FALL '09 WEEK #3

-photo by Melissa Lynam

Good-morning.
Welcome to Week 3.
Wow, I was very impressed with the photos from Week 1, we saw some really nice self-portraits with self-expression. Let's keep up the good work.

Housekeeping:
-when reviewing the Powerpoint presentation, copy the PPP file to your HD then open from there. (Opening a large file like that across the server will put a drain on server, and in some cases -crash)
-do NOT put folders in the DROP folder, just drag and drop the images solo. Thank you.
-be sure to slug each photo correctly, otherwise 1pt will subtracted from each assignment.
-check the Graded Assignments Folder.

Agenda for today's class.

1. Let's look, ASSIGNMENT #1, Self portrait.
2. Let's look, ASSIGNMENT #2, Depth-of-field & Motion.
3. The Visual Language, also see PPP
   
4. History of Photography Timeline
5. Photo Basics PART II; Cameras, also see PPP.
   
6. Photo Basics PART III; Lenses, also see PPP.
   
7. ASSIGNMENT #3, Selective Focus
8. Matt Rainey's, "After the Fire" photo essay.
   

The VISUAL LANGUAGE

NEWS UNIVERSITY
“PHOTOJOURNALISM: Language of the Image” by John Davidson
(sign-up, it's free. study this site)

Photojournalism is a visual language.
Just like stories, there are reasons that some photos are successful and why others fall short. When journalists discuss photographs using visual terms, the conversation goes beyond subjective likes and dislikes to more effectively address the value of the image.

Good photographers also think in these visual terms when they are on assignment.

They decide the moment to record, what to include, and what to take out.

They look for quality of light, juxtaposition, a point of entry, mood, emotion, and a sense of place in order to best tell the story visually. With experience, it becomes a natural process.
When it comes time to articulate the journalistic value of an image, photographers should use, and encourage others to use, the visual language.

Three types of images.
1. INFORMATIONAL PHOTO
photo by THOMAS E. FRANKLIN\The Record
-a visual record of a person, place, or event.
-offers identification value.
-has very little story-telling value.
-passive
-active

2.PASSIVE PHOTO
photo by THOMAS E. FRANKLIN\The Record
-subject’s whose purpose is to have photo taken for publication.
-there are times when passive photo at a live event is acceptable, such as when event has passed, such as environmental portrait.
-should never be passed off as active.
-can be effective as story-telling.
-need not be boring because event has passed.

3. ACTIVE PHOTO
photo by CHRIS PEDOTA\The Record

-shows real situations and real people in real time.
-far preferable to environmental portraits after event.
-true documentary photography.
-often inspires, informs, evokes emotion.
-Photojournalism goes beyond surface facts to capture real situation.
-photojournalists are the eyes of the reader/viewer.
-job is to visually report on events.

ROGER FENTON

ROGER FENTON
1819-1869, British

See video: Video 
-interesting commentary.

Roger Fenton's Crimean War photographs represent one of the earliest systematic attempts to document a war through the medium of photography. Fenton, who spent fewer than four months in the Crimea (March 8 to June 26, 1855), produced 360 photographs under extremely trying conditions.

While these photographs present a substantial documentary record of the participants and the landscape of the war, there are no actual combat scenes, nor are there any scenes of the devastating effects of war.

The Library of Congress purchased 263 of Fenton's salted paper and albumen prints from his grandniece Frances M. Fenton in 1944, including his most well-known photograph, "Valley of the Shadow of Death.”

Roger Fenton originally studied law in London before training as a painter there and in Paris. Fenton became a photographer and his career in the medium only lasted twelve years, but covered many subject matters. He was a founding member of the Photographic Society in London and photographed the royal family.

In 1852, Fenton made the first photographs of Russia and Kremlin. Then in 1853, he was asked to document the collection of the British Museum.

In 1862, Fenton abandoned photography because of the commercialization of the medium and returned to his law practice.

-Library of Congress


ROGER FENTON
b. Mar 1819; d. 8 Aug 1869
Roger Fenton is particularly known for his coverage of the Crimean War, which is a pity, because it only formed a small proportion of his output in other areas, and also somewhat obscures the major part he played in promoting photography in general.

After studying at London University, Fenton studied art in London, and later in Paris under the painter Paul Delaroche. However, having had little success as a painter, in 1844 he returned to London and studied law.
In January 1851 he visited Paris, and was impressed by the freedom that photographers in France had been granted as a result of the Daguerreotype process having been made available to all. By contrast, progress in England was slow because of Talbot's claims arising from his patent.
In 1852 he visited Russia, and his photographs were amongst the first ever to be seen in England, guaranteeing him instant fame. Back in England, he proposed the formation of a Photographic Society, and on 10 January 1853 this came into being, and he served as its Secretary for three years. (This is now the Royal Photographic Society).

Fenton photographed Queen Victoria's family, and also became the official photographer to the British Museum.

The Crimean War (1853-1956) was one of many between Russia and the Turks, but this time involved the British and French. William Russell, a journalist working for The Times, and one of the first war correspondents, began to send a series of disturbing accounts of the conduct of this war, and particularly the conditions under which theBritish forces were fighting. Less than 20% of the fatalities of the forces were due to war wounds; the majority of these were caused by disease and the freezing cold. When Russell began to report the inadequacy of the medical facilities and the fact that British soldiers, not having even been issued with winter uniforms, were dying with cold, feeling over the government's handling of the war began to mount.
In 1855, in response to this continuous criticism of the government's handling of the war, Fenton was commissioned to photograph it, and produced over 350 pictures of the conflict.

Though he is seen as a war photographer, his pictures showed a very one-sided cosmetic view:
• as it was largely a propaganda exercise, he was bound to show the well-being of the troops;
• he wanted to sell his pictures, and gruesome realistic ones were probably not very marketable!
• many of his pictures were of the officers, a sign, perhaps, of his sound business sense!

In fairness to him, he often felt obliged to photograph them: "If I refuse to take them," he complained, "I get no facilities for conveying my van from one locality to another."
Fenton's war pictures, therefore, tend to portray war as a gorgeous pageant; there are no dead bodies, and one might almost imagine that the Crimean war was almost like a picnic. There are no action shots (this for technical reasons), but those of soldiers are carefully posed groups, almost as if they were cricketers just about to go in to bat. It is this bias which makes one question slightly whether he was a true war photographer in the same league as the Mathew Brady team. Moreover, as an agent of the government, his portrayals were somewhat slanted; the charge of the Light Brigade, for example, was one disaster that was depicted as a glorious event.

