Journalism 205, Basic Photojournalism-Spring, 2003

Kevin Morley, Instructor
(h)330-4207
(w)649-6486
pmorley@richmond.edu

Course Outline:
"Photography is a medium of formidable contradictions. It is both
ridiculously easy and almost impossibly difficult." Edward Steichen, A Life
in Photography.
"The reporting camera does what no other medium can do. It opens up new
vistas and bares the relations of people to their environments with
unequaled precision."
Arthur Rothstein, Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach.

"Shoot tons of pictures"--(anonymous)

Photojournalism combines the mechanics and art of how to take a picture
with the complex mechanics of people: who they are, what they do, why they
do what they
do, how their actions affect others and their environments, and how their
environments affect them.
The photojournalist--like a writer--tells a story. But the story is told
with a picture or a group of pictures. A photo can serve as a "paragraph"
that relates something
to the viewer. A photo can serve as a hard-hitting (or subtle) "sentence"
that proves a point. A photojournalist is a journalist with a camera.

Course Goals:
1. To learn the basics of shooting, developing, printing and scanning
black-and-white photographs,
2. To successfully shoot weekly assignments.
3. To break out of "tunnel vision" (i.e., to use the way one sees to show a
fresh view of the commonplace).
4. To understand that a photojournalist IS a journalist and that words and
pictures must work together to tell true stories.

Course text:
Photojournalism: Content and Technique by Greg Lewis. 2nd ed; Brown &
Benchmark, 1995.

(Note: "Books cannot make a photojournalist ... out of a casual reader."
Angus McDougall, Visual Impact in Print.)

Shooting:
This course deals with taking pictures that SAY something, that TELL A
STORY. To merely aim one's camera and shoot anything--"aimlessly"--would be
equal to
a writer opening a dictionary, pointing at a dozen or so words, then
writing them in any order as a sentence. Therefore, practice is necessary.
Nobody is an expert at first. Expertise is not expected, but you will work
toward it. Effort is required in this course. Effort in thinking and seeing
... translated into
your efforts in shooting and making photographs.
The technical aspects of your photography will be graded as well as the
aesthetic aspects and the way you execute your assignments.

Assignments:
You will have a photo assignment each week. Assignments will be due at
class time each Monday.
Each assignment you submit must also include a self-critique of the
technical and aesthetic aspects of your work. The critique should answer
these questions:
Does the picture succeed?
What could have been done to make it better?
Are there distracting elements in the picture?
Is the picture cropped effectively?
Was the film developed properly?
Is the print quality/contrast right?
Is the picture sharp?
Was there another way I could have looked at the subject or the
event? ... etc.

Assignments must also include all of the film you shot, neatly "sleeved" in
negative sleeves, along with the contact sheets of the film. Please write
your name on the negative sleeves and contact sheets, as well as the folder
in which the assignment is submitted. When scanning film into PhotoShop is
involved, a compact disc of the image will also be submitted

Photo Assignments/Topics***
Jan. 9-Jan. 16 (due Jan.16): Shoot/develop/contacts. 1 or 2 rolls. (Grade
will not count).
Jan. 16-Jan. 23 (due Jan 23): "Printing"
Jan. 23-Jan. 30 (due Jan. 30): " Portrait/Personality "
Jan. 30-Feb. 6 (due Feb. 6): "Depth of Field"
Feb. 6-Feb. 13 (due Feb. 13): "Quality of Light" and Composition
Feb. 13-Feb. 20 (due Feb. 20): "Push Processing"
Feb. 20-Feb. 27 (due Feb. 27): "Shutter Speeds/ Time-Motion"
Feb. 27- Term project ideas due on or before this date.
Feb. 27-Mar. 13-(due Mar. 13): "Feature" & "Scanning" film. (Meet in
computer lab/LRC/Boatwright Library)

(note:Feb. 28-March10: Spring Break)

Mar. 13-Mar. 20 (due Mar. 20): "Flash Photography"
Mar. 20-Mar. 27 (due Mar. 27): "Captions/Gathering Info"
Mar. 27-Apr. 3 (due Apr. 3): "Covering an Event" (Meet in computer
lab/LRC/Boatwright Library.)
Apr. 10: "Ethics and Photojournalism"...(class may meet at Times-Dispatch).
Apr. 17: Last class; special topics. (Last day of classes: April 18).

April 22-Term projects due, up until 10pm ... (Takes place of exam
scheduled for Mon., April 22, 7pm).

***There will be readings assigned weekly. The readings are not usually
long. Each reading will concern the topic/assignment at hand. Also,
handouts will occur
regularly. We will also have at least one guest speaker.

