Week 15 / April 30 / Final Critiques

Final critiques, 9:30 - 11:30am
5 - 10 prints due with project statement

Week 14 / April 23 and April 25

In-class work activity: research and lab time

Week 13 / April 16 and April 18

In-class work activity: research and lab time

Week 12 / April 9 and April 11

Critique two prints from Assignment #4

Individual meetings to discuss final project proposals

In-class work activity: research and lab time

Week 11 / April 2 and April 4

In-class work activity: lab time

2 prints from Assignment #4 due Monday, April 9

Week 10 / March 26 and March 28

Unloading 4x5 film as group and shipping to lab

5 sheets due Monday, April 2
2 prints due Monday, April 9

Discuss final projects and project proposals

Final project proposals due Monday, April 9

Film screening: Manufactured Landscapes 

Week 9 / March 19 and March 21

In-class work activity: practice loading film and operating 4x5 cameras

Assignment #4 - A State of Mind (5 sheets)
We’ve discussed perspectives on the beauty and darkness of the American vernacular and Edward Hopper’s influence on American photographers and filmmakers who explore themes of mystery, sadness, alienation, and desire.  Expose 5 sheets of 4x5 film revealing how color, light, space, and symbols can suggest possibilities of psychological and emotional states.  You might consider photographing environments without human presence such as domestic or other kinds of interiors and/or natural, suburban, or urban landscapes.  Consider how time-of-day influences the mood of the scene and our perception of the mundane.  

Bring processed film to class on Monday, March 26 (if possible). Two prints are due for critique on Monday, April 2. 

Week 8 / March 12 and March 14

Presentations: PHOTOGRAPHING AT NIGHT and HOPPER’S INFLUENCE ON PHOTOGRAPHY: Edward Hopper, Walker Evans, Stephen Shore, Willaim Eggleston, Robert Adams, Harry Callahan, Todd Hido, Gregory Crewdson and others

Reading: In a Lonely Place, Gregory Crewdson

Introduction to 4x5 camera

Video tutorials:
Loading 4x5 film sheets
Basic 4x5 camera outfits 
View camera movements
Large format lenses
Demo 4x5 shooting process 

Week 7 / Feb. 26 and Feb. 28

In-class work activity: research and lab time

Instructor at faculty meeting between 9:45 - 11am

Critique of Assignment #4 on Wed. Feb. 28 during second half of class
4 prints due

Week 6 / Feb. 19 and Feb. 21

Critique Assignment #2 - 4 prints exploring "Everyday" subject matter

Presentation: Intimacy, Autobiography, Community and Subculture

Reading: Introduction to the Boston School, Lia Gangsito

Assignment #3: Documenting Your Community (2 rolls)
This assignment encourages you to explore the notion of community - what "community" means to you personally. You can photograph friends, classmates, neighbors or a group of which you are a part.  Take pictures of a number of different people who are connected to one another by belonging to this community and what it is they share - ethnic identity, religious affiliations, living in proximity to one another, mutual interests or something else.  Your photographs can represent them individually or together or a mix of both. Shoot two rolls of film (due Monday, Feb. 26) and 4 prints (due Wednesday, Feb. 28).

Week 5 / Feb. 12 and Feb. 14 and Visiting Artist Lecture on Feb. 16

2 exposed rolls of film from Assignment #2 due on Monday

In-class work activity: scanning, making digital contact sheets and prints
4 print due on Monday, Feb. 19

Extra Credit Assignment: 

Photography Lecture: McNair Evans, Ball Hall, 6pm

Write one-paragraph response about the lecture 

Week 4 / Feb. 5 and Feb. 7

In-class work activity: scanning, making digital contact sheets and prints

Critique Assignment #1: 6 prints due during second half of class on Wednesday, February 7

Shooting Assignment #2: Photographing the Everyday (2 rolls)

Compelling subject matter surrounds us in our everyday life. In class, we looked at work by Walker Evans, William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Bill Owens, Marc Wise, and Martin Parr, among others. This assignment encourages students to investigate the multiple meanings of the idea of the “everyday” in photography and to develop the aesthetic and technical skills to transform the personal and the ordinary into artwork. Shoot two rolls of film at work, at home, from a window, on a walk in your neighborhood.  How can you turn the ordinary things around you into interesting photographs through your point-of-view?

