Special Problems
Staged, Fabricated & Directed Studio Photography
Art 40790
Click here to download the syllabus as a PDF
Professor: Dick Lane Office:
013N Moudy (Photo Lab)
Email: r.lane@tcu.edu Phone:
(817) 257-7670
Office Hours: By Appointment
Statement of Purpose & Policy
This is an Advanced class in photography. You must have permission of
the instructor to enroll in this course. In this class you will have
the opportunity to extend your skill set in studio lighting, conceptualizing
content and producing images for creative artistic purposes. You must
be self motivated if you expect to do well in this course.
The main objectives of this course are as follows:
(1) To understand the basic concepts and motivations for Staging, Fabricating & Directing
images in the Photographic studio setting.
(2) To extend your current knowledge base in studio lighting.
(3) To extend your skills in conceptualizing content.
(4) To produce an outstanding Advanced Student level Final Portfolio.
To accomplish these goals there will be some or all of the following
included in this course: demonstrations, lectures, readings, discussions,
papers, and critiques to instruct you in technical, conceptual and aesthetic
matters. You are also encouraged to seek aid during the supervised lab
period for any problems encountered concerning photography.
Important Policies
Grades -
During the course of the semester your progress will be ascertained by
various projects, tests and assignments. You will receive a grade each
time you turn in a portfolio so that you may assess your progress..
You will also receive grades for class participation and exams. The
final portfolio is only “portfolio” grade that will be used in calculating
your final grade. The final portfolio will contain 10 of your best
works from the projects and outside work. As the semester proceeds,
we will identify, through discussions and critiques of projects the
criteria used to evaluate your photographs.
Evaluation for your Final Grade will be based on the following:
(1) Evidence growth in your photographic skills and ability to conceptualize
your ideas in the “photographic studio setting”.
(2) Your ability to control the materials and processes of photographic
print production.
(3) Your attendance and participation at all scheduled class functions.
Additionally:
To receive a “C” in this course, you must produce well-printed, well-crafted
photographs that show you’ve learned how to use your camera and how
to present photographs.
To receive a “B” in this course, you must do all of the requirements
for a “C” plus you must produce photographs that are inspired a lot of
the time.
To receive an “A” in this course, you must do all of the above plus
you must produce excellent, inspired photographs most of the time.
The Final Portfolio will count 60% of your Final Grade. Participation
(attendance in class and participation in critiques) will count 20%.
The Mid Term Exam will count 10%. The Slide presentation will count 10%.
Expectations
My expectations are that you will shoot a lot of images per project.
To continue to add to and grow in your photographic knowledge, it is
essential to shoot a lot of pictures. I WILL look at your computer
from time to time to confirm that you are doing the minimum amount
of work required. I also expect you to strive for excellence in your
study and practice of Art Photography.
YOUR expectations for yourself should be set high. If your are expectations
are low you will probably meet them but you may not learn very much.
If your expectations are high you may not meet them but I am certain
that you will learn a more than you thought. You may not use any photographs
that you have shot prior to the first day of class in this course. You
are expected to do work that is entirely yours and entirely new for this
course.
Attendance:
The university attendance policy states that regular and punctual class
attendance is essential and that no assigned work is excused because
of absence, no matter what the cause. Records of class attendance are
kept by faculty. Missed demonstrations will not be repeated. Not having
work for ...and / or... Failing to attend critiques will lower the
final grade.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: A student missing 6 classes or more will automatically
be given an F for the class for failure to progress academically regardless
of previous grades the student might have received.
Readings:
We will not have an official text book for this class. If however, you
find that a book is helpful to your studies I highly recommend the
following text: Photography by London, Stone and Upton. 9th edition.
You can probably find a used copy online. If you’d like a more in depth
book on Photoshop....I recommend: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Studio Techniques
by Ben Willmore and Dan Ablan. I would also encourage you to seek out
appropriate magazines and articles regarding course material and to
share it with the class.
Due Dates:
Unless otherwise stated, all Projects are due at the beginning of the
class period during which it was scheduled to be turned in. This is
very important so that we may proceed with class instead of having
to wait on someone to complete a project, which they have already had
ample time to finish. A word to the wise would be that deadlines are
a reality for all of us. Budget your time carefully and you will have
no trouble completing the assignments in this class.
Additional Important Information:
Due to the constraints of mass-education I give out the information which
I feel will do the most good for the greatest number of you. However,
I am aware that some of you may have special interests which are not
being addressed by the normal classroom information. If this is so,
then you must make me aware of these interests. I can't read your mind,
so I must rely upon you to come in and talk to me. This is part of
what I get paid for and certainly must be part of your reason for taking
a class as opposed to learning photography out of a book - take advantage
of this opportunity.
Objectionable Material:
For sound pedagogical reasons, there will be times in this course when
it will be necessary to use course materials that some students may find
objectionable. This could include classroom discussions and from time
to time the showing of slides containing images of the unclothed human
form.
Statement on Disability Services at TCU:
Texas Christian University
complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities.
Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator
for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services located
in Sadler Hall, 11. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students
should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which
they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be obtained
from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX
76129, or at (817) 257-7486.
**Academic Misconduct (Sec. 3.4 from the Student Handbook) – Any act
that violates the academic integrity of the institution is considered
academic misconduct. The procedures used to resolve suspected acts of
academic misconduct are available in the offices of Academic Deans and
the Office of Campus Life. Specific examples include, but are not limited
to:
• Cheating: Copying from another student’s test paper, laboratory report,
other report, or computer files and listings; Using, during any academic
exercise, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge
of the test; Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during
a test or laboratory without permission; Knowingly using, buying, selling,
stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the
contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release; Substituting
for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself;
• Plagiarism: The appropriation, theft, purchase or obtaining by any
means another’s work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation
of that work as one’s own offered for credit. Appropriation includes
the quoting or paraphrasing of another’s work without giving credit therefore.
• Collusion: The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing
work offered for credit.
Netiquette: Communication Courtesy Code:
All members of the class are
expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded
discussions and chats. If I deem any of them to be inappropriate or offensive,
I will forward the message to the Chair of the department and the online
administrators and appropriate action will be taken, not excluding expulsion
from the course.
TCU Campus Resources for Students:
Many resources exist on the TCU campus
that may be helpful to students: Mary Couts Burnet Library (257-7117);
Center for Academic Services (257-7486, Sadler Hall. 11); the William
L. Adams Writing Center (257-7221, Rickel Bldg. 244); Student Development
Services (257-7855, Student Center Rm. 220); and University Ministries
(257-7830, Student Center Rm. 111).
Email Notification:
Only the official TCU student email address will
be used for all course notification. It is your responsibility to check
your TCU email on a regular basis.
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