Quizzes:
You will have them. Some will be announced. Some will not. They will cover
material read for the week and anything gone over in class. They won't be
killer, but you must read the material, including the handouts.

Term Project:
Your term project should be challenging for you. You must turn in a
typewritten project idea (or an e-mail) to me by Spring Break or before.
Don't wait too long to
start because the project will involve quite a bit of time (if done
properly). Basically, the project entails telling a story with pictures. A
companion written story will
also be required. Examples of term projects from previous classes will be
shown to you. There will be more discussion on the term project. As soon as
you have an
idea, please present it to me for approval. Non-approved ideas will not be
accepted.

Grades:
The photo assignments will be graded on technical quality as well as their
visual success (i.e., was the goal/message of the assignment achieved?) On
your
assignments, you will get a grade that will look like this: 7/9, or 6/10,
or 10/8, etc ....

The top number reflects the technical aspects of the assignment. The bottom
number reflects the aesthetic aspects. Letter grades are as follows: A=10,
9 B=8, 7 C=6,
5 D=4 F=3, 2, 1, 0 The critique you include with each assignment is also
weighed into the final grade of each assignment.
The photo assignments will figure into 50 percent of the final grade.
The quizzes will count as 20 percent.
The final project counts as 30 percent. (There is no final exam; the
project serves as the final exam).
ANY assignment (except for the term project) may be done over at any time
during the semester. If you feel you can do a better job on the assignment,
go for it! The
higher grade will be recorded. Nobody is perfect and practice is the best
tool of a photographer. Your progress will be noted.

A Paper on a Photojournalist:
Due by Mar. 26, this three-page, double-spaced typewritten paper is to be
about a photojournalist of your choice. There are many photography books
and magazines in Boatwright Library you can use as sources. I have some
books you may borrow. Closely look at the photographer's work. What makes
that person's pictures work? What is that photographer known for? Why are
YOU drawn to the pictures? This paper counts as a quiz.
To help you, there is a list of photographers posted in the darkroom. You
may choose from these or you may select your own.

Attendance: Class will meet in Puryear Hall, Rm. 201. We will often
adjourn to the Collegian darkroom in the Commons Building. Some classes
will meet in Technology Learning Center in Boatwright Library.
Come to every class. Miss a class and your grade will go down one full
point. If you cannot make it to a class, let me know. University policy
states: "We do not
excuse students for illness, family emergencies, court dates, etc.
Acceptance of any excuse presented by the student for such an absence is at
the discretion of the faculty member." If you are involved in a
university-sponsored event that calls for you to miss a class, talk to me.
If you miss a class, you will be responsible for the material that you
missed.

Darkroom Use:
The darkroom is located in the Collegian office, 3rd floor of the Commons
Building. The darkroom is to be used ONLY by students enrolled in this
class. Students from previous classes may NOT use the darkroom without my
permission. Combinations to door locks will be given the first night of
class.

Darkroom rules:
1) If you use it, clean it, and clean counters when you leave!
2) Re-use the fixer.
3) Cooperate.
4) Knock before entering.
5) Darkroom is for class use only.
6) When done, turn stuff off.
7) Do not remove anything from the darkroom.
8) Have a good time.
9) Lock up when you leave.
10) Respect Collegian staffers with whom we are sharing space.

Things you'll need:
35mm camera (NOT a fully automatic one; should be able to change the
f-stop and shutter speeds manually).
Red grease pencil ('China' marker) for marking picture selections.
Tri-X black-and-white film; Kodak; comes in 100-ft. rolls for "bulk"
loading or factory-loaded rolls of 36 exposures if you prefer).
35mm cassettes for bulk loading film. (If you plan to bulk load)
They come 10 to a pack).
35mm negative preserver plastic sheets (Print-File brand is best).
File folders (for use in turning in assignments)
Lupe (magnifying glass used when viewing negatives).
Textbooks
Flash unit (ideally, with a swivel head)
Sync-cord...(attaches from camera to flash unit to allow flash to be
used off-camera.).
Compact discs (or other form of portable image file storage).

"Office" hours:
I don't have what you would call an office, but I will be in the darkroom
from time to time. I will post my "darkroom hours" every week., with my
availability changing weekly. But, if AT ANY TIME you have a question
concerning ANYTHING, feel free to call me. (Try my home number first.)
Don't hesitate to call. I don't mind. I can be reached by e-mail at
pmorley@richmond.edu. I will check my e-mail daily and I will communicate
through it regularly. If you need help with developing, printing, or
shooting, let me know and we'll work on it.