Syllabus

Principles of Digital Photography
Syllabus • ART 186 • Fall 2010

Instructor: Andy Langager
Email: andylangager@gmail.com
Cell: 319-290-8229
Office: 3W Room 02 (the office on the left inside)
Class meeting: TR 2:30-4:30pm
Text: Landon, Barbara. A Short Course in Digital Photography. (2010)
Website: http://art186.blogspot.com

Course Description:
Students will learn the basic principles of digital photography. Topics will include basic camera operation, composition, metering, computer tips and tricks, and shooting tips and tricks. The digital camera in conjunction with the computer will become instruments to explore visual communication effectively.

Equipment:
Required:
• DSLR Camera that can shoot Camera RAW format
• 2GB (or larger) memory card
• USB drive or portable hard drive (at least 4 gig recommended)
• Rocket
• Simple portfolio for printed photos

Optional
• Cleaning supplies: lens tissue and fluid, Q-tips
• Travel bag
• Tripod
• Small tripod or beanbag
• Wide angle lens
• Telephoto lens (200mm or longer)
• Battery grip and/or extra battery

Your Camera:
DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex. There are a lot of options for DSLRs to use for this class. Usually you can break them down into about 3 categories (before you start getting to the upper-end professional like Canon 1D or Nikon D3):

Consumer: $450-$1000
Canon Rebel (any model)
Nikon D40, D60, D90, D3000, D5000
Pentax K2000
Sony A230L, 330L, A550

Mid-range consumer/pro: $900-$1700
Canon 40D, 50D, 7D
Nikon D200, D300

"Full" (35mm size) frame consumer/pro: $2300-$3500
Canon 5D, 5D MK II
Nikon D700
Sony A900

Any of these cameras will be fine for this class. How much you want to spend depends on your budget and what your future photography plans are. If you plan to go professional and want to invest in something that will last, I would suggest going with at least a mid-range camera.
Places around town to buy: Best Buy, Christian Photo, H.B. Leiserowitz. You can also check out Amazon.com and B&H Photo (bhphoto.com).

Attendance:
Attendance is required for "lecture" days. Please try to make it on time to class. If you cannot make it, please try to email or call me to let me know ahead of time. If you have an excuse for absence, (note from doctor, etc.) please bring it.

Class and computer etiquette:
Please only use the digital darkroom computers for work related to our class. Checking your school email and uploading assignments to Flickr is fine, but please no Facebook in this lab during class time.

Also, no texting during lecture, please. If you need to use your phone, please leave the room.

Grade breakdown:
14 Project Assignments 350 points
Quizzes 50
One-on-one meetings 25 points each 100
Final Exam 50
Final Portfolio ____ 50 _
Total 600 points

Grade descriptions: Want an "A" in the class? Read on to see what I'm looking for.

"A" work: Deadlines met regularly for assignments; student has gone above and beyond to demonstrate he or she understands the concepts of the assignment. Shows time and effort put into every assignment. Overall work is excellent.

"B" work: Deadlines met for nearly every assignment; student has shown he or she has a strong understanding of the concepts of the assignments. The basic requirements of the assignments are fulfilled with good, solid work. Overall work is above average.

"C" work: Most deadlines met, but some missed. Not all assignments fulfilled to specifications. Student shows some understanding for the concepts at hand, but some of the work could have benefited from more time or effort put into it. Overall work is average.

"D" work: Deadlines missed regularly. More than one or two assignments missed. Student does not fully demonstrate an understanding of the concepts. Not much effort put into work. Overall work is below average.

"F" work: Deadlines missed regularly. Assignments left incomplete. Student shows distinct lack of effort towards the class. No demonstration of learning the concepts at hand. Overall work is far below average.



Grading scale:
95-100% A
90-94 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
59 and lower F

Late assignments: Late assignments won't be accepted without a legitimate excuse or prior arrangement with me. If you miss an assignment, you'll have an opportunity to make up the points with the extra credit assignment.
If you have a school trip or other planned activity that will make you miss lecture or a deadline, please talk to me beforehand.

Final Portfolio: At the end of the semester you'll hand in a portfolio representing the best work from the semester. These will be printed 8x10s or 5x7s (depending on the assignment). You will be able to keep the portfolio once I'm done grading.

Project Assignments
Depth of Field
White Balance
Vehicle in Motion
Shooting Steel
Neon sign
Studio #1: Still life
Kitchen Imagination
Seven Deadly Sins (Mid-term)
Motion Speed Time
Painting with light
Self Portrait
Photoshop Fun
Pinocchio
Studio #2

Flickr:
I'd like you to turn in your project assignments in via Flickr. If you already have an account, great. If not, it's free to sign up. The free account is limited to 100 MB per month, but that should be enough (just make sure to shrink/compress your photos after you edit them).
Add me as a contact or send me the link to your profile so I can bookmark you. Then, all you have to do is upload your weekly assignments and add a title to each photo. If you don't want your photos public, you can set the privacy level, just make sure to add me so I can see them. If you want, join the DMACC group to share your work.