One has to bear in mind the considerable difficulties experienced at this time by photographers on location. Like all photographers of the time, he found it necessary to take with him all the sensitising and processing equipment. To do this, Fenton took with him a converted wine-wagon as a caravan, and this occasionally became the target, probably being mistaken for an ammunitions vehicle. In a lecture to the Photographic Society he gave an account of the conditions:
"Though (the van) was painted a light colour externally, it grew so hot towards noon as to burn the hand when touched. As soon as the door was closed to commence the preparation of a plate, perspiration started from every pore; and the sense of relief was great when it was possible to open the door and breathe even the hot air outside."

Fenton also had his own battles..."It was at this time that the plague of flies commenced. Before preparing a plate the first thing to be done was to battle with them for possession of the place. The necessary buffeting with handkerchiefs and towels having taken place, and the intruders having being expelled, the moment the last one was out, the door has to be rapidly closed for fear of a fresh invasion, and then some time allowed for the dust thus raised to settle before coating a plate...."

As the summer arrived, Fenton found that the developing liquid became so hot that he could hardly put his hands in it! He also had to stop work earlier and earlier each day, many of his portraits having been taken before seven o'clock in the morning.
Upon returning from the Crimea (but not before he too had endured cholera) he had published bound volumes of his prints. However, they did not sell too well, as people hardly wished to keep mementos of an event which most would wish to forget.
Another reason for the lack of sales was that the prints, still on salted paper, had a tendency to fade. Fenton himself was sufficiently concerned about the fading of pictures, for he chaired a Photographic Society "Fading Committee."

Fenton also produced a number of Stereoscopes of architecture, landscapes and still life subjects. He then produced a series of photographs of cathedrals. For reasons that are not clear, he gave up taking photographs in 1861 and returned to the law; it has been suggested that this was because of his dislike for the increasing commercialization of photography.

It was probably his bout of cholera which led to his early death at the age of forty-nine. It is worth noting that this prolific output and contribution to photography was confined to just eleven years or so.

Over six hundred of Fenton's prints are now preserved at the Royal Photographic Society - the most comprehensive archive of his work.

-© Robert Leggat, 2000



Valley of the Shadow of Death
Roger Fenton
British, Ukraine, 1855
Salt print
10 7/8 x 13 3/4 in.
84.XM.504.23

..in coming to a ravine called the valley of death, the sight passed all imagination: round shot and shell lay like a stream at the bottom of the hollow all the way down, you could not walk without treading upon them...
--Roger Fenton

Fenton's most famous photograph is also one of the most well-known images of war. Across a desolate and featureless landscape, not a single figure can be found. The landscape is inhabited only by cannonballs--so plentiful that they first appear to be rocks--that stand in for the human casualties on the battlefield. The sense of emptiness and unease is heightened by the visual uncertainty created by the changing scale of the road and the sloping sides of the ravine.

Borrowing from the Twenty-third Psalm of the Bible, the Valley of Death was named by British soldiers who came under constant shelling there. Fenton traveled to the dangerous ravine twice, and on his second visit he made two exposures. Fenton wrote that he had intended to move in closer at the site. But danger forced him to retreat back up the road, where he created this image.

On a commissioned assignment, Fenton traveled in 1853 to the Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea, where England, France, and Turkey were fighting a war against Russia. To avoid offending Victorian sensibilities, Fenton refrained from photographing the dead and wounded. His more than three hundred images of encampments, battle sites, and portraits of all miltary ranks, became the first extensive photo-documentation of any war. When exhibited in England, Fenton's photographs of the Crimean War established his reputation.

ASSIGNMENT #03, Selective Focus

ASSIGNMENT #03
(Due 10/5/09)
Selective Focus

PART 1
READING:
Guide to Photojournalism
By Brian Horton
Read pages 1-27 “Introduction”

Visual Journalism
By Christopher Harris & Paul Martin Lester
Read pages 63-86, CHAPTER 4
Documentary Assignments & Manipulated Assignments

PART 2
Photographer’s Bio’s:
History of Photography Timeline
Invention of Photography
History of Photojournalism; Roger Fenton

PART 3
SELECTIVE FOCUS is a technique in which one portion of a photograph is in focus, while other elements are blurred out-of-focus. The photographer makes the choice. Remember, the viewer's eye is naturally drawn toward the part of the photo that is in sharp focus. This is achieved by careful focus and employing shallow depth of field through the use of a wide aperture. The subject is isolated from its surroundings, through focus and depth-of-field.

SHOOTING ASSIGNMENT:
Find any subject that is red, can be person or object.
Make two separate photos focused on just the red subject/object. Only the red subject should be in focus. The background and other object should not be in focus.
1. In the first photo, use your wide-angle lens (zoomed wide –wide angle).
2. In the second, use your telephoto (zoomed out all the way -telephoto).

Using depth-of-field and selective focus, try to isolate the subject from its surroundings to create a clean, sharp image. Be mindful of the technical issues we’ve discussed in class; such as DOF, movement. Review examples shown in class.

This is a creative and technical assignment. Make strong expressive photos!
Shoot different angles, work the subject.

*Students must complete:
1. Select (1) best photo one of each.
2. use Photoshop to edit images.
3. Be sure to include a caption.
4.SLUG PHOTO AS FOLLOWS:
EXAMPLES:
franklin_ focus_wide.JPG,
franklin_ focus_tele.JPG
5. Place images in the “drop folder”
(remember to save a copy for yourself to you folder)

HISTORY OF PHOTOJ TIMELINE

ancient times: Camera obscuras used to form images on walls in darkened rooms; image formation via a pinhole

16th century: Brightness and clarity of camera obscuras improved by enlarging the hole inserting a telescope lens

17th century: Camera obscuras in frequent use by artists and made portable in the form of sedan chairs

1727: Professor J. Schulze mixes chalk, nitric acid, and silver in a flask; notices darkening on side of flask exposed to sunlight. Accidental creation of the first photo-sensitive compound.

