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SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUSUniversity of Virginia, Academic Sponsor Voyage: Fall 2014 Discipline: Studio Arts ARTS 2511-501 and 501: Documentary Photography (Sections 1 and 2) Lower Division Faculty: Todd Forsgren Credit Hours: 3; Contact Hours: 38 MEETING TIME + LOCATION(Section 1) Class will meet on A Days from 8:00 to 9:15 in room 8. Field lab Sept. 11th, Rostock.(Section 2) Class will meet on A Days from 9:25 to 10:40 in room 5. Field lab Sept. 19th, La MUNICATION: Instructor – Todd ForsgrenE-mail – todd.forsgren@ - todd.forsgren.fa14@ Office Hours – B Days from 9:25 to 10:40E-mail is the best way to communicate with me prior to the voyage. If you have any issues during class, please contact me as early as possible so we can find a solution.In an effort to save paper, I rarely print copies of handouts and class materials. I will distribute all of the semester’s course materials, including each week’s reading, assignment, and presentation, on the first day of class via Flash Drive or via the ship’s intranet. If you can’t access the files, please get in touch with me ASAP so that I can make certain that I share the class folder with you.COURSE OVERVIEW:Documentary Photography explores conceptual and theoretical concerns of documentation and photography as a tool for cultural investigation while introducing technical and practical principles of digital photography. Students consider ethical concerns of documenting different cultures and peoples as well as conceptual positions such as the range of perspectives a photographer can adopt: from objective observer to subjective participant. The final project involves constructing a thematic photographic book of images made during the voyage, considering their images in sequence and series to construct a narrative. The technical emphasis of the class is on camera operation, file management, digital imaging, and digital editing. Students learn camera operation with a focus on DSLR and mirrorless cameras as well as current practices in photographic workflow using Adobe Lightroom. The class begins with a series of weeklong projects considering methods to frame, edit, and process digital images. It includes an overview of photographic history and theory with an emphasis on the impact of digital technology on documentary photographic strategies. This course explores conceptual and practical principles of photography with a focus on digital technology. The course has three main objectives: Developing your own photographic vision through a series of projects, Operating a DSLR or Mirrorless camera on semi-automatic and manual modes, and using a Adobe Lightroom to organize and edit photographic images.Specific topics covered during the course include: all aspects of operating a DSLR or MILC camera, using Adobe Lightroom for file management and basic adjustment of photographic images, shooting JPEG files for ease of use as well as how to process and manage RAW image files, acquiring a basic understanding of color spaces and color management techniques. Exploring conceptual approaches and the use of digital tools in contemporary practice, discussion of several photographic critical theories, and constructively criticizing your photographs and the work your classmates.Incorporating the camera into your everyday ritual and routine is a very important part of successfully completing this course. Each week you will take pictures that explore different technical, conceptual, and formal approaches to creating photographic images. The first thing we will do every week is to review work from the previous week’s assignment. We will also regularly have larger critiques.The emphasis of this course in terms of both time and grading will be on developing your personal vision and finding your own artistic voice. There may be times during the semester that you need additional help. Whether this help is technical, conceptual, or personal, please keep me informed about your progress in the class.SUPPLIES + MATERIALS:NOTE: If you do not have the materials prior to the first day of class, see my ASAP so we can make absolutely certain that we can find you the proper materials in our first port. Laptop Computer: Should be able to run Adobe Lightroom 5.0 and have plenty of free space for images. Depending on how much you shoot, I’d imagine you’ll need c. 100gb of space over the course of the voyage.Adobe Lightroom 5.0: installed on your laptop… To do that, go here… … A Digital Camera: You will need to have regular access to your own camera to use during this class. The camera should have manual and semi-automatic modes and should be capable of shooting RAW files. If you’re thinking of purchasing one for the class, please don’t hesitate to ask me questions or for recommendations, and is a good online resource providing reviews of almost any sort of photographic gear you can imagine.8gb SD/Compact Flash Card: Whatever your camera takes… The more space, the more you’ll be able to shoot. The faster the card, the faster you’ll be able to take multiple images.Other Digital Storage: Aside from your camera’s memory card, you will need to have at least 16 GB of storage space. Flash drives are probably the most convenient, and brand name drives are around $30. Off-brands can be cheaper, but do some research on reliability. I recommend even more storage space, like a good reliable an external hard drive might be the best solution. I recommend a bus powered hard drive or USB drive for this class. Cloud data storage is also quickly becoming a more and more convenient solution when in port, but it’s not going to cut it on the boat. I don’t recommend CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW except to archive final copies or as backups. I highly recommend you back up your photos (and