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Introduction to Photography Visual Art 1401Bowdoin College Spring 2016
Michael Kolster725-3185, [email protected] 231, office hrs: 12-1 M or by appt.
Mon/Wed 9-11:25am - Edwards 104
Course Objective: In this class you will learn how to make black and white photographs and how to critically assess their personal and cultural value. Our discussions of the images you produce will examine how making photographs shapes and is influenced by our perceptions, our memories, and attachments to the world. A few important questions we will ask each other:
What do you like to look at? How does looking through the camera affect how you observe the world or even what you tend to notice? What does your choice of what and when to photograph in the world reveal about your inner, and perhaps hidden, desires and fears? What does photography share with other modes of inquiry? What sets it apart from the other ways you have attempted to formulate your ideas, impressions, and experiences?
Course Structure: Class will include demonstrations of photographic techniques, slide presentations, class critiques, and discussions. Field trips and darkroom sessions will make up the balance of our time together.
Weekly critiques will require you to share work and ideas with an audience of peers and to respond to their images in kind. Readings on a variety of topics are intended to broaden the experience of thinking about and responding to the physical world.
Grading/Attendance: All students are expected to attend every class and allow ten hours per week outside of class for reading, photographing and working in the lab. Each student is responsible for obtaining any materials/information missed if absence is unavoidable. Classes will start on time and leaving class early will count as an absence. Unexcused absences will adversely affect your final grade. Excessive absences will result in failure regardless of quality or quantity of assignments completed.
Assignments must be completed on time. Late assignments will be marked down a full grade. Assignments later than one week will not be accepted. Unsatisfactory assignments will be labeled "redo" and must be resubmitted within two weeks of receiving "redo" or credit for the assignment will not be given. Students may reattempt any assignment by the last class meeting for reconsideration if it was initially submitted on time.
The final grade is weighted accordingly:60% semester assignments, 20% Final Portfolio, 20% participation.
Grading standards:A Outstanding, above and beyond expectations, original and creative problem solving, punctual, ample evidence of
risk-taking.B Thorough and capable handling of challenges, punctual, satisfactory level of risk-taking.C Assignment completed according to expectations, minimal risk taking, punctual.D Less than satisfactory completion of expectations, minimal results, late, sloppy or incomplete.F Failure to complete minimum expectations.
Assignments: Photogram (03 Feb) Light (17 Feb)Time&Focus (24 Feb)Portrait (09 Mar)Self Portrait (04 Apr)Unions and Intersections (11 Apr)ReDo (18 Apr)Mimic (25 Apr)Self-Designed I (02 May)Self-Designed II (09 May)Final Portfolio Viewing (13 May - tentative)
Student Presentations on Individual Photographers13 Apr & 20 Apr
Readings: Each student will be responsible for leading part of the discussion of oneof the readings. All students must post a short response to each readingat least 24 hours before the date indicated below.
Anne Lamott “Looking Around” from Bird by Birds (27 Jan)
Barry Lopez “Children in the Woods” from Crossing Open Ground“Murder” from About This Life (10 Feb)
John von Hartz Preface to August Sander, Aperture ANDDiane Arbus Interviews, writings, thoughts from Diane Arbus, Aperture
(24 Feb)
Stephen Shore The Nature of Photographs (02 Mar)
BCMA selections from the permanent collection (07 Mar)
Paul Auster “The Red Notebook” from The Art of Hunger (06 Apr)
Robert Adams “Colleagues” from Beauty in Photography (25 Apr)
Equipment: Students are required to have a manual camera with a normal focal length lens. A light meter, hand-held or in the camera, is also necessary. A tripod is recommended but not required – the art department has a limited number of tripods for temporary student sign-out.
Materials: The Textbook Center has assembled a Photo I supplies kit. See supplies handout for details. Matte board is optional for Final Portfolio presentation at the end of the semester. Total materials cost associated with the class should approach $400-450.
The thing that’s important to know is that you never know. You’re always sort of feeling your way.
-Diane Arbus
Photo I Spring 2016Michael Kolster Bowdoin College
Jan 25 M Intros, camera usagepurchase suppliesbring camera to next class Read: Lamott, “Looking Around”
27 W metering (finding a correct exposure), exposure controls,discuss LIGHT assignment, photogram intro, discuss LamottShoot one roll of LIGHTBring photo paper/photogram objects to next class
!Feb 01 M darkroom – make photograms, Drew Fulton visit
03 W look at photograms, overview of film processingShoot second roll of LIGHT(don’t forget white/gray/black frames)
!08 M darkroom – film processing
Read Lopez “Children in the Woods” and “Murder”
10 W overview of printing, look at negs, discuss LopezPrint one negative with 5 different filters
!15 M darkroom – printing
Print Light
17 W look at LIGHT assignment, discuss TIME&FOCUS!
22 M darkroom – printingPrint Time&FocusRead Arbus, Sander excerpts
24 W look at Time&Focus, discuss Portrait and Arbus/SanderShoot PORTRAIT
!29 M advanced metering, lighting demo
Read Shore “The Nature of Photographs” on reserve, art library
Mar 02 W museum visit, discuss Shore!
07 M film push/pull,, discuss Self-Portrait and BCMA visitPrint Portrait
09 W look at Portrait, talk about focal length
Spring Break!
28 M spotting & mounting demo, discuss Unions and Intersections assignment
30 W darkroom session!Apr 04 M look at Self-Portrait, J. Schultz visit
Read: Auster “The Red Notebooks”
05 T 7pm Justin Schuetz talk, Main Gallery Edwards
06 W library visit, discuss Auster, discuss Mimicprint U & I assignment
!11 M look at U & I, discuss ReDo
13 W photog presentations 1-9, discuss Self-Designed Print Redo
!18 M look at Redo
20 W photog presentations 10-18Draft Self-Designed ProposalsRead Robert Adams “Colleagues”
!25 M Look at Mimic, discuss Adams, review SD proposals
27 W darkroom session !May 02 M Look at Self-Designed I
04 W studio visit!
09 M Look at Self-Designed II
11 W darkroom session!
13 Fr Final portfolio viewing 10am, Edwards (tentative)