Art 317.001
Digital Photography
Fall 2012
Instructor: Robert Kinsell
Office: B113
Office Phone: 4262
Course Time & Location: 11:00AM-1:40PM MW, Rm. 131
Office Hours: email for appointment
Credits: 3
Email: [email protected]
Prerequisites: Art 217, Art 100, Art 110
I. Course Description:
This course builds on the foundation of the skills learned in the darkroom in Art 217. We will learn how to migrate skills from
traditional darkroom photography and film cameras into a digital photographic workflow.
II. Intended Learning Outcomes/Goals/Objectives (Program/Student Learning Outcomes):
The topic of study this semester is digital photography. Digital camera technique, file management, workflow, and digital
printing will be covered. We will discuss issues relevant to digital photography and how it is both different from and similar to
traditional photography. This course will prepare you to be able to work in digital photographic methods with confidence in
future courses where proficiency in these techniques will be presumed of all participants. In addition to these technical goals,
artistic merit, aesthetics and a conceptual understanding of the significance of digital photography to the context of a work of
art will be of great importance.
A.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Undergraduate students will demonstrate proficiency in studio foundation skills as they relate to the elements and principles of
design.
Undergraduate students will exhibit a high level of proficiency in the use of materials, techniques and media.
Undergraduate students will demonstrate understanding of contemporary art issues through exploration of synthesis of
content, problem solving and creativity.
B.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will show their competence in using the demonstrated software by producing high quality work.
Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate design principles with the constraints of the photographic format.
Students will be able to explain the importance of the digital photography in today’s visual culture and art-making.
Students will explain their work to their classmates and other viewers, demonstrating their comprehension of both formal and
conceptual artistic concerns.
III. Course Assignments, Activities, Instructional Strategies, use of Technology:
The work of this class will be to produce a portfolio of 15 prints, a printed 20 page (or more) book, and a small
portofolio website of not fewer than 40 images.
For the final critique, you should have 15 prints that are excellent in every way. They should represent your very best effort for
a semester’s worth of work. You will also be presenting a Blurb book of not less than 20 pages and a website as a digital
portfolio of your work. All work will be evaluated for its technical, aesthetic and conceptual content. All three of these
aspects are important.
Some specific assignments will be given and there will be opportunities for students to explore their own techniques
and subject matter that are of particular interest to them.
Critiques:
Students will show work in progress and completed work for our scheduled critiques. Failure to show work will result in a zero.
Students should show a minimum of three new works at each critique. Many more than three are encouraged.
Art 317.001
Digital Photography
Fall 2012
IV. Evaluation and Assessments (Grading):
Your grade will reflect your meeting the requirements explained above. Namely, your work, attendance, and participation.
Final Grade:
Critique 1
Critique 2
Critique 3
Critique 4
Critique 5
Final Critique
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
50% (final exam)
Grading Scale:
90 - 100 A
80 - 89
B
70 - 79
C
60 - 69
D
59 >
F
Excessive absences (more than 3) will reduce your final grade. All absences must be pre-arranged.
V. Tentative Course Outline/Calendar:
Critique 1:
Critique 2:
Critique 3:
Critique 4:
Critique 5:
Final Critique:
September 12
October 1
October 17
November 5
November 19
December 10, 10:30-12:30
VI.Readings (Required and recommended—including texts, websites, articles, etc.):
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/lightroom/using/index.html
http://tv.adobe.com/search/?q=lightroom+4
http://www.youtube.com/lightroom
VII. Course Evaluations:
Near the conclusion of each semester, students in the School of Art electronically evaluate courses taken within the COFA. As
you evaluate this course, please be thoughtful, thorough, and accurate in completing the evaluation. Please know that the
COFA faculty is committed to excellence in teaching and continued improvement. Therefore, your response is critical!
In the School of Art, the course evaluation process has been simplified and is completed electronically through MySFA.
Although the instructor will be able to view the names of students who complete the survey, all ratings and comments are
confidential and anonymous, and will not be available to the instructor until after final grades are posted.
VIII. Student Ethics and Other Policy Information:
Attendance:
Class absences are not to exceed 6 contact hours in a studio class without consequence. A student will not receive
credit for any studio class when missing 18 contact hours or more (this includes excused and unexcused absences).
Photo/Digital Area Policy:
Class attendance is mandatory; punctuality is expected. Attendance is taken in the first 10 minutes of class; if you are not
present, you are marked tardy. If you do not arrive after another 10 minutes, you are absent. Three unexcused absences will
result in a final letter grade of no greater than a C. Two tardies/early departures equal one unexcused absence. Excused/
unexcused absences will be determined by the professor. Absence during a critique, failure to turn in a project during a critique,
or missed quizzes will result in an automatic F for that project. Late projects will not be accepted. Students are responsible for
making up missed work.
All absences should be prearranged. Please let me know when you have an unusual circumstance when you cannot attend.
Some of you will prefer to do the bulk of your work at home or at another location. This does not excuse you from meeting with
the class. Your participation in the group is important, and good communication with me helps me help you accomplish what
you need to do.
Art 317.001
Digital Photography
Fall 2012
Students with Disabilities
To obtain disability related accommodations, alternate formats and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities must contact the
Office of Disability Services (ODS), Human Services Building, and Room 325, 468-3004/468-1004 (TDD) as early as possible
in the semester. Once verified, ODS will notify the course instructor and outline the accommodation and/or auxiliary aids to be
provided. Failure to request services in a timely manner may delay your accommodations. For additional information, go to
http://www.sfasu.edu/disabiltiyservices/.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty members promote academic integrity in
multiple ways including instruction on the components of academic honesty, as well as abiding by university polity on penalties
for cheating and plagiarism.