1800: Thomas Wedgwood makes "sun pictures" by placing opaque objects on leather treated with silver nitrate; resulting images deteriorated rapidly, however, if displayed under light stronger than from candles.

1816: Nicéphore Niépce combines the camera obscura with photosensitive paper

1826: Niépce creates a permanent image

1834: Henry Fox Talbot creates permanent (negative) images using paper soaked in silver chloride and fixed with a salt solution. Talbot created positive images by contact printing onto another sheet of paper.

1837: Louis Daguerre creates images on silver-plated copper, coated with silver iodide and "developed" with warmed mercury; Daguerre is awarded a state pension by the French government in exchange for publication of methods and the rights by other French citizens to use the Daguerreotype process.

1841: Talbot patents his process under the name "calotype".

1851: Frederick Scott Archer, a sculptor in London, improves photographic resolution by spreading a mixture of collodion (nitrated cotton dissolved in ether and alcoohol) and chemicals on sheets of glass. Wet plate collodion photography was much cheaper than daguerreotypes, the negative/positive process permitted unlimited reproductions, and the process was published but not patented.

1855: Roger Fenton make photo, Valley of the Shadow of Death, with road full of cannonballs,

1855-57: Direct positive images on glass (ambrotypes) and metal (tintypes or ferrotypes) popular in the US.

1861: Scottish physicist James Clerk-Maxwell demonstrates a color photography system involving three black and white photographs, each taken through a red, green, or blue filter. The photos were turned into lantern slides and projected in registration with the same color filters. This is the "color separation" method.

1861-65: Mathew Brady and staff (mostly staff) covers the American Civil War, exposing 7000 negatives

1871: Richard Leach Maddox, an English doctor, proposes the use of an emulsion of gelatin and silver bromide on a glass plate, the "dry plate" process.

1877: Eadweard Muybridge, born in England as Edward Muggridge, settles "do a horse's four hooves ever leave the ground at once" bet among rich San Franciscans by time-sequenced photography of Leland Stanford's horse.

1880: KODAK;George Eastman, age 24, sets up Eastman Dry Plate Company in Rochester, New York. First half-tone photograph appears in a daily newspaper, the New York Graphic.

1888: First Kodak camera, containing a 20-foot roll of paper, enough for 100 2.5-inch diameter circular pictures.

1889: Improved Kodak camera with roll of film instead of paper

1890: Jacob Riis publishes How the Other Half Lives, images of tenement life in New York City

1900: Kodak Brownie box roll-film camera introduced.

1902: Alfred Stieglitz organizes "Photo Secessionist" show in New York City

1906: Availability of panchromatic black and white film and therefore high quality color separation color photography. J.P. Morgan finances Edward Curtis to document the traditional culture of the North American Indian.

1909: Lewis Hine hired by US National Child Labor Committee to photograph children working mills.

1931: Development of strobe photography by Harold ("Doc") Edgerton at MIT

1932: Inception of Technicolor for movies, where three black and white negatives were made in the same camera under different filters.

1932: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Willard Van Dyke, Edward Weston, et al, form Group f/64 dedicated to "straight photographic thought and production".

1934: Fuji Photo Film founded. By 1938, Fuji is making cameras and in addition to film.

1935: Farm Security Administration hires Roy Stryker to run a historical section. Stryker would hire Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Arthur Rothstein, et al. to photograph rural hardships over the next six years.

1936: LIFE: A weekly news magazine launched by Henry Luce is introduced, with a strong emphasis on photojournalism.

1936: Development of Kodachrome, the first color multi-layered color film; development of Exakta, pioneering 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera

World War II:

Development of multi-layer color negative films

Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa, Carl Mydans, and W. Eugene Smith cover the war for LIFE magazine

1945: Joe Rosenthal photographs ‘Raising the Flag’ on Iwo Jima for Associated Press.

1947: MAGNUM: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, and David Seymour start the photographer-owned Magnum picture agency

1948: Hasselblad in Sweden offers its first medium-format SLR for commercial sale; Pentax in Japan introduces the automatic diaphragm; Polaroid sells instant black and white film

1955: Edward Steichen curates Family of Man exhibit New York Museum of Modern Art

1959: Nikon F introduced.

1960: Garry Winogrand begins photographing women on the streets of New York City.

1963: First color instant film developed by Polaroid; Instamatic released by Kodak; first purpose-built underwater introduced, the Nikonos.

1968: Eddie Adams makes photo of police chief General Nguyễn Ngọc Loan executing a Vietcong prisoner, Nguyễn Văn Lém, on a Saigon street, for the Associated Press.

1972: 110-format cameras introduced by Kodak with a 13x17mm frame

1973: C-41 color negative process introduced, replacing C-22

1985: Minolta markets the world's first autofocus SLR system (called "Maxxum" )

1987: The popular Canon EOS system introduced, with new all-electronic lens mount

1990: Adobe Photoshop released.

1991: Kodak DCS-100, first digital SLR, a modified Nikon F3

1992: Kodak introduces PhotoCD

1999: Nikon D1 SLR, 2.74 megapixel for $6000, first ground-up DSLR design by a leading manufacturer.

2000: Camera phone introduced in Japan by Sharp/J-Phone

2001: Polaroid goes bankrupt

2003: Four-Thirds standard for compact digital SLRs introduced with the Olympus E-1; Canon Digital Rebel introduced for less than $1000

2004: Kodak ceases production of film cameras

2005: Canon EOS 5D, first consumer-priced full-frame digital SLR, with a 24x36mm

Franklin Portfolio

FALL '09 WEEK #2

1. MSNBC'S slideshow
2. WORKFLOW
3. PHOTOSHOP
4. CAPTIONS
   
5. ASSIGNMENT #1, Self Portrait
6. What is Photojournalism? (see PPP)
7. What photos have had an impact on you? (see PPP)
8. Photo Basic's PART I (see PPP)
   
9. ASSIGNMENT #2, Depth-of-field & Motion.

MISC ITEMS:
-please read & follow assignment instructions carefully!
-remember to check email regularly.
-be sure to LOG-OUT at end of class each week.
-be sure to caption & slug images correctly BEFORE placing in DROP folder.
-be sure assignment number and description is included in caption.
-bring camera, with charged batteries, to class each week.
-bring out-take images to class, store in your SLICE folder.
-if u miss an assignment you will lose points. be sure to submit ASAP.
-you are responsible for all material on the BLOG and in the Powerpoint, even if we do not cover all the material in class. (OFTEN WE WON'T GET TO EVERYTHING IN CLASS)

WORK-FLOW

HOW TO COMPLETE ASSIGNMENT WORK
-after you shoot your photos > import photos to YOUR folder.
Create folder structure within your folder:
EXAMPLE: tfranklin > pictures> assignment01> etc…

-connect to slice > your folder.
-connect your camera to computer.
If computer doesn’t recognize your camera, try using iPhoto.
-after import to iPhoto is complete, copy to YOUR folder.
DO NOT KEEP YOUR PHOTOS IN iPHOTO.

