Clean-Up Day

To clean-up the shared photography spaces, all students and faculty will take place in "clean-up day." This is always a lively time to roll up the sleeves and help make the place nice for the next semester. Nibbles provided. Minimum requirement: 1 hour. Wear grungy darkroom clothes.

When: Tuesday, 12/12 (exam week). Two session options: 1) 10-noon, and 2) noon-2pm
Where: Photography darkroom and classrooms
How long? 1-hour commitment

Borrowed Equipment

Please aim to return borrowed equipment... cameras, tripods, etc., either Tuesday or Thursday of dead week.

Thanks,

Chris

Light Meter option

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-light-meter/id381698089?mt=8

Final Portfolio

The final portfolio for the course will consist of:

• All contact sheets shot for the course, organized in a logical way
• The matted final prints from the Final Project (6-10 prints)
• Any additional matted, final, prints drawn from any of the other exercises in the course, to bring the total number of prints in the portfolio to 10

All prints should be spotted, mounted and matted to the highest standard you are capable of.

Final Project

Due Dates:

Proposal: Tuesday, November 7
1st Critique: Tuesday, November 21
2nd Critique: Thursday, November 30th (prints should be completed)
Final Critique: Thursday December 7th (prints should be matted)

Objective:

Explore a word, theme, concept or idea through a series of images. The images should directly engage or express your underlying theme or idea.

You will submit an initial proposal for your idea for discussion with the instructor.

Strive to create strong images, with consideration for:

• Subject matter
• Point of view
• Framing/Composition
• Light
• Depth of field

The images should be well executed, technically:

• Focus
• Exposure
• Film handling and processing

The prints should be high quality, refined, expressive:

• Darkroom prints
• Good exposure
• Good contrast
• Attention to local adjustments (dodge and burn)
• Spotted, clean
• mounted/matted

Shooting: At least 5 successful rolls of film. 

To submit:

• 5 contact sheets
• 6-10 refined prints, spotted, mounted and matted
• Short artist statement (approx. 1 page)

Proposal Guidelines:

• 1 page, single space
• Paragraph describing your word, theme, concept or idea, and why it is important to you
• Paragraph describing how you will engage the above photographically
• Paragraph discussing two relevant, well-established, artists/photographers from this blog, Lenscratch, Lens Culture, or a photography book, that are inspiring for your project. In this paragraph, identify specific decisions the photographer has made that you find inspirational or important to you

Contemporary Themes

Identity

• Cindy Sherman… identity as social construct. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&biw=1548&bih=1175&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=cindy+sherman+photography+black+and+white+film+stills&oq=cindy+sherman+photography+black+and+white+film+stills&gs_l=psy-ab.3...18695.20911.0.21012.12.12.0.0.0.0.97.835.11.11.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..1.1.84...0i30k1.0.CeThFXF6ULc
• Megan Jacobs…hidden mothers http://lenscratch.com/2017/06/megan-jacobs-hidden/
• Tara Bogart… identity expressed through outward appearance (hair) http://lenscratch.com/2016/06/tara-bogart-a-modern-hair-study/
• Stephanie Jarstad…humor and identity. The twelve beards of Christmas http://lenscratch.com/2015/12/stephanie-jarstad-the-twelve-beards-of-christmas/

Group identity/Social structures

• Rachel Papo…investigates common experience https://www.lensculture.com/explore?category_id=15&modal=project-209-serial-no-3817131

Place identity

• Latoya Ruby Frazier…Activism, the interrelation between place and family. http://www.latoyarubyfrazier.com/work/notion-of-family/
• Sung Seok Ahn…Historical/contemporary ideas of place http://lenscratch.com/2016/01/korea-week-sung-seok-ahn/
• Adrien Missika...Borders, boundaries and belonging. “America”https://www.lensculture.com/explore?category_id=15&modal=project-52113-amexica

Social media

• Evan Baden… coming of age in the social media era http://www.evanbaden.com/the-illuminati-–-200607.html
• Jena Cumbo… We met on the internet http://lenscratch.com/2014/02/jena-cumbo-met-internet/
• Jürgen Novotny… Camera Selfies https://www.lensculture.com/explore?category_id=15&modal=project-45738-cameraselfies

The environment

• John Sexton… natural beauty. https://www.google.com/search?q=John+Sexton,+photography&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJ0Zybw-vWAhXHSyYKHRymC_QQ_AUICigB&biw=1548&bih=1175
• Kurt Shio https://www.lensculture.com/explore?category_id=1&modal=project-57463-kuro-shio-black-current
• Young Ho Lee...Natural beauty as selection or construct http://lenscratch.com/2016/01/korean-week-myoung-ho-lee/
• Heidi Levity...   Environmental impact http://lenscratch.com/2010/05/heidi-leverty/

Other possible categories...

• In-depth portrait study
• Activities of purpose (e.g. musicians practicing, athletes working out)
• Underrepresented groups
• A political cause, and/or those involved
• Fake news/real news
• Relationships
• Gender/sexuality
• Spirituality and/or religion
• …

Shooting project: Contemporary Theme

Due: Tuesday, October 24 (ready for in-class critique)

Based on class lecture, and discussion with instructor, propose a contemporary theme or topic to explore photographically for this two week assignment.

Be ambitious but also practical. Choose a topic or subject that you can photograph repeatedly over the next week or so.

Expectations: at least 3 rolls of film, contact sheets, 5-7 excellent prints

The objectives of this assignment are:

1. Working a theme or concept. Choose appropriate subject matter that engages or expresses your idea
2. Create strong images, visually. This refers to framing, composition, point-of-view, background, depth of field, etc.
3. Technical facility. This refers to camera skills (exposure control, focus, etc.) as well as film handling and processing
4. Print quality. Work toward refined prints, paying attention to exposure, contrast, and local adjustments (burning and dodging)