FILM 165 Digital Still Photography for Non-Majors
Summary
FILM 165 Digital Still Photography for Non-Majors WINTER 2021-22
Meeting Wednesdays from 6pm to 9pm in Student Center Room 331.
Instructor: Travis Chandler
For this class, the first 2 weeks will be remote for all of us.
After that, in-class students will be expected to attend lectures.
This class will consist of lectures, demonstrations and hands-on projects. For the first 2 weeks,
everything you need will be posted on D2L before our class meeting time, 6pm on Wednesdays.
After that, lectures will be recorded and will become available on D2L shortly after our class
period is over. Online students should view the lecture as soon as they are able. In-class
students will attend class, and can use the recording as a reference.
Office hours: Wednesdays 9pm to 10:30pm in the classroom after the first 2 weeks. Until then,
via zoom. Email me to set up an appointment.
Contact: tchandle@cdm.depaul.edu or travischandler@mac.com. An email reply can be
expected within 24 hours
Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the aesthetics of still photography. Students will learn the
fundamental concepts necessary to shoot, edit & manipulate photographs and critically evaluate
the images. Throughout the course you will work on defining your individual aesthetic utilizing
established composition and design elements. You will be introduced to best practices in
workflow, visual data management and Adobe Photoshop. Photoshop will be used in two
stages, first as a post-production tool in a standard photographic workflow, and then as a
creative tool for compositing and collage. Every assignment will utilize a new skill towards a
cumulative knowledge of professional standards in imaging. Students will be challenged to think
conceptually about their own visual development while acquiring technical skills.
Summary of Course:
In this course we will shoot, edit and critique a series of photography projects. These projects
cumulatively provide guidance on the best practices of lighting and composing an image that
tells a compelling story. Students will leave this course with a basic understanding of how digital
cameras work, as well as how to use them creatively.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completing DC 125, Students will be able to-
- Create well lit, well composed photographs.
- Analyze a photograph and make recommendations for improvement.
- Explain, in well-written prose, what a work of art is about and/or how it was produced.
(You should be able to articulate and explain the “content” of that work and its methodology of
production).
- Comment on the relationship between form and content in a work.
- Assess the formal aspects of their subject and put those qualities into words, using, when
appropriate, specialized vocabulary employed in class and readings.
This course carries Arts & Literature Domain Credit; as such, a minimum of 5-7 pages of
well-written prose must be written as part of this course. Each student will meet these
requirements by writing a 2 page "process" paper as part of each of the 3 major assignments for
the course. We will discuss these papers in the lectures, but in brief, in each paper you will
describe your thought process and methodology while completing each major project.
Texts
OPTIONAL Textbook: Light and Lens: Photography in the Digital Age by Robert Hirsch ISBN-10 024081827X | ISBN-13 978-0240818276
A digital version is available here: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/depaul/detail.action?docID=867676
I’m not picky about what edition you get. Mostly, this book is great for inspiring you if you are struggling to come up with an idea for an assignment.
Grading
Assignments, feedback and grading will be given weekly online using the D2L system.
Students must check the information provided online each week.
All images must be Jpegs, and should not exceed 2 MB.
All assignments must be turned in on D2L, not emailed. Late assignments will have points deducted.
Project 3 cannot be submitted late.
Grading Policy:
20% Project 1
20% Project 2
30% Project 3
20% Midterm exam
10% Participation (Roughly one participation assignment will be assigned each class, worth 1 point each)
Prerequisites
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296