Syllabus

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Syllabus

STA 370 FUNDAMENTALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY ⏐Fall 2019
Michigan State University⏐Department of Art, History, & Design
with Amy Davis⏐davisam8@msu.edu
T-R 8:00AM-10:50AM
room 037 KAC
office hours: Tuesdays or Thursdays by appointment only. (Please email me)

****Class Blog:*****
https://sta370fall.blogspot.com
Please bookmark this blog and visit it daily. This is where homework assignments, links to tutorials and artist references made in class live. All material placed on the blog is fair game for quizzes and exams. I try to stick to the syllabus as much as possible, but the blog will represent any changes that may occur.  

Description:       
This course provides an introduction to the medium and language of photography. Basic camera operation, workflow, and digital printing methods are explored. In addition, there will be lectures, readings, peer-led critiques, and discussions regarding the artistic and theoretical concerns of the medium, with an emphasis on the role of photography today. A digital camera with full manual controls is required – RAW capable preferred. An external hard drive is also required.

Objectives:        
After successful completion of this course students will be able to:
- understand and effectively utilized the mechanics, optics, and exposure controls of the camera.
- demonstrate an understanding of digital imaging equipment and procedures.
- effectively apply the visual elements of design in photographic compositions.
- utilize and apply this understanding towards contemporary conceptual, commercial, illustrative, expressive, and other communicative pursuits.
- engage in photographic analysis and critique through writings, presentations and in-class discussion.

Readings:  A Short Course in Digital Photography by Barbara London & Jim Stone, paperback, 3rd Edition.

There will also be a series of weekly short discussion readings provided by the instructor.

Assignments/Workload:       
Throughout the course of the semester, there will be a series of projects directed towards a conceptual, formal, or technical concern. A finished project is a set of prints and contact sheets.

This course will also contain quizzes and written responses based on the readings and lectures, a research paper and presentation, a midterm and a final exam.

On designated Lab Days, it is expected that you will have images/files to work on in class. Students who do not bring in work on lab days will be counted absent and have deductions on their final grades.

You will be making the majority of your photographs for this course outside of class time.

Additionally, expect to spend 6-12 hours a week outside of class working on these assignments.

Bring your camera, card reader, portable hard drive, to all classes this semester.

Supplies:        
Unfortunately, photography is very expensive. I repeat, very expensive. This class will require you to spend approximately $150- $200 for supplies and printing costs. This does not include the cost of a camera. 

*Digital camera with “Manual” setting, adjustable focus/apertures/shutter speeds, min.5mp.  
*an extra battery and an extra SD memory card so you do not get caught short of either!
*at least 1 portable hard drive, min 250gb capacity, compatible with Macintosh computers
*a digital card reader for “CF” memory cards, none needed for “SD” cards which fit Macs in rm 37
*a pre-paid “printing card” so that you may make prints in class periods 
(This is purchased across the hallway in the photo print lab for around $40)
*Canon 8.5”x11” glossy photo paper (available at Best Buy, Amazon, B&H, etc)
*mat boards and dry-mount tissue for project prints as needed
*recommended: *a tripod (Bogen Junior, Arista Economy, Tiltall TE, or Meijer/Walmart)
  
Resources for Materials:       

Email:            
Email is the best way to reach me outside of office hours. I will answer all emails within 24 hours. I will use email to correspond with this class on a regular basis. Please check your MSU email account frequently. 