EDITING:
-open Adobe Photoshop
-Browse images using Bridge
(Photoshop (PS) > file > browse (launches Bridge automatically)
**BRIDGE is a plug-in for Photoshop, and should be used for editing your images.
-locate your folder in the PS finder
-select the best images > double click to open them in PS

PHOTOSHOP
Follow the PS steps outlined in PHOTOSHOP BASICS 1 document in class folder.
-BE SURE TO CAPTION ALL SUBMITTED PHOTOS.
-save all edited versions to YOUR folder not local hard drive.
-drag images(s) to DROP folder for submission.
-keep in mind you cannot view items inside DROP folder.

***do NOT use iPhoto to edit your images. Use iPhoto only if computer doesn’t recognize camera.

***Use Bridge to view your images and make selections.

***FORMAT YOUR CARD BEFORE EACH USE. This will wipe card clean of all images, be sure you have saved all images before doing so. Consult your camera manual.

CAPTIONS

Please write a properly written caption in the caption field in File Info for every assignment photograph you submit. All photos submitted without caption will be penalized.
There are several criteria for good caption writing. A good caption clearly identifies the subject of the picture, without detailing the obvious.

Complete caption information in sentence form, including; who, what, when, where, why.
Captions should be:

• -succinct and brief.
• -establish the picture's relevance to the article, or assignment.
• -provides context for the picture.
• -draws the reader into the article.

Some people start at the top and read each word until the end. Others read the first paragraph and scan through for other interesting information, looking especially at pictures and captions.
People read articles different ways.

For those readers, even if the information is adjacent in the text, they will not find it unless it is in the caption — but do not tell the whole story in the caption — use the caption to make the reader curious about the subject.

Another way of approaching the job: imagine you're giving a lecture based on the encyclopaedia article, and you are using the image to illustrate the lecture. What would you say while attention is on the image? What do you want your audience to notice in the image, and why? Corollary: if you have got nothing to say, then the image probably does not belong in the article.

HOW TO COMPLETE A CAPTION IN THIS CLASS:
A caption must accompany EVERY photo submitted in this course. If a caption is omitted, automatically points will be deducted from your grade.

Caption photo in Adobe Photoshop: (file> file info> description> write in caption field
Always follow this outline:

CITY,STATE PHOTO WAS TAKEN DATE TAKEN ASSIGNMENT #01/TOPIC OF PHOTO ASSIGNMENT: Complete caption information in sentence form, including; who, what, when, where, why. -photo by First Name Last Name

EXAMPLE:

MAHWAH,NJ 02/12/05 ASSIGNMENT #01 RAMAPO COLLEGE NAMES NEW PRESIDENT: Ramapo College announced today that Buford T. Randal will become the next college president. Bill Jones, the acting president, made the announcement at a luncheon held in the college library today. Randal will be sworn-in on March 1, 2005.
-photo by Joseph F. Smith / Associated Press

PHOTOSHOP BASIC'S

Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is THE ESSENTIAL PHOTO EDITING TOOL, used by every professional photographer, in every photography field, in every country, and it is used everyday. It is the industry standard, bar none.

It is also a massive and powerful program, which could take years to learn and a lifetime to master.

Students in this class only need to learn a few basic steps. These basic steps can be followed on virtual every version of Photoshop, including the lateste version CS3. Read them, learn them, use them. If you care to learn more and explore PS, here is a tutorial Adobe offers.
They are as follows:

Basics:

1. Open image
(file> open)
*There are multiple ways to open an image in PS. You can simply drag image onto PS icon. Also, you may want to use the PS browser. ( file> browse > navigate to image)

2. Crop image
-select cropping tool from tool bar
-crop image to desired shape

3. Size image
(image> image size)
-set to10inches at longest side, 200dpi
-make sure constrain proportions is checked.
-make sure resample image is checked.
*once you diminish size, thus lose information, you can never regain it. You must go back to original file.

4. Tone image
(image> adjustments> levels)
-set white marker, set black marker if possible
-move markers to adjust image
-or try AUTO
* there are many ways to tone images in PS, I suggest using “Levels.”

5. Caption photo
(file> file info> general> write in caption field
-For captions, see caption outline DOC)

6. Name photo (give it a unique slug for ID purposes)
last name_slug.jpg ex: franklin_feature.jpg

7. Save photo
(File> save as> save to your folder)
*by using “save as” you are creating a new file, leaving the original unchanged.


Additional….

8. Sharpen
(Filter> sharpen> unsharp mask). Move sliders:
AMOUNT between 100 - 200
RADIUS between .4 – 2.0
THRESHOLD set to 13
*don’t over sharpen, this is it to fine tune sharpness only!

8. To convert to Black & White
(image> mode > grayscale)
Discard color info? Click yes, but make sure you “save as’ or have another copy saved, otherwise you will lose all color info on the image, forever!
Remember to convert back to RGB:
(image> mode > RGB color)
Tone image if you like:
(image> adjustments> levels)
*note that there are many ways to convert to Black & White, this method is easiest.

10. Burn & Dodge
-select burn or dodge tool from tool bar. They are the same tool, different selections.
At top, adjust brush size and range. Experiment here.

11. Remove Dust
-select clone stamp tool from tool bar.
At top, adjust brush size and opacity. Experiment here.

12. Minimize Shadows/Highlights
-IMAGE>ADJUST>SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS
-move adjustors. Do NOT over adjust, keep number below 10.

