PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY Course Syllabus Fashion Photography ART 237 – 24472 Scottsdale Community College

Course Syllabus

Fashion Photography

ART 237 – 24472

Scottsdale Community College - Main Campus

Spring 2017

Instructor:

Roger E. Palmenberg

ART237 - Fashion Photography – Syllabus

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Copyright © 2017 by Roger E. Palmenberg – All Rights Reserved

“...I’m an incurable dreamer with a wild imagination. That’s what I truly love about fashion

photography—there are no rules, no boundaries, just pure self-expression. Anything your mind can

imagine; you have the power to create.” Dixie Dixon, ‘Rangefinder’ January 2012

“It is one thing to take a picture of a stranger. It is a much more difficult thing to make a portrait of a

stranger to whom the viewer will care about.” Paul Strand

“The lesson was that a portrait must get beyond the almost universal self-consciousness that people have

before the camera. If some moment of reality in the personality of the sitter did not happen, you had to

provoke it in order to produce a portrait that had an identity with the person. The essential thing was to

awaken a genuine response.” Edward Steichen, ‘A Life in Photography’

“… The role of the photographer in the making of a portrait is to listen and observe, feel and absorb, to

take the time to learn that story before ever unpacking the camera. Caring comes before you can capture

their story on film. In this way of thinking, to make a portrait is to be a blend of translator and

storyteller…’ Brooks Jensen, editor and publisher of ‘Lenswork’

COURSE NUMBER: ART 237 – 24472 Fashion Photography (Three credit-hours)

INSTRUCTOR: Roger E. Palmenberg

TERM: Spring 2017 - 16 weeks - January 19 through May 13 including –

no class during Spring Break

CLASSROOM: Art Building - AB-133 – Main Campus

PHONE NUMBERS: Art Department, 480-423-6344

Instructor, 602-234-0696 ext 170 (M-F, days)

e-mail: roger.p@gpimail.com

OFFICE HOURS: By appointment with instructor

COURSE TIME: Tuesday, 3:00 PM through 8:45 PM

Plus two off-campus weekend trips (one day each)

OPEN STUDIO: The SCC Studio (AB-133) is available for individual use by prior arrangement

with the instructor. Often, class will be extended for those participants wanting to stay late to

work. The instructor will make the studio available on selected weekend days throughout the

semester; times and dates will vary and will be announced in advance.

mailto:roger.p@gpimail.com

ART237 - Fashion Photography – Syllabus

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Copyright © 2017 by Roger E. Palmenberg – All Rights Reserved

THE TENTATIVE DATES FOR OPEN STUDIO SESSIONS ARE: TO BE DETERMINED. DATES ARE

SUBJECT TO CHANGE – FINAL DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE – IN

CLASS.

PREREQUISITES: ART-138, or ART 140, and/or permission of the instructor. It is preferred

that students have portrait and/or commercial photography experience, be proficient shooting

and processing images, printing, and have an intermediate to advanced level of competency

with camera and studio lighting equipment. Cameras (digital or film) should have manual

settings to facilitate use with studio lighting; participants must assure themselves they are

competent with their equipment to avoid un-necessary class time figuring out how to use it.

TEXTBOOKS: “Vanity Fair” magazine subscription and student selected texts relevant to the

course subject (optional), class notes.

Optional: get a free subscription to ‘Rangefinder’ magazine via the Internet

(www.rangerfinder.com) to supplement class notes and ‘Vanity Fair’; other magazines

that have been popular include ‘Rolling Stone’, ‘W’, and ‘Vogue’.

COURSE COSTS: There is a course fee paid at the time of registration. “Vanity Fair”

subscriptions cost $15-20/year; sign up on-line (www.vanityfair.com). In addition, expect to

pay for recording media or film, processing, paper and printing. Expect to shoot every week

and to submit images for critique. This will be 20 or more rolls of film (50 or more large format

sheets) – or the equivalent number of digital images during this semester.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Camera (any format), tripod, lens selection; cameras should be of a

higher functionality (professional or ‘pro-sumer’ grade) including manual exposure controls.

A hand-held light meter is good to have, same for a radio slave.

YOUR CAMERA MUST BE ABLE TO UTILIZE OFF-CAMERA STROBE UNITS. THERE ARE

RADIO SLAVE UNITS AVAILABLE IN THE STUDIO. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU

BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THIS FUNCTIONALITY.

WITHDRAWAL: As defined in the SCC Student Handbook

ATTENDANCE: Success in this class is all about commitment. Attendance at (and

participation in) class demonstrates commitment. If you are going to miss class or be late,

please e-mail or call the instructor the day before.

The attendance policy is:

 Miss two classes – you may be excused provided advance written notice is given;

 Miss the third class – interview with instructor about your commitment;

 Miss the fourth class and you will be dropped.

http://www.rangerfinder.com/ http://www.vanityfair.com/

ART237 - Fashion Photography – Syllabus

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Copyright © 2017 by Roger E. Palmenberg – All Rights Reserved

GRADES: Class participation/assignments: 40%

Final Portfolio: 40%

Attendance: 20%

It is not possible to earn an ‘A’ grade without attending and participating in class activities,

presenting a critiqued portfolio that shows progression in the art form, turning in written

assignments – on time, and demonstrating a working understanding of the medium.

Just as it is important to the success of the class that we are able to attract models to the studio,

it is equally important that the models receive copies of the work produced. If you photograph

models coming in to the studio, it is very important for you to produce and to submit images

to those models, and to be sure there is a record of your submittal(s). Participants who make

images of the models and do not submit finished and critiqued work to the models will be

penalized by at least one grade level.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course is a workshop/seminar. The course premise is that the

model is a platform for product sales. The course will include a program of instruction to

familiarize participants with concepts of fashion photography as well as access to the SCC

studio and facilities to practice the concepts presented. Participants are expected to advance

their demonstrated skill level in portraiture. Images will concentrate on product sales –

clothing, possibly jewelry, and other. The model must complement the product. The course will

include application of the principles of design, lighting, composition, posing, and presentation

techniques to produce a portfolio demonstrating the course concepts suitable for submittal to an

advertising agency art director.

There will be ample opportunity to make images during class – both to practice the lighting and

set concepts as well as to photograph models and other class members. However, participants

should not expect to meet all of the final portfolio requirements without working outside of

class.

DISABILITY STATEMENT: Students with disabilities who believe they may need

accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability & Services Office,

Building SC-144 (Phone 480-423-6517). It is college policy to provide reasonable

accommodations to students with disabilities.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: This course includes use of electronic devices that are capable

of shock or other injury; some of the studio equipment is heavy and could be a lifting hazard;

students are asked to assist in set preparation including use of step-ladders; there are tripping

hazards; the studio is crowded and often dimly lit. Exercise caution when performing these

tasks and using the equipment. Operating manuals are available, familiarize yourself with the

equipment before using it; if you are not familiar with the equipment, ask and the instructor

will assist.

ART237 - Fashion Photography – Syllabus

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Copyright © 2017 by Roger E. Palmenberg – All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: Course content and topic sequence may change or be modified

in response to class needs. Modifications, if any, will be written and distributed when

appropriate to do so.

ASSIGNMENTS: In addition to the Final Portfolio (described below), there will be at least five

assignments during the semester. Assignments are to be submitted electronically by uploading

them into your assigned master file into the class computer; assignments will then be

transferred onto a flash drive or external hard drive and reviewed in class during critiques and

by the instru