Notes: This class is very technical. From camera gear to Photoshop, Lightroom and Printing techniques, there is a lot of information that will be thrown at you. I will go over tutorials in class and supplement with additional online tutorials on the blog.  If I’m going too fast in class, PLEASE SPEAK UP and I will try to explain things in a different way. But it is up to YOU to take notes on materials and consult these notes throughout the semester. 
ATTENDANCE:
 Attendance is mandatory.  Aside from printing costs, this strict attendance policy is one of the biggest complaints I get from students. I do not budge on this, I do not make exceptions, or take excuses for missed classes. This is a fast-paced class and I will not take class time from students to reteach materials to students who are absent from class.  
Course information is not repeated.  If you miss class it is your responsibility to get relevant information from another student. I often adjust the schedule depending on class needs, so if you miss class it is in your best interest to call your partner to confirm the following weeks activities. Penalties are as follows:
  • If you are absent more than 3 classes, your final grade will be lowered by one whole grade point and so on. Six absences will result in a failure (F). There are no acceptable excuses. None. 
  • If you are tardy 3 times, it will count as one absence. If you leave early, it will count as a tardy. 
  • If you are late for more than an hour, you will be marked absent.
  • If you miss a crit, a discussion, or a presentation, it will also count as an absence.
  • If you do not have your own materials for the day’s activities, you will be marked absent.
  • If you do not have images to work on during open lab days, you will be marked absent. 
  • If you are paying attention to an electronic device or a computer during a lecture or critique (unless otherwise directed) you will be marked absent.
Bottom line, if your course performance would normally have merited an “A”, but you missed two classes and were late to three more, you should expect a final grade of “B”. If you missed four classes, an A would then become a C.
Attendance is taken at the beginning of class. If you come in late it is your job to inform me that you are present.
This is important, so read it carefully: You get three excused absences. The three excused absences are for illness and emergencies, not excused “cuts”. If an illness or emergency requires more than your allotted three  absences, no documentation or circumstance of any sort will save you. Attendance and promptness can and will greatly affect your overall final grade.
Students are responsible for contacting instructor regarding late arrivals to class or need to leave class early; no contact with instructor is interpreted as unexcused.
The university gives authorization to lower grades or fail students for poor attendance and tardiness at the instructor’s discretion. (Students have been known to get a very low grade because they come late or are absent frequently.)
CLASSROOM COURTESY:
1. Be on time
2. Do not leave class early
4. Be respectful: to teacher and classmates always
5. During student critiques, each of your classmates deserves your full attention. This is not a time for you to chit chat or be on your phone. Give input during each critique. 
6. Focus while in class: Leave all your other class work and problems outside this class.
7. Help others: If someone is struggling, help them. We are a community of learners.
8. Practice: Spend the time to focus on your skills and learn as much skills as possible in and outside of class.
9. ALL CELL PHONES MUST BE OFF OR SILENT DURING CLASS! Do not answer your phone in class or walk out of the class to answer your phone. Turn your phone off and store it in your bag. 
10. NO TEXT MESSAGING! NO INTERNET BROWSING, VIDEO-GAMING, WORKING ON HOMEWORK OR PROJECTS FOR OTHER CLASSES. You may be asked to leave and you will receive an absence for the day. If you have an emergency and need to access your messages or place a call during class, please inform instructor in advance.
11. NO HEADPHONES, period!

Honor Code: 
A violation of the principle includes, but is not limited to Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly presenting the work of another as one’s own (i.e., without proper acknowledgment of the source). The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources is when the ideas, information, etc., is common knowledge. Artists & designers occasionally work from photographs or other imagery. This is allowed & is sometimes necessary, however, the artist’s intent must be clear that the new work was not made to merely duplicate someone else’s artwork in another medium or form & claim it as one’s own.  

You will FAIL this course if it is determined that you plagiarized on any photographic or written assignments this semester.  I take this extremely seriously and without hesitation, your work will be given a zero and a meeting will be scheduled between you and the chair of the department. Don’t copy another student’s work, pull work from another artist’s website, turn in work from other classes for this class, or turn in work that was done by you prior to this semester.  There is something called photo metadata and I will check each of yours throughout the semester. 

LATE ASSIGNMENTS:  I don’t accept them. No questions asked, no excuses accepted.

 If you are absent the day photos are due, it is required that you email me your assignment the day of class. Otherwise,  you will receive a ZERO for any assignment not turned in on time. We will have weekly reading assignments due every Tuesday. These are to be printed and turned in FIRST thing. 

Grading:           
Completion of all of the assignments on time, with a reasonable degree of craftsmanship and care, along with regular attendance are the minimum expectation. Simply fulfilling the minimum expectations will award you a letter C grade at most. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date specified by the assignment. As long as you turn your work in on time and show your best effort, you can “re-do” most projects and re-submit it for re-evaluation. Re-do projects will be accepted within 3 weeks of being graded. Final projects are not eligible.

