Digital Imaging for Photographers

Course Description

This course will cover theory and practice of digital imaging in a creative context. Fundamental skills of using Photoshop to create creative photographic digital images are taught, basic design concepts are reinforced, and students are encouraged to explore the vast number of alternatives that are available to them in this digital application and medium. The goals of this course are to introduce the student to the skills and theory of photographic digital imaging and to explore the capabilities of digital photography that provide additional creative possibilities to the artist and designer. Technical skills will be developed with an emphasis on using digital tools to begin creating a personal vision.

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Attitudinal based learning outcome

The course will contribute to students’ development of creativity, initiative, planning and time management, independence, and critical thinking skills.

Knowledge based learning outcome

Students will learn some of the history, theory, and technical application of the use of digital tools in the manipulation of images in a fine art and a commercial photographic context.

Skills based learning outcome

Students will learn how to capture, control, manipulate and print digital images using Adobe Photoshop, a desktop computer, analog and digital cameras, scanners, and desktop printers. Students will learn Photoshop technique by completing a series of assignments and exercises that will cover basics of using digital cameras, digital imaging theory, image sizing and resolution, basic image control, tonal and color correction, retouching, digital painting, sharpening, filtering and other manipulation, addition of text, creative selection, contrast masking, layer masks, advanced layering and masking techniques, collage and montage techniques.

Assignments

Color correction and Manipulation

Create three images that display correct and balanced color and tonal relationships. Rework these images to make use of creative applications of tonal and color adjustments. Turn in all six images as prints and on CD ROM.

Text and Image Storytelling

Create a series of at least three photographic digital images that tells a story. Incorporate text to help create a narrative or poetic effect. Assignment is due in the form of prints and CD.

Historical Painting

Choose a well-known painting from art history that you enjoy.  The task is to recreate a modern day version of this painting using PhotoShop that also reflects the reality and practices of your own culture and times. You will need to find or create a setting as similar as possible to the background in the painting. Choose some people to play the characters in the painting. Shoot them in the studio, recreating the poses of the characters in the painting, but instead of the props, clothes and accessories found in the old historical work, use modern day clothing, props and accessories. For example, instead of a parchment and quill pen, a character might be using a laptop. Finally, cut the characters out of the background in the studio shots and place them realistically in the background that you have photographed. When photographing the studio scenes, be sure to use lighting that matches the lighting of the background scene as closely as possible, so your finished montage looks realistic.

Composite Portrait

Photograph portraits of several people in the studio. Use the same lighting, scale and pose. The lighting should be open and soft. The goal of the assignment is to combine parts and features of several people into an image that looks as if it is one person. Take one person’s nose, another’s mouth, another’s ears, etc. and combine them into a single face. Use layers and layer masking (use a soft brush tool on the layer mask) to create soft edges in order to realistically blend the different parts together. You can adjust the sizes (transform function) and skin tone (adjustment layers) of the various parts so that they blend in together.

This assignment can also be done as a group project, with each student contributing a portrait taken under standardized lighting. Each student collects all the images, and then everyone creates their own version of the composite portrait from the files provided.

Image Collage

Create two Photoshop collages making use of advanced masking techniques. Place masked elements against a new background. Collage is expected to look "realistic" and have finely separated detail elements, without evidence of "fringing" or "halo." Images should take advantage of photo collage's potential for creating irony and surrealism by juxtaposing elements not normally found together.

Final Project

Write a short description of your final assignment. This should be a one page artist statement. This is your chance to explain your concept to the art viewing public.  

Create a series of five works using a combination of any or all the techniques we have learned in class. The subject of the work should be autobiographical. This work will be turned in on CD ROM or Zip Disc, and in the form of mounted prints.

Artist's Journal:

Throughout the course, students will be required to keep a journal/ sketchbook recording ideas and thoughts leading to images turned in as assignments. Journals should also include production notes of technical steps taken in the work's creation. This can be especially useful if one has to go back and recreate a certain effect, or as notes to build further development. Although assignments are designed as skill building exercises, these are also art projects, and students are expected to put effort into their conceptual development as well as technical expertise. The subject matter of assignments is purposely left fairly open ended in order to encourage the students' own artistic and creative development. The Journal is a place to record sources, ideas and encourage the development of these thoughts. It is also hoped that the private articulation of the work's development in journal form will help encourage students to be more confident and articulate in the "public forum" of the class critique. Journals can take any form from hand written and drawn scrapbook to digitally produced text/image documents. They will be turned in on midterm and final exam dates.

Grading system

Grades will be based upon a combination of class participation, attitude, and attendance (15 percent), assignments (40 percent) Final Project (20 percent) Midterm and Final Exam (15 percent) Artist's Journal (10 percent).

“A” grades will only be given for outstanding work that is turned in ON TIME and demonstrates technical mastery of material presented in class, as well as exceptional development of original creative thought and concept.

Grading will be done on a point system. Each assignment will be worth an assigned number of points that will be broken down into the areas of technical and conceptual/creative. Points will also be given for contribution to class discussions and critiques. The percentage of points received to the total possible will determine your final grade according to the guidelines published in the ZU Student Handbook.

Final grades are NON NEGOTIABLE except in the case of demonstrable errors of record keeping or calculation errors.

Materials and Equipment

Digital inkjet printers, paper, film, scanners, computers, film cameras; black and white film developing chemistry and supplies; sketchbooks, and print mounting supplies will be provided by Zayed University.Students are expected to provide the following items:

Negative sleeves for film storage
CD-Roms to save image files
Digital cameras

Reading List

Photoshop CS for Windows and Macintosh: Visual Quickstart Guide, Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas, Peachpit Press, 2003. ISBN 032121353x

Adobe Photoshop CS Classroom in a Book, Adobe Creative Team, Adobe Press, 2003. ISBN: 032119375X

Photoshop Masking & Compositng, Katrin Eismann, New Riders, 2005. ISBN 0-7357-1279-4

Essay handout: On the Dissection Table: The Unnatural Coupling of Surrealism and Photography by Andy Grundberg from Overexposed, Essayson Contemporary Photography, edited by Carol Squiers, The New Press, 1999.

The Disembodied Photograph By A.D. Coleman May/June 1999 From TechnologyReview.com http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/99/05/viewpoint0599.1.asp

Other readings will be assigned.

Policies

Time Management: Considerable work outside of the classroom will be required for the successful completion of work assigned in this class. Students will be expected to plan and shoot for projects outside of class time.

Critiques are for your benefit. They are a chance to share your work, and offer constructive criticism to your classmates. These sessions are a real opportunity for creative growth and learning, but are only useful if everyone participates with honesty, consideration, and an open mind. Part of your grade will be based on participation in critiques. Attendance is required during critiques in order to receive full credit for the project.

Attendance is MANDATORY at all class sessions. Missing three or more class sessions will detrimentally affect your grade. Class will begin promptly. Lateness will not be tolerated. Your success in this class will be directly proportional to the amount of time and effort you put into it.

Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated in this class. Any student turning in work that is done by another person will be fail the course. See Page 26 and 27 of the 2005-2006 ZU Catalog if you do not understand what this means.