Syllabus

Course Introduction

Digital Art Photography is a continuation of basic skills learned in previous photography courses. However, emphasis is placed in critical analysis of the photographic process as an art form, and the development and understanding of image making in visual culture. Photography has changed radically over the last few years, and despite the initial suspicion of certain elements of the “photographic community,” who either complained about the inferior quality of digital equipment or raised ethical questions about manipulating images, digital photography is here to stay.

Catalog Description

Explores digital photography and digital camera operations, covering lighting, composition, exposure, and image editing. In this course students will study the fundamentals of digital photographic concepts as well as experimental processes. Basic computer skills are required. This course is designed for art and design majors, but non-art majors can register with instructor’s approval.

Course Objectives

During the semester, students will:
• Learn advanced techniques of photo composition, camera operation and technical vocabulary
• Explore various ways of image-making throughout different photographic devices/equipment
• Lab work involves advanced image manipulation, out-putting prints, and creative solution of assigned problems

Outcomes/Competencies

COMPETENCIES	MEASURABLE INSTRUMENTS	MEASUREMENT STANDARDS
• Know to take pictures with different types of digital cameras and devices.• Recognize technically correct exposures, focus, and composition.  • Know various types and applications of light, and light modifiers.   • Perform software image editing and adjustments.	Projects	Note: see rubrics applied to overall grading criteria for all projects.
• Retain the craft, aesthetically and historically through the study of examples, critiques and readings of texts and other photographs.• Develop proper vocabulary pertinent to field	Quizzes	A:90% (or above) answers are correct. Excellent use of terminology. Recognition of techniques and processes, as well as historical facts.B:80% correct answers. Student has good comprehension of some process, techniques and historical facts.C:70% correct answers. Answers are simplistic or superficial. Student has an average grasp of content.D: 60% correct answers. Terms and ideas are not relative to content. Student does not demonstrate understanding of right concepts. F: Below 60% answers correct, or none at all.
• Express and examine concepts.	Verbal presentations	A:Excellent articulation of ideas, and feedback to other students as response to inputs and overall reaction from projects.Student makes eye contact and is willing to engage in conversation.B:Good use of technical vocabulary, and response to peer review.C: Average use of concepts. Student presents shallow ideas, and misunderstanding vocabulary. D: Poor use of vocabulary. Makes little or none eye contact. F: Student fails to present work.

 

Activities

• Lectures, demonstrations and class discussions
• Reading of selected articles, handouts, magazines and web sites
• Informal individual critiques of student work in progress*
• Group critiques of assigned projects (final presentations)*
• Lab work (The lab will be open for additional time outside of class for students to complete assignments. Lab hours will be posted.)
• Online participation throughout class-blog discussions and comments.
Note: you are expected to write at least 4 comments, and encouraged to add 1 post of your own thinking (not just a link to another website or blog, leave some comments, your opinion, what you think about the work linked, etc). Attention: any post/comment created after April 22 won’t count for your blog activity.

Critiques

Critiques of assignments are important to the progress of each individual in the class, and to the success of the course itself. Critique fosters development of an ability to verbalize visual concepts, and will help you learn to see actively.

Critiques are a time for articulating your ideas and formal decisions, and for discovering how your creative products communicate through larger systems of representations, visual associations, memory, metaphor, and the history of knowledge and materials. Participation in critiques will be considered in grades for all assignments.

Cell Phones

Electronic devices (cell phones, ipods, ipads, etc.) may be used in class when requested by the instructor. Disruption of the class by the sound or use of cell phones and other devices is forbidden. A student facing the responsibility of receiving an emergency message by one of these means must notify the instructor at the beginning of class, and may leave the device on.

Required Texts

Available at the ACU Campus Store

Short Course in Digital Photography
by Barbara London, Jim Stone

ISBN-10: 0205645925
ISBN-13:  9780205645923

Basics Photography: Composition
by David Prakel

ISBN-10: 2940373043
ISBN-13:978-2940373048

Additional Recommended Texts

Available at the ACU Library

Art Photography Now, by Susan Bright
Vitamin Ph, by Rodrigo Alonso
Photo Art, by Uta Grosenick
Street Art, Street Life, by Lydia Yee
Art and Photography, by David Campany

Faith and Learning

As Christians, photographic images can be uplifting, and useful in conveying the ‘reality’ of our lives as living testimonies of Christ’s love for humanity. Through photographs we can reflect on our role and practice, we can share our faith with others and document important events such as mission works, etc.

Class Attendance

Excused absences are still counted in the total number of absences. The fact that an absence is excused means only that the student has the opportunity to make up the work missed during the absence without penalty to his/her grade. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the professor to complete the work in a time frame agreeable with the professor.

In Fall and Spring semesters:
3 unexcused absences are allowed in this class.
After these absences have been used, grade penalties will be assigned as followed:

1. After 1 absence, students will have their course grade lowered by one letter grade, 2 absences, two letter grades.
2. Students who have more than 2 absences will be given a failing grade in the class (excused absence are death in the immediate family, documented illness, official ACU-sponsored trips).
3. Arriving tardy 3 times equals one absence that counts against the permitted ones.
4. Students who participate in official University activities (athletics, debate, band, etc.) must provide the required University form one week in advance.
5. Leaving class early without permission from the instructor will be counted as a class absence.

Dress Code

Please follow the dress code outlined in your Student Handbook. You may be asked to leave class if you are not dressed according to the guidelines. Thanks for your cooperation.

Late work policy

Late work will be accepted, however student will be penalized 15 points on assignment (and student won’t be able to participate on project critiques). Please do not wait until the end of the semester to try to work out specific problems. Come by and talk to me to make arrangements as problems arise.

ADA Compliance Statement

Abilene Christian University is dedicated to removing barriers and opening access for students with disabilities in compliance with ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Alpha Scholars Program facilitates disability accommodations in cooperation with instructors. In order to receive accommodations, you must be registered with Alpha Scholars Program, and you must complete a specific request for each class in which you need accommodations. If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please call our office directly at (325) 674-2667.

Academic Honesty Policy

Turning in the work or images of another artist as one’s own on any assignment (or any other activity which might be defined as cheating or plagiarism) will result in a minimum penalty of an automatic F for all perpetrators on each assignment. Violations of academic integrity and other forms of cheating, as defined in ACU’s Academic integrity policy, involve the intention to deceive or mislead or misrepresent, and therefore are a form of lying and represent actions contrary to the behavioral norms that flow from the nature of God. Violations will be addressed as described in the policy. While the university enforces the policy, the most powerful motive for integrity and truthfulness comes from one’s desire to imitate God’s nature in our lives. Every member of the faculty, staff and student body is responsible for protecting the integrity of learning, scholarship and research. The full policy is available for review at the Provost’s office web site (http://www.acu.edu/campusoffices/ provost) and the following offices: provost, college deans, dean of campus life, director of student judicial affairs, director of residential life education and academic departments.

Grading Factors

The final grade will be composed of 7 studio projects, 3 exercises, 2  quizzes, and class/online participation. In Digital Art Photography a scale will be used as follows:

7 Projects: (50% final grade)
3 Exercises: (20% final grade)
2 Quizzes (10% final grade)
Class/online participation  (20% final grade)

Grade Scale:
A     (100-90)
B     (89-80)
C     (79-70)
D     (69-60)
F     (59-0)