Digital Photography 2

As a result of participating in this class, you will:

Review. We’ll spend some time reviewing principles of composition, color, lighting, and camera settings that are essential to any photographer. 

Tell stories. Images are an essential means to tell your story. Expect prompts that challenge you to tell the unique story of you, your community, and your classmates.

Creatively explore. We’ll be taking some risks and exploring unexpected ways to use your camera as a tool for self-expression. We’ll be learning to use and apply an external flash to our creative work. We’ll also be diving into more amazing tools included in the Adobe Creative Suite.

Consider context. In just about 200 years, the camera has developed from a box that took blurry photos to the high-tech mini computers you carry in your pocket today. We’re going to explore the context, purpose, and practice of photography. How and why did we take photos when it was a lot more complicated to take photos? How and why do we take photos now?

Express your voice. What is your style as a photographer? How can you use photography to demonstrate your unique vision? By the end of this course, your images should have a demonstrable and recognizable look, discerned through co-designed independent projects.

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National Core Media Arts Standards

>(MA:Cr1.1.II) Strategically utilize generative methods to formulate multiple ideas, refine artistic goals, and increase the originality of approaches in media arts creation processes.

(MA:Cr1.1.III) Integrate aesthetic principles with a variety of generative methods to fluently form original ideas, solutions, and innovations in media arts creation processes.

>(MA:Cr2.1.II) Apply a personal aesthetic in designing, testing, and refining original artistic ideas, prototypes, and production strategies for media arts productions, considering artistic intentions, constraints of resources, and presentation context.

>(MA:Cr3.1.I) Consolidate production processes to demonstrate deliberate choices in organizing and integrating content and stylistic conventions in media arts productions, demonstrating understanding of associated principles, such as emphasis and tone.

Note that pacing of our course is subject to change.

Weeks 1-3: Building Classroom Culture and Review

• Review of Cameras

• Skillbuilding for Weekly Practice

• Review of basic technology skills for digital photography

• Review of manual settings on digital cameras

• Review of composition guidelines

Weeks 4-6: In-Studio and Outdoor Exercises

• Deepening skills in manual camera settings

• Lighting choices: Use of studio lighting and lightboxes

• Photo staging in still life setups

• Applying white balance

• Demonstrations of Learning: White Paper Photos (“Something from Nothing”), Cupcake Wars, Indoor and Outdoor Poses, Shutter Speed Ghosts, Pixel Stretch

Weeks 7-9: Shutter Speed & Storytelling

• Applying the five-shot rule for photojournalism in a variety of storytelling contexts

• Caption writing and layout basics

• Freezing time in natural light with shutter speed

• Demonstrations of Learning: Event Photography, Classroom Photography, Seamless Scroll, Five-Shot Rule Captions, Shutter Speed Splashes

Week 10: Midterm Portfolio

Weeks 11-12: External Flash, Project Design

• Utilizing an external flash for studio photography and candid/action photography

• Conceptual and logistical design for independent project #1

• Demonstrations of Learning: Flash Exercises, One Light Challenge, Project Proposal

Weeks 13-14: Independent Project #1

Week 15: Project Review, Flower Lab

Week 16-17: Independent Project #2

Weeks 19-20: Final Portfolio, Course Wrapup

Adobe Photoshop: Students will become proficient with the Photoshop tool selections and how filters and layers can enhance photography.

Adobe Lightroom: Students will be able to apply Lightroom as a tool to organize photos and apply presets that will unify a body of work.

Adobe Express: Students will capably understand and apply the mobile design tool Adobe Express to create social media graphics and digital portfolios.

Google Tools: Students will capably use Google Docs, Photos, Slides, and Drive as organizational tools for storing and showcasing their work.

Digital DSLR Cameras + Tripods: Students will be able to effectively and responsibly use professional-grade digital cameras with a basic degree of manual control.

Smartphones & Free Applications: Today’s smartphones can be powerful tools for photography and multimedia work. We will explore smartphone photography and some free applications to create original digital work.

BE SAFE

• Follow all terms of the Photography/Video Contract at all times.

• Respect the personal space and property of yourself and others.

• Be aware and careful of your surroundings.

BE RESPONSIBLE

• Arrive to class on time, and begin working immediately.  Look for posted instructions.

• Bring your notebook to class daily.

• Respect, maintain, and return all supplies, and clean your workspace. Collaborate with others to maintain our shared studio.

