What's important in photo course

[doug_paramore]

This question is a little outside of the normal range of our posts on this forum, but for the benefit of students I would like to know the answere. The moderator may delete the post if so desired. I start teaching photography tomorrow at our local junior college. I will be teaching both beginner and advanced courses. My question is this: For those of you who took photography courses, what was most important to you to help with your photography, and what would you have liked to have been taught and was not? Any suggestions to make a class fit what you want to know a little better? I really want to give the students a good background in photography. I will be teaching some LF in the advanced course. Thanks for bearing with me on this.

 

<p>

 

Regards,

[charlie_strack]

I've never had a class on photography, but suggest the most important

thing to teach is to experiment. Try something & see what results you

get.

[ellis_vener_photography]

the most important characteristics are enthusiasm and patience.

Know your material. Encourage the students to experiment, but

try to get them to learn the basic technical stuff as a basis from

which to experiment.<P> The best lesson I ever got about large

format was: "When the movements start to get too complex, zero

the camera (return all movements to the zero position), point the

camera directly at the subject and start over." (Ron Scott)<P>

 

The best lesson I ever got on lighting was: "Start with the light in

one position. If you don't like the way things look, move it until you

do. that is the only rule of lighting. (Danny Turner)<P>The best

two lessons on photography in general? "You are responsible

for every square millimeter of the frame." (Jay Maisel); "Expose

for the shadows and print for the highlights". (Anonymous)

 

The best philosophical approaches to photography? "If your

pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough.(Robert

Capa); and "it's only a picture, why not have some fun with

it?"(Ellis Vener)

[cesar_barreto]

Doug,

Unfortunately, I had much less classes than wish I had, but from

years till now I've been trying to teach something. People who seeks

photography must learn above all that it's a meaning of expressing

something that no teacher can tell them exactly what it is. Every

time you finish a print you've aborted some other thousands of

equally interesting and valid possibilities. There's where techniques

comes for help. The more you know, the freer you come for creating a

personal and original work. But, first of all, you've got have some

personal and original thing to say. Otherwise, no luck will help

someone, even technically prepared, to stand out in the crowd.

It works here in Brazil and I suppose it must be OK everywhere.

Good luck in your first class!

Cesar B.

[john_hicks]

I think the most important things include a good grounding in technique, the willingness to try out new materials and processes for oneself, and the willingness to take the time to look at _lots_ of pictures.

 

<p>

 

It's going back a while <g> but I took a couple of college photography courses; what struck me was that the instructors actually had very little technical knowledge. The instructors were mainly into navel-contemplation photography and that left students unable to successfully contemplate a navel a second or third time after they'd managed to do it the first time by trial-and-error.

 

<p>

 

So the reason I think technique is so important is that it'll make photography _predictable_ for students. There's a big difference between "I hope it comes out" and "I _know_ it'll come out" and that keeps their confidence and enthusiasm up.

 

<p>

 

As for the second item, we see it here on photo.net all the time...someone wants us to tell them how a film or developer is rather than simply giving it a try.

 

<p>

 

Pictures...students need to look at pictures (or any other visual art) and learn to get past the immediate content to form...and back to content and how it all works. As a visual art, photographers show others a representation of what they saw or made up; I think it's well worthwhile to look at what others saw.

[joseph_wasko]

Well, I graduated with a BS in Industrial Arts Education from The

College of New Jersey in 1973. I was a Graphic Arts Major.

 

<p>

 

All freshman Industrial Arts majors had to take the basic Graphic Arts

class. I had to take this class along with 4 more advanced classes.

The basic class was demanding and time intensive. The Photography

portion of this 3 credit class was 1/4 of the class. The other

portions were 1/4 silk screen printing, 1/4 Lithography (camerawork

and presswork), and 1/4 relief printing (platemaking and presswork).

 

<p>

 

For the Photography portion, each student was required to:

 

<p>

 

1. Load 2 sheets of 4X5 b&w film into a holder.

2. Expose these sheets in a Crown Graphic 4x5, using a hand held

meter.

3. Process the negatives.

4. Contact print both negatives.

5. Enlarge 1 negative to 8X10.

6. Mount and spot the print.

 

<p>

 

If an entire semister is devoted to Basic Photography, I see no reason

why all of the above should not be required in addition to:

 

<p>

 

1. A roll of 120 medium format film exposed, processed, and printed.

2. A roll of 35mm film exposed, processed, and printed,

3. A basic 3:1 head and shoulders portrait using hot lights.

4. A final photo essay containing at least 4 8X10 prints and text.

 

<p>

 

I don't like the idea of "dumbing down" anything. I think a student

should be challenged. If a student can meet the challenge, he or she

is rewarded with a lifetime skill and avocation. Tough but fair.

