JOU 104 Fundamentals of Digital Photography

Syllabus ¥ Fall 2008

Dr. Kenneth L. Rosenauer

 

TextbookS

         None. Instead, all reading and reference materials are located free and online. You will need to have a computer with Internet access in order to complete your reading assignments and study questions.

 

Equipment and Supplies

á  Digital camera (minimum of 4 megapixels), preferred, or 35mm film camera with adjustable focus, shutter speed, and aperture, fitted with standard lens (generally 50-55mm) or zoom lens (a range that includes the normal focal length)

á  Built-in exposure control or light meter

á  Electronic flash unit (may be built in for either digital or film camera)

á  Blower brush, lens cleaning fluid, and lens cleaning tissue — especially for 35mm film camera

á  CD-R/CD-RW disk(s) to submit digitized images for either digital or film cameras and for film cameras sufficient rolls of 24-exposure color film (all ISO 400 speed or higher), to be processed by professional photofinisher and scanned to CD

       

Course Objectives

         By the end of the semester, you should be able to:

á  Handle the care, cleaning, and operation of your camera.

á  Use your camera effectively to capture clear, sharply focused, and well-composed photographs for photojournalistic assignments.

á  Work with Adobe Photoshop to enhance, adjust, manipulate, and finish digital files for potential publication in print and digital media.

 

Assignments                                                                                                                                 

1.  Photo assignments:  During the semester you will complete practical, hands-on photo assignments that will help you to develop and improve your skills as a photographer and photojournalist. A handout of recommended subjects will be provided for you to follow. You will shoot subjects weekly, and we will have eight Share Days where you will submit three of your best shots, which will be shared with the entire class. See the course outline for those dates.

         You will submit eight packages for critique following deadlines listed in the course outline. Packages will consist of 20-25 digital images covering specific photojournalistic subjects, submitted on CD. Also, Assignments 5-8 must include an 8-1/2 X 11 enlargement of your choice for the best shot. Your work will be critiqued with criteria-based checksheets but not graded during the semester.

         IMPORTANT:  Failure to submit an assignment on deadline will draw a 50-point penalty. The only exception to this will be delays caused by technical problems you experience. In other words, if you shoot an assignment but do not get usable images, you must submit a written request for an extension to your assignment deadline in which you explain the technical problem.

 

2.  Final Portfolio:  For your final portfolio you will select ten images for 8-1/2 X 11 enlargements of your best work of the semester from at least six of the eight packages you submitted for grading. You also should pick the best shot from your portfolio, which you will enlarge to poster size for display in the class photo gallery. The portfolio will be worth 800 points and will be graded using the same criteria emphasized during the semester.

 

3.  Study Questions:  You will complete 27 sets of 10 study questions each for the assigned readings. Written answers are worth 10/5 or zero points, based on how complete your responses are.


Grading

Grading Scale:                              90-100 percent    =   A

                                                       80-89 percent    =   B

                                                       70-79 percent    =   C

                                                       60-69 percent    =   D

                                                 Below 60 percent    =   F

 

Class Attendance

         In order to improve student learning as well as to achieve compliance with federal financial aid policies, Western has a mandatory attendance policy for all 100- and 200-level courses. You will be given an excused absence when acting as an official representative of the university, provided you give prior written verification from the faculty/staff supervisor of the event.

All other absences will be deemed unexcused. The maximum number of unexcused absences allowed for this class before the midterm report on Oct. 17 is five (5). Thus, when you have six unexcused absences, you will be reported to the RegistrarÕs Office, who will automatically withdraw you from this class. The Financial Aid Office will reduce financial aid as appropriate.

FAIR WARNING: THIS WILL BE THE POLICY I FOLLOW FOR THIS CLASS.

Late assignments are not accepted without a reason I consider valid. Moreover, it is your responsibility to check on material covered during your absence, including assignments for the next class you attend.

         I expect you to submit assignments in person at the beginning of the class period that the work is due. Assignments submitted by a classmate, dropped off at my office or in my mailbox, or submitted electronically without a valid written excuse included will not be accepted.

 

ProfessorÕs Office Hours

         In addition to scheduled class meetings, you have the opportunity to meet with me during my office hours in order to receive further assistance.

         Office: Eder 222E

         Hours: MW 10-12, T 9-11, F 10-11; other times by appointment.

 

ProfessorÕs Telephone/E-MAIL

         I certainly encourage you to contact me when you will be absent from class, when you need to check on assignments, or when you need additional assistance.

¥  Office phone:  271-4323 (leave messages on my answering machine when I am not in)

¥  Home phone:  387-8213 (an answering machine is also available; please do not call after 10 p.m.)

¥  E-mail:  rosenauer@missouriwestern.edu

¥  Homepage: http://staff.missouriwestern.edu/~rosenauer/rosenauer_main.html. Here you can find all the class handouts, as well as additional helpful materials and links.

 

Academic Honesty

         Academic honesty is required in all academic endeavors. Violations of academic honesty include any instance of plagiarism, cheating, seeking credit for anotherÕs work, falsifying documents or academic records, or any other fraudulent activity. Violations of academic honesty may result in a failing grade on the assignment, failure in the course, or expulsion from the University. When a studentÕs grade has been affected, violations of academic honesty will be reported to the Provost or designated representative on the Academic Honesty Violation Report forms.

Please see the 2007-08 Student Handbook and Calendar for specific activities identified as violations of this policy and the student due process procedure. This handbook is also available online at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.

 

Handicapped Policy

         If you who are handicapped, whether it is apparent or not, please discuss your situation with me outside of class so that I may do whatever is reasonable to accommodate your needs.