FALL '09 ASSIGNMENT #02; Depth-of-field & Motion

ASSIGNMENT #02
(Due 9/28/09)

READING:
National Geographic Field Guide
By Peter K. Burian & Robert Caputo
“Motion –Stopping it & Using It” pages 258-263
“David Alan Harvey,” pages 264-269
National Geographic Field Guide
By Peter K. Burian & Robert Caputo
review…
“Essential Basics; Getting Started” pages 1-23
“Essential Basics; Camera’s & Lenses” pages 34-75

SHOOTING ASSIGNMENT #02; Depth-of-field & Motion
Demonstration of picture taking basics.
This is both a technical exercise, and a creative assignment.
These should be your best photos, in terms of technical control and strong composition. Select appropriate subjects for each part.

COMPLETE EACH PART IN OBVIOUS FASHION, meaning if it calls for blurred motion, make sure above all else –it shows motion!
Follow instructions carefully. Failure to follow instructions will reflect in your grade.

Take (4) different types of pictures of someone, ask someone to pose for you. REMEMBER, you are in charge of the shoots.
Using a standard camera and lens.
DO NOT USE A FLASH FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.

1. Shallow Depth of Field
Shoot photos with obvious shallow depth of field by using one of the techniques discussed in class. Using standard camera and lens, take photos of your main subject from about 6 feet away, with distinct object(s) or person in background. Main subject should be in focus in the foreground, and an object or person in background should be out-of-focus.
-HINT: shoot photo indoors or outside in shady area. Avoid direct sunlight.
-Background should be out-of-focus, only main subject should be in focus.
-If meter reading suggests shutter speed less than 1/60th sec. (ex. 1/30th, 1/15th,) go somewhere else where there is more light.
-Main subject should be sharp and in focus, and photo should not be shaky or blurry.
2. Sharp Depth of Field
Shoot photos with obvious sharp depth of field by using one of the techniques discussed in class.
Using standard camera and lens, take photos of your main subject from about 6 feet away, with distinct object(s) or person in background. Main subject should be in focus in the foreground, and an object or person in background should be in focus too.
-HINT: Shoot in bright area, direct sunlight is good.
-F/stop should reading should be between f/8 and F/32.
-Main subject and background should be sharp and in focus, and photo should not be shaky or blurry.
3. Stop Motion
Shoot action photos with subject in obvious stopped motion, use techniques discussed in class. Shoot pictures of your main subject moving quickly (ex. running, jumping, biking, skating) left to right, right to left, or up and down, using a standard camera and lens. Use fastest shutter speed settings, at least 1/500th sec. This should freeze the action. Subject should not be showing movement. Main subject should be sharp and in focus, and photo should not be shaky or blurry.
-Subject should be about 5-10 feet away, and be central part of the photo.
GET CLOSE TO THE SUBJECT.
-Subject should be in center of frame
-Do not shoot cars, subject must be people
-HINT: Shoot in bright sunlight
-Main should be sharp and in focus, and photo should not be shaky or blurry.
4. Show Motion
Shoot action photos with subject in obvious motion, use techniques discussed in class.
Shoot pictures of your main subject moving quickly left to right, right to left, or up and down, using a standard camera and lens. (ex. running, jumping, biking, skating)
Use a slow shutter speed setting (ex. 1/60th, 1/30th) but not too slow as to cause camera shake. This should blur the action but NOT the photo.
-Subject should be about 5-10 feet away, and be central part of the photo.
GET CLOSE TO THE SUBJECT.
-Subject can be in center of frame
-Do not shoot cars, subject must be people
-HINT: Do not use so slow a shutter speed that image is unrecognizable.
Main subject should be blurry from movement, NOT from camera shake.
Know the difference.

*Students must complete:
1. Select (1) best photo of each. (4) total.
2. Follow “Basic Photoshop”, use outline provided if needed.
3. Write complete caption, include assignment name in caption.
4.SLUG PHOTO AS FOLLOWS:
EXAMPLES:
franklin_sharpdof 01.jpg
franklin_shallowdof 01.jpg
franklin_stopmotion 01.jpg,
franklin_motion 01.jpg
7. Place images in the “drop folder”
(remember to save a copy for yourself to you folder)

PHOTOJOURNALISM -Fall 2009

Mourning slain soldier
Mary McHugh visits the grave of her fiancé, Sgt. James Regan, in Section 60, the newest portion of Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D.C., on May 27. Regan, a U.S. Army Ranger, was killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq in February. -photo by JOHN MOORE / GETTY IMAGES 2007
Click here to read more.

Hi and welcome to Photojournalism.
(CCOM: 329 01).

The course begins on Monday 9/14 9:45AM - 1:00PM, we meet in the MAC lab (C-111). Class begins at 9:45 sharp, please arrive on time.

This is the official blog for the course, feel free to make yourself at home and take a look around. We will being using this blog as an information center all semester. The column on left should provide all the vital information. Be sure to book mark it, this is the web address: http://ramapophotoj.blogspot.com/. You can learn more about me. And you can peruse the lessons of past semesters if care.

There are many purposes of the course.
I've listed some of the main objectives below, pulled directly from the syllabus. But above all else, it is my hope that by the semester's end, you will have developed at the very least an appreciation for good photography. Such as the stunning image by John Moore seen at the top of this entry, an image as beautiful as it is painful. We will discuss...

Main objectives of this class:

1. teach you about the field of professional photojournalism
2. develop a visual language; learn how to discuss photographs
3. understand how to operate a camera, and how it works
4. create images that communicate
5. recognize and analyze good photography, and what makes it good
   
6. have fun making pictures (hopefully)

Students will first learn how real photojournalists work, and they will be expected to work in a similar fashion. They will be given selected weekly assignments in which they must produce good story telling images. They will learn how to develop a story idea, cover events, and produce images like a professional.

This course will be conducted in a manner similar to the real working world of professional photojournalism. Students will be responsible for taking pictures with their own cameras, or cameras borrowed from the college, and producing their own developed negatives or digital images.

They will learn how to edit their own photographs and how to scan and prepare selected images in Adobe Photoshop.

