Intermediate Photography: Documentary

The documentary image has constituted a keystone of the photographic medium since the earliest days of its existence. In this class, we approach documentary photography from a contemporary perspective and in a context of active engagement with the world we inhabit. What do the ethics and aesthetics of documenting reality involve in an era when the instant representation of ourselves and our environment has become routine daily procedure? How can today's visual documentarian meet the challenge of creating work that meaningfully and critically relates to the complex global issues and struggles defining the current historical moment? This is an intermediate course in photography, with an ongoing emphasis on operating manual camera settings (focus, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, color temp/ white balance). Students continue to work with Lightroom as a file management system, are introduced to Photoshop, and focus on the importance of photo editing/selection and sequencing. Prerequisite: ARTSTUDI 170 or ARTSTUDI 171 or ARTSTUDI 173E or equivalent.