Description:

This course provides an introduction to the history of photography. Students will examine the aesthetic and technological evolution of photography as an art form, as a visual tool for and influence upon other artistic disciplines, and as a statement of perceived reality. The course will examine the elements that distinguish various aesthetic movements, the styles of major periods and the influences of individual photographers. Attention will be paid to the relationship between photographic imagery and various cultural and historical contexts. Recommended prior course is PHOT 121. 3 hrs. lecture/wk.

Supplies: Refer to the instructor's course syllabus for details about any supplies that may be required.

Prerequisites: NONE

Textbook(s): For information see - http://bookstore.jccc.net

Course Fees: NONE

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Define terms in the vocabulary of photographic imaging and history.
2. Trace the technological evolution of the use of light-formed images from the ancient Phoenicians and the influences of Greece and Rome, through the Renaissance and photography’s development in France in the 1800s, to the modern era.
3. Describe the influence of painting and sculpture on the evolution of the photographic print.
4. Describe the influence of photographic images on the evolution and style of painting and sculpture.
5. Recognize and describe the aesthetic elements which characterize selected periods and styles, such as: Pictoralism, Straight Photography and the “f/64 Group,” and Documentary and Social Photography.
6. Recognize and describe the elements which characterize the work of selected photographers. Describe their artistic, cultural, and historical importance and influences.
7. Discuss the evolution of photography from being merely a tool for “copying nature” to a powerful means of visual expression in its own right.
8. Distinguish major branches of photography, such as: photojournalism, artistic expression, social and political statements, architectural, documentary, and commercial.
9. Discover the implications of the course material for understanding oneself by creating personal connections with selected artifacts and images which can stimulate and liberate the imagination.

Content Outline & Competencies:

I. The Elusive Image
   A. Trace the history of the camera obscura and its relationship to the
search for accurate perspective rendering and the attempt to copy
reality.
   B. Explain the first uses of light to alter things and form images. 
   C. Describe the Romans’ use of the pinhole camera. 

II. Invention
   A. Describe “sun prints” and the first attempts to fix an image.
   B. Explain Niepce’s early experiments with heliographs.
   C. Describe the collaboration of Niepce and Daguerre and the
“official birth” of photography.
   D. Explain the invention of the calotype by William Henry Fox Talbot
and its importance.
   E. Describe the experiments of Sir John Herschel and explain the
importance of the discovery of “hypo” for “fixing” images.

III. The Daguerreotype: The Mirror with a Memory
   A. Describe the daguerreotype, its process and characteristics. Explain
the problem with speed.
   B. Explain John Goddard’s solution to the speed problem and its
effect: the popularization of portraits.
   C. Describe the impact of the daguerreotype in America and subsequent
mechanical improvements.
   D. Describe Southworth’s and Hawes’ contributions to American
portraiture.
   E. Explain why the daguerreotype’s popularity faded.  Some reasons:
one of a kind, fragile, expensive.

IV. The Calotype: The Pencil of Nature
   A. Describe William Henry Fox Talbot’s invention of the talbotype
process and its underlying principle: the development of the latent
image.
   B. Describe the work of Hill and Adamson, the first artists successful
with the calotype.
   C. Explain the influence of painting on photography.
   D. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the competing
photographic processes: calotype, daguerreotype, and talbotype. Analyze
the effect of Talbot’s legal action of claiming rights to the process.

V. Portraits for the Millions
   A. Describe the wet collodion process, its advantages over
daguerreotypes and calotype, and its inconveniences.
   B. Describe improvements in lens technology.
   C. Describe alternative processes and their characteristics: albumen
prints, salt prints, carbon prints, and tintypes.
   D. Explain carte-de-visite vs. Nadar.

VI. Art Photography
   A. Describe the nature of the early debate about the question of
“Photography as Art.”
   B. Explain the use of photographs as allegory: telling stories with
photographs.
   C. Describe the work of Rejlander and Robinson and their use of
combination printing.
   D. Explain the evolution of the acceptance of photography as an art in
its own right.

VII. A New Form of Communication
   A. Explain the nature of the belief in the authenticity of the
photograph as truth.
   B. Describe the stereograph process and its impact on society and
understanding of foreign locales.
   C. Describe the work of war photographer Roger Fenton and the impact of
his images of the Crimean War.
   D. Describe the work of society and war photographer Matthew Brady and
the impact of his images of the American Civil War.
   E. Describe the images and their effects of “expeditionary
photographers.” Example: the establishment of national parks and opening
of the wilderness.