The emphasis of this course will be on picture taking not picture developing.
-This is NOT a darkroom class or a basic photography class.
-All film and print developing will be done outside of class.
-It is suggested that each student have some basic photography experience.
(a basic understanding of exposure and camera operation is required)

Digital or film cameras with manual exposure controls are acceptable -we will discuss in full detail which will be sufficient. If you have more than one type of camera, or if you're unsure, bring them to class so we can discuss.

You will have a shooting assignment every week. If you do not own or have access to a camera, we will discuss your options for the course. The college has cameras which can be signed out each week. Be prepared, there will be shooting assignments every week.

Please pick up your text books now, they're in stock at the bookstore.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE
The “official” last day to drop/add classes is September 9th. Since we're meeting the first time on Sept. 14th, the Registrar said that students wishing to drop or add the course should go to the registrar’s office on Tuesday, 9/15 to work it out. The Registrar’s Office is aware of the unusual situation. I am looking forward to meeting all of you and working together this semester. Let me know if you have any questions.

Below is my contact info.
Thomas E. Franklin
tfrankli@ramapo.edu
Adjunct Professor / Photojournalism Ramapo College
http://thomasefranklin.blogspot.com/

PHOTO SLIDESHOW OF THE WEEK
Msnbc

ASSIGNMENT #01 -Fall 2009

ASSIGNMENT #01

(Due 9/21/09)

PART 1

READING:

National Geographic Field Guide

By Peter K. Burian & Robert Caputo

“Essential Basics; Getting Started” pages 1-23

“Essential Basics; Camera’s & Lenses” pages 34-75

PART 2

Read and all documents in the IMPORTANT DOC’S folder.

PART 3

“Make a self-portrait”

(Due 9/21/09)

Make a series of self-portrait photos.

Photo should be a reflection of who you are, an example of self-expression.

Make a self-portrait photo that communicates something about you.

Shoot more than one idea/take.

This photo should NOT be a random snapshot, head-shot, mug shot, old photo from the past, or hastily executed snap. This shoot should include forethought and planning.

Be creative.

Use self-timer, and tripod if necessary.

Figure out how to use your self-timer. DO NOT have someone else take the photo.

* IMPORTANT: Students must complete:

1. Shoot 25-50 photos total
2. In class next week you will select (1) image for submission; caption, crop, tone etc.
3. Bring all the images you shoot for this assignment to class.
4. Bring camera connection cable or card reader, to transfer images onto computer.

PHOTOJOURNALISM SYLLABUS

RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY
School of Contemporary Arts

Course Information
COMM 329-01: Photojournalism
Thomas Franklin, Adjunct Prof.
4 credits Email: tfrankli@ramapo.edu

Class Mtg: RM C-111 MONDAY 9:45AM – 1:00PM
College Web address: http://www.ramapo.edu Contemporary Arts: Berrie Center 237
College Closings Phone No.: (201) 236-2902 CA Phone: (201) 684-7368

Course Description
In this course students will be introduced to the contemporary practices of photojournalism, and explore the aesthetic, technical, cultural, and historical forces that have shaped its evolution as a form of visual communication.

Students will first learn how real photojournalists work, and they will be expected to work in a similar fashion. They will be given selected weekly assignments in which they must produce good story telling images. They will learn how to develop a story idea, cover events, and produce images like a professional.

This course will be conducted in a manner similar to the real working world of professional photojournalism. Students will be responsible for taking pictures with their own cameras and producing their own developed negatives or digital images.
They will learn how to edit their own photographs and how to scan and prepare selected images in Adobe Photoshop.
The emphasis of this course will be on picture taking not picture developing.
-This is NOT a darkroom class or a basic photography class.
-All film and print developing will be done outside of class.
-It is suggested that each student have some basic photography experience.
(a basic understanding of exposure and camera operation is required)
-Suggested pre-requisites include Basic Photography, either at college or high school level, and either Fundamentals of Mass Communications or Writing for the Media.

Course Objectives
After this course, students will meet the following goals:
1. To better understand how to tell stories with pictures
2. To learn basic camera technique
3. Learn about the history of photojournalism and the impact photographs have on society
4. Digital photo imaging methods and evaluation of pictorial communication effects
5. How photographs are used in today’s modern digital world
6. Learn Adobe PhotoShop Basics
7. Legal and ethical rights and responsibilities of a photojournalist
8. Writing captions and text to accompany photographs.
9. Develop a portfolio of quality photojournalistic work
10. To better understand how photographs visually communicate


Other Information:
ELECTRONIC FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
“In accordance with College policy, I will use the Ramapo College email address tfrankli@ramapo.edu to communicate with you about all course-related matters.”
A valid email address is required for this course. Please make sure instructor has correct student email address, preferably a Ramapo.edu address.

SLICE SERVER
This course is conducted almost entirely in a digital format. Students will use the SLICE server as the means of accessing course materials and assignments during the semester. This can be accessed by logging onto: afp://slice.ramapo.edu with a Ramapo email account username and password. All assigned material will be submitted to the designated DROP FOLDER, on the server. Each student will have 1GB of free hard drive space on SLICE, where digital images and other course materials can be stored in their personal folders on slice. There will be two important class folders for this course on SLICE:
CLASS FOLDER is where all WORD documents can be found, containing; assignments, instructional documents, reading material, etc. Only the instructor and the students in this course will be able access this folder and its contents.
DROP FOLDER is where students drop submitted assignment photos.
Only the instructor has access to this folder. Once a file is placed into the DROP FOLDER, students will no longer have access to it. So when submitting folders to the DROP folder, students must make sure they have saved a copy for themselves in case there is a problem or if a file is missing.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS (PPP’S)
Each lesson will be conducted using a Power Point Presentation. These PPP’s are accessible in the CLASS FOLDER and should be reviewed with regularity through the semester.

WORD DOC’S
All assignments will be given via WORD documents found in the FRANKLIN CLASS folder on the SLICE SERVER. This is an eco-friendly course; There will be little use of printed material during the semester, meaning; NO WASTEFUL USE OF COPIER PAPER.

MAC’S
This course is conducted in a Apple (MAC) computer lab. All students are required to be familiar with MAC computers and the OS X operating system. If you have never used a MAC, or OS X, get to know how to use the MAC by consult one of the MAC lab tech’s on staff in the MAC lounge, or TOM DOYLE for instruction.

