© 2018 Robert Leib 1 Philosophy of Images

Philosophy of Images Syllabus PHI 4930-003 Dr. Robert Leib ([email protected]) 3 Credits (Approx. 6 hours of homework/week) Texts: ·The Photographer’s Playbook, edited by Jason Fulford and Gregory Halpern (abbreviated ‘PP’) ·On Photography, Susan Sontag ·Visual Thinking, Rudolf Arnheim ·A Primer of Visual Literacy, Donis A. Dondis ·Camera Lucida, Roland Barthes ·Pandora’s Camera, Joan Fontcuberta ·Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Walter Benjamin ·Photography After Frank, Philip Gefter ·Towards a Philosophy of Photography, Vilém Flusser Amazon Booklist: http://a.co/b4hnALY ($70-$80 used) You will also need: Camera (analog, digital, smartphone, etc.) and $40 to produce your own photo book at the end of the semester. Course Blog: https://philosophyofimages.wordpress.com Course Description: A camera is an extension of our memories, a powerful tool if we understand its grammar. It is also a material force that is reshaping the way we live and look at one another. And many of us have them with us at all times. We act in conversation with them. We see that a camera at the right place and the right time is potentially world altering. Given the relative newness of photography as a technological practice, but at the same time, recognizing the strength of its influence in our increasingly image-driven social worlds, this is a course on philosophy and photography that is needed. Of design, it is equal parts theoretical, visual, and actively productive. This syllabus aims to produce students who are better able to think, express themselves, and understand others in images, while rigorously coming to grips with the best photographic theory philosophy has to offer thus far. This class is unique in the country, and I © 2018 Robert Leib 1 personally believe it is important for today’s philosopher, literary theorist, or visual artist. We are all photographers now, one could argue (though many would not). One question we will explore is whether and to what extent this slogan is accurate, useful, or neither. Beyond the course texts, this syllabus incurs no additional expense for those with camera phones. The practical component of the syllabus is built upon The Photographer’s Playbook, edited by Jason Fulford and Gregory Halpern. Students will complete seven photo assignments throughout the semester, posted to this blog, and produce one physical photo book as their final project, to be posted on Blurb. Course Objectives: • In readings and lecture, students will survey works on the nature of the short history of photography and the philosophical arguments that arise from these, including the nature of the image, the elements of visual analysis, of documentation, of archival work, of visual fictions, questions arising from surveillance culture and news-related imagery, as well as questions arising from looking at others and forming modes of social practice based on these frames. • Through class discussion and exercises, students will practice: • effectively and concisely summarizing visual messages and arguments, • evaluating a visual messages and arguments with evidence from relevant texts, • respectful dialogue, which includes listening as well as speaking. • Through drafting and revising photo projects and shorter assignments combining image and essay, students will refine both their visual and language-based literacy. Course Evaluation: (1) Preparation, attendance, and participation account for 20% of the overall grade. [omitted] (2) Students will produce seven (7) photo projects, worth a total of 50% of the final grade. Projects will respond to the list of possible prompts given in the syllabus, completed in the spirit of the prompt, and submitted in a form acceptable to the professor, making use of assigned and optional texts, class notes, and the professor’s PowerPoint presentations. More information will be given at the time of the assignment(s). Late projects without an official excuse will be penalized one half a letter grade for each day they are late (including weekend days). (3) Students will produce a number of smaller, regular assignments by posting online or writing in a journal, worth 15% of the final grade. Number TBD. Smaller assignments may include 1) posting to an Instagram feed regularly in response to micro-prompts, 2) keeping a weekly physical photo journal, 3) peer critiquing classmate’s photo journals, 4) submitting original photos for, or in response to, classroom activities, and 5) essays at midterm and finals time, as necessary, to assess progress toward learning outcomes. © 2018 Robert Leib 2 (4) Students will complete one final photobook in physical form, worth 15% of the final grade. Photobooks will be image-text projects, at least 20 pages in length, created in Blurb’s free Book Wright publication software and uploaded to Blurb for printing. Students will be responsible for the printing cost (approx. $40) as part of the cost of required texts for the course. Books due in hand by finals period, so plan ahead. Projects may contain text that is properly cited at the end; projects may not contain any visual material for which they do not have official permissions. Participation: 20% / Photo Projects 50% / Smaller Assignments: 15% / Final Photobook: 15% Grading Rubric for Projects: [omitted] Late Work, Absences, Excuses: [omitted] Incompletes (‘I’): [omitted] Code of Academic Integrity Policy Statement: [omitted] Disability Policy Statement: [omitted] Inclusive Language: [omitted] Course Outline: The professor reserves the right to modify this syllabus including assignments and due dates. No changes will significantly alter course requirements or reading load. The professor also reserves the right to give quizzes and small assignments without notice. Students should expect two hours of preparatory work outside of class for every credit hour. For this class, you should be allotting 6 hours of time for reading/photographing per week (on average). Reading and Assignment Schedule: PP= Photographer’s Playbook; CV= Available on Canvas The question of the photographic image can be explored under the following designations, practices, and frames: Week Readings, Viewings, Links Possible Photographer’s Playbook Assignments Week 1: Images as Jan 9) Orientation Day; Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Republic: Photographer’ Playbook (PP): Images https://web.stanford.edu/class/ihum40/cave.pdf getting started, read all: • Unintended consequences by • In class activity: PP: Devil’s Advocate by Sam de Groot, pp. Asha Schechter, pp. 300 – 77 – criticism © 2018 Robert Leib 3 Jan 11) Susan Sontag, “In Plato’s Cave”, On Photography, pp. 3-24 • What Matters by Thomas Roma, pp. 293 – starting out • Forgetting the Game by Dan Abbe, pp. 2 • What to Photograph? by David Company, pp. 45 • Rules for Students in Intro to Photography by Lois Conner, pp. 59 • Sister Corita’s Rules by Yolanda Cuomo, pp. 70 • Don’t Do Anything Subversive by Tim Davis, pp. 75 • The Basics by James Estrin, pp. 98 • Suggested Suggestions by Justine Kurland, pp. 186 • Two assignments by Jessica Lancaster, pp. 192 • Intentionality by Stephen Shore, pp. 317 Week 2: Photography Jan 16) Donis A. Dondis, A Primer of Visual Literacy, Chs 1-3, pp. 1-66 Set A, Read All, Complete One: as Perceptual • Interpreting Light, by Gary Thinking James Elkins, “How to Look at Color”, pp. 202-211, How to Use Schneider, pp. 308 – optics Your Eyes • The Real Nature of Space by Andreas Feininger, pp. 104 – “This Photographer Messes with Your Perspective on Purpose photograph space (Without Photoshop)”: • Photographing Atmosphere https://www.visualnews.com/2016/03/04/these-room- by Larry Fink, pp. 107 – illusion-photographs-will-mess-with-your-head-its-not- learning to see photoshop/ © 2018 Robert Leib 4 • Dondis, Visual Primer, exercise #1, pg. 38- complete Jan 18) Dondis, Ch 5 & 6 three times with original photographs “This Equals That” Guide: https://www.aperture.org/wp- • Dondis, Visual Primer, content/uploads/2014/09/2014_09_12_This_Equals_That exercise #4, pg. 66- complete _EDU_Guide.pdf three times with original photographs In class viewing: “This Equals That” by Jason Fulford • Dondis, Visual Primer, exercise #1, pg. 84- complete In class viewing: “Visual Grammar” by Christian Leborg with original photographs sharing a common subject • Dondis, Visual Primer, exercise #2, pg. 127 Weeks 3-4: Imagery as a Jan 23) Rudolf Arnheim, Visual Thinking, Chs 2, 3 pp. 13-53 Set B, Read All, Complete One: kind of • Slow Down by Tina Barney, Literacy Dondis, Ch 4 pp.18 – learning to see • The Coal Thieves by Ute In class viewing: “The Nature of Photographs” by Stephen Shore Behrend, pp. 20 – learning to see • In class activity: PP: No Answers Allowed by Judy Natal, pp. 242 • Our relationship to the – critique windshield by Jeff Brouws, pp. 34 – learning to see Jan 25) Arnheim, Visual Thinking, Chs 4 & 8, pp. 54-79, 135-152 • Preconceived Notions by Michael Schmelling, pp. 306 – learning to see • Insecurity by Jeffery Ladd, • In class activity: PP: Two-Minute Drill by Christopher McCall, pp. pp. 189 – learning to see 215 – criticism • What Cannot Be Seen by Gerry Badger, pp. 12-13 – visual literacy © 2018 Robert Leib 5 Jan 30) Daniel Chandler, “Textual Interactions”, Semiotics: The Basics, • Extract the Magic by Elspeth Ch 6, pp. 175-209 (CV) Diederix, pp. 85 – learning to see/ visual literacy Feb 1) Micro-presentations on Roland Barthes, Camera Lucida, part 1 • Sequence and Series by (sections 1-24) Nathan Lyons, pp. 201 – visual literacy/editing • Sequential or Serial by Tom Patton, pp. 265 – visual literacy/editing Week 5: Photography Feb 6) Joan Fontcuberta, “The Eye of God” and “Eugenics Without Set C, Read All, Complete One: as a means of Borders” and “Documentary Fictions”, Pandora’s • Assignment 96 by John Documentation Camera Baldessari, pp. 14 - scientific documentation August Sander: “People of the 20th Century” • Collaborating Across https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2015/jun/1 Disciplines by Richard 8/august-sander-at-moma-new-york-in-pictures Barnes, pp.

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