Photography1-2

Course Description:
This class will largely be an independent study for advanced photography students with inclusion of a few teacher-assigned projects. Students in Photography Five through Six will begin each semester by constructing their own self-driven, teacher-approved curriculum. Students will plan and execute a total of five intensive projects that will form a comprehensive photographic portfolio that will be presented at the end of the semester. Students in Photography Five will concentrate on gaining a better understanding of a breadth of photographic processes and procedures. Students in Photography Six will choose a specific theme that they will focus upon and then explore processes from the viewpoint of that theme. Among the students’ five required projects, each student must explore the following processes according to their creative endeavors: large format printing, medium and/or large format negative shooting, lighting studio practices, at least one alternative process, and at least one example of computer manipulation.

Independent Procedure:
Students will begin each semester by writing out a curriculum for themselves. They will fill out the following calendar that dictates when assignments will be due. Prior to beginning each major assignment, students will write out an extensive plan of what they wish to accomplish within each project and how they plan on doing so. They will include materials and subjects to be used, in addition to a preliminary artist statement indicating the purpose of their work. Upon completion of each work, the students will write a final artist statement and participate in group critique

Learning/Knowledge/Skills Acquired Through Coursework:
Students will…

Improve their understanding of basic photographic concepts.
Further understanding of how photographs are created using a variety of methods and procedures.
Gain experience in looking at and critiquing photography works in a knowledgeable fashion that incorporates the terms and concepts of art and design.
Gain an understanding of the uses of photography in the world today.
Understand how it feels to work as an independent photographer.
Gain better skills in planning and executing projects.
Gain further skills in brainstorming and sharing ideas.

Instructional Methods:
Students will work independently in planning and executing projects. All projects must be pre-approved by the teacher before students can begin working. When applicable, the teacher will conduct lectures and demonstrations. Students will also conduct group and individual critiques with their classmates and teacher. With each project, students will write a written proposal explaining what they wish to accomplish and how they plan to do so. As students finish each project, they will write reflective statements about their work. At the end of the semester, each student will make a short presentation to their classmates in which they share their final portfolio and the lessons they learned along the way.

Assessment:
Self Evaluations
Rubrics
Critiques – individual and group
Photography Assignments
Darkroom Use and Clean-up
Sketchbook Assignments
Artist Postcard Assignments
Online Blogging
Photographic Theory Reviews
Final Portfolio – presentation and content

Grading Scale:
100% - 91%             A              Exceeds Requirements
90%   - 81%             B              Meets Requirements
80%   - 71%             C              Meets requirements minimally
70%   - 61%             D              Does not meet requirements, but showed some effort
60%   - lower            F              Little or no effort exhibited

All grading is done online through engrade.com. At the beginning of the year students will receive a username and password which they can use to check their grades on a regular basis. This username and password will also be made available to parents.

Absences and Tardies:

All excused absences must be discussed with the teacher. If the excused absence occurred during a lab day, the student must arrange for a time outside of class to come in and make up any assignments. All other assignments outside of the darkroom must be completed at home.
Unexcused absences are not acceptable. Students will receive a zero for any assignments that were completed during the day of absence.
Our time in photography class is very valuable. You MUST be on time to every class. If you are not on time, you receive a tardy.
See also the tardy/truant policy as stated in the student handbook.

Late Assignments:
When students plan their projects for the semester, they will also plan on due dates for each assignment with the help of the teacher. The students must follow their initial syllabus and turn all assignments in on time. Assignments will be deducted a letter grade for each day it is late.

Academic Honesty:
All assignments must be your own work. This includes negatives and images created. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade.

Hall Passes:
Hall passes will be given one at a time for emergencies only. You must ask permission of the teacher to leave the photography room.

Class Field Trips:
During the course of the school year students may be invited to go on a photographic field trip. This can be to a local museum or outside the school grounds for a photographic shoot. In order to go on a class field trip, students must maintain at least a “C” average in the class and have no tardy/truancy steps.

Classroom Rules:

Respect your teacher, classmates and materials.
No throwing, swearing or socializing.
Be in your seat at the beginning and the end of each class.
Bring all required materials with you to class.
Do not bring food or beverages into the classroom or darkroom areas. We use chemicals and you can get very sick from digesting them.
No personal radios, iPods, MP3 players or CD players. When students are working quietly, the teacher will play music.
All other rules in the student handbook also apply.

