Course Syllabus

ART 2530 Black & White Film Photography

Course Description

This course will provide students with a foundation in black and white film photography and darkroom printing techniques. Topics include 35mm film camera operation and exposure, black and white printing, darkroom chemistry, historical and conceptual perspectives, and exhibition presentation. 35mm film cameras are available for student use. This course is repeatable for credit. A program fee is required.

Justification

Analog photography is the foundation upon which all other photographic practices are based. This course will prepare students to transfer after completing their degree and will aid them in securing work in the photographic industry. This course is offered in visual arts programs throughout Utah and the country, and is a studio elective in the Visual Arts AFA degree in Visual Studies.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Material Proficiency: Students will become familiar with an array of material techniques and processes applicable to the course. This proficiency in material and media, in addition to the application of the creative process, will be used as the catalyst to solve visual problems.
   
2. Principles of Concept: Students will be taught to discern between material, formal and conceptual principles. Material and formal understanding of creative practice will be emphasized to solve conceptual issues.
   
3. Historical Context: Students will become familiar with significant historical works with particular attention to the context of when they were created. This knowledge will assist in informing their formal creative sensibilities.
4. Critical Theory: Students will learn the process of critical analysis as it applies to creative process and risk taking. Utilizing the visual vocabulary, knowledge of material processes, concepts and historical context, students will learn to articulate aesthetic qualities, examine effective visual communication, and determine conceptual merit.
5. Creative Process: This course teaches strategies for cultivating creativity, visual problem-solving, and developing critical thinking skills. Through applied studio projects students will engage the design process into their own practice. This will include the process of thinking about the design parameters, looking at what others have created prior, and doing, applying what they have learned.

Course Content

Course topics include analog camera operation and exposure, black and white photographic chemistry, darkroom techniques, film development, enlarging and printing onto black and white papers, historical and contemporary perspectives on photography, group critiques and discussion, and exhibition presentation. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of styles and approaches to the discipline from a variety of creative backgrounds.