Photography (POTO)

This course introduces the technical aspects and controls of a manual 35mm camera together with silver-based black & white film developing and printing methods. Students will develop a fundamental vocabulary for constructive critique of photographs and will generate a photographic portfolio piece, exploring a subject of interest.

This course is an introduction to the conceptual and technical aspects of digital photography through projects,presentations, critiques and lectures based on both classical and constructed methods of image creation. Topics include: basic camera functions, importing files from digital media,color management, image improvement and manipulation using Adobe Photoshop, Bridge, and Light Room and preparing final images for print and/or screen presentation.

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of photographic image making within the controlled environment of the studio. Emphasis is given to lighting techniques using professional strobe equipment; single-lens reflex digital capture on the computer, software for capturing digital photographs, as well as the role of props and setting in the generation of portraiture, fashion and still-life images.

Alternative printing processes, including salted paper, cyanotype, tintype and platinum/palladium, are examined as a complement to contemporary methods. Emphasis upon medium format and the view camera as tools for documentation, narration, and expression supplement consideration of photography's technical aspects. Through exploration of traditional subjects including architecture, landscape, still life and portraiture, students learn exposure, film processing, film scanning, and large scale inkjet printing.

Since its invention in 1839, photography has played a pivotal role in the formation of modern visual culture. Focusing upon chronological, thematic, and technological developments, this course investigates the diverse expressions and applications of the photographic image within a nexus of philosophical, social, economic, scientific, and aesthetic contexts. Particular emphasis is placed upon: debates concerning the nature and function of images; the medium’s impact upon portraiture, high art, popular culture, fashion, and social documentation; and the rise of photojournalism and advertising. Photography as a discreet language of signs, symbols, and metaphors with implied narratives is emphasized

Independent Study in Photography is a one term student initiated project limited to those students who have finished the full sequence of photography courses. A student proposes a project and works independently with guidance from the instructor. Permission required. See the statement on Independent Study under 'Academic Policies.

In this course, students learn the fundamentals of the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) documentation methods for the production of archival records of historic structures and places. Through fieldwork and labs, students photograph, print, research, and narrate comprehensive, technically proficient photographic essays that represent the salient aspects of historic structures, complexes, and sites, utilizing both large-format and digital cameras and Including photogrammetry and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technologies.