Course Syllabus
Art141/Vis150 Introduction to Digital Photography
Course Format
On-Campus: Mon. 6pm-8:50pm, KAB 324
Instructor's Name and Contact Information
S. Scott Tilton
Primary Contact: Please use the conversations tool within Canvas. Otherwise, steven.tilton@nsc.edu
Office Location: Please contact instructor for the best location to meet.
Instructor's Office Hours
Office hours by appointment. Please contact instructor to schedule..
Email and Classroom Response Time
Students can generally expect a response to emails within 24-48 hours (or slightly longer on weekends or holidays). Feedback for completed discussions, quizzes, and assignments is dependent upon the length and breadth of the activity and could take up to 10 days. For questions on the status of a completed assignment, discussion, or test please contact your instructor.
Required Text(s)
Title: N/A
Required Supplementary Material
For this class we will be using DSLR cameras, with a functionality exceeding that of point-and-shoot and mobile phone cameras.
You may check out a camera or use your own. The Visual Media program has a number of Canon DSLR cameras that are available for use. Checkout periods are typically 2-3 days. If you are using your own, as a minimum standard, the camera must have full manual mode (‘M’ on the dial) which will allow you to control aperture and shutter; presumably, any camera with full manual mode will also have all of the other functionality required for the class (such as ISO and white balance control). The camera must also be equipped with a lens that permits manual focus and allows for variable focal lengths.
You will need to purchase an SD card (if you don’t already have one for your own camera). These are available from Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon and many other stores. SD cards are classified by storage size (in GB) and speed (class number, which can be found in the little circle). The minimum recommendations for this class are 16GB, class 10.
It is also strongly recommended that you also bring a flash drive (at least 32GB recommended) or external hard drive for backing up and keeping your images. You will have access to a shared drive during the semester, but if you would like to back up your images and keep the pictures you take once the semester is over, having your own storage will be necessary. Failure to properly store and back up your images may affect your grade if files are lost or corrupted. 8/22/2019 Syllabus for ART 141 001 - Introduction to Digital Photog - Sp19 https://nsc.instructure.com/courses/2489200/assignments/syllabus 3/7
For photo editing, we will be working in Lightroom, Photoshop, and/or Google Nik. Lab time and instruction will be devoted to learning this software, although for touching up your own prints you are welcome to use other software you may have at home. For the first half of the semester, however, NO PHOTO EDITING IS PERMITTED. As we will be focused on learning how to use the camera, it is important that all work is done in-camera and not adjusted in post.
Printing
Students will be required to print one image at 11x17. Printing can be done online or at a local shop, and the print can usually be obtained for around ten dollars. A selection of work produced in the class will be featured in the student gallery on the third floor of RSC.
Course Description
In this course students will learn the basics of digital photography, including camera function, photographic processes, picture-taking strategies, and aesthetic concerns. This is a studio-based production course, in which class time will consist of lectures, demonstrations, tutorials, and critiques. We will also periodically move into the studio or outside the classroom for location shoots. As much as possible, we’ll use a hands-on approach to learning the camera and software, so please bring your camera to each class session.
Course Objectives
By the conclusion of the course, you should be able to:
- Identify the components and functions of a DSLR or DMC camera
- Define and utilize basic photographic adjustments (including ISO, aperture, focal length, and white balance) to take manual photographs
- Demonstrate a knowledge of advanced camera settings (such as shutter and aperture priority modes) and photographic techniques (such as producing deep and shallow depth of field)
- Produce creative and meaningful images which incorporate an understanding of photographic aesthetics
- Edit photographs using Lightroom, Photoshop, and/or Google Nik
Class Schedule
The weekly schedule of lectures, exercises, and assignments can be found under the Modules tab.
NSC Assessment Program Information
NSC's Outcome: Develop communication abilities
Level: 3
Course Objectives: Produce creative and meaningful images which incorporate an understanding of photographic aesthetics
Assessment and Key Performance: assignments, projects
Through photographic assignments, students learn how to communicate visually with anticipated and actual viewers in terms of content information, style, expressivity, etc
NSC's Outcome: Develop critical thinking abilities.
Level: 2
Course Objectives: Identify the components and functions of a DSLR or DMC camera; Define and utilize basic photographic adjustments (including ISO, aperture, focal length, and white balance) to take manual photographs; Demonstrate a knowledge of advanced camera settings (such as shutter and aperture priority modes) and photographic techniques (such as producing deep and shallow depth of field); Edit photographs using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
Assessment and Key Performance: assignments, exercises, quizzes, projects
Full utilization of a DSLR camera and managing muliple complementary settings to produce a variety of effects requires significant technical knowledge, effective planning, and critical problem-solving
NSC's Outcome: Develop effective citizenship.