everything else too) and will not accept data loss and an excuse for late work. Follow the 3-2-1 rule: MAKE 3 DIFFERENT COPIES ON AT LEAST 2 DIFFERENT MEDIA AND KEEP AT LEAST 1 IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION.GRADING:The course has 100 possible points. Letter grades will be calculated on the fairly standard scale: A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, and F < 60. The breakdown of possible points is as follows:Class Participation10 points*Response Paper10 pointsCamera Test10 pointsWeekly Projects50 pointsFinal Presentation20 points* Poor participation or skipping class can result in a negative grade for class participation. I will warn you in writing if you participation grade is in danger of slipping into negative point territory.DEADLINES:Each day that an image is late, a point will be deducted from your grade. All projects submitted on time may be revised and resubmitted to improve your grade. The written assignments can also be revised and resubmitted. The only portion of your grade that cannot be ‘made-up’ is class participation…ATTENDANCE:The only excused absences are documented illnesses, family emergencies, and established religious holidays. Please contact me as soon as possible (preferably before class!) regarding excused (and unexcused) absences. We’re all on the same boat here, literally.You are allowed one unexcused absence during the semester. Each additional absence will result in 3 points being deducted from your final grade. Missing more than five classes during the semester may result in administrative action and/or failure of the course. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get notes and handouts from a classmate. You are also responsible for all assignments, regardless of attendance in class. Being Punctual is also important. Three late marks (coming 15 minutes late or more) will count as an absence. If you do come in late, it is your responsibility to make sure that your attendance is noted or you may be counted as absent. If you are more than an hour late, you will be marked as absent.CRITIQUES + PARTICIPATION:Critiques are not only important for the development of your own work; it is also for the development of the work of your classmates. Because of this, your participation is extremely important, so attendance during critiques is crucial and it is vital to your participation grade in the class. You must attend and participate in critiques even if your own project is not complete.All work that is submitted, both written and visual, must be your own. Plagiarism will be reported and may result in disciplinary action from the college. Appropriating images for the purpose of meaningful commentary is acceptable. If you plan to use appropriated imagery please inform me as early as possible, not the day of a critique! Collaboration is also encouraged, but please see me about any collaborative projects. All submitted work must be created during this semester and for this class – do not use the same work for more than one class! Please see me if there is any doubt, if you have a question, or if you have an idea that might constitute a special circumstance.CLASSROOM POLICIES:I have a relatively quiet voice and not very good at competing with talking or technology during class. So, please no loud and distracting devices, and don’t talk during lectures (unless you have a question, and then by all means speak up!). Aside from that, I expect you to behave like responsible adults during class: be respectful of others and of me. I hope you listen, but nap if you prefer, just don’t be disruptive!!! Breaking policies will result in a deduction of points from your participation grade.FIELD LAB:Attendance is required. See Field lab descriptions below for additional details.Section 1: Rostock, Germany – Tuesday, 9 SeptemberGermany has a rich photographic and industrial tradition. We will examine different manners in which the narratives of industry and cultures have merged together, focusing on the typologies of Bernd and Hilla Becher and the work of their students (from the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf). Using the Becher school as a starting point, we will consider how photography has been used as an analytic tool in documenting and defining industry. In the second workshop we will consider objectivity and subjectivity in photography. We will consider how romantic ideas about industry fueled an aesthetic vision in the early 20th century, and how contemporary artists approach photographing industry. These sites will also provide plenty of lines, patterns, and forms to play with composition, as we consider the interaction between our humanity and the camera as a machine. Academic Objectives:1. Exposure to contemporary artists as well as industrial revolution/modernist photographic paradigms.2. Hands on time with photographic equipment – The camera as a measuring tool: slowly and methodically.3. Hands on time with photographic equipment – Composition: industrial lines, grids and transects.Section 2: Le Havre, France – Friday, 19 SeptemberDuring this field lab we will consider different modes and approaches to photographic time, considering photographic instants as well as extending the moment. Initially we will focus on Cartier-Bresson, the famous French photographer and Magnum Photo Cofounder who coined the term “The Decisive Moment.” We will attempt to create our own ‘decisive moments’ in downtown Le Havre, focusing on the present day-to-day life of the city. We then go to the MuMa (local art museum) and look at the work of contemporary French photographer Bernard Plossu. Following this, we will visit the city’s archive and look at their photographic collection, looking at the city’s past. Using this experience and our memory of these materials, we will return to the city streets, but this time with