Photographic Concepts – Art Fundamentals
PGY 2442C Photographic Concepts: Figure/Ground
Tuesday and Thursday 3PM-6PM
Instructor: Austin Reeves
Email: Areeves@ufl.edu
Office: FAD 329
Hours: Fridays 10 – Noon and by appointment
fig•ure-ground
adjective [ attrib. ] Psychology & Art
Relating to or denoting the perception of images by the distinction of objects from a background from which they appear to stand out, esp. in contexts where this distinction is ambiguous.
Description:
A Photographic Concepts course is required to be taken by all SAAH students in their second year of study. This course is an introduction to the light and shape aspects of photographic images. Theories of space and 2D composition and basic camera and darkroom techniques are explored. In addition, students strive to develop critical thinking and research skills.
Objective of class:
Figure/Ground will allow you to focus on a single idea over the course of the semester - the formal and conceptual underpinnings of the singular image. At the end of this class, you will be more in control of compositional strategies in your individual images, you will have worked in both digital and wet darkrooms, will continue to improve and build on your technical skills (including metering, lighting, and digital and darkroom output), and will be better able to articulate and analyze the singular image. Readings will occur regularly throughout the semester, which will help you to better understand photography through its history, context, and function as both a cultural object and an art object.
Methods:
The first part of the course will focus on a review of your darkroom skills, concentrating on the basics of exposure, printing, contrast control, tonality and composition. The second half of the course will focus on digital shooting and scanning, including RAW file usage, inkjet and film digital output. Through exercises focused on creating and recreating a single image, you will be able to improve your composition and lighting, figure/ground relationships, foreground and background, all of which will help you to communicate your ideas clearly and forcefully. Each assignment will enable you to build another conceptual and technical skill, which by the end of the class will allow you to create thoughtful, experimental, and controlled images.
Required Text: Can be purchased online or at the UF bookstore.
Liz Wells, The Photography Reader. Routledge, 2003. ISBN10: 0-415-24660
Attendance and Make up policy:
The beginning of each class will be a sign in sheet. It is your responsibility to sign it and be recorded for the day. Signing the sheet and then immediately leaving the class during the lab day will be considered absent. You will be allowed 3 unexcused absences this semester, each absence there after will lower your final grade by half a letter grade (A will turn into a B+). Only students with 3 or fewer unexcused absences will be eligible to earn an A in this course. Six unexcused absences will result in a failing grade. Unexcused absences are those for which you have no doctors note or for which you did not obtain prior permission.
Evaluation/Grading Methods:
Final Grades will be based on discussion participation, photo projects, assignments, blog participation, and the final photo-based portfolio.
Grading Scale:
A = 100-93 Superior work, all class criteria surpassed.
A- = 92-90 Very good work, all class criteria surpassed.
B+ = 89-87
B = 86-83 Above average work, all criteria met.
B- = 82-80
C+ = 79-77 Adequate, average work.
C = 76-73
C- = 72-70
D+ = 69-67 Barely meeting criteria.
D = 67-63
D- = 62-60
E = 59-0 Failure to meet criteria.
Critiques & Photo Projects:
The four main photo projects in this course are averaged out together to make the largest portion of the final grade. Therefore the following criteria are used to determine your project’s grade. Use this blueprint when constructing your project from start to finish.
Completion of Assignment – Were all the requirements fulfilled?
Exploration of Concept - The depth in which the concept was explored via your contact sheets, idea mapping, brainstorming as well as conversing with me and your fellow students about your ideation in class and on the blog. You may also want to include anything that has been influential to your project such as other artists, artwork, literature read, etc. in your artist statement.
Communication- How clear and powerful the idea is expressed through your chosen images as well as arrangement and fluidity of the body of work to reflect your statement.
Presentation-The quality of the finished prints, which includes technically fine tuned prints showing proper contrast and correct distribution of blacks, whites and grays. No dust and scratch marks shown in the photo and proportional white borders on all photographs printed for that series.
Critiques are a crucial component of the course. It is imperative that you make it to critiques ON TIME to participate and offer your peers feedback on their artwork. Unexcused late project grades will be lowered by half a letter grade (for example a B+ will become a B if handed in late).
How grades will be determined:
4 Main Photo Projects - 40 % of final grade
Final Portfolio - 30 % of final grade
Reading, Questions &
Discussion Participation - 10 % of final grade
Participation & Attendance - 10 % of final grade
Posting on Blog - 10 % of final grade
Equipment and Materials that you will need can be found at Harmon’s and online
www.calumetphoto.com www.bhphotovideo.com www.adorama.com
-Compressed Air
-China marker (any color)
-35mm SLR manual camera with an internal light meter
-Towel for darkroom usage
-3 ring binder for contact sheets filled with plastic sleeves to hold your 8x10 or larger photographs
-Film, at least 14 rolls (suggested Ilford 400 ISO) 36 exposure rolls
-Plastic sleeves to protect negatives
-Paper: Ilford 8x10” Fiber paper Pearl surface or larger. You may use RC paper for test strips and contact sheets, but final prints will be on fiber paper.
-From the fourth assignment on you will be allowed to print digital images onto inkjet paper. We will discuss where to get inkjet paper when the time comes.
Course Requirements:
You are expected to complete the photography projects, writing assignments, posting to the blog, contact sheets, reading, final portfolio and dedicate time both during and outside of class hours towards the proficiency of the basic black & white photography fundamentals. You must demonstrate individual participation by asking questions, coming to class and using the available resources independent of class time.
Assignments:
You will receive more information when the projects are assigned.
