SP.747 - Ground Rules

GRADING

This course is letter graded. There is no final examination nor do we presently plan any quizzes. Grades will be based on completion of homework, the presentation of your best five black & white gelatin-silver prints, completion and presentation of your term project, and, completion of a digital portfolio of your best images made during term.

We shall expect each student to carry out a term project. The suggested nature of this project is as follows:

Part A: Imaging and Chemical Darkroom

Each student should photograph one or more series of B&W images using Ilford HP-5 film. You should experiment. Shoot several rolls of film. If you have a digital camera, repeat the shoot using the digital camera. This will give you a basis for comparisons.
Select a theme for your series; we encourage you to relate it to experiments you are doing at the Institute. The film negatives should then be developed in the Edgerton film darkroom. 8 inch by 10 inch prints from these negatives should be made using the Edgerton print darkroom.
Once you have made your darkroom prints, the film should be scanned to produce digital files which you will bring into Photoshop. After enhancement using Photoshop, digital B&W prints should be made for comparison with your conventional prints.

Part B: Idea or Descriptive Sequence Presentation
As a first objective, we ask that each student prepare and present to the class an idea or descriptive sequence in five images. These five 8" by 10" B&W prints should be done using your best talents in the print darkroom to make them truly good prints. This needs to be completed for presentation by April 2nd.
Once you have done the initial work using chemical darkroom and conventional camera you may continue working using digital cameras instead of scanning your film images. We do, however, insist that you demonstrate a basic facility in classical photography.

Part C: Color Film
You should also take at least one roll of pictures using color print film.
You will need to buy the film and have it developed commercially. From these, you should pick the best images to scan. You should also try to make a color chemical print. These you can further compare to your digital prints.
And lastly, you should make an optimized black and white digital negative from one of your images which you can then print in the chemical darkroom as a b&w photo.

The digital color printers we currently have available at the Center are the Epson Stylus 7800 ink jet printer, the Kodak 1400 dye sublimation printer, and the HP 5500. Because of printing expense please be selective in your use of the printers.

Part D: Digital Portfolio
This should showcase the best images you have produced over term both digitally and from film. Quality, layout and sequencing, not quantity, of images is the object here. It should culminate with your final project image.

Part E: Final Project
The final project will consist of at least one digital image composed in Photoshop from various components, along with a write-up of the project. You should prepare the final project for presentation, for posting on our bulletin board, and also for posting on our Web page.

TEXT

If your aim is to master Photoshop in this class, you should purchase Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book as the text for this course. This book will be available at the Quantum Bookstore in Kendall Square.
Alternatively, there are several Photoshop CS2 books online. Go to Barton and search for Photoshop CS2. There are also many Photoshop tutorial sites online on the web.
You will also need to purchase a USB memory stick to transport your image files between machines. These are readily available at MicroCenter on Memorial Drive.

GRADING

Grading will be based primarily on the project. Cooperation among students is encouraged. Those with special skills in photography, darkroom work, or digital imaging are asked to pair up with other students who may need extra help. Final images, however, must be original and result from individual effort.

LOGISTICS

Lectures are in Room 4-402 in the Edgerton Center. The darkroom is immediately adjacent. The digital imaging room is in 4-035. You are not permitted to share the access code with anyone outside our seminar group.

Limited image file space is available to you on the Edgerton Macs. You should always save your files to flash memory, your own Athena Account or CD.

Please do not add any applications to the machines at the Center. Do not change any Control Panel or Preferences settings.

Our electronic classroom is Room 26-139. It is assigned exclusively to us on Thursdays from 2 to 5 PM. The computers in 26-139 easily access your Athena accounts. Save important work to your Athena account. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THE SAFETY OF FILES LEFT IN FOLDERS ON THE MACHINES.

Image storage and file transfer:
You can easily access your Athena account for storage but you will need a USB flash memory to assure maximum transportability.

Cameras

You will need access to a film camera and a digital camera.

If you do not have a 35mm or other larger camera, you have several options:

Team up with a class member who does.
If you buy a 35 mm camera, we suggest you avoid fully automatic point and shoot models. They are too expensive. Besides, you will need aperture and speed control. Do not buy a throwaway - you will need the camera throughout the term. Do not buy an Advanced Photo System (APS) camera or film. The film is only 60% of the size of 35 mm film and will not work in any of our scanners or enlargers.

Some suggestions:

a used Pentax K1000 35 mm Single Lens Reflex (SLR) or equivalent. Very rugged and reliable. Priced just a bit more than the plastic automatics referred to above. Other cameras of equivalent price and make are: Ricoh KR5-3 and Yashica FX3 Super 2000.
a new Vivitar V3800N Camera Kit which includes a standard Pentax K mount 50mm Vivitar lens, will take double exposures, and, has a mechanical metal shutter. A great little body; you might want to replace the lens at some point. Available from Freestyle Photographic and/or B&H PhotoVideo for $159 ($189.99 with zoom lens).
get a Holga 120S point-and-shoot camera for $24.99 ($36.99 if with flash) and show us how well
a used medium format 6x6 camera and a light meter.
if you are still stuck, see us about a loaner. We have two pinhole cameras, several 35mm cameras, and the Holga, for student use at the Edgerton Center.
If you own a digital camera you are encouraged to use it; however, all students are required to learn the fundamentals of conventional photography.

A detailed classroom schedule is provided separately. If all else fails come to Room 4-402, where class location will be posted if there is a sudden change.

