Course

20815235 Creative Photography
Course Information
Description
This is an intermediate-level digital photo course that reviews and expands camera functions, basic editing, and photography appreciation. Students’ expression through photography as a fine art is developed through a series of problems, stressing personal vision and grasp of the photographic medium. Students provide their own digital cameras.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Create photographs using the DSLR or Mirrorless cameras
    Assessment Strategies
    Visual Product
    Criteria
    Use basic functions of the DSLR or Mirrorless cameras
    Demonstrate effects of F-Stop on depth of field
    Demonstrate the effects of shutter speed on motion
    Demonstrate camera settings for photographing: portrait, landscape/cityscape, close-up, stop-action and long exposure photographs

  2. Analyze unique aspects, artistic merit, and social impact of photography
    Assessment Strategies
    Written Product, Test, Verbal
    Criteria
    Identify public viewpoints of the medium among various genres
    Use active listening skills
    Verbally and/or in written form answer factual questions correctly
    Verbally and/or in written form demonstrate consideration and introspection
    Verbally and/or in written form answer subjective questions contextually

  3. Establish intermediate-level photographic procedures and production
    Assessment Strategies
    Skill Demonstration, Written/Visual Product, Quiz, and/or Test
    Criteria
    Use basic camera settings and functions
    Apply art theory, lighting methods, and photo technique
    Explain photographic methods, digital format, and image capture
    Identify strong subject matter
    Implement purposeful framing across various environments
    Apply specific graphic controls common in photographic composition

  4. Create a sense of hyper magnification, finite detail, and exaggerated larger-than-life scale of small common subjects
    Assessment Strategies
    Visual Product
    Criteria
    Utilize non-specialty lenses in the methods of macrophotography
    Concentrate on point of view, camera position, distance to subject, focal length, aperture/shallow DOF, bright lighting, and conceptual approach
    Identify strong subject matter and thoughtful composition/ purposeful framing

  5. Apply lighting, metering, and exposure techniques to “High Dynamic Range” photographs
    Assessment Strategies
    Skill Demonstration, Visual Product
    Criteria
    Describe the role of metering and exposure in photography
    Static subject has large high key and large low key areas
    Greatest Depth of Field is maintained to render available details
    Demonstrate manual exposure control and meter reading
    Create bracketed exposures, capturing details in highlights and shadows
    Implement histogram and exposure bracketing
    Use Adobe Photoshop HDR Photo Merge
    Bracketed frames are processed in Adobe Photoshop HDR Photo Merge
    Final image in rendered showing details in shadowed areas and highlighted areas
    HDR composite contains greater dynamic range than what the camera can capture in single image

  6. Apply long-exposure technique to “Light Painting” photographs
    Assessment Strategies
    Visual Product
    Criteria
    Control light source manually across object, revealing nothing beyond its perimeter, during 10”/30”/Bulb shutter movement
    Subject painting photographs show proper focus and exposure of the object
    Subject painting photographs show tonal separation between object and surroundings
    Subject painting photographs show consistency of light movement over object
    Control light source manually as drawing in air, revealing nothing beyond its perimeter, during 10”/30”/Bulb shutter speed
    Air painting photographs show effective exposure and focal clarity of the design
    Air painting photographs show tonal separation between light trail and surroundings
    HDR composite contains greater dynamic range than what the camera can capture in single image

  7. Apply lighting techniques to “Expressive Portrait” photographs
    Assessment Strategies
    Visual Product, Skill Demonstration
    Criteria
    Identify lighting direction, lighting quality, and subject placement for each of the four portrait styles
    Implement light modifiers, natural window light, and artificial light sources
    Faceless portrait photographs offer essence of person without showing face, utilizing full body, body parts, or silhouette
    Dramatic figure portrait photographs highlight, obscure, or reflect part of person for dramatic effect, utilizing high contrast and/or foreground elements
    Profile portrait photographs show side of face and shoulders of person, utilizing natural window light for clear illumination of profile line
    Traditional portrait photographs show entire face and shoulders of person, utilizing natural window light for soft illumination of features keeping eyes in focus

  8. Create body of work portraying personal intent, expression and cohesive narrative
    Assessment Strategies
    Written Product, Visual Product
    Criteria
    Written project proposal identifies your intent
    Written project proposal follows guidelines specified by the instructor
    Progress report shows 3-5 photos and 50+ word statement of mid-term project progression
    Eight to ten final images show subject clarity/appropriate focus, accurate exposure/tonal range, and strong compositional technique
    Eight to ten final images show personal artistic expression and/or tell a story
    Presentation shows 8-10 RGB color or grayscale images as Epson prints or digital projection
    Presentation is accompanied by project description and image commentary

  9. Practice critical thinking through critique
    Assessment Strategies
    Written product and/or verbal critique
    Criteria
    Produce constructive analysis of personal work and the work of classmates, per instructor guidelines
    Write or speak about aspects that are working well and what can be improved, within the context of camera functions and compositional approach
    Evaluate photographic success based on student’s intentions for the image
    Make decisions about project quality

  10. Use the digital workflow process: capture, digital access management, image manipulation, digital output
    Assessment Strategies
    Visual Product, Skill Demonstration
    Criteria
    Demonstrate file management in Lightroom Library module or/and Adobe Bridge
    Apply editing in Lightroom develop module or/and Photoshop Camera Raw
    Use Photoshop adjustment layers
    Use portrait retouching techniques per instructor guidelines
    Create a digital output Epson print

  11. Implement effective habits and computer lab etiquette
    Assessment Strategies
    Skill Demonstration
    Criteria
    Practice responsible port connections, data transfer, image upload and file storage among respective devices
    Adhere to photographic processing guidelines and non-destructive editing methods within Adobe programs, as specified by the instructor
    Follow classroom etiquette during in-person meetings and computer or print labs
    Use shared lab time efficiently

  12. Practice time management skills
    Assessment Strategies
    Self-Assessment
    Criteria
    Implement strategies to assist with meeting deadlines
    Apply techniques to effectively manage stress
    Exercise access to campus advisors for scheduling support
    Practice respectful behavior
    Self-assess