[james___]

Doug,

Many of us that photograph and have for some time tend to think

about technique or equipment related issues. I think the best thing

you can do for your students is to show them what other photographers

create. Us ethe web. Use books. Many have never seen the beauty of Art

Wolfe. Joyce Tennyson. HBC. Garry Winograd. Pick up a copy or copies

of Black and White Magazine and show them what has been and continues

to be created by photographers. Technique is easy to learn. Being

creative is within all of us but it needs a mentor. Students need a

little boost to get their creative juices flowing. We photographers

get jaded and a little haughty thinking all that's needed is to just

shoot and do your own thing. That type of thinking stifles real

creativity. Just look at Misha Gordon. He didn't just come up with

these ideas. He started with someone elses ideas and refined them to

his own creativity. Kenna started with Bill Brandt. Adams started with

Stieglitz. Give the students a tour of the possibilities and they will

end up with their own ideas. And show them lighting from the days of

the masters such as Rembrant and the other Dutch masters. Technique is

easy. Creativity has to be taught. James

[jnorman1]

i studied under dr john pennybacker at LSU back in the early 70s, and

he was one of those people who was born to teach. when he taught the

non-majors, he realized that it was not truly the technical

information that drove them to his class - it was a love of powerful

images. he tried to find a way to identify that passion in each

student and use that inner drive to teach them - they learned the

technical aspects in spite of themselves as a support system for

making images. one of his favorite projects for those majoring in

fine arts/photography was a duplication assignment. each student

would bring in a single image, any style or format or subject matter,

and would discuss it briefly with pennybacker to describe what they

saw in the image that affected them, and then they would have to

duplicate the image or create a variation of the image. each aspect

of the image had to be duplicated, from the type and angle of the

light, to the poses, positions, etc of the subject. i used a

historic street scene. the effect of that assignment turned into a

20-year career in architectural photography.

[dave_anton]

Doug,

I totally agree with James. Technique is easy and can be learned

anytime. What I really appreciated in Art school were the critiques.

To be emersed in a group of people all striving to understand what

photography "is" is very unique and so group critiques and group

involvement would be highest on my list. Your group critiques may

even be their only opportunity for such an experiance.

 

<p>

 

As james also mentioned, I think it is very important to show slides

and work of many photographers. Depending on your approach, showing

other artists' work gives the student a chance to understand

photography in an Art Historical context as well as its role in a

commercial world. Possibly the differences between the two.

 

<p>

 

To me, understanding technique in photography is important (without it

you can't create), but understanding the "idea" of what IS an image,

is the most important.

 

<p>

 

Your a lucky man Doug.

 

<p>

 

Good luck with it,

Dave.

[david_f._stein]

Good answers. #1: Work HARD to help each student realize what's in him- or herself, not just ratify what the teacher already knows or is. Practically, there is no better way for students to quickly learn the potential of black and white materials than have each student use a $75 TLR and Verichrome Pan-the prints will glow. Stumbling with 35mm, the most difficult format to master, makes for stumbling learning. Have fun, you are lucky to be teaching.

[doug_mcfarland]

From all of the various courses I�ve taken in both photography and

art, and after watching my two sons struggle in college with

photography classes, I think the most important aspect of photography

is the artist's vision. Everyone can learn technique, but not

everyone will be able to develop a vision and see the world. Seeing

is most important.

 

<p>

 

I'm a 5x7 large format fine art B&W photographic artist, but if I

were running a course I would have them all buy a $12 Holga and some

chromogenic film of their choice. That would completely eliminate the

technology of focus, shutter speed, aperture, ... of picture taking.

 

<p>

 

Nothing else left to worry about except subject and composition :-)

 

<p>

 

Doug

[doug_paramore]

Wow! Thanks, all. You have all helped, either by fresh ideas or

strengthening what I felt was important. I plan to give the students

a good working knowledge of the technical side of photography, and

then concentrate on letting them find their own way of seeing things.

I do not want to turn out a room full of Doug Paramores. I think the

technical side is important, because one cannot do the artistic side

of photography without at least a good working knowledge of the

scientific side. The technical / scientific side can be learned, the

artistic side can be nurtured and encouraged. I am grateful for your

comments and suggestions.

 

<p>

 

Highest regards,

[david_grandy1]

Over the last twenty years I've taught a number of

photography/photojounalist courses. Before I teach a course or even

hold a one hour lecture, I ask myself: "What skills do I want my

students to have once the course (or class) is over?" This is the

absolute first thing to establish before you teach anything. This

question assumes that you have some skills and that the students would

be interested in aquiring those skills. If you have no skills or if

you can't answer this question then don't offer the course.

 

<p>

 

But you do have skills and after you answer this question - at least

in your mind - then you prepare your lesson plans so they take your

students to YOUR goal.

 

<p>

 

All too often, and especially in fine art courses, the instructor

doesn't have a sense of where they want to take the their students.