a keen sense of awareness of the history of La Havre. The second workshop will reconsider the city, creating new images but also focusing on how we can use historic materials and other photographic sources to imagine the city beyond our single day in it.Academic Objectives:1. Developing strategies for documenting motion and time in still photography2. Hands on time with photographic equipment – Shutter speed, aperture and constructing the moment3. Hands on time with photographic equipment – Sources and documents: Past, present, and future.DISABILITY RESOURCES:Students are admitted to Semester at Sea based on their potential for academic success, irrespective of physical or learning disabilities.? Administrative staff and faculty work cooperatively to assist students with disabilities in their educational endeavors and adjustments to the College community.? The Associate Provost in the Office of Academic Services works to ensure that all educational programs are equally accessible to qualified students.? Students with physical, learning, and other disabilities are encouraged to contact the Office of Academic Services for specific information and assistance regarding potential special needs.HEALTH AND SAFETY:Proper use of equipment is important for this class. I will teach proper safety protocol for using all the equipment in this class. All students must follow these policies and procedures; failure to do so will result in loss of lab privileges. These policies are in place in accordance with all safety compliance, state and federal, to minimize risk, and reduce harm to themselves and the environment. Use common sense. I want to treat you like adults, so act like adults.SCHEDULE (Subject to change):London – Departing September 23rd A1 - August 25thIntroduction to the course and to each other, course goals and objectives.Lecture: Photography: Modes of Documentary Photography.A2 - August 27th Lab/Demo: Using your Camera 101: Basic camera settings.Lecture: The Photograph as Propaganda.A3 - August 29thLab/Demo: An Introduction to Adobe Lightroom 5.St. Petersburg – August 30th to September 1st Reading: Italo Calvino’s The Adventure of the PhotographerPhotographing: Doubt and Belief in ImagesA4 - September 3rdDiscussion: Images from RussiaLecture: Typology: Classification and VariationGdansk/Rostock– September 5th to 9th Reading: Walter Benjamin’s A Brief History of Photography Photographing: Creating Typology and ClassificationDocumentary Photo I has a field lab on September 9th A5 - September 10thLecture: Shutter Speed, Motion and Time Lecture: The Image as a MomentA6 - September 12thLab/Demo: Using the Develop Module in Adobe LightroomLecture: Digital Imagining BasicsAntwerp/La Havre – September 14th to 19th Reading: John Szarkowski’s The Photographer’s Eye: Time Photographing: The Decisive MomentDocumentary Photo II has a field lab on September 19thA7 - September 20th Discussion: Images from Germany, Belgium, and FranceLecture: The Photograph as a Historic DocumentA8 - September 22ndLecture: Aperture: Depth, Depth of Field, and Space Lecture: Magnum and the Photo Agency in NewsDublin – September 24th to 27th Reading: Stephen Shore’s The Nature of Photographs Photographing: Photographing the PastA9 - September 28th Lab/Demo: ISO, Light Meter, and ExposureA10 - September 30thLab/Demo: Raw Files and Manual SettingsDiscussion: Images from Dublin to Lisbon/CadizLisbon/Cadiz – October 1st to 5th Reading: Roland Barthes’s Camera Lucida – Part IPhotographing: Depth in the ImageA11 - October 7thReviewing Images for midterm portfoliosLab/Demo: Exporting Images from LightroomCasablanca – October 8th to 11th Reading: Roland Barthes’s Camera Lucida – Part IIPhotographing: Style and the Editorial PhotographA12 - October 13thMIDTERM PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION.A13 - October 15thMIDTERM CAMERA OPERATION TESTDakar – October 16th to 19th Reading: Susan Sontag’s The Image WorldPhotographing: Visual Storytelling and Narrative StrategyA14 - October 21stLecture: Ethics and Ethical Positions in PhotographyA15 - October 23rdLecture: Photographic LensesTakoradi/Tema – October 25th to 28th Reading: John Berger’s About LookingPhotographing: The Photo EssayA16 - October 29thLab/Demo: Advanced Lightroom editing techniquesA17 - October 31stLab/Demo: Studio Lighting TechniquesDUE: The Photo Essay TextA18 - November 3rdLecture: Documentary Photography as Digital MediaLecture: Precision and Expression: Filters, Tripods.A19 - November 5th Lab/Demo: The Book and Print Modules in LightroomRio de Janeiro/Salvador – November 7th to 14th Reading: Geoff Dyer’s The Ongoing Moment (excerpt)Photographing: Measurement vs. Rhythm in the ImageFIELD LAB: SONG, DANCE, AND THE STILL IMAGE – SALVADOR – Nov. 12th A20 - November 15thDiscussion: Images from BrazilA21 - November 17thLab/Demo: Studio Lighting TechniquesA22 - November 20thLab/Demo: Open Studio TimeBridgetown – November 22nd to 24th Reading: Roland Barthes’s Rhetoric of the ImagePhotographing: Air and Space in a PhotographA23 - November 25thLab/Demo: Open Studio TimeA24 - November 27thFinal Project Test RunsHavana – November 29th to December 2ndReading: Susan Sontag’s Melancholy ObjectsPhotographing: Figure/Ground RelationshipsA25 Finale! - December 4thFinal PresentationFort Lauderdale – Arrive December 8th HONOR CODE Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus bind themselves to the University’s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing. Please consult the Voyager’s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense. Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: “On my honor as a student, I pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment.” The pledge must be signed, or, in the case of an electronic file, signed “[signed].” ................
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