If you need help with the computers in the lab, the Academic Help Desk is here. (mac or PC). Ask for one-on-one training if needed.
You can contact us at extension 6600 or at fac_help@ramapo.edu.
The Macintosh Help Desk is also here. You can contact us at extension 7355 or e-mail us at maclab@ramapo.edu.

TEXT'S & READING MATERIALS
Specific reading assignments will be given each week, from one or more of the following text required books.

Required Text:
National Geographic Field Guide
Peter K. Burian and Robert Caputo
An introduction to taking photographs, basic equipment (cameras, lenses, and other gear), film, light, composition, exposure metering, electronic flash, subjects for 35mm photography, special situations (underwater and aerial photography), and computer imaging. Aimed at photographers looking for practical advice from the pros.

The Associated Press Guide to Photojournalism
Brian Horton
An insiders guide to the field of photojournalism, with many great examples, techniques, and insights. Includes interviews and writings from top photojournalists in the field.

Visual Journalism. A Guide for New Media Professionals
Christopher R. Harris and Paul Martin Lester
Provides on the digital convergence in the growing visual communication field, with real-world experiences and visual illustrations. This book places special emphasis on new media and the modern applications for the new media professional.

Selected Readings
Most readings will be available through the web; others may be added depending on interest and direction of class.
Photojournalism: The Professional’s Approach Fourth Edition
Ken Kobre and Betsy Brill. Focal Press/Elsevier.

Photoshop. Visual Quick Start Guide.
Peachpit Press.

Web Sites & Blogs
The following sites show current examples of photojournalism & multimedia on the web.
www.poynter.org
http://www.newsu.org/
http://digitaljournalist.org/feature.html

EQUIPMENT

CAMERA
All students must have their own working 35mm SLR camera or digital camera, and it must be brought to class each week unless instructor indicates otherwise. A camera can be borrowed or shared for the semester, but be prepared to use it every week.
CAMERA MUST HAVE MANUAL EXPOSURE CONTROL SETTINGS.
-SLR camera or a high-end digital camera are recommended.
-Camera must have a flash (external flash is preferred)

FILM / MEDIA
IF SHOOTING FILM:
- color OR B/W negative film, as needed (20-25 rolls est.)
-basic darkroom supplies, as needed; developing materials reels, paper, etc)
-negative preservers (example: Print File Archival Preservers style #:35-7B)
-loupe, a film-editing magnifier
IF SHOOTING DIGITAL:
-media card(s) (compact flash, mini-compact flash, smart media, etc)
CD’s & DVD’S –as needed for backup.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Attendance and Participation (10% of course grade)
Attendance:
Class attendance is required and will be noted each week. No more than two absences will be allowed. On the third absence, students must withdraw from the course or receive a failing grade at the instructor’s discretion. Do not be late, as classes will start promptly. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to obtain assignments, notes, handouts, etc., from other students. Attendance on test days is mandatory.
-NOTE: -Two late arrivals or early departures will equal one absence.
-Perfect attendance will be awarded with extra credit!
-Students should check email frequently to check for any class cancellations.
****EXTRA CREDIT FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE! ********
Class Participation:
The course will be a lively one, with lots of great photos to look at each week and talk about. This requires that everyone contribute and express their opinions. A critique will take place each week, all students work will be displayed and discussed. All students are expected to comment and offer opinions. All differing opinions and thoughts are encouraged and expected. This is how real newsrooms and edit boards are conducted.

2. Weekly Assignments (25% of course grade):
Students will be given an assignment to photograph every week.
Be prepared to make photographs every week, some assignments may require shooting more than once per week. Students are required to come to class with fully developed images, as specified with each assignment. DO NOT wait until the start of class to submit assignment photos.
-All assignments will be submitted in the form of a digital file, placed into a “drop folder” on the SLICE SERVER. This will be discussed and demonstrated at length in class.
THERE WILL BE NO PRINTS INVOLVED IN THIS CLASS, just digital files.
If using film, students will be required to scan images, either prints or negatives, and create digital files. This will be discussed and demonstrated at length in class
-Deadlines must be met and assignments must be completed, just like the working world of a photojournalist. If you miss a class you are still responsible for completing the assignment on time. Otherwise submit it when completed and it will be graded, but with penalty.
-All photographs submitted for this course MUST have been made during the assigned week, meaning: do not submit previously taken photographs. This is unacceptable and student will be severely penalized. This is not the purpose of the course.
-All photographs must be made by the student during the assigned period of time.
-Each assignment is worth 10pts. (ex. 9/10)
-1 point. Is subtracted for each week it is late.
NOTE: Photojournalists are given deadlines everyday. Making deadline is the most basic function of a working journalist; this will be heavily emphasized and noted.

3.Exam (25% of course grade):
There will be a written exam at the 3/4 point of the semester. It will include; all material covered in class, the Power Point Presentations, the required reading, and assignments. Make-up exams only with a doctor’s note or other documentation of emergency. Attendance on test days is mandatory.

4. Paper (15% of course grade):
Each student will be required to a Paper. SUBJECT TBA.

5. Final Project (25% of course grade):
All students will be required to complete a 4-5 week long Photo Essay of their choosing. A Final Project is given instead of a Final Exam.
Each student must select a story idea or subject, and then make a written proposal to the instructor, which will be evaluated and graded. The proposal must be well thought-out and supported, but mostly it must be an interesting and sound subject. A backup story idea must be developed as well.
Once a subject is approved, students must work on their story incrementally, bringing to class each week a new set of images. Once a body of work is achieved, a set of images will be selected with the instructor. The material covered during the semester will be applied and used in completing this project.