• You are responsible for weekly practice and project deadlines.

• Use our studio technology responsibly. The computers are for photography  projects—not for unauthorized use, such as watching videos for entertainment or game recaps or playing games.

• Take responsibility for making arrangements to collect missed assignments, obtain demonstrations, and make up studio time if you miss class. 

BE RESPECTFUL

• Respect the studio, your materials, your classmates, your instructor, and yourself.  

• Listen to directions the first time, and ask questions appropriately when necessary.  

• You are expected to work in collaboration with other artists in an environment of respect and positive, supportive relationships.  Profanity, insults, and language or behavior demonstrating intolerance are unacceptable.

• For health and safety reasons, please no food or drink other than a water bottle in the studio without advance permission of the instructor.

• Respect our class time. You forfeit your participation points for the week if you opt to play games, watch movies, or otherwise idly use our computers. Homework for other classes should be done outside of our studio time.

• Whenever possible, communicate with your instructor in person. If email is necessary, please be courteous and respectful, and remember that how you communicate makes an impression.

• Suspend your disbelief and try.  

• Keep a positive attitude and an open mind, especially to the relevance and potential of this subject matter.

Weekly Practice

Weekly practice is assessed at (5) points every week. This is the only homework for our class. See the detailed description of weekly practice that we will cover in class. Your weekly practice grade drops to (3) as a starting point if you submit it up to one week late, and (0) if beyond one week late.

Participation

Participation is assessed formatively, including engagement in class procedures and discussions, citizenship in the studio and while taking photos, and compliance with student expectations.

Projects

Most project assignments are assessed on a mastery-based model with a point scale of 5-20 points. Not all project assignments are graded by points; some are assessed by completion only, and some may not be graded.

A sample 5-point scale follows below.

Advanced/Exceeding (5): Student thoroughly achieved the standard, exceeding the expectations.

Proficient/Meeting (4): Student met the requirement at the expected level.

Approaching (3): Partially meets standard, some parts incomplete, missing or lacking detail.

Still Developing (2): Minimally meets, lacks completion, missing elements, or did not follow directions.

Does Not Meet (1-0): Student did not submit an assignment and/or didn’t follow directions. There is no evidence of meeting the standard.

You can choose to re-do any PROJECT assignment at any point before the end of the respective quarter. If you opt to re-do a project, please make sure to: 1) Re-submit work on Schoology; 2) Alert your Instructor to the resubmission. 

Weekly practice is not accepted for credit past one week late.

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Students will co-design project rubrics for independent projects with the instructor.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to be present and on time for class. 

Unexcused absences or cuts receive 0 for daily participation and cannot be made up. Unexcused tardies receive .5 for daily participation, and you are responsible for material covered while you were tardy.

Diversity Statement

All members of the school community are expected to be respectful to each other. Negative comments about anyone’s race, nationality, religion, physical appearance or ability, intellectual capability, gender identity, sexual orientation, work ethic, or character are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Students are encouraged to discuss any concerns with an adult in the building.

Respecting online materials

Course materials (photography samples, videos, audio or video documentation of class sessions, chat transcripts, assignments, resources, etc) are for use in this course only. You may not upload them to external sites, share with students outside of this course, or post them for public commentary without your instructor’s advance permission. Unauthorized recording or photography during any class is a violation of the district’s acceptable use policy. 

A note on phones

Please see WSSD Board Policy 237-AR on Electronic Devices.

In an intentional step to support student focus in our studio, smartphones must be stowed in classroom-provided storage during instructional and photography time—bell to bell—unless otherwise directed. 

Students are not permitted to wear earbuds or headphones in our class except when this would explicitly relate to current learning and with the instructor’s permission.

The instructor reserves the right to further limit the use of any technology that is observed to be used outside of these guidelines or distracting the student/owner or other students in the class. 

• YOU NEED ONE NOTEBOOK to take notes, collect handouts, sketches, storyboards, etc.  You should have this with you daily.  You may purchase a notebook for $2.

• ONE SD CARD, minimum 32 GB. We will provide you with one SD card for the class. If you lose it, you are responsible for replacing it. You should have this with you daily. You can store it in your camera box between classes.

• A digital DSLR camera is not required for this course. If you have one, you are welcome to use it. If you have access to a camera, we can keep it in the classroom during the course. Most students use one of our studio cameras for class.

• A watch, to keep track of time during photoshoots

• Occasionally, I may ask you to bring in items from home to use in photoshoots. 

