HUMA 1152 Introduction to Photography

Fall 2011 – 2012HUMA 1152 Introduction to PhotographyCourse Instructor:Instructional Assistant:TSE Ming Chong(Rm 4596, Tel: 2358-5855; Email: tsemingchong@ust.hk)Arion LAM(Rm 4596, Tel: 2358-8373; Email: arionlam@ust.hk)Time & Venue: Section 1L1: Tuesday, 09:00-10:50; Rm 3584 (L27-28)LA1: Thursday, 09:00-11:50; LTG (L25-26)Section 2L2: Tuesday, 15:00-16:50; Rm 3501 (L25-26)LA2: Thursday, 15:00-17:50; Rm 4620 (L31-32)Office Hours:Tuesday and Thursday, 13:30-14:30, and by appointmentCourse DescriptionAn introduction to the art and expression of photography through lectures, hands-on activities and fieldtrip. In this course, students will learn about the history and development of photography,photographers who have helped shape our vision of the world and the great photographs they havemade, basic photographic vocabularies, perspectives, concepts, theories and techniques and mostimportantly, photography as a documentary, communication and expressive medium. Upon thecompletion of this course, students will also have a much deeper understanding of the power andbreadth of photography through studying how it affected and reflected the societal and cultural changesin societies.Intended Learning OutcomesUpon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:1. describe and appreciate the history and development of photography;2. communicate the characteristics of contemporary art photography and appreciate the master works;3. explain basic concepts, theories and techniques of photography;4. analyze and explain the relationship between photography and society by understanding themeanings behind different photographic images;5. use photo as documentary tool to record facts and explore ideas; and6. use photo as a medium of expression and communication.1

Syllabus and ScheduleWeek 1 (Sep 1)Course IntroductionBrief History of Photography and its Development- The nature of a photograph: as artistic expression, document, commercial promotion or journalisticcommunication.Reading photographs- Subject, object, photographers’ intentions, viewers’ expectations and background, and context- Perspectives for considering photography: cultural, historical, aesthetic, technical and criticalExercise 1: “Writing on Photos”- Reflecting on Images exercise to analyze photosReading:Miller, Denise, Photographer’s multiple roles: art, document, market, science, Museum ofContemporary Photography, p11-51.Week 2 (Sep 6, 8)LecturePhotographic attributes- Camera operation- Relationship between shutter speed, lens and apertureLabExercise 2: Make 5 photos that can demonstrate different ISO, shutter speed, focal length, aperture,depth of field and point of view. (outside classroom at UST)Reading:Roland Barthes, The Photography Reader, Liz Wells ed., Routledge, p.19-30.Week 3 (Sep 13, 15)Outing: 13/09/2011 7pm – 10 pm Causeway Bay Mid-autumn festival shooting.LabCritique on Exercise 2Reading:Michael Freeman, The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, FocalPress, 2007.2

Week 4 (Sep 20, 22)LectureComposition and Color- Composition rules and guidelines- Color: color temperature management (i.e. indoor Vs outdoor) and custom white balance.LabExercise 3: Use different light condition to make photosReading:Michael Freeman, The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, FocalPress, 2007.Week 5 (Sep 27, 29)No class, make up class on 23/10/2011 field trip.Week 6 (Oct 4, 6)LecturePhotography and Society- Study how photography affected and reflected the cultural changes in societies or even the politicalpolicies (i.e. the photo on child labor which affected the US Government policy in 1920s-30s)LabStudents’ presentations on chosen photographers & photo under different light conditions.Reading:Ian Jeffrey, Photography – A concise history, Thames and Hudson, p.178-203Week 7 (Oct 11, 13)LecturePhotography as Documentary Tool- To study how photography can be used as a tool to document and investigate cultural and socialissues. Concepts and techniques behind will be discussed.Assignment 1: Photo as documentary toolLabExercise 4: Fieldtrip to the city and take 5-8 photos that reflect the cultural or social issues of HK (i.e.poverty, women movement, environment issues, heritage etc.)Reading:Miller Denise, Photographer’s multiple roles: art, document, market, science, Museum ofContemporary Photography, p84-118.3