VIII. The Conquest of Action
   A. Describe Eadweard Muybridge’s study of “animal locomotion” and
explain its significance.
   B. Compare Muybridge’s motion photographs with the work of Marray.
   C. Explain the importance of the development of the dry-plate process.
   D. Describe the significance of the establishment of Kodak and George
Eastman’s contributions to the popularization of “photography for the
masses.”
   E. Describe the impact of the development of small, hand-held cameras
and the “detective” camera.
   F. Explain the importance of Jacob Riis’ documentary projects and
their impact on society.

IX. Pictorial Photography
   A. Review the work of the early pictorialists Henry Peach Robinson and
Peter Henry Emerson. Explain their effect on the revision of the concepts
of photography as an art.
   B. Describe the organization “The Linked Ring” and its influence.
   C. Explain the importance and influence of Alfred Steiglitz, his
galleries and publications.
   D. Describe the influence of the photographer organizations the Photo
Secession and the Camera Club of New York.

X. Straight Photography
   A. List and describe characteristics of “straight” photography.
   B. Contrast straight photography with pictorialism.
   C. Discuss the influence of Steiglitz and Paul Strand.
   D. Describe the “f/64 Group.” Explain its philosophy and influence
on Western photography.

XI. In Conquest of Form
   A. Describe the influence of the other visual arts on photography.
   B. Review the interrelationship of movements like Cubism and Dadaism
and photography.
   C. Describe the contribution of Alexander Rodchenko and other Eastern
Europeans.
   D. Describe how photographers began expressing social and political
issues.

XII. Instant Vision
   A. Explain the impact of amateur photographers and the increasing
popularity of snapshots.
   B. Review the work of Jacques Henri Lartigue as a prime sample of the
dedicated amateur.
   C. Describe the beginnings of photojournalism, its importance and
influence.
   D. Review the photography of Erich Solomon and Andre Kertesz. Describe
their influence.
   E. Describe the work and philosophy of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Explain
the concept of “The Decisive Moment.”
   F. Describe the work of Harold Edgerton and his invention of the
electronic flash. Review his work with the flash to reveal previously
unseeable phenomena.

XIII. Documentary Photography
   A. List the characteristics of documentary photography.
   B. Review the work of early documentary photographers Lewis Hine and
Jacob Riis.
   C. Explain what the Farm Security Administration was and the impact of
the work of its photographers on society, American visual history, and on
other photographers.
   D. Review the work of European documentary photographers Eugene Atget
and August Sander.

XIV. Photojournalism
   A. Describe the characteristics of journalistic photography.
   B. Discuss the use by magazines such as Harper’s Weekly of
photographs as “proof.”
   C. Explain the importance of the invention of the half-tone printing
process.
   D. Review the rise of the “photo essay” and the impact of magazines
such as Life.

XV. In Color
   A. Describe how early photographers added color to photographs.
   B. Review the technological development of color films. Explain the
importance of Kodachrome.
   C. Describe the additive and subtractive color processes.
   D. Review the work of photographers who use(d) color as an integral
part of their aesthetic.

XVI. New Directions
   A. Describe the Polaroid process and its impact.
   B. Review technological improvements and their impact on imaging and
aesthetics.
   C. Identify the work and describe the influence of the major late 20th
century art photographers, such as: Uelsman, Callahan, Siskind, Arbus,
White, Larry Clark, Weston, Adams.

Methods of Evaluation of Competencies:

Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be accomplished using the following methods:

Tests: 2 to 4 written quizzes which stress factual knowledge. (25%
–
50%)

Slide recognition quiz(s): 1 to 3. (10% – 25%)

Paper(s): 1 or 2 written reports or essays on instructor assigned topics
or photographers. (25% – 50%)

Final exam: Comprehensive test derived from questions from the previous
quizzes. (10% – 25%)

Caveats: NONE

Disabilities:

If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Access Services. Access Services will recommend any appropriate accommodations to your professor and his/her director. The professor and director will identify for you which accommodations will be arranged.

JCCC provides a range of services to allow persons with disabilities to participate in educational programs and activities. If you desire support services, contact the office of Access Services for Students With Disabilities (913) 469-8500, ext. 3521 or TDD (913) 469-3885. The Access Services office is located in the Success Center on the second floor of the Student Center.