Definition of Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to (1) using or attempting to
use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a better grade on a component of a class; (2) the falsification or invention of any
information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or (3) helping or attempting to help another in an act of cheating
or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism
are (1) submitting an assignment as if it were one’s own work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained from an Internet
source or another source; and (3) incorporating the words or ideas of an author into one’s paper without giving the author due
credit.
Please read the complete policy at http://www.sfasu.edu/policies/academic_integrity.asp
Withheld Grades Semester Grades Policy (A-54)
Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the academic chair/director, a grade of WH will
be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must
complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a WH, or the grade
automatically becomes and F. If students register for the same course in future terms the WH will automatically become an F
and will be counted as a repeated course for the purpose of computing the grade point average.
IX.
Supplies:
All work must be stored on your own personal drive. You must have a portable external hard drive. A 500 GB USB 2.0 drive is
the minimum requirement. A second drive to backup your files is highly recommended and will avert semester ending disasters.
The drive should be bus powered. Look at Staples and Walmart, but the best deals are online. I recommend the following site:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/USB2/OWC_Express
You choose the size of the drive, they ship the enclosure and the drive and you assemble it ( this is a total nobrainer ). Nice
drives and cheap. You can get a 500 GB for as little as $78.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Seagate/YST9500325AS/
A Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR) or a mirrorless system camera (Sony NEX series, Olympus PEN and OMD series,
Panasonic G series, Nikon 1 series) is necessary for this class. Phone cameras are unacceptable. The cameras should have
the ability to shoot to a RAW file format and be able to manually control aperture and shutter speed. If you do not have one,
there are some available for checkout. I can not guarantee that there will always be a camera available for your use. Having
your own good quality camera will benefit you in this class and in all of your studies.
Adobe Lightroom is available at student rates for less than $60. I strongly recommend that you get a copy for your own
machine … it will make learning the software much easier, and will give you a tool to use for the rest of your career as an artist.
You will be producing a 20 page (minimum) book for this class, using the Blurb.com website and Lightroom’s book making
module. The minimum price for a book is $20, with higher prices depending on size, number of pages, type of paper and
binding.
You will need to supply your own inkjet printing paper. I recommend Epson Semigloss or Premium Luster surface papers.
Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl (IGSPP), Canson Infinity Baryta Photographique, and Red River Satin 2.0 are also good
alternatives. Depending on how large you want to print you can get rolls of paper in 16, 17, 24, 36 or 44 inches. 16 inch paper
will suffice. The rolls are 100 ft long.
Art 317.001
Digital Photography
Fall 2012
X.
Camera Buying Guide and Digital Camera Terms.
Cameral Buying Guide (Biased)
For flexibility, image quality and control, only larger sensor interchangeable lens cameras are worth considering. Cameras in
these categories all produce RAW files (a necessity for this class). Larger sensor cameras imaging chips come in three sizes “Full Frame” (the same size as a 35mm film frame), APS (the most common format, found in the vast majority of
interchangeable lens cameras) and 4/3 (slightly smaller than APS, found in Panasonic and Olympus cameras only.) The most
common style of camera is the DSLR with those manufactured by Nikon and Canon being the most popular and available in a
fairly broad price range, from camera/lens kits of APS sensor cameras sometimes less than $500 to “Full Frame” bodies that
cost more than your used car. Another style of interchangeable lens camera is the Mirrorless category. Cameras from
Panasonic, Olympus and Sony are the most common, with Panasonic and Olympus sharing the 4/3 sensor and Sony using
their own APS sensor. Advantages of these cameras is that they are significantly smaller than the the DSLR cameras while still
offering good image quality and shooting flexibility. Always consider buying used or buy the camera that was just replaced by a
new model from that manufacturer … you’ll get a great camera for a significantly smaller price. Finally, about lenses. Most
cameras come with a “kit” lens … an inexpensive “normal” zoom lens that covers medium wide angle to medium telephoto.
Usually these lenses are more than adequate to use as your only lens. But one word concerning image quality. A great lens on
an adequate camera body will give you better image quality than a cheap lens on an expensive camera body.
Necessary Digital File Terms
RAW - Data taken directly from a camera’s sensor. Usually only available on higher end cameras, not point and shoots. Each
camera maker has their own proprietary file format for Raw file - NEF for Nikon, CRW for Canon, etc. These files can only be
read by the camera maker’s own software and by Raw editors - Lightroom, Aperture, iPhoto.
JPEG - In camera JPEGs are processed by the camera’s internal computer and present “ready to use” images. Files generally
do not have the “latitude” for adjustment that RAW files have, and can manifest image quality issues, particularly concerning
noise, color and sharpening, that cannot be corrected as easily as RAW files can.
NOISE - Electronic disturbance patterns, usually seen at high ISO settings. Generally appears as small brightly colored random
dots, most easily seen in dark areas of the image. Can be “cleaned” from an image, but usually at the expense of some detail.
ISO - The “speed” of the image capture of the sensor … it’s sensitivity to low light. Higher numbers = more sensitive = able to
shoot in darker lighting situations. In digital, this works in concert with shutter speed and aperture, i.e., you can use a higher
shutter speed or a smaller aperture by using a higher ISO setting. The higher ISO, the more digital noise is amplified in the
picture. Very high ISOs (1600 and above) can produce very blotchy images, depending on the camera.