Digital Photography
Course requisites: DSLR and/or Smartphone. Students are advised to attend lectures, screenings and workshops and allocate time for reading, researching and group discussions
Prerequisites: Basic working knowledge on photography, cameras and computing devices
Pedagogy: The course will employ a combination of theoretical lectures, practical demonstrations, hands-on exercises and project-based learning. Students will engage in individual and group assignments to develop their skills and apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios. Guest lectures and workshops by industry professionals will provide insights into various genres and practical aspects of photography and moving images.
Modes of evaluation: Self-learning, assignments (theory and research), field work and presentation
Duration: 15 weeks (45 lectures)
Assessment: Participation (5%), Theory & Research (20%), Field work & execution (25%), Deliverables (30%), Project completion & Presentation (20%)
Course description: In this course, students will have opportunities to learn multidisciplinary perspectives and approaches in photography and moving images using modern-day digital media production equipment and presentation tools. The course components expose every participating individual to various genres, including press and reportage, documentary and editorial, advertising and commercial, fashion and lifestyle. Specific modules focus on allied areas associated with sorting, editing, printing & publishing, presenting on websites and social media. The idea is to develop every participating student into a 'Curated self,' where one develops a thought process for storytelling, learns organisation and successfully presents it to a larger common group or specified audiences. In doing so, one will acquire the necessary skills to uncover untold stories with a modern mindset and fresher perspective.
Course objectives:
Understanding the origins of photography and timeline of technological developments
Working knowledge on creative techniques and methodologies involved in visual content creation and developing an artist statement.
Individualistic thinking and self-directing approach: Perceive, investigate, linking theory and practice, exploration and presentation of ideas/concepts.
Visual research: A qualitative methodology to collect and read artistic mediums to represent the intended impressions and produce the desired outcome.
Collaborations: Working alongside local practitioners pursuing business interests or unique professions.
Understanding towards existing photography laws, ethics and human rights.
Developing a successful photography business plan and building an advanced portfolio.
Unit I – Reflecting and Redefining practice
Week 1
Introduction to the course, faculty portfolio and evaluation criteria
Class-room discussions and understanding the personal interests of participating individuals
History of photography and technological developments (Classroom presentation on the birth of photography and subsequent development in digital media devices)
Week 2
Introduction to various genres and showcasing works of famous photographers (Classroom presentation)
The history of photography movements (Classroom presentation on developments, artists and events) *1
Reading a photograph, Participant or Viewer (Classroom presentation on resources for developing the ability to read photographs)
Week 3
Basics camera functions, features and operations (Classroom presentation & fieldwork)
Tools and accessories for digital and smartphone photography (Classroom presentation)
PechaKucha – Individuals to share presentations about their works: 20 slides in 5 minutes *2
Unit II – Initiation, Nativity, Visual research, Context and Narrative
Week 4
Sensing from the surroundings – Identifying problems and scenarios, building a storyline and methods of visual storytelling (Classroom presentation)
Understanding audiences (Classroom presentation on news, magazine, commercial and advertising industries)
Visual research and developing moodboards (Classroom presentation)
Week 5
Workshop 101: Natural lighting photography at the historical Doonga Haveli (Subject to availability) Alternate sites (Mindrolling monastery, Tibetan market, Gandhi road market and Arhat bazaar)
Basic editing tools (Classroom presentation: Information on Photoshop, affinity photo software and smartphone editing apps)
Portfolio 101 (Classroom activity on sorting, editing and constructing a portfolio followed by a presentation on effective dissemination methods) *3
Week 6
Manipulations, constructed images and fabricated realities (Classroom presentation)
Showcasing the unseen (Classroom presentation)
Photowalk 101: Creating a series of documentary and reportage images by visiting to any of the below recommended locations *4 (Mindrolling monastery, Tibetan market, Gandhi road market and Arhat bazaar)
Unit III – Critical approaches to the chosen narrative
Week 7
Multimedia storytelling : Linking thoughts, stories, contexts, visual aids and editing tools to creating content that resonates with the targeted group of audiences (Classroom presentation)
Project 101 – Mini project: A 200-250 word write-up that includes a topic of interest, visual research, scouting locations, execution methodology, the chosen visual tool, production timeline (not exceeding 4-5 hours of fieldwork), shoot plan, edit plan, cost estimation and dissemination plan. *5
Exhibition 101 – Creative methods to displaying the best images from Workshop 101, Photowalk 101 and Project 101 in Print and Digital formats.