Level: 1
Course Objectives: Produce creative and meaningful images which incorporate an understanding of photographic aesthetics
Assessment and Key Performance: assignments, projects
Students are expected to be conscientious in their choice of subject and representational strategies, which will be included in workshopping sessions
Assignment Description and Due Dates
In-Class Work: In-Class assignments will be smaller projects, often group oriented, and similar to your weekly homework projects, but smaller in scale. These serve to allow the instructor to work with you in order to address any difficulties you may be having in regard to understanding the material.
Discussion Boards: Occasionally, assignments may have discussion boards paired with them, in order to help you develop your skills in a collaborative manner between classes. Participation in these will be graded separately from the homework project itself.
Homework Projects: These will be larger projects, designed to help you grow as a photographer, and will be presented to and critiqued by your instructor and classmates upon completion. Generally, you can expect to have one due each week of class, typically structured around the material presented the prior week. These are expected to demonstrate your CURRENT best effort, so that your instructor can address any difficulties you may be having, and help you to continue to grow as a photographer.
Exam Description and Due Dates
Students should expect a midterm exam and a final exam. The material for these exams will be comprehensive, and structured in a manner similar to prior quizzes.
Assignment and Exam Late Policy
Homework Projects can be submitted up to one week late, at an automatic point decrease of 25%. Late work will only be accepted after that in extraordinary, documentable cases (such as hospitalization, death in the family, etc). Likewise, in-class work (in-class projects, quizzes, exams) will only be accepted late in extraordinary, documentable situations. If you are aware of an upcoming conflict with an assignment due date, please make prior arrangements with your instructor to complete the work that you will miss.
Grading Criteria
Homework:
Homework will graded as follows (point values will be DOUBLED for final project):
Minimum Requirements - 50pts Each assignment will have a list of minimum requirements that need to be met, with points evenly divided across the requirements, totaling 50pts.
Presentation/Critique - 30pts This portion of the grade measures your ability to apply concepts, as well as deliver and receive critique. When presenting your project each week, you will be expected to explain how you applied the relevant concepts. Additionally, you will be expected to accept critique from your fellow students, as well as deliver constructive critique for your fellow students' presentations.
Effort/Artistic Value - 20pts As this is an art-centered class, some portion of grading is inevitably subjective, and this is that portion. What I'm looking for here is as follows:
- Did you give the project your best effort, or did you simply throw it together at the last minute?
- Is there purpose behind the artistic choices you made?
- If you chose to bend one or more of the principals we've covered, was it done with purpose, and do you understand why bending that principal does or does not work for the specific circumstance?
- Is your work attempting something honest and original, or are you simply trying to imitate work you've seen elsewhere?
In-Class Work:
In-Class work will generally be group exercises related to the topic of the day, and will typically be worth 50 points, pass/fail. The expectation is that all students participate and work together to complete the task. The instructor will be on-hand to assist with any difficulties.
Discussion Boards:
Discussion board assignments will be attached to critique weeks, and will be smaller projects compared to projects attached to lectures. Typically, there will be supplemental material attached to the module to guide you in these assignments. Point values will vary depending on the complexity of the task, but will never exceed 50pts.
Extra Credit:
There may be opportunities for extra credit during this semester. Point values TBA.
Grading Scale
Letter and Point Range
A 93% or higher
A- 90%-92.99%
B+ 87%-89.99%
B 83%-86.99%
B- 80%-82.99%
C+ 77%-79.99%
C 73%-76.99%
C- 70%-72.99%
D+ 67%-69.99%
D 63%-66.99%
D- 60%-62.99%
F less than 60%
Student Success Concerns:
If the instructor determines your performance in this class is placing you at academic risk, you may be referred to a member of the Academic Advising Center. An Academic Advisor will work with you to address issues and develop a student success strategy. Regardless of whether a referral has or has not been made, you are ultimately responsible for tracking your own progress in this course. If you would like to meet with an Advisor regarding any academic struggles you are experiencing, please contact Academic Advising at 702-992-2160 or at studentsuccess@nsc.edu
NSC Policies
Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the policies set forth in the NSC policies page including the Academic Standards.
FACE MASKS AND OTHER COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES
In an effort to help protect the well-being of you and your campus peers, students are required to follow all active NSC public health guidelines (Links to an external site.). This includes a requirement to wear a face mask while on campus as long as a directive from NSHE regarding mandatory masks is in place. Failure to wear a mask and to follow safety precautions and protocols while on campus may lead to being asked to leave an in-person class meeting and further disciplinary action, including administrative removal from a course with in-person meetings and/or Student Code of Conduct charges.