Foundations of Photography: Digital Practice (PHO2153.01)

Elizabeth White

This course offers an overview of foundational tools and techniques in digital photographic practice and aims to help students find new sources of inspiration, deepen their creative work, and enhance their ability to present it. Students will learn to shoot with digital SLR cameras using manual settings, manage, process, and manipulate digital image files, properly scan negatives, and produce digital portfolios and high quality inkjet prints. They will be challenged to create new work within short time periods in response to prompts, and to develop and revise an independent project, in the process becoming more comfortable contributing to critiques with peers and receiving feedback on their work. In addition, students will build their awareness of historical and contemporary artists and the breadth of possibilities for the medium, as they practice making observations, thinking critically, speaking, and writing about photography. Short readings and videos will provide additional context and encourage reflection on the impact of recent technological and social changes.

Class time will include demonstrations and supervised practice, group critiques, and discussions. Assignments will be given on a weekly basis throughout most of the term, and self-directed final projects will allow students to creatively express their technical skills as they explore their own questions and concerns. Please note that a Mac-compatible external hard drive and inkjet photo paper are required for this course. Students do not need to have their own DSLR cameras or printers.


Learning Outcomes:
Develop/improve their skills in shooting, editing, printing, and managing digital photographs
Find new sources of inspiration, deepen their creative work and enhance their ability to present it
Create new work within short time periods in response to prompts
Create, develop, and revise a sustained independent project
Practice contributing to critiques with peers and receiving feedback on their work
Build awareness of historical and contemporary artists and the breadth of possibilities for the medium
Make observations, think critically, speak, and write about photography
Actively reflect on their own questions and relationship to the ideas in the course, and on their creative and learning processes, and make connections to other areas of interest
Recognize their shared role in cultivating an engaging, respectful, and productive learning community



Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 4
M 8:30AM - 12:10PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 12
Course Frequency: Once a year

Categories: 2000 , All courses , Four Credit , Fully In-Person , Photography
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