GRADING:

ATTENDANCE& PARTICIPATION = 10 POINTS
-points will be subtracted if student does not participate in class by offering constructive comments and opinions.
****EXTRA CREDIT FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE! *****
-only two absences allowed, without permission from instructor.
-DETERMINATION: grade will be based on participation determined by instructor. (1-10)

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS = 25 POINTS
(10 points for each assignment)
-there will 10 assignments, each worth 10 points
-each assignment will be graded on scale of 1-10 max
-DETERMINATION: total points X 25% = grade
(ex: 95pts X 25% = 24 total points)

EXAM = 25 POINTS
-exam will be graded on a scale of 1-100 max
-DETERMINATION: total points X 25% = grade
(ex: 90pts X 25% = 23 total points)
PAPER & PRESENTATION = 15 POINTS
-will be graded on scale of 1-15 max
-DETERMINATION: grade will be based on how well requirements are completed.
(1-15)

FINAL PROJECT = 25 POINTS
(25 points for how well photo essay is completed)
DETERMINATION: grade will be based on how well project is completed. (1-25)

All points earned will be compiled at conclusion of semester.
Grading Scale
A = 100-93% A- = 92-90%
B+ = 89-87% B = 86-83%
B- = 82-80% C+ = 79-77%
C = 76-73% C- = 72-70%
D+ = 69-67% D = 66-63%
D- = 62-60% F = 59-0%

Overall Grading Scale:
* A range:
Student demonstrated superior analytical abilities in all her/his assignments. Student carefully read all relevant material and provided both a clear understanding of what s/he has read and provided insightful analyses and thoughtful critiques. Moreover, the topic under study was explored fully.
* B range
Student demonstrated an above average analytical ability. Student was able to provide a clear understanding of the material and some insights and critiques. The topic under study was explored fairly thoroughly.
* C range
Student could demonstrate average analytical ability. Student was unable to provide a clear understanding of the material and offered few insights and critiques. The topic under study was not explored fully.
* D range
Student completed assignments but could not provide any analytical ability. Student was unable to provide a clear understanding of the material and offered no insights and critiques. The topic was explored minimally.
* F range
Student did not complete assignments.

General Education Program Course
This course is designed to meet the requirements of the Gen Ed category for Topics in the Arts and Humanities.

Writing Intensive (WI) Course
Writing will be integrated into the life of this course. You will receive comments, direction, and support as you work on strengthening your writing skills. Each photo assignment will receive written comments in the FILE INFO field of the digital image, this is in addition to a weekly critique of each assignment. Your photographs will be evaluated and returned in a timely fashion, allowing you to incorporate my comments into your future work. For help outside the classroom, please see me before class, as I am at my desk 90 minutes before each session. Or a private session can be scheduled at another time.

Criteria for Evaluation of Photographs
-Ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of the assignment subject matter and its specific criteria.
-Ability to use and understand theoretical material discussed in class and outside sources, to illustrate and execute each exercise.
-Relevance, appropriateness and clarity of photographs.
-Ability to demonstrate the topic to the field of photojournalism.
-Appropriate organization of images so that material is appropriately referenced, and submitted.
-Ability to write clearly, precisely and in grammatically appropriate English, in all captions and reports.

CEP Experiential Component
COMM 329-01: Photojournalism will include a minimum of five (5) hours of unmonitored appropriate experience outside the classroom. Students will meet this requirement by completing a shooting assignment each week.

Students with Disabilities
If you need course adaptation or accommodations because of a documented disability, please make an appointment before class.

Please note: Students must be registered with the Office of Specialized Services (OSS) to receive accommodations. As you develop or revise your course syllabus, consider ways to make your course material accessible to students with disabilities. For additional information, contact the Office of Specialized Services (OSS) at x7514 or email at oss@ramapo.edu.

MAC LABS & SLICE

LOG IN: labs

SLICE is the Ramapo College server that we will use extensively in this class. SLICE can be accessed on MAC’s anywhere. Not PC's -sorry.


How to CONNECT TO SLICE:
-click on desktop
-Main Menu> Connect to server
-Type SLICE (if it does not already appear or using from off campus: slice.ramapo.edu)
afp://slice.ramapo.edu

Enter:
USERNAME: (your first initial, last name) Example: tfranklin
PASSWORD: ramapo2015

**After you successfully login, create new password.

-Disk will mount on the desktop once connected.
-STUDENTS MUST go to options to change password to your personal password.
(afp://slice.ramapo.edu)

There are two sections: Students & Faculty.
FACULTY: this is where all course material is located.
STUDENTS: this is where students personal folders are located.

In order to get into the MAC labs on campus you will need swipe card access. Students currently registered for the class are allowed access to the classroom. If you need access to the lab please contact Paul Pittman.

The servers for CA Macintosh users. 1Gig of space is available per person. Buy be sure to backup up important work to CD’s, DVD’s.

If you need help with the computers in the lab or the computer in your office, the Academic Help Desk is here. (mac or PC). Ask for one-on-one training if needed.
You can contact us at extension 6600 or at fac_help@ramapo.edu
The Macintosh Help Desk is also here. You can contact us at extension 7355 or e-mail us at maclab@ramapo.edu.
Tom Doyle works primarily on the Macintosh side and have several lab aides who will be here to help you as well. Lab aides will be located in the H-wing lounge and also in Berrie Center.
If you know ahead of time that you will need a lab aide's assistance you can contact Ann alepore@ramapo.edu to schedule this.

Otherwise, Lab Aides can be contacted through iChat – username – maclabaide.
To keep the applications on the lab computers running smoothly, we request that students not save anything to the hard drive. Instead, on the desktop there will be another drive labeled Work. This is where students should temporarily save work that they are using during class.
However, students should not rely on lab computers as a storage location for their work. Save work to a CD, DVD, or portable firewire drive. I recommend that students purchase a few CD-RWs for this purpose. They store more and are less expensive than Zip disks, which can occasionally get corrupted. We do not use floppies in the Mac labs.
Most of the computer labs here are accessible only with swipe card access. If you don't have swipe access, let Darren Ryan, Paul Pittman know. Students in these labs will only be allowed to use them if they are currently registered for a class in the same room. If a student is not registered for class in a lab, then they should not use that lab.
No food in the labs. No drinks in the labs.
No touching of the plasma screens. They look so touchable but they damage very easily.

Academic Help Desk (Mac or PC for faculty and labs)
extension 6600 fac_help@ramapo.edu

Macintosh Help Desk extension 7355 maclab@ramapo.edu.

Communication Facilities Coordinator Paul Pittman 6853 ppitman@ramapo.edu
(Paul is also person to see regarding camera sign-outs)

Berrie Center Facilities Coordinator Darren Ryan 7249 dryan@ramapo.edu