Week 8
Introduction to moving images and moving pictures (Classroom presentation on Plotagraph and Cinemagraph)
Workshop 102 : Introduction to videos (Classroom presentation on creating impactful videos using smartphone, DSLR and camcorder)
How to think for news and documentaries (Classroom presentation)
Week 9
Project 102 – Major contextual project: Topic finalization; a 500-600 word write-up that includes theories on the chosen topic, visual research and linking it to current practice, location scouting, execution methodologies, visual tools, production timeline (not exceeding 5 days), shoot plan, edit plan, cost estimation and dissemination plan *6
Classroom discussions on Project 102 and resource feasibility
Fieldwork day#1 - Major contextual project
Unit IV – Collaborations, trade and commercial aspects
Week 10
The power of collaborations (Classroom presentation)
Professional networking (Classroom presentation)
Fieldwork day#2 - Major contextual project
Week 11
Generating an effective business plan (Classroom presentation)
Fieldwork day#3 - Major contextual project
Photography laws, ethics and human rights (Classroom presentation)
Week 12
Fieldwork day#4 - Major contextual project
Reviewing images from Fieldwork day 1,2,3 & 4
Fieldwork day#5 - Major contextual project
Unit V – Major contextual project
Week 13
Fieldwork day#6 – Incorporating feedback and bettering the outcome
1-to-1 review on the produced images, assortment and commencement of editing works (Classroom activity)
Classroom discussions and peer reviews on Major contextual project: Project 102 (Classroom activity)
Week 14
The power of text on photographs (Classroom presentation)
Building a developmental portfolio (Classroom presentation)
The authentic self and writing an effecting artist statement (Classroom activity)
Week 15
Introduction to numbering, referencing and bibliography (Classroom presentation)
1-to-1 session on theory completion (Classroom activity)
Exhibition 102 – Creative methods to displaying the best images from Project 102 in Print and Digital formats.
*Student deliverables:
*1 – Students to choose their genre of preference, learn its origins and identify five (05) photographers / artists who have mastered it; each individual to collect five (05) best works / series from the portfolio of chosen photographers, analyze their approach methodologies and present their findings, inspirations and key learnings to other members of the class.
*2 – Students to deliver an engaging PechaKucha presentation about their works and experiences, in the language of their choice (English preferred).
*3 – Students to sort, edit (compare before/after) and creatively present images from Workshop 101 using any digital presentation program of their choice (Canva, Microsoft PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Visme, Slides, Sway etc.)
*4 – Students to present a photo-story from Photowalk 101 in a digital format along with a write-up that describes their thought process and the image (not more than 25-30 words per image)
*5 – Presenting a 200-250 word write-up on Mini-Project 101
*6 – Presenting a 550-600 words write-up on Project 102 – Major contextual project
Course outcomes:
Working, thinking and problem solving like a professional photographer
International practices and developing local or location specific insights
Developing skills to produce impactful visual content and providing creative solutions through collaborations
Developing a portfolio and the technical know-how in submitting profiles for local, national and international engagements
Writing proposals holding commercial values and generating business ideas effective to the chosen locality
Cultivating the habit to experiment on newer grounds and creating benchmarks in the chosen specialism
Reading list:
Berger, G. (2013). Understanding a photograph : Penguin UK
Jeffrey, I. (2019). How to read a photograph : Thames and Hudson
Burgin, V. (1982). Thinking Photography : Macmillan Press
Ritchin F. (2013). Bending the frame. New York : Aperture
Rose, G. (2012). Visual Methodologies: an introduction to researching with visual material. London: Sage.
Collins, H (2010). Creative research: the theory and practice of research for the creative industries [eBook]. Lausanne: AVA Academia
Taylor, D. (2017). Digital Photography Complete Course. DK.
Kelby, S. (2013). The Digital Photography Book. Peachpit Press.
Peterson, B. (2010). Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera. Amphoto Books.
Journals:
Journal of Photography Studies
International Journal of Contemporary Photography
Journal of Applied Photography
Web resources: