South Portland, Maine 04106 Title: Documentary Photography Catalog Number: ARTH 135 01 South Portland Campus Tech Building 101 Friday 9 -12:55 | Summer 2015 Credit Hours: 3 Total Contact Hours: 45 Instructor: Christian Farnsworth MS MFA email *: [email protected] *All e-mail to instructor SHOULD have your name, course name and subject in the Subject Line “There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” Ernst Haas Course Syllabus Course Description From the faded black and white photographs of the Civil War battlefield to the digital images on online newspapers and magazines, the stillness of a photograph remains a powerful influence on how we view the world. In this course we will focus on documentary photography, examining the works of photographers who have mastered this fine art of visual storytelling. Through readings, films, slide shows, and fieldwork, you will gain a better understanding of the medium. We will explore and emulate different areas of social documentary, photo essays, photojournalism, and visual narrative. This class also invites you to question the context, purpose, and point of view of photographs. In addition, this is a hands-on photography class is open to students of varying skills. Photographic processes both film and digital will be discussed, but shooting assignments will require a digital camera. You will learn digital image editing and work on a semester- long photo-documentary project: a photo essay of a chosen subject in the community. ARTH 135 Summer 2015 Course Objectives • Understand the various genres of documentary photography • Demonstrate an understanding of the readings • Communicate theories of photo-criticism • Develop a documentary photography proposal • Complete a photo-documentary of personal interest • Gain a better understanding of the professional world of photojournalism Course Requirements • Complete all in-class and homework assignments and demonstrate comprehension in class discussion • Produce projects for critique deadlines; submit all completed projects for final critique • Have access to a camera & computer for posting photo assignments. • Complete a series of photography assignments • Complete required readings and demonstrate comprehension during in class discussions • Actively participate in studio work, projects discussions and critique • Spend at least 3 hours per week on assignments outside of class. • Deliver a paper and presentation on a documentary photographer • Submit a portfolio of all exercises, studies and projects produced during the semester for mid-term and final review. Topics covered in class: Theoretical What Is Documentary ? Styles of Documentary Ethical Considerations Selecting a documentary topic The Documentary Proposal Street Photography Photojournalism Photographic Camera Basics Composition & Photographic Elements Digital Image Workflow Image Editing Sequencing Photographs Creating a Portfolio ARTH 135 Summer 2015 Materials Notebook, Digital Camera (with manual Shutter and Aperture capability, preferred), memory cards, USB downloading cables, Card-reader recommended (better for the life of the camera); External storage drive -AT LEAST 8 GB Text In addition to Witness in our Time, photocopied and online readings will be posted on RESERVE in the library. REQUIRED TEXTS: • Light, Ken; Witness in Our Time, 2nd ed. • Sontag, Susan; Regarding the Pain of Others • PACKET: Selected articles, chapters, references & assignments o NOTEà Students are responsible for all assigned readings in preparation for subsequent topics/conversations. Recommended Readings o Clarke, Graham; The Photograph o Sontag, Susan; On Photography o Strauss, David Levi; Between the Eyes o Wells, Liz; Photography: A Critical Introduction o Westerbeck, Colin; Bystander: A History of Street Photography There are two kinds of photographers: those who compose pictures and those who take them. The former work in studios. For the latter, the studio is the world.... For them, the ordinary doesn't exist: every thing in life is a source of nourishment. – Ernst Haas Documentary Photography ARTH 135 Summer 2015 COURSE OUTLINE subject to change 5/29 WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION Intro: Syllabus; course objectives; textbooks & packet. Concepts: History and Influence of Documentary; Photojournalism vs. Doc Photo Assignments: READ and NOTE -> PACKET: p.3 / A. Kratochvil Photojournalism & Documentary; Pp.29-49 / G. Clark Documentary Photography; TEXT / Witness in our Time, Pp. 1-36; Intro & Mieth and Rosenblum; Begin repetitive subject shoot, “Week to Week”. Choose Photographer to present; Bio/ e-mail instructor by Monday 6.01 noon; Bring camera, manual & accessories to class #2. 