Grades will represent the following levels of achievement:
  • 990 – 1070 points = 4.0
  • 937 – 989 points  = 3.5
  • 883 – 936 points  = 3.0
  • 830 – 882 points = 2.5
  • 776 – 829 points = 2.0
  •    723– 775 points =   1.5
  •     642– 722 points =  1.0
  •     000 – 641 points = 0.0

Participation:        
I expect you to attend every class. You are responsible for completing all of the required assignments. I expect all students to participate in class discussions, contributing ideas and perspectives on topics. All your work should incorporate aspects or issues addressed in class in relation to your personal or professional interests.

You are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. In order to assure that everyone has an opportunity to gain from time spent in class unless otherwise approved by the instructor, you are prohibited from using cellular phones to check your email or surf the internet, update your social networking sites, or play games. You may not make offensive remarks, read newspapers or magazines, sleep or engage in any other form of distraction. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom shall result in, minimally, a request to leave class, which will be counted as an unexcused absence.  Your demeanor in class should be no less than the professional standards of conduct expected in the setting of a cultural arts organization.

At the sole discretion of the instructor, poor participation can and will hurt your grade by as much as 10% (one full letter).



Teaching and Learning: Student responsibilities
  1. Academic Honesty: Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states: "The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards." In addition, The College of Arts and Letters adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations.  (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU Web site: www.msu.edu.)
Therefore, unless authorized by your instructor, you are expected to complete all course assignments, including homework, lab work, quizzes, tests and exams, without assistance from any source. You are expected to develop original work for this course; therefore, you may not submit coursework you completed for another course to satisfy the requirements for this course. Also, you are not authorized to use the www.allmsu.com Web site to complete any coursework in AL 461 - Strategies of Arts and Cultural Management. Students who violate MSU academic integrity rules may receive a penalty grade, including a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Contact your instructor if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your coursework. (See also http://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/dishonestyFAQ.html)
  1. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (from the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD): Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Requests for accommodations by persons with disabilities may be made by contacting the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-RCPD or on the web at rcpd.msu.edu. Once your eligibility for an accommodation has been determined, you will be issued a verified individual services accommodation ("RISA") form. Please present this form to the instructor at the start of the term and/or two weeks prior to the accommodation date (test, project, etc.). Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.
  2. Drops and Adds: The last day to add this course is the end of the first week of classes. The last day to withdrawal from the University for Fall 2019 with full refund is 9/23/19. 
  3. Commercialized Lecture Notes: Commercialization of lecture notes and university-provided course materials is not permitted in this course.**
  4. Attendance: Students whose names do not appear on the official class list for this course may not attend this class. Students who fail to attend the first four class sessions or class by the fifth day of the semester, whichever occurs first, may be dropped from the course.
  5. Grief Absence: Students seeking a grief absence must complete a Grief Absence Request Form found at https://reg.msu.edu/ under the “Student Services – Grief Absence Request Form” or at StuInfo, https://stuinfo.msu.edu/, under “Academics – Enrollment Information and Services – Grief Absence Request Form.  Graduate students accessing this form will be prompted to see their major professors and notify their course instructors.  Students must supply information on the nature of the loss, the date they became aware, and the expected period of absence.  They must also supply supporting documentation. The absence must be approved by the office of the dean of the student’s college prior to the student leaving campus. The instructor will work with the student to arrange for completion of the work missed during the absence.
  6. Internet: Some professional journals will not consider a submission for publication if the article has appeared on the Internet. Please notify your instructor in writing if you do not want your course papers posted to the course Web site.
  7. Disruptive Behavior: Article 2.3.5 of the Academic Freedom Report (AFR) for students at Michigan State University states: "The student's behavior in the classroom shall be conducive to the teaching and learning process for all concerned." Article 2.3.10 of the AFR states that "The student has a right to scholarly relationships with faculty based on mutual trust and civility." General Student Regulation 5.02 states: "No student shall…interfere with the functions and services of the University (for example, but not limited to, classes…) such that the function or service is obstructed or disrupted. Students whose conduct adversely affects the learning environment in this classroom may be subject to disciplinary action through the Student Faculty Judiciary process.
**Note: The Code of Teaching Responsibility requires instructors who permit students to commercialize their class lecture notes to include a statement in their course syllabi that gives such permission. Absent such permission, students may not do so.
Integrity of Scholarship and Grades
This policy is located in the Academic Programs catalog
Library Services:
The MSU Libraries offer many ways to receive research help.  See http://www.lib.msu.edu/

