Photography I

Course Description:

Photography is an introductory level 2 art course. Students will learn camera settings, exposure controls, black and white film processing, black and white darkroom techniques and basic digital darkroom skills. Students will have a broad historical understanding of photography, especially on 20^th century and contemporary styles and individual artists.

The department uses a comprehensive art education structure and divides content into four subject areas:

Art history: Students will identify the expressive implications of photographic structures and art styles. Students will identify a variety of 20^th century, modern and contemporary photographic styles and individual artists.

Art production: Students will complete projects in black & white film and image printing and learn a variety of darkroom techniques such as enlarging, cropping, double negatives, burning and dodging and sepia toning. Students will develop and understanding of 35mm camera settings, film attributes, film developing and wet and digital darkroom techniques. Students will complete projects in abstract, narrative, documentary, sports and portrait photography. Projects will include still lives, interiors, exteriors, landscapes, portraits and self-portraits. Students will complete works with sophisticated compositions based on the elements of art and principles of design. Students

Art criticism: Students will identify design elements and stylistic qualities, understand content and apply evaluative strategies that lead to understanding and judging of artwork. Students will become proficient in the use of art vocabulary.

Aesthetics: Students will examine the nature of art, why cultures produce art, and the meaning of art to human kind.

Course Goals

1. Students will learn the parts of the camera.

2. Students will adjust camera settings for selected exposures.

3. Students will learn basic darkroom printing techniques.

4. Students will print black and white images with a wide range of values.

5. Students will develop a basic understanding of art and photographic composition and design.

6. Students will learn and apply art and photography vocabulary to classroom discussions.

7. Students will learn basic digital photography skills and be able to take digital images and print them from a computer.

8. Students will become familiar with the history of photography.

Topics

Camera Settings, Exposure Controls

Film and Negatives

Developing Black and White Film

Printing Images from Negatives

History of Photography

Composition and Creativity

Developing a personal approach

Assessment

   Projects: 4-5 shooting assignments and 10 darkroom assignments

   Tests: 4-5 tests

   Binders: Periodic binder checks for handouts, notes, charts and logs

   Oral Report: One power point presentation on an artist of your choice

   Final: A multiple choice and short essay final

Grading Weight

   Projects: a weight of 3

   Quizzes, Oral reports: a weight of 2

   Homework, sketchbook, binder: a weight of 1

Materials

   1. 3 ring binder with dividers, (see handout on folder organization)

   2. Folder 1 to store negatives and prints in (never to leave room)

   3. Folder 2 for passing in projects, no loose projects accepted

Late or missed work and extra credit policy:

Students have three days to pass in late work for a lower grade, no exceptions. After three days the student will receive a “0”. Students are responsible for arranging to make up quizzes and assignments missed due to absence. Students have one week to arrange make up and then will be given a zero grade. Extra credit assignments per the teacher can be done only if the student has completed all assignments and tasks. Extra credit means additional extra work and not work in place of.

Art room and Photo safety and proper procedure rules apply.

All are posted in the art room. Safety glasses must be worn when working with developing and printing chemicals. Failure to follow safety rules or proper procedure will result in suspension of darkroom privileges, detention, administrative referral and/or removal from class.