Project 1 - Read Chapter 10 - Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and make one photograph for each of the "eight varieties of photographic vision."
Project 2 - Construct a narrative in a single image. Utilize the full frame, outside the frame, camera position, subject position in relation to picture plane, etc.
Project 3 – Read Chapter 17 - Reconstruct a photograph or photographic image that exists in the world, changing the scale and figure/ground relationship.
Project 4 - Read Chapter 21 - Producing the Real - Create a digitally collaged image that challenges the nature of the photographic image as 'real.'
Final project: Create a body of work of at least 10 single images, each of which works by itself. These photographs can be color or black and white. These "singular prints" should be presented in an archival print box or portfolio.
Reading:
In addition to the hands-on aspect of this class I will also require reading from the textbook assigned in this syllabus as well as literature that I may prescribe. You are required to write and turn in five questions pertinent to the reading on the following class meeting. These questions may be about sections of the reading that you didn’t understand, you don’t agree with, are curious how others interpreted them, etc. Please include a page number with your question when referencing a specific quote or paragraph.
Contact Sheets:
One week after the assignment sheet has been handed out; I expect at least two contact sheets ready for me to look at. This helps me to become better acquainted with your work and helps you stay on track with your assignment. Failure to do so will be a loss of points from your assignment grade.
The Blog:
Two weeks after the assignment sheet has been handed out, you are required to scan and post a few of your prints and a short artist statement on the class blog. This will help the other students become familiar with what you’re working on and put them in a position to offer constructive in-progress criticism. It will also produce more meaningful and insightful comments during the classroom critiques. Occasionally I will post discussion questions on the blog for everyone to way in on. Failure to post on the blog when required will result in a loss of points from your final grade.
Entering a Juried Show:
As budding artists, it is important to enter your work in juried art shows to gain recognition in your field and among your peers as well as filling up that resume. Since this class is about creating the singular image, I thought it would be great to put your visually strong images to the test by requiring you to enter your work into a juried show. All you will need to turn will be your acceptance or rejection letter from a juried show that you entered your photos into. This will be due by the end of the semester. Possible juried show sites to look at are: www.artshow.com/juriedshows/ and www.lvartscommission.com/artist-opportunities/
Academic Honesty Policy:
Students are expected to abide by the UF Academic Honesty Policy, which defines an academic honesty offense as “the act of lying, cheating, or stealing academic information so that one gains academic advantage.”
As a University of Florida student, one is expected to neither commit nor assist another in committing an academic honesty violation. Additionally, it is the student’s duty to report observed academic honesty violations. These can include: cheating, plagiarism, bribery, misrepresentation, conspiracy, or fabrication.
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial/procedures/academicguide.php
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation. http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY:
This course will adhere to the School of Art and Art History’s Health and Safety Policy which will be reviewed in class. All students are required to sign and submit to the office (FAC 103) the SAAH Health and Safety Student Signature page. The handbook and the signature page are located at: http://saahhealthandsaftey.weebly.com/handbook.html
Tentative Schedule
January
Week 1
Thursday the 6th: Syllabus handed out and discussed, merriment and discourse will follow.
Darkroom refreshers.
Give first assignment
Read Ch. 10 in Photography Reader for Tuesday discussion
Due Tuesday: 5 Questions about the chapter
Week 2
Tuesday the 11th: Show examples
Discuss Ch. 10 and assignment
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Camera Refreshers
Thursday the 13th: Lab
Show contact sheets
Read Ch. 6
Week 3
Tuesday the 18th: Discuss Ch. 6
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Lab
Post images on blog by Thursday
Thursday the 20th: Lab
Read Ch. 18
Week 4
Tuesday the 25th: Discuss Ch. 18
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Lab
Thursday the 27th: Critique First Assignment
Second Assignment Given
Read Ch. 11
February
Week 5
Tuesday the 1st: Show examples and discuss assignment
Discuss Ch. 11
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Thursday the 3rd: Lighting Demo
Show contact sheets
Lab if time
Read Ch. 14
Week 6
Tuesday the 8th: Discuss Ch.14
Lab
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Post images on blog by Thursday
Thursday the 10th: Meet at the Harn
Looking at and Reading the photograph
Week 7
Tuesday the 15th: Lab
Thursday the 17th: Critique Second Assignment
Give Third Assignment
Read Ch. 17
Week 8
Tuesday the 22nd: Show examples
Discuss Ch. 17 and assignment
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Thursday the 24th: Show contact sheets
Lab
Read Ch. 13
March
Week 9
Tuesday the 1st: Discuss Ch. 13
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Post images on blog by Thursday
Thursday the 3rd: Lab
Read Ch. 30
Week 10
Tuesday the 8th: Spring Break
Thursday the 10th: Spring Break
Week 11
Tuesday the 15th: Critique Third Assignment
Give Fourth Assignment and Final Assignment
Read Ch. 21
Thursday the 17th: Digital cameras, shooting in RAW, scanning film, and photoshop demo.
Week 12
Tuesday the 22nd: Show examples
Discuss Ch. 21 and assignment
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Thursday the 24th: Lab
Read Ch. 1
Post images on blog by Tuesday
Week 13
Tuesday the 29th: Discuss Ch.1
Turn in 5 questions for reading
Lab
Thursday the 31st: Lab
Week 14:
Tuesday the 5th: Critique Fourth Assignment
Thursday the 7th: Individual Meetings
Lab
Week 15:
Tuesday the 12th: Individual Meetings
Lab
Thursday the 14th: Lab
Week 16:
Tuesday the 19th: Lab
Turn in proof of juried show application
Week 17
Final Critique???????