Center for Writing:
The Writing Center offers writing support for both undergraduate and graduate students, featuring online and in-person resources.  See  http://writing.msu.edu/

Fine Print:        
The schedule and procedures in this course syllabus are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances including, but not limited to, weather conditions, illness, or re-evaluation of course objectives. Every attempt will be made to provide said changes in writing.
Assignment and Assessments:
Elevate the ordinary 50
Portraiture 100
Emulate an Artist 150
Presentation/Research Paper 100
The Constructed Image 150
Final Project 300
Midterm/Final 100
Quiz 15 per
Weekly Written responses 10 per

SCHEDULE*
WK 1: Introduce syllabus, short lecture, assign technical reading, London/Stone text  3-69
WK 2a: lecture camera mechanics, in class scavenger hunt assign Martin Parr video reading response
London/Stone text   70-89 text pp 146-159
WK 2b: lecture and demo workflow, look at images from scavenger hunt, assign Elevate the Ordinary, assign alex webb video, assign technical
WK 3a: lecture photoshop 1 + camera with in class practice time, lecture how to read a photo, visit VRL London/Stone text 140-145
WK 3b: critique One Block as digital files, assign Portraiture, assign technical reading, assign a video relating to portraiture
WK 4a: lecture portraiture ethics and ideas, lecture photoshop review, basics of printing (profiles, etc), work time
London/Stone text  116-121
WK 4b: assign technical reading and Portraiture
WK 5a: OUIZ, Full Print Day
London/Stone text 160-163, 180-181
WK 5b: Portraiture Due Discuss how we read photographs, assign Emulate an Artist
WK 6a: Lecture photoshop + masks, in class work time
London/Stone text 172-179 *
WK 6b: QUIZ review, In class lighting demo
WK 7a: Presentation day 1, papers due
WK 7b: Presentation day 2, assign ways of seeing the female form
WK 8a: Critique Emulate an artist, assign
WK 8b: lecture on the veracity of photography, Photoshop demo 3, assign the staged project, show examples
WK 9: Possible field trip day, visiting artist day or lecture
WK 10a: Midterm
WK 10b: dry mount demo, in progress Workday
WK 11a: Staged assignment critique
WK 11b: Assign final project, write 3 project ideas and reading
WK 12a: installation, sequence and narrative lecture or visiting artist, check in on project ideas, TAKE HOME QUIZ photoshop
WK 12b: lecture artist statement, check in on a quiz in class, work time
WK 13a: In progress pt 1
WK 13b: THANKSGIVING
WK 14a: In progress pt 2
WK 14b: multimedia lecture, work time
WK 15a: In progress pt 3
WK 15b: Documentary or possible field trip
WK 16a: Workday
WK 16b: EVERYTHING DUE FINAL CRITIQUE

*Schedule can change at any point in the semester at the sole discretion of the instructor.


PROJECT GRADING RUBRIC


Major projects will be graded on 5 separate criteria with a total of 50 possible points

5 = unacceptable, 6.5 = below average, 7.5 = average, 8.5 = above average, 10 = excellent

1. TECHNOLOGY / CRAFT
Techniques applied with precision and control.

3. CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATION
Was the idea well-conceived and thoughtful?

2. VISUAL COMMUNICATION OF CONCEPT
Control of variables in achieving legible and expressive meaning.

4. CRITIQUE PARTICIPATION
Did the student actively and thoughtfully participate in a final critique of student projects?

5. EXPECTED REQUIREMENTS
Did the student adhere to the instructions and requirements of the project?













Attendance Policy Acknowledgement:




By signing this, you are acknowledging that you are aware of the attendance policy for STA 370 and have read through and understand the syllabus and expectations of class.  You are aware that a maximum of 3 absences are allowed throughout the semester and that any days missed beyond that will result in a lowered final grade.






______________________________________________________
Printed Name,  Date 



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