One-on-one meetings:
When we don't have lecture, we will be doing one-on-one meetings to talk about your work. Always bring your latest photo assignments with you on a USB drive.
I will make a schedule for our meetings. We'll have 5 meetings total. (These are very informal, it's just a chance to chat about your work, except for the first one when we have a camera quiz).

Expectations:
Come to lectures and one-on-one meetings or reschedule if you can't make it. Meet deadlines for assignments. Please let me know if you are struggling with the assignments. I try to be flexible and fair to all students.

Calendar:
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Week 1
Thursday, August 26
Introduction/syllabus
Talk about camera gear, camera basics
Assign Camera Practice, Depth of Field & White Balance
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Week 2
Tuesday, August 30
Lecture #1: Depth of Field, Shutter Speed
For today: Chapters 1, 2 (We'll have a quiz!)
Camera Practice Due
Assign Vehicle in Motion & Shooting Steel

Thursday, September 2
One-on-one meetings.. bring Depth of Field & White Balance assignments and we'll also do your Camera quiz
2:30: Raiven
2:50: Pamela
3:10: Tyler
3:30: Britney
3:50: Kally
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Week 3
Tuesday, September 7
2:30: Wendy
2:50: Alyssa
3:10: Connie
3:30: Tiffanney
3:50: Jaime

Thursday, September 9
2:30: Mckenzie
2:50: Randi
3:10: Casey
3:30: James
3:50: Kayla
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Week 4
Tuesday, September 14
Quiz #2 (Shutter speed and f-stop)
For today: Chapter 3
Lecture #2
Vehicle in Motion and Shooting Steel due
Assign Neon Sign and Studio Shot #1


Thursday, September 16
Meeting II - Bring Vehicle and Steel assignments
2:30: Tyler
2:50: Britney
3:10: Kally
3:30: Raiven
3:50: Pamela
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Week 5
Tuesday, September 21
2:30: Connie
2:50: Tiffanney
3:10: Jamie
3:30: Wendy
3:50: Alyssa

Thursday, September 23
2:30: Casey
2:50: James
3:10: Kayla
3:30: Mckenzie
3:50: Randi
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 6
Tuesday, September 28
Work day (studio time if needed)

Thursday, September 30 -
For today: Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7
Lecture #3
Assign Seven Deadly Sins and Kitchen Imagination
Neon Sign and Studio Shot #1 due
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 7
Tuesday, October 5 - Meeting III - Bring Night shot and Studio Shot
2:30: Kally
2:50: Raiven
3:10: Pamela
3:30: Tyler
3:50: Britney

Thursday, October 7
2:30: Jamie
2:50: Wendy
3:10: Alyssa
3:30: Connie
3:50: Tiffanney
------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Week 8
Tuesday, October 12
2:30: Kalya
2:50: Mckenzie
3:10: Randi
3:30: Casey
3:50: James

Thursday, October 14
Work day

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Week 9
Tuesday, October 19
Work day

Thursday, October 21
Lecture #4
For today: Chapters 8, 9
Mid-Term quiz -- Chapters 1-9
Kitchen Imagination and Seven Deadly Sins due
Assign Motion Speed Time and Painting with Light
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 10
Tuesday, October 26
Work day

Thursday, October 28
Work day

Week 11
Tuesday, November 2
Motion Speed Time and Painting with Light due
Assign Self Portrait and Photoshop Fun

Thursday, November 4 - Meeting IV bring Kitchen Imagination, Seven Deadly Sins, Motion Speed Time and Painting w/Light
2:30: Raiven
2:50: Pamela
3:10: Tyler
3:30: Britney
3:50: Kally
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 12
Tuesday, November 9
2:30: Wendy
2:50: Alyssa
3:10: Connie
3:30: Tiffanney
3:50: Jaime




Thursday, November 11
2:30: Mckenzie
2:50: Randi
3:10: Casey
3:30: James
3:50: Kayla
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 13
Tuesday, November 16
Lecture #5
For today: Chapter 10
Assign Pinocchio and Studio #2
Self Portrait and Photoshop Fun due

Thursday, November 18
Studio/Work day
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Week 14
Tuesday, November 23
Out of class work day

Thursday November 25 - Thanksgiving Break -- No Class
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Week 15
Tuesday, November 30
Studio/Work Day

Thursday, December 2 - Final round of meetings - Bring Self Portrait, Photoshop fun, Pinocchio and Studio #2
2:30: Kally
2:50: Britney
3:10: Tyler
3:30: Pamela
3:50: Raiven
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Week 15
Tuesday, December 7
2:30: Jaime
2:50: Tiffanney
3:10: Connie
3:30: Alyssa
3:50: Wendy

Thursday, December 9
2:30: Kayla
2:50: James
3:10: Casey
3:30: Randi
3:50: Mckenzie
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Final Portfolio Due December 14 - See handout for details
[Finals Week December 13-16]