencies can often be handled easily.

You are the one who will determine whether or not this course is a success for you. Take your work here seriously and you will learn things, have fun and enhance your GPA.

 

Grading Standards
A  [4.0; 96–100%]
Work of exceptional quality, which well goes beyond the stated goals of the course

A- [3.7; 91 –95%]
Work of exceptionally high quality

B+ [3.3; 86–90%]
Work of high quality that indicates substantially higher than average abilities

B  [3.0; 81–85%]
Very good work that satisfies the goals of the course

B- [2.7; 76–80%]
Good work

C+ [2.3; 71–75%]
Above-average work

C  [2.0; 66–70%]
Average work that indicates an understanding of the course material; passable
Satisfactory completion of a course is considered to be a grade of C or higher.

C- [1.7; 61–65%]
Passing work but below good academic standing

D  [1.0; 46–60%]
Below-average work that indicates a student does not fully understand the assignments;
Probation level though passing for credit

F  [0.0; 0–45%]
Failure, no credit

Grades of Incomplete
I do not give an I unless you are hospitalized or some other extreme unusual and extenuating circumstances. This grade is given for MEDICAL reasons. THere is a lot fo pressure on the faculty to NOT give I grades. I will not entertain a grade of I if you simply didnt get your work done. This mark is not given automatically but only upon the student’s request and at the discretion of the instructor. A Request for Incomplete must be accompanied by a medical doctor's note.


ACLU photogs rights    

photographer's legal handbook

46 free ebooks about photo

Some interesting tips in here 

Lytro camera

Courbet nude performance 

Freesound.org

Mona Lisa 3d 

25 best selling photo criticism and essay books. 

A Photograph That is About, Not Of, Someone

Photoshop Video Podcasts:
Creative Photoshop with John Reuter
Russel Brown Russel Brown
Adobe creative suite
photoshop TV
Peachpit author tips 
Lynda.com see above

Interesting links
Time-lapse-creating-the-impressive-284-layer-composite-airship-of-doom/
Iconic images with the details removed
Scan Service 
Epson Black and White printing tutorials
lightstalking photoshop tutorials
photoshop power shortcuts
why-you-should-use-levels-in-post-production
ASMP color info and other best practices

Photoshop external links: 
DIY Photo
http://www.russellbrown.com/cool_links.htmlHow to spot a fake 
Photoshop disasters

Adobe Lightroom Links: 
Adobe's Lightroom Video Tutorials - Starter tips from the Mothership 
Adobe TV - Yowza! Seemingly a bazillion videos about all Adobe products. 
Julieanne Kost on Lightroom - The best Adobe teacher out there
Lightroom Killer Tips - A great website/podcast about Lightroom
Lightroom Tips - A clearing house of good tips and tutorial videos