6/05 WEEK 2: Historical Roots continued; The Language of Photography Concepts: The Camera: Depths of Field; Aperture and Shutter ->> Task: Continue historical trace; Demo DOF & Motion; Choose Noteworthy Photographer <<->> Note: Presentations due Week 8 & Noteworthy 10 Research due Week 4. Assignments: Photo Shoot #1A: Depth of Field due Week 3; READ and NOTE -> PACKET: Pp. 13-15 / Answers.com, Documentary Photography, History; Pp. 27-28 / H. Durer, On Documentary Photography. “E-Journal #1” (2 topics) à RE Text/Witness, focus on p.15 Mieth, & p.24 Rosenblum. (journal of assigned readings; use template questions in Packet II, p.17: e-mailed and due by class Week 3); Week to Week. 6/12 WEEK 3: Imac: Adobe PhotoShop and Bridge; Editing Images Concepts: The Camera -> / Intro to Bridge/PhotoShop Task: Download and Edit Photo Shoot #1A; Consult re Semester Project / Choose topic ! Assignments: Shoot #2 POV; “E-Journal #2” (3 topics) à1. RE Packet II p. 24-38 focus on article “Kill Team”; RE Witness: focus on 2. Eugene Richards p.90 & 3. Sebastiao Salgado p.108 – emailed & due by class Week 4). “Noteworthy 10”: e-mailed and due by 9 am Friday 7.03 / Week 5; Week to Week. DUE: Photo Shoot #1A & #1B w/ labtime; E-Journal #1. 6/19 WEEK 4: ETHICS, CENSORSHIP and the POWER of the IMAGE Concepts: The impact of photography - How do we see ? ; Consult Project – Get started !; Tasks: Topic Discussion; Abu Ghraib; Kill Team; D. L. Strauss, Kevin Carter, A. Jaar; Shoot #2 post-production & due; Intro Shoot #3/ Scale; Start Projects (shoot highest image quality) Assignments: Draft proposal –>> Semester Documentary Project <<-e-mailed/due by 5pm Thurs 6/25 Week 5; Shoot #3/ Scale; “E-REVIEW #1”: (critiquing [3] online Photo-Essays; use template questions Packet II, p.22; e-mailed and due by class Week 6). Week to Week. DUE: Photo Shoot #2/POV w/ labtime; E-Journal #2 Field Trip – Next Meeting: Time ______________ / Place __________________ ARTH 135 Summer 2015 “The first question must always be: Who is using this photograph, and to what end?” David Levi Strauss COURSE OUTLINE 6/26 WEEK 5 FIELD TRIP and THE Long-Term DOCUMENTARY PROJECT Concepts: Field Shoot and Discussion of Final Project ideas, proposals Task: Field Trip and Shoot #4: Peaks Island à Topic = “island”. BRING Gear to shoot outdoors Assignments: READINGS and NOTE: PACKET: p.75-91/ B. Newhall Documentary Photography; Project Proposal (final- hard copy); “E-REVIEW #2”: (online Photo-Essays; template questions Packet II, p.22; e-mailed and due by class Week 7); “E-Journal #3” (3 topics) à RE Text/Witness, focus on p.99 S.Meiselas, p.132 D.Ferrato & p.172 P.Howe, (template questions in Packet II, p.17: e-mailed and due by class Week 7); Week to Week; Semester Projects (week 2) ! DUE: Noteworthy 10; Draft Proposal (semester project) (ß emails due the day before class). 7/03 WEEK 6: no class / holiday wkend DUE: E-Review #1 (e-mail). 7/10 WEEK 7: Documentary images; Post-production / Photoshop Task: Photo Shoot # 3 & 4 / Lab ->> download, edit and archive Concepts: Photographing with all your ideals… Assignment: Mid-Term -> Take Home Essays; DUE Next Class; Semester Projects well underway (week 4)!! Week to Week; READINGS and NOTES: TBA _____________________. DUE: Shoot #3/Scale and Shoot #4/island – w/lab time; Semester PROJECT PROPOSAL (turn in hard-copy); E-Journal #3; E-Review #2. 7/17 WEEK 8: Street Photography and the Animated Landscape Concepts: Approaching Subjects, Making Contact, Decisive Moment, Witnessing Tasks: Discussion: Pushing the envelope; shooting from the hip; Printing / Demo / Work Prints and sequencing Assignment: READINGS and NOTE: PACKET p.51-74/ Curtis, Making Sense of Documentary Photography; Packet II p. 15-16/ Street Photography Tips; Sontag, Chapters 1 & 2. Shoot #5 / Street: due week 10; Semester Projects: REFINE; Work Prints due Week 10. E-Review #3 (questions Packet II, p.22; e-mailed and due by class Week 10); Week to Week DUE: Noteworthy Presentations (turn in labeled folders at 9 am with presentation, notes and urls/doc for websites/multimedia); MID-TERM (hard copy). Field Trip – Next Meeting ->> 7/24 WEEK 9: FIELD TRIP ->> SALT Institute Gallery and THE URBAN LANDSCAPE Concepts/Task: Street photography Portland; BRING Gear to shoot outdoors / 2+ hours Assignment: Semester Projects (week 6); Work Prints (4x6”/project) due next class/ bring Semester Project/Printing Top Choices; Sontag Ch. 3, 4; Week to Week; Field Time / Place ______. ARTH 135 Summer 2015 COURSE OUTLINE 7/31 WEEK 10: Lab Time – Organizing and Printing Final Photo Series Concepts: Work Prints; How can/do images narrate a story ? Sequence - Rhythm and Flow. Task: Critiquing / refining / sequencing; Image Sizing and Resolution; Consulting with peers and instructor; First Printing for Portfolio (Top choice/s – in class; BRING projects !). Assignments: 2 weeks to Final Project Critiques; Organize remaining project needs and shooting targets; Choose top few choices to Print; Prep all Project to Print next class. DUE: Shoot #5 / Street – w/lab time (top 5 shots); Work Prints and Project Consult; E- Review #3 8/07 WEEK 11: Last Prep and Print Day / Lab Time Concepts: Final selections, prep and print Semester Project Portfolio Task: LAST PRINTING of SEMESTER PROJECTS; large files / TIFs (Labtime) Assignments: Semester Projects Due Week 12 by 9 am. Critiques start early – all will Critique next class !; Determine final project needs (last shooting and printing options).