FROM THE STUDENT HANDBOOK

We believe that all members of our school community should strive to act in an honorable way at all times. We should be judged on the basis of our own work and are accountable for our actions. Collaboration, while encouraged, does not give us the right to plagiarize each other’s work. Contributions from others must be properly credited. A standard of trust for the completion of individual work is expected. In our school community, we value effort, learning, and the sharing of knowledge. We foster an environment of integrity, which prepares us for future academic work through holding ourselves accountable for our actions.

Strath Haven High School students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. Students who are found to have engaged in any violation of academic integrity will receive the following consequences:

1. Student will receive a zero as a grade on the specific assignment.

2. Guidance counselor will be notified.

3. Teacher will contact the parent/guardian to notify them of the offense.

Please consult the student handbook for more details on academic integrity. 

In photography and video classes, previous academic integrity concerns have related to submitting images for assignments that are not a student’s personal work; copying from others’ written or artistic work without credit; or unauthorized use of artificial intelligence to complete photography or written assignments.

Note that the use of AI tools for written or visual assignments is prohibited for our class, unless otherwise directed for specific creative assignments. AI use will be treated as an academic integrity violation.

For this class, we’ll sometimes need to shoot photographs and/or video around the school community. Your ability to leave the classroom during our assigned meeting period represents a trust relationship. The contract— which you will sign in class—serves as our agreement of trust. 

Students sign the contract on the last page of our printable syllabus, which represents the most up-to-date version.

When you leave the studio...

• Wear your photo pass around your neck at all times (except when you are the subject of a photo or video for a project).

• Visit designated areas only, per in-class explanations.

• Leave your smartphone in its designated location in our classroom.

• Demonstrate respect for others at all times.

• Do not disrupt any other classes. If you have an idea to shoot photos of any other classes or activities, ask permission. If you need to secure permission in advance, speak with your instructor.

• Take care + full responsibility for your equipment. This includes returning any borrowed equipment in full working condition.

• Do not idle in hallways or other spaces around the school. Take the photos that you need to take, then return to class.

• Always return to class at least ten minutes before the end of the period.

• COMMUNICATE YOUR PLANS WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR.

• The gym, cafeteria, and restrooms are always off limits unless we have discussed conditions.

• Make this studio proud because of your etiquette, behavior, respect, and work ethic.

If you use studio equipment...

CAMERAS / LENSES

• When used during class, must be returned in full working condition by the end of class.

• If battery charge is less than 3/4, recharge and replace the battery for the next student. 

• If borrowed outside of class / overnight, camera equipment must be returned before first period of the next day of class. The Media Lab will be open daily by 7:15 a.m. Do not leave cameras outside the classroom.

• Failure to return cameras before first period will result in the removal of borrowing privileges.

• You assume financial responsibility for any physical damage to or loss of borrowed cameras. Cameras are inspected regularly. Please inform your instructor immediately if accidental damage occurs so we can work to resolve any issues fairly.

SD CARDS

• Store your images on your own labeled SD card.

• Our studio provides you with one SD card. If you lose it, you must replace it.

• If you borrow a classroom SD card, you must sign it out and back in.

• NO IMAGES SHOULD BE LEFT ON ANY CLASSROOM SD CARD. Save your images to your computer and/or Google Drive. Any images left on classroom SDs may be deleted at any time. 

OTHER ITEMS (TRIPODS, LIGHTS, MICS, etc.)

• When used during class, must be returned in full working condition by the end of class.

• If borrowed outside of class, must be fully and legibly signed in and out.

• Return times by arrangement with instructor.

• You assume financial responsibility for any physical damage to or loss of borrowed equipment.

Your work is your responsibility.

• We will review procedures to create a portfolio and to back up your work at the end of class. No work is saved to the classroom desktops after our class, and the instructor does not back up or save your work, except for exemplars for future instruction.

In any arts course, we try to find frequent opportunities to share student work. Art takes on new life when it is displayed outside the classroom! When we display work, we give audiences a chance to learn from our artistic vision.

Your work may be displayed in various locations in Strath Haven High School, and/or on the @MediaLab223 Instagram account. School event photography may be shared with student publications, where every effort will be made to credit student work fully if published. 

Work for public display is always labeled with the name of the student artist. You may be assigned to participate in displaying our own class’s work, or to respond to other artwork displayed in the community.

If you would rather that your work is not displayed, please speak individually with your instructor,