HONR 175 Section 25 Fall 2003
Digital Photography, 3.0 credits
Class meets on Monday, at 08:00am-12: 40pm
CRN: 76202 from: 09/02/03 to: 12/08/03
Instructor: Professor Robinson

Text: Adobe Photoshop 7.0: Studio Techniques ISBN# 0-321-11563-5 www.peachpit.com

Course Goals
This course is for students who want to explore the future of photographic imaging through an introduction to the digital-editing program Adobe Photoshop. We will cover reflective art, negative and transparency scanning; various methods of enhancing and manipulating photographs; seamlessly combining multiple images; and color correcting and printing from digital files.

Throughout most of the course the focus will be on developing the skills needed to create photo-realistic images, even if they are not always believable or logical. Little emphasis will be placed on the simplistic use of Photoshop’s massive supply of “wow” filters, especially as a means of salvaging an unsuccessful original. In short, your technique should not overpower the ideas that you are addressing, nor should your concepts get lost within sloppy technical skills.

Course Requirements
1) Responsible for thoroughly reading and being prepared to discuss the assigned material during class meetings.

2) There will be approximately 5 Quizzes given throughout the semester over the reading material, lectures, and demonstrations.

3) There will be approximately 7 Technical Exercises that will enable you to demonstrate your understanding of a variety of digital techniques. Technical expertise will be the main criteria used to assign the grades for these exercises. However, aesthetic decisions will be taken into consideration and will affect your grade on these exercises.

4) There will be a Final Portfolio assigned during the second half of the semester. You will be expected to demonstrate your ability to creatively complete a personal project that has been approved by the instructor. The final images in this project should clearly and effectively communicate your ideas to the viewer. This is a fine art class; therefore you will be expected to apply the technical skills learned toward the production of fine art. An extremely high level of technical proficiency and aesthetic quality will be expected for these projects. In addition, the work should be presented in a professional manner.


Class Participation
Attendance is mandatory (Since this course meets once a week, 2 absences will lower your grade by 1 letter, 3 absences--2 letters, 4 or more absences will result in a failing grade). If you do not come to class prepared or arrive late, it will be counted as 1/2 of an absence. It is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet at the beginning of class.

Grading
Remember this is an ART course. You will be expected to apply the technical skills learned toward the production of fine art. Photos of friends hanging out in your room, bottles piled on tables and squirrels on the Mall are very dull. Keep these in mind:
• Look for a unique perspective (camera angle and idea)
• Speak with universal ideas and symbols that are beyond basic representation
• Create independent solutions to ideas
• Ask: Does this image fit in a gallery setting or a family album or the yearbook? Which is best for this course?
• Look at the work of other, more accomplished, photographers

Final grades will be determined by the following (more specific information will follow):
• Presentations
• Visual Diary
• Periodic quizzes
• Photographic projects that will be judged for creativity and technical proficiency.

Improvement over the semester is expected.
o Project grades will be based on :
• Industry standards for printing, craftsmanship and presentation
• Creativity and originality of design and idea
• Compliance with written and oral instructions

Professionalism, attitude, effort, attendance and participation. The first three are reflected in the work handed in during the semester. Have all materials needed for class and participate actively in keeping the photography areas clean and organized. This also includes using class time efficiently by arriving and departing on time. Have all reading assignments completed prior to class lecture. Interaction with instructor is expected. You are responsible for earning your grade in this class . New work should be produced each week.

Grade Scale:

A= Reflects very clear understanding and implementation of the objectives of the assignment; quality of the work is extremely high
B= Reflects good understanding and implementation of the objectives of the
assignment; quality of the work is strong and above average
C= Basic understanding and implementation of the objectives of the assignment; quality of the work is satisfactory and average
D= Poor understanding and implementation of the objectives of the assignment; quality of the work is below average
F= Complete lack of understanding and/or implementation of the objectives of the assignment; quality of the work is unacceptable

A tremendous amount of time and energy will be spent on grading by your instructor. The assigned grades will be based on the criteria stated above and will be a reflection of the quality of your work in relation to that of other students who are taking the same course. The amount of time spent on a project does not always translate into a high grade. The instructor and the lab assistants will help you to make the best possible prints from your negative, but this does not ensure the work will receive a high grade, esp. in relation to work by other students in the class. Grading photographs is not subjective.

Final Grades will be tabulated from points earned during the semester. Students may keep track, as I will, of their semester grades by taking note of the points they earn. The points earned will be divided by the points possible that semester. For example, if a student earns 2100 points and 2500 were possible, that student’s grade will be an 84% (2100/2500=84) or a ‘B’.

Missing projects will receive a zero—even small point projects can hurt a final course grade. End of semester projects are usually worth a substantial portion of a semester grade and can help or hurt a final course grade.

As stated above, there are other factors beyond the points you earn that can adversely affect your grade. This will be determined at your instructor’s (and usually the department head’s) discretion.

Projects and points
There are 4400 points this semester. The final project is 1500 points—about 23% of your course grade. Grade calculation is explained on the previous page.

Assignments:
(200 points) History Presentation
(200 points) Contemporary Presentation
(200 points) Visual Diary
(150 points) TE 1
(200 points) Collage Project
(200 points) Painting Mona Lisa
(200 points) Ben & Jen
(200 points) Art History
(200 points) Toxic Cyclist
(200 points) Alien Project
(350 points) Desert Island Project
(600 points) TE 7: Journal Project
(1000 points) Final project
(500 points approx.) Quizzes (100 pts each-approx.)

