ClassInfo

This introductory class incorporates digital technologies and alternative processes to the black and white darkroom. Through several photographic approaches, we will emphasize a balance of technical skills, exploration of personal vision, and development of critical thinking and vocabulary relating to photography. Photography is a means of understanding and interacting with both the world and ourselves in it. Though this is a remote class, it will provide many opportunities and prompts to engage with the world and your own surroundings during this moment in time. Class activities will consist of online lectures, demonstrations, discussions, virtual visiting artists lectures. The core of the class work is a series of assignments prompting you to engage with your surroundings and think critically about it. Students' work will be constructively discussed by classmates in class via small-group online critique sessions, and one-to-one with the instructor. The course meetings will be semi-synchronous, meaning a combination of synchronous meetings and asynchronous learning.Students will learn the fundamentals of digital camera operation, composition, light and subject. Students will be introduced to digital hardware and software tools for image adjustment/manipulation (primarily Adobe Camera Raw and the basics of Photoshop); making a "digital negative" and one or more forms of alternative printing. Work will also be done with cell phone cameras and found images. You are required to provide your own advanced digital camera: one capable of producing RAW files and with manual control of shutter speed and f-stop. Please contact the instructor if you have questions. For the first day of class, I will hold an optional first meeting. This is fully optional and we will stream this online.