Course Syllabus

Course Information
ARTS 3371-002 Black and White Photography, Spring, Friday 9:30 – 12:15pm

Professor Contact Information

Misty Keasler, HYPERLINK "mailto:mxk108320@utdallas.edu"
mxk108320@utdallas.edu, Office hours by appointment. Please schedule one week in
advance.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

Prior completion of a 2000 level studio arts course is required. (ARTS 1301 does not
satisfy this requirement.)

Course Description
This film based black and white photography course is a studio class focused on the skill
of traditional darkroom technique. Investigation of the photographic process and
an examination of the various levels on which meaning is constructed,
including selection of subject matter, concern for aesthetics, and socio-cultural
context. Emphasis will be placed upon building a visual library of images as a
means of learning to see the world differently and understanding of how to
look at images with a critical eye. Technical skills in the darkroom will play a
strong role in executing successful projects and Instruction in camera
techniques will emphasize 35mm photography.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Students will learn to use the darkroom and photographs as a tool for communicating
larger ideas. Emphasis will be placed on technical proficiency in the darkroom. This
process will lend itself to being able to communicating their own creative work and that
of peers through verbal and written critique.
In studying the larger art world and the place of photography within said world, students
will learn the array of communication available in photography and develop a final
project created with camera, 35mm film, and the darkroom.

Required Textbooks and Materials

REQUIRED TEXT: Charlotte Cotton, The Photograph as Contemporary Art

MATERIALS:
Students can plan on spending about $250 in supplies for this class not including your
camera. Darkroom chemicals are provided during the course.

Each student must have a manual SLR 35mm film camera.) If it isn’t manual it must have
a fully manual function).
35mm Film – NOT color process b&w film
Photographic Fiber Based Paper
Developing tanks and Reels
See supply list and webct.

SLR film cameras are sold at the following vendors:

Calumet Photo HYPERLINK "http://www.calumetphoto.com" http://
www.calumetphoto.com
KEH (from new and used equipment) HYPERLINK "http://www.keh.com/" http://
www.keh.com/
B&H Photo HYPERLINK "http://bhphotovideo.com" http://bhphotovideo.com
Adorama HYPERLINK "http://adorama.com" http://adorama.com
Freestyle Photographic HYPERLINK "http://www.freestylephoto.biz" http://
www.freestylephoto.biz

DARKROOM SUPPLIES
Film Depot Richardson
214-265-0650
1002 N. Central Expwy # 589-C
Richardson, TX 75080
(the northeast corner of I-75 & Arapaho)

Camera Equipment and Supplies

Competitive Camera
2025 Irving Blvd
Dallas, TX
214-744-5511

Suggested Course Materials

David Levi Strauss, Between the Eyes
Edited by Diarmuid Costello and Dominic Willsdon, The Life and Death of Images
Susan Sontag, On Photography

Photography Class Resources

HYPERLINK "http://utdallas.edu/~waligore/utdphoto" http://

utdallas.edu/~waligore/utdphoto

USER ID: photo2010

PASSWORD: shutter

This is a great resource and includes resources on black&white photography, light

meters, and lighting.

Lab Tech
Professor Zinzi is the lab tech. His office hours are as follows:
Tuesdays 9-6 (Equip. Checkout 2-5)
Thursdays 9-6 (Equip. Checkout 2-5)
Fridays 9-12 (Equip. Checkout 10-12)

His email is cfz031000@utdallas.edu

Assignments & Academic Calendar

(Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)

Week 1 – 1/14 – Introduction to the course.

Discussion of lenses, aperture, shutter, depth of field, and loading film. London/Upton
handout on the darkroom – read by next week. Purchase and bring all required supplies
to class next week.

Week 2 – 1/21 – Darkroom basics – loading film. Painting with light demo, seeing light.
Photography Slideshow and lecture of contemporary photography.
Shoot at least two rolls of film this week to bring to class next week for
processing.
Assignment #1 – Define Light, painting with light demo

Week 3 – 1/28 – Bring two rolls of exposed film, tank, reels, and 8x10 RC paper
to class. Processing film and making a contact sheet.

Week 4 – 2/4 – Printing in the Darkroom.

Introduction to Final Projects
Read Chapters 1&2 Cotton

Week 5 – 2/11 – Assignment #1 Critique.

Assignment # 2 Assigned – Define Space
Lab Work Session if there is time

Week 6 – 2/18 – Work in lab session

Week 7 – 2/25 - Assignment #2 Critique

READ Chapters 3&4 Cotton
Final Project Proposal Due

Week 8 – 3/4 – Slideshow/Lecture on the Self Portrait

Assignment #3 – Self Portrait
Read Chapters 4&5
Student Artist Presentations Assigned

Week 9 – 3/11 – Student Presentations on Artists

Read Chapter 6

Week 10 – 3/18 – SPRING BREAK

Week 11 – 3/25 – Assignment #3 Critique
Read Chapter 7

Week 12 – 4/1 – Lab Session

Week 13 – 4/8 – Contact Sheets for Final Due in Class – Group A & B
Review of work in progress
Lab Work Session
Retouch, Spotting Demo
Matt Cutting Demo

Week 14 – 4/15 – Contact Sheets for Final Due in Class – Group B & C
Review of work in progress

Week 15 – 4/22 – Final Critique – Attendance Required – Group A

Minimum 10 Matted Prints with 15 or more contact sheets and final essay

Week 16 – 4/29 – Final Critique – Attendance Required – Group B

Minimum 10 Matted Prints with 15 or more contact sheets and final essay

Finals Week – 5/6 – Final Critique – Attendance Required – Group C

Minimum 10 Matted Prints with 15 or more contact sheets and final essay

Grading Policy
Assignments - 50%
Quiz – 10%
Final Project –40%

There are 5 assignments in the course including the artist presentation. That means
each assignment is worth 10% of your total grade for the course.

Course & Instructor Policies

Black and White Photography is a studio-based course. Darkroom instruction classes are
hands-on and attendance is required. When Lab time is scheduled students need to be
prepared to develop film, print, or review contact sheets/images with instructor.
Assignments turned in late will be downgraded one letter – after one week assignments
will not be accepted. Being punctual is very important and any student who misses more
than 3 classes will fail the course.

This class will require you to spend 5-6 hours/week in the darkroom. This is a skill that
develops through repetition and practice. If you wait until the last min you are likely to
have poor results. Plan on spending 2-3 hours to make one good print.

Attendance is extremely important in this class since we will be building upon skills. It is
not recommended that you miss any darkroom work sessions as this is the perfect time
to practice and learn skills for the darkroom with help available for the session.

The largest part of your grade is your final. This will be a series of 10 prints that fit in a
cohesive body of work. The required Cotton reading on artists and contemporary work is
meant to make you begin thinking about a series of work during this class. The readings
are not optional for the course and many of the quizzes will be based upon the readings.
I’d encourage you to begin thinking of a project early in the semester. You are required
to shoot 10 rolls of film for the final and these must be finished and contacted several
weeks before the end of the semester. Budget your time wisely.

You are required to bring an image on digital media to class with you every week. It
must either be a published image or an image shot by a professional photographer (i.e.
not by someone you know). The purpose of this exercise is to build your visual library.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of

the Professor.

Course Syllabus Page PAGE 2