Consequences for Failure to Follow the Rules:
1. Warning.
2. Removal from the classroom and darkroom with a zero percent for all assignments due for that period.
3. Additional time in the photography room, cleaning and organizing or a detention.

Required Materials:
Depending upon the syllabus written by the student and teacher, the student may have to purchase additional materials to complete each assignment. The following are basic materials needed:

Can be purchased at any superstore or office supply store...

one 2 inch three ring binder

one package of full size sheet protectors

a jump drive for saving of digital media

one package of loose leaf paper

Can be purchased at any arts and crafts store...

five to ten pieces of black matt board

Can be purchased through any photographic supply website…
Suggested retailer, www.bhphotovideo.com. Suggested B&H products in parenthesis. All products should be ordered at the beginning of the school year for quick shipping.

one package of negative sleeves

(Vue-All, Negative Saver Archival Storage Page, 35mm, 6-Strips of 4-Frames - 25 Pack, Mfr # V8010, B&H # VU356425, $4.50 per pack)

50 to 100 sheets of fiber photographic paper (matt finish only)

(25 pack: Ilford Multigrade IV MGF.5K Black & White Variable Contrast Fiber Base Double Weight Matte Paper 8x10"-25 Sheets, Mfr # 1833892, B&H # ILMGF48125M, $23.50 per pack)
(100 pack: Ilford Multigrade IV MGF.5K Black & White Variable Contrast Fiber Base Double Weight Matte Paper 8x10"-100 Sheets, Mfr # 1833919, B&H # ILMGF481100M , $79.95 per pack)

five to seven rolls of 35mm black and white film (24 - 36 exposure, 200 or 400 ISO)

(Ilford, HP5 Plus 135-24 Black & White Negative (Print) Film (ISO-400), Mfr # 1700646, B&H # ILHP5P24, $3.29 each)

three to five rolls of medium format black and white film (200 or 400 ISO)

(Ilford, HP5 Plus 120 Black & White Negative (Print) Film (ISO-400), Mfr # 1629017, B&H # ILHP5P120, $3.45 each)

Special notes regarding photographic materials:

If you decide not to purchase materials through B&H, or an accredited photographic supply provider, you must make sure that your film is traditional black and white. Double check your film and make sure that it DOES NOT say "C-Process Only." If it does, you have purchased the wrong film. When your photographic paper arrives in the mail DO NOT, under any circumstances, open the photographic paper box, without the permission of Ms. Cress. Photographic paper can only be opened under a safety darkroom light. If you open it outside of the darkroom, it will be completely ruined.

If you run out of any of these materials during the course of the semester, you will need to purchase more to fulfill the assignment requirements.

Semester Fee – This should have been paid during registration and will cover your use of chemicals and maintenance of photographic equipment.

Businesses you can purchase photographic materials from:
Wolf Camera in Schaumburg or Crystal Lake
Ritz Camera in Spring Hill Mall
Card N Camera in Elgin
B & H Photographic: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
Calumet: http://www.calumetphoto.com/
Freestyle Photographic: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/

Your Photography Sketchbook:

During the course of your photography experience here at Streamwood High School you will be expected to keep a Photography Sketchbook. This can be a sketchbook that you purchase from an arts and crafts store, a spiral notebook, or even a book you get from a second hand store that you alter for this purpose. This book will be a place where you complete weekly assignments and make notes about your development as a photographer. This book will also be yours to make notes about ideas for upcoming projects and personal reflections. An artist’s sketchbook is a very private place for artists to make commentary on their experiences. Although your teacher will ask to see your sketchbook on a weekly basis for grading, you will not be required to show your sketchbook to other students. All information and imagery presented in the sketchbook must be school appropriate, however. If there is any concern on the behalf of the teacher in terms of content, it will be the responsibility of the teacher to present that content to the appropriate administrators.

Online Blog Space:

In addition to maintaining an in-class sketchbook, advanced photography students will participate in an online blog space in which they will be expected to comment weekly on historical and contemporary works, and the work of fellow classmates and their instructor. The instructor will post several blogs at a time, so students may complete online assignments in advance. The teacher will check blog assignments every Monday. Participation points will not be given for late entries.

http://streamwoodphotography.blogspot.com/