Instructor
Thery Mislick
Edgerton Center, x3-4629
Student Art Association, Student Center, x3-7019
tcmislic@mit.edu

Teaching Assistants
Brian Hemond bhemond@mit.edu
Mark Richardson echo@mit.edu
Biyeun Buczyk biyeun@mit.edu



		GRADING This course is letter graded. There is no final examination nor do we presently plan any quizzes. Grades will be based on completion of homework, the presentation of your best five black & white gelatin-silver prints, completion and presentation of your term project, and, completion of a digital portfolio of your best images made during term. We shall expect each student to carry out a term project. The suggested nature of this project is as follows: Part A: Imaging and Chemical Darkroom Each student should photograph one or more series of B&W images using Ilford HP-5 film. You should experiment. Shoot several rolls of film. If you have a digital camera, repeat the shoot using the digital camera. This will give you a basis for comparisons. Select a theme for your series; we encourage you to relate it to experiments you are doing at the Institute. The film negatives should then be developed in the Edgerton film darkroom. 8 inch by 10 inch prints from these negatives should be made using the Edgerton print darkroom. Once you have made your darkroom prints, the film should be scanned to produce digital files which you will bring into Photoshop. After enhancement using Photoshop, digital B&W prints should be made for comparison with your conventional prints. Part B: Idea or Descriptive Sequence Presentation As a first objective, we ask that each student prepare and present to the class an idea or descriptive sequence in five images. These five 8" by 10" B&W prints should be done using your best talents in the print darkroom to make them truly good prints. This needs to be completed for presentation by April 2nd. Once you have done the initial work using chemical darkroom and conventional camera you may continue working using digital cameras instead of scanning your film images. We do, however, insist that you demonstrate a basic facility in classical photography. Part C: Color Film You should also take at least one roll of pictures using color print film. You will need to buy the film and have it developed commercially. From these, you should pick the best images to scan. You should also try to make a color chemical print. These you can further compare to your digital prints. And lastly, you should make an optimized black and white digital negative from one of your images which you can then print in the chemical darkroom as a b&w photo. The digital color printers we currently have available at the Center are the Epson Stylus 7800 ink jet printer, the Kodak 1400 dye sublimation printer, and the HP 5500. Because of printing expense please be selective in your use of the printers. Part D: Digital Portfolio This should showcase the best images you have produced over term both digitally and from film. Quality, layout and sequencing, not quantity, of images is the object here. It should culminate with your final project image. Part E: Final Project The final project will consist of at least one digital image composed in Photoshop from various components, along with a write-up of the project. You should prepare the final project for presentation, for posting on our bulletin board, and also for posting on our Web page. TEXT If your aim is to master Photoshop in this class, you should purchase Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book as the text for this course. This book will be available at the Quantum Bookstore in Kendall Square. Alternatively, there are several Photoshop CS2 books online. Go to Barton and search for Photoshop CS2. There are also many Photoshop tutorial sites online on the web. You will also need to purchase a USB memory stick to transport your image files between machines. These are readily available at MicroCenter on Memorial Drive. GRADING Grading will be based primarily on the project. Cooperation among students is encouraged. Those with special skills in photography, darkroom work, or digital imaging are asked to pair up with other students who may need extra help. Final images, however, must be original and result from individual effort. LOGISTICS Lectures are in Room 4-402 in the Edgerton Center. The darkroom is immediately adjacent. The digital imaging room is in 4-035. You are not permitted to share the access code with anyone outside our seminar group. Limited image file space is available to you on the Edgerton Macs. You should always save your files to flash memory, your own Athena Account or CD. Please do not add any applications to the machines at the Center. Do not change any Control Panel or Preferences settings. Our electronic classroom is Room 26-139. It is assigned exclusively to us on Thursdays from 2 to 5 PM. The computers in 26-139 easily access your Athena accounts. Save important work to your Athena account. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THE SAFETY OF FILES LEFT IN FOLDERS ON THE MACHINES. Image storage and file transfer: You can easily access your Athena account for storage but you will need a USB flash memory to assure maximum transportability. Cameras You will need access to a film camera and a digital camera. If you do not have a 35mm or other larger camera, you have several options: Team up with a class member who does. If you buy a 35 mm camera, we suggest you avoid fully automatic point and shoot models. They are too expensive. Besides, you will need aperture and speed control. Do not buy a throwaway - you will need the camera throughout the term. Do not buy an Advanced Photo System (APS) camera or film. The film is only 60% of the size of 35 mm film and will not work in any of our scanners or enlargers. Some suggestions: a used Pentax K1000 35 mm Single Lens Reflex (SLR) or equivalent. Very rugged and reliable. Priced just a bit more than the plastic automatics referred to above. Other cameras of equivalent price and make are: Ricoh KR5-3 and Yashica FX3 Super 2000. a new Vivitar V3800N Camera Kit which includes a standard Pentax K mount 50mm Vivitar lens, will take double exposures, and, has a mechanical metal shutter. A great little body; you might want to replace the lens at some point. Available from Freestyle Photographic and/or B&H PhotoVideo for $159 ($189.99 with zoom lens). get a Holga 120S point-and-shoot camera for $24.99 ($36.99 if with flash) and show us how well you can do with it. This is minimal, but one student produced some very respectable results with it. We do have two Holgas available for class use. a used medium format 6x6 camera and a light meter. if you are still stuck, see us about a loaner. We have two pinhole cameras, several 35mm cameras, and the Holga, for student use at the Edgerton Center. If you own a digital camera you are encouraged to use it; however, all students are required to learn the fundamentals of conventional photography. A detailed classroom schedule is provided separately. If all else fails come to Room 4-402, where class location will be posted if there is a sudden change. Instructor Thery Mislick Edgerton Center, x3-4629 Student Art Association, Student Center, x3-7019 tcmislic@mit.edu Teaching Assistants Brian Hemond bhemond@mit.edu Mark Richardson echo@mit.edu Biyeun Buczyk biyeun@mit.edu