Bring two processed rolls of film to class on Monday, February 12 for scanning.  Four prints due on Monday, February 19. 

Week 3 / Jan. 29 and Jan. 31

Demonstration on film scanning and making contact sheets

Handout: Imacon Scanner

2 exposed rolls of film from Assignment #1 due

In-class work activity: scanning, making digital contact sheets and prints

Presentation: Photographing the Everyday in Color 

Reading: Travels with Walker, Robert and Andy and On Stephen Shore, from Photography After Frank, essays by Phillip Gefter

Week 2 / Jan. 22 and Jan. 24

On account of our snow day, we will follow the schedule for our first class that was cancelled.

Presentation: Color Theory & New Color Photography

Screening: Chungking Express, directed by Wong Kar-Wai

Handout: Basics of Color Theory in Photography 

Discussion: Options for sending film to labs for processing

Study handout for quiz in Thursday, Jan. 29.

Shooting Assignment #1: The RGB color wheel consist of six colors: Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, and Magenta.  Using a 35mm film camera, shoot two rolls of color film and take different photographs where one of each of these colors is the dominant color in the scene.  Try to make these  photographs interesting and expressive: at least one picture capturing red, one capturing yellow, one capturing green, one capturing cyan, one capturing blue, and one capturing magenta.  You will get this film processed and then scan and print six images reflecting each of these dominant colors for a critique on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

2 exposed rolls of film from Assignment #1 due on Wednesday, January 31

Discussion: For class on Wednesday, Jan. 24, please bring in at least one book of color photographs, a magazine or other printed materials. You can check out the book from the library or bring in one of your own. Prepare to speak about two different color images - one in which the photographer uses color combinations in a successful and appealing way and another with colors you don't like. Consider why you like the use of color in one image and not the other.  This exercise is intended to help us better understand each other's sensibilities and to create a dialogue about color. Questions to consider: What colors are represented in the image? What mood do these colors create?  Are these bold/aggressive or soft/subtle colors or something else? What kind of color palettes are you general attracted to and what does this suggest about your own personal aesthetic?

Presentation: Film Exposure

Film screening: William Eggleston in the Real World

Week 1 / Jan. 17

Welcome to Color Photo: Theory & Practice.  We will begin class with discussing the course outline and blog and getting to know each other.

Presentation: Color Theory & New Color Photography

Screening: Chungking Express, directed by Wong Kar-Wai

Handout: Basics of Color Theory in Photography 

Study handout for quiz in Monday, Jan. 22.

Shooting Assignment #1: The RGB color wheel consist of six colors: Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, and Magenta.  Using a 35mm film camera, shoot two rolls of color film and take different photographs where one of each of these colors is the dominant color in the scene.  Try to make these photographs interesting and expressive: at least one picturing capture red, one capturing yellow, one capturing green, one capturing cyan, one capturing blue, and one capturing magenta.  You will get this film processed and then scan and print six images reflecting each of these dominant colors for a critique on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Discussion: For class on Monday, Jan. 22, please bring in at least one book of color photographs, a magazine or other printed materials. You can check out the book from the library or bring in one of your own. Prepare to speak about two different color images - one in which the photographer uses color combinations in a successful and appealing way and another with colors you don't like. Consider why you like the use of color in one image and not the other.  This exercise is intended to help us better understand each other's sensibilities and to create a dialogue about color. Questions to consider: What colors are represented in the image? What mood do these colors create?  Are these bold/aggressive or soft/subtle colors or something else? What kind of color palettes are you general attracted to and what does this suggest about your own personal aesthetic?