course syllabus

History of photography
Instructor. Rachel Loischild M.F.A.



A History of Photography
for Photographers

This course will be an introduction to the history of photography. While we will cover photography’s origins, the course will focus mainly on the photographers and the art movement‘s of the 20th century.


Course objectives-
- to expose you, as artists and photographers, to a wide range of photographers, photographs, and photographic movements
- to help, and inspire, the creative process.
- to assist you in becoming a well informed artist so that when a photographer is mentioned you will know who is being talked about, why he or she is considered important, and to also be able to place him or her into an historical context.
- to help you in your development of research skills.


Course text:
- A World History of Photography, 3rd Edition
by Naomi Rosenblum
Supplemental readings from:
- Photography in Print edited by Vicki Goldberg
- The Photo Book - to be used as a quick reference


Readings - the reading load for this class is heavy –
Do your best- set aside several hours each week just for reading, try not to get frustrated give your self up to two full hours for each chapter in world history of photography (WHOP). Your grade will be based, in part, on your preparedness to discuss the photographs, photographers, and art movements you read about before each class session. What does this mean in a concrete way – do the best you can, take some notes about your thoughts on the readings - come to class with at least one question and one comment. If you are the type of person who has trouble speaking up in class, it may be helpful to have your comments on a piece of paper so you can simply read them to the class.



Course policies:
-no late work will be accepted
-after three absences your grade will be reduced by a full letter for each absence
- if you choose to not complete any one of the four main components of this class it will be an automatic F
-Plagiarism will not be tolerated – Remember: If you download a paper or in any way use someone else’s work as your own you will fail the class.

Grading will be determined in four parts:
20% class participation
25% binder
40% research projects
20% final exam

A (93-100)
A- (90-92) Excellent to Very Good; comprehensive knowledge and understanding of subject matter; marked perception and/or originality
B+ (87-89)
B (83-86)
B- (80-82) Good; moderately broad knowledge and understanding of subject matter; noticeable perception and/or originality
C+ (77-79)
C (73-76)
C- (70-72) Satisfactory; reasonable knowledge and understanding of subject matter; some perception and/or originality
D (60-69) Marginal; minimum of knowledge and understanding of subject matter; limited perception and/or originality
F (<60) Failing; unacceptable low level of knowledge and understanding of subject matter; severely limited perception and/or originality; absences in excess of allowable limit

The four components
Class participation –
it is necessary to have lively discussion in this class or every one will fall asleep!! In addition discussing a subject helps to internalize information- so how do you insure that you will complete this course requirement- attend class, join each discussion with a question or comment – be actively engaged in the class.

Binder-
Each week a number of photographers are listed in this syllabus you should research each of them printing out one article per photographer. Organize your binder by week and photographer using tabs. I will be checking that your binder is complete at the midterm and at the final. – to get credit for your binder it must be well organized and complete with each photographer listed.

Research Papers-
This is an in-depth research paper in which you will investigate the style, technique and relevance of a photographer or photographic movement. Length 6- 10 pages. ---- Two such papers will be assigned.

Final exam
The final exam will be a review of each photographer we have discussed in class. It will focus on photo id’s, but also include short essay questions designed to allow you to demonstrate your vast knowledge of the subject.



Course Calendar

Week 1
Introduction – overview of class, review syllabus, expectations, books – readings, and assignments.
- basic origins of photography
- camera obsceura
- 1839- daguerreotypes- Louis- Jacques Daguerre , Calotypes – William Henry Fox Talbot

Week 2
Pictorialists and early portraits –
Julia Margaret Cameron, Peter Henry Emerson.
Readings: WHOP pg 14- 93 (chapt 1- The early years and 2 - A plenitude of portraits.)
WHOP pg 208 – 243 (Chapter 5 - Photography and Art)

Week 3
Landscape & early war photos
Mathew Brady, Timothy O’Sullivan, Carleton Watkins
Reading WHOP 94- 207 (chapters 3- Documentation: landscape and architecture and 4 - Documentation: objects and events)

Week 4
Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen
Readings: WHOP pages 244-339 (chapters 6 and 7)
PIP pgs 214-217
PIP pg 271 - 272
PIP pg 291 – 292

Week 5
Lewis Hine, Jacob Riis, August Sander, Bernice Abbott
Farm Security Administration
- Dorothea Lange , Walker Evans, Margaret Bourke-White
Readings: WHOP pg 340 –391 (Ch. 8 Documentation: the social scene),
PIP 349-354,
PIP 355-358 ,
PIP 238-253
Week 6
Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham, Paul Strand
Reading WHOP pg392 –461 (chapter 9 Art photography and modernism),
PIP 377-380,
PIP 303-318,
PIP 267-270

Week 7
Andre Kertesz, , Eugene Atget, Brassai, Mann Ray
Reading: PIP 420- 421,
PIP 254-258
First Research project due!



Week 8
Richard Avedon, Weegee, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ilse Bing
Reading – WHOP pg 462-515 (chapter 10 words and pictures in print media), PIP 402-403,
PIP404-419,
PIP 431,
PIP 384- 386

Week 9
Harry Callahan, Lee Friedlander Garry Winogrand, Robert Frank, Aaron Siskind, Bill Brandt
Reading WHOP pg 516-567 (chapter 11 - photography since 1950 the straight image),
PIP 400- 401,
PIP 422-430,
PIP 492-498

Week 10
William Eggleston, Joel Sternfeld, Joel Meyerowitz, Bill Owens
Reading WHOP pg 568 (chapter 12 photography since 1950 - manipulations and color)

Week 11
Mary Ellen Mark, Francesca Woodman, Nan Golden, Elinor Carucci
Reading:
PIP 474-479
Second research project due!

Week 12
Diane Arbus , Sally Mann, Cindy Sherman,


Week 13
Uta Barth, Tina Barney, Hannah Starkey, Nikki Lee


Week 14
Shana &Robert ParkeHarrison, Hiroshi sugimoto, Andreas Gursky, Gregory Crewdson, Jeff Wall

Week 15 - Final EXAM !!!