COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course  is intended to introduce students to the basic concerns in digital photography as a fine art medium, and the computer as a darkroom.  Includes digital imaging techniques of scanning, color correction, retouching, composition, content and more.  Hardware, image input and output processes, and software are also discussed.  May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: PGY-2401C (Photography I)

COURSE OBJECTIVES: 

The objective of this course is to pursue basic knowledge of scanning and image input, basic knowledge of image retouching and refining, and an understanding of image output and the printing process, including the use and roles of professional service bureaus for output in a professional context.  The recognition of strong image composition and content and the essential knowledge for completion of a final image portfolio will also serve as primary objectives, along with the ability to convey critical knowledge of the photographic and digital processes.  It should be noted that this photography course is an ART COURSE:  it does not address itself to vocational skills and results.  Students will be evaluated upon achievement of technical and aesthetic excellence rather than personal improvement, strength of effort, or excessive quantity.  Individual creativity, visual problem solving and precise craftsmanship will be stressed.

COURSE OUTCOMES: 

Upon completion of this course, the student should demonstrate a basic knowledge of fundamental digital photographic theory and make images which correspond to basic photographic design and communication principles.  Students will also demonstrate proficiency in the use of image manipulation software and digital imaging applications in addition to utilizing major computer hardware components and accessories, including scanners, printers, CD recorders and storage devices while managing the color digital workflow through all production stages from image capture to final output.  Students will also be able to demonstrate an awareness of contemporary aesthetic, legal and ethical considerations in digital imaging.

***A special emphasis will be placed on how color functions both on a technical as well as an emotional level, including:  how the color temperatures of various light sources are perceived both by traditional film as well as by digital cameras, how color shifts created by those various light sources translate into the visual image, and how those color shifts can impact emotional connections between image and viewer.  This is not a technical workshop; students will be expected to be pursuing their own artistic, aesthetic and conceptual concerns within the medium of photography.  The conceptual development of the student’s own artistic vision and voice is another special emphasis of the class, particularly in regards to learning how to create imagery that functions as a visual series.  Assignments should be cohesive bodies of work revolving around a specific theme/concept of the student’s choice, while incorporating the technical requirements of the assignments.  Critiques will be provided to gauge your development both in terms of printing skills as well as in terms of your use of the medium to visually express your artistic intents and concepts.  An emphasis on writing about your artwork will also be stressed in this class, most directly in terms of producing artist statements examining the thought processes involved in your work