Late Policy: (late=not handed into instructor at the time and date specified, regardless of the reason)
10% will be deducted from a late project’s grade each week it is overdue.
If a portion of an assignment is late, the entire assignment will be considered late.
Projects handed more than 14 calendar days beyond due date may receive a failing grade. Projects 21 days past due are failed.
Final projects will not be accepted after the date specified.

Attendance: Photography courses are very ‘hands on’ and dependant on
instructor/student interaction. Missed classes are missed opportunities that cannot be made up by reading a textbook. Learning is accomplished through experience and observation.

An attendance sheet will be provided for students to sign each class meeting. Please take your seat at the scheduled start of class so the attendance sheet may be passed around. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire about the attendance sheet if it is not readily available .
• Students are expected to attend all scheduled labs and lectures.
• Attendance is arriving on time and staying for the full class.
• 2 absences = final grade reduced by 1 letter, 3 = 2 letters, 4 or more = failing grade for course, regardless of performance. Each late arrival or early departure will count as 1/2 absence. This is your only warning!
• The student is responsible for missed information. Instructor will not repeat entire lectures.
• Students must attend the section for which they have registered.
• A missed critique may result in a reduction in project grade.
• If a student is disruptive, not prepared for class or not following department rules, they will be sent home and counted as absent for that class meeting.
• Unexcused absences are ones not verified by official documentation. Your instructor and the department head will determine the appropriateness of the documentation based on university guidelines.

Honor Code/Academic Integrity
Each student will produce original and individual written and photographic work during the semester. All assignments (written, verbal, visual) in this course will be completed in conformance with this school’s honor code/code of academic integrity.
• It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with this school’s honor code/academic integrity policy. If you are unfamiliar with your school’s policy, seek the appropriate office/website/handbook for information.
• Suspicious assignments will be brought to the attention of the appropriate campus authorities.
• All written work will require bibliographies and source notations.

Disability Support Services
Any student who is registered with the DSS must inform the instructor on the first day or class so that appropriate accommodations and/or assistance can be arranged.

Religious Holidays
I am happy to accommodate religious holidays throughout the semester. Please notify me during the first weeks of the semester if you know you will be absent from class on the day(s) of a religious observance.



Course Calendar, Fall 2003
Honors, Digital Photography, 3.0 credits
Class meets on Monday, at 08:00am-12: 40pm

Week 1 (September 8)
-Introductions, Digital Basics: Creating Folders, Saving Files, Burning CD
-Slides on Intro. To Photography + DVD on “Photographic Precursors”
-Technical Exercise 1 (due at the beginning of next class)

Week 2 (September 15)
-Quiz: Chapter 1: Tool and Palette Primer & Chapter 4: Resolution
-Lecture/Demo: Chapter 1 & Chapter 4
TE 2: in class + Selections, drawing and painting

Week 3 (September 22)
-Quiz: Chapter 2: Selection Primer & Chapter 10: Channels
-History Presentations due at start of class
-Understanding Layers
-Collage Project: in class
-Painting Mona Lisa: due next week

Week 4 (September 29)
-Quiz, demo and lecture on Chapters 6 & 7 (skip pp. 174-9)
-Review Quickmask; Extraction Tool (CIB)
-Slides and discussion (thinking ahead to TE 5 & 6)
-Discuss Final Project
-Ben and Jen Project in class
-Art History Project: due next week
-For next week: bring film/prints for scanning practice

Week 5 (October 6) -Demo and lecture on scanning and printing
-Color Correction (CIB)
-Toxic Cyclist: due next class
-Work on scanning and printing in class
-Introduce: Desert Island Project: due Oct 28
-Shoot for Desert Island Project by next class.

Week 6 (October 13)
-Quiz: Chapter 14: Retouching; Color Correcting Reading
- Alien Project: due next week
-Work on Desert Island Project

Week 7 (October 20) -Quiz, lecture and demo of chapter 3
-Work on Desert Island Project


Week 8 (October 27)
- Contemporary Presentations due
-Lecture and demo of chapters 12 & 13
-Work on Desert Island Project
-Introduce Journal Project: due Nov. 11: Start Shooting!!!

Week 9 (November 3)
- Critique Desert Island at the start of class
-Slides and discussion
-Between now and Nov. 18: Shoot 4 rolls of “film” towards Final Project and complete one image for final project

Week 10 (November 10)
- Work on Journal Project
-Work on Final Project

Week 11 (November 17)
-Critique Journal Project at the start of class
-Work on Final Portfolio: bring in shot film

Week 12 (November 24)
- Critique first Final Project image (and work in progress)
-Work on Final Project

Week 13 (December 1)
- Work on Final Project

Week 14 (December 8)
-FINAL CRITIQUES. FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE

Week 15 (December 12-20) Final Exam Week


Supply List
7 to10 rolls of color slide film
25 CD-Rs
1 100MB Mac Formatted Zip Disk
Epson Premium Luster Paper (8 1/2 x 11 inches—approximately 50 sheets)
1 set of ink for Epson 2000P Printer
10 to 15 sheets of pure white, acid-free, 4-ply mat board
1 box of archival photo corners (this can be shared with other students)