LabExercise 5: Making a photo collagePresentation and critiqueReading:David Hockney, Hockney on photography: conversations with Paul Joyce, New York: HarmonyBooks, c1988. P30-52.Week 12 (Nov 15, 17)LectureIntroduction to Portrait Photography- Concepts, techniques and master works on portrait and self portraitBriefing on Final Individual ProjectAssignment 2: make a portrait and a self portraitLabExercise 6: Make a self portraitWeek 13 (Nov 22, 24)LectureIntroduction to Contemporary Hong Kong Art Photography- Background, selected photographers and their works in cultural and historical contextLabCritique on Assignment 2Final Individual Project TutorialReading:City Flâneur: Social Documentary Photography, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 2010.Week 14 (Nov 29, Dec 1)LectureSet Up and Preparation for ExhibitionLabFinal Project Presentation & Critique IWeek 15 (Dec 6)Final Project Presentation & Critique II and Course Summary5

Assessment TasksAttendanceAttendance will be taken 10 minutes after the beginning of each session after the add-drop period. Foreach absence, students will have 1% deducted from their attendance grade (10% maximum deduction).Class ParticipationStudents are evaluated based on their participation and critiques on in-class exercises.Assignment 1Photography as documentary tool.i/ A 500-word essay on the history and development of documentary photography, as well as therelationship between photography and society is required.ii./ Each student has to take three to five photos which document a social or cultural issue of HK.Photo texts are required for complimentary purpose.Assignment 2Photography as self-expression tool.i/ A 500-word essay on a subject related to the concepts and theories of contemporary photography isrequired.ii/ Each student has to take a portrait and a self portrait. Photo texts are required for complimentarypurpose.Final Projecti/ Art work: Twelve 8R photos on either a documentary topic on a social or cultural issue of HK or aself-expression topicii/ A 800-word written report discussing the themes, concepts and theories applied on the art work isrequired. What students learned from the project should be mentioned as well.iii/ Art work presentation and exhibition in week 14Visual DiaryA visual log book which record the creative process of studentsGrading1. Attendance 10%2. Class Participation 10%3. Assignment 1 15%4. Assignment 2 15%5. Final Project 30%6. Visual Diary 20%(Specific marking criteria for assessment tasks no. 3 to 6 will be explained to students before each task begins)6

The letter grades grading system will be used based on University Guidelines:A (10-20% of the class)B (25-40% of the class)C (35-45% of the class)D (5-10% of the class)F (0-5%)Required Reading Materials1. Miller, Denise, Photographer’s multiple roles: art, document, market, science, Museum ofContemporary Photography, p11-51.2. Roland Barthes, The Photography Reader, Liz Wells ed., Routledge, p.19-30.3. Michael Freeman, The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos,Focal Press, 2007.4. Ian Jeffrey, Photography – A concise history, Thames and Hudson, p.178-2035. Miller Denise, Photographer’s multiple roles: art, document, market, science, Museum ofContemporary Photography, p84-118.6. Photography & Writing, Focus on Photography: A Curriculum Guide, International Center ofPhotography, 2006, p71-94. (Online resource)7. Charlotte Cotton, The Photograph as Contemporary Art, Thames & Hudson, 2004.8. David Hockney, Hockney on photography: conversations with Paul Joyce, New York: HarmonyBooks, c1988. P30-52.9. City Flâneur: Social Documentary Photography, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 2010.Supplementary Reading Materials1. Angela Faris Belt, The Elements of Photography: Understanding and Creating SophisticatedImages, Focal Press, 2008.2. Robert Hirsch, Photographic Possibilities: The Expressive Use of Equipment, Ideas, Materials andProcesses, 3 rd Edition, Focal Press, 2008.3. Eugenia Parry & Naomi Rosenblum, Photography's Multiple Roles, D.A.P./The Museum ofContemporary Photography, 1998.4. Liz Wells, The Photography Reader, Routledge, 2002.5. Terry Barrett, Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images, McGraw-HillHumanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 4 th Edition, 2005.6. Roland Barthes, Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, Hill and Wang; 2nd Edition, 1982.7. Barbara London & John Upton, Photography, Prentice Hall, 10 th Edition, 2010.8. J. Jeffrey, Photography: A Concise History (World of Art), Thames & Hudson, 1989.9. Ken Light, Witness in Our Time: Working Lives of Documentary Photographers, SmithsonianBooks, 2 nd Edition, 2010.7