They meander, they waste time; and sometimes I think that they are

back teaching grade four and are forcing "seat work" on their

students. If you ask for an assignment to be completed, how does this

solve part of the final equation? If it doesn't - and this applies

to all assignments or tests - then you are wasting their time.

 

<p>

 

So figure out where you want to take your students, and then provide a

course that takes them there.

[raymond_bleesz]

Doug, as a teacher, number one rule is that no question is silly or

foolish, so your question is right on! In my experience, the words

"repetition & standardization" are most important in technique.

 

<p>

 

I can not stress enough that it is the student's obligation to

READ and STUDY if they are serious about their work--reading, looking,

experimenting & asking questions are the attributes of a good student.

Photography is also a study of its history--images, people, times,

innovations, etc--this must also be taught along with technique. May

I suggest the use of Polaroid 35mm slides--images taken from books

etc. which you yourself make for classroom lessons AND make the

students do likewise as a class assignment--to build up a "library" of

images.

 

<p>

 

And lastly perhaps, as a teacher, you need to stress that Photography

is a means of worldly communication--a universal language--- utilizing

the body's senses--eyes, hands,cognitive,affective & psychomotor

aspects of the brain.

Your enthusiasim, honesty and personal charm are factors which

contribute to being a good educator. Kick them in the ass Doug! I'm

sure you will do well! Raymond A. Bleesz, Histographer

[david_munson]

First of all, I'd like to say that all the responses to this question

have been absolutely first rate. This certainly is a great place to

share knowledge.

<p>

Of the photography courses and workshops I've taken thus far, the

ones that seem to be the most effective are those that alternate

between the technical and artistic aspects of photography.

Concentrating too much on one or the other in beginning photography

courses leaves the students wanting in the neglected area. A good

strategy seems to be to teach/learn a new technique and then apply it

before moving on to another topic. This way, it can be experimented

with while it is still fresh in the mind and any problems that come

up are easily dealt with.

<p>

Every class will have students of varying ability, and it's important

for the instructor to recognize that. While it is important to make

sure the students with a more basic understanding don't get left

behind, it's equally important to make sure that the more advanced

students aren't bored out of their skulls. While teaching basic

skills to students with essentially no knowledge of photographic

processes, I think it's important to establish a basic knowledge of

which control does what and why. That way, when mistakes are made,

it's easier both for the instructor to explain what went wrong and

for the student to understand why what happened happened.

<p>

Make sure to listen to what the class is saying. If a particular

class shows special interest in something specific, don't be afraid

to go a little off curiculum and expore it more in depth. The last

thing you want to do is kill curiosity, and letting students explore

topics that interest them will help their curiosity grow.

<p>

I really like previous suggestions of introducing students to the

work of established and famous photographers. I think every person

here has a favorite photographer whose work has served as inspiration

and/or a benchmark for comparison. Letting students find a

photographer they can use for inspiration can do wonders for making

them more enthusiastic.

<p>

Actaully, if I don't end this post here, I'll be late for (what

else?) a photography class. Again, great answers, everbody- we've

certainly got some great minds here.

[joseph_wasko]

Oh, by the way, one last thought from me.

 

<p>

 

Your learning curve is the steepest. It will probably take 2 or 3

repetitions before you get your class requirements down based on skill

levels, budget, etc. Most of the procedures can be pre-printed in a

foolproof 1,2,3 etc. order.

 

<p>

 

Don't beat yourself up if things are chaotic. Just do your best. Not

everybody is Ansel Adams; but it is better to ask for more than settle

for the bare minimum. I would note well the comments of David Grandy

and Raymond Bleesz.

[c._w._dean]

Doug, if we can presume that the students will have access to some

kind of lab, then my vote is for emphasizing making the print.

Recently many thousands of photographers have, sadly, never made a

print. One of the immense creative joys of photography is preparing

an image from start to finish by oneself. If you can get them started

with the print, then the serious ones will pursue their photographic

education indefinitely.

[bruce_wehman]

Doug,

 

<p>

 

I am a 1967 graduate of Brooks Institute. It's been a long time and

things were a lot different then. And this was (is) a pretty intense

and inclusive program. We were all required to have a 4x5 view camera

with an 8 inch lens. We did Dye Transfer and got pretty deep into the

technical aspects of just about everything we did. And as I think

back on what I learned and didn't learn it seems that the things that

really stick in my mind were not those technical things but what was

discussed at our weekly critique or "Crit," as we called it.

 

<p>

 

 

Here, we would mount our assignments on an unsigned board of uniform

size, so that the instructor would not know whose work he was

discussing. And then he, along with the rest of the class, would tear

into them. After he gave each board a grade he would look at the

back to see to whom it belonged and, of course, announce it to the

class.

 

<p>

 

 

You can imagine what an adreline soaked experience this was for all of

us, instructor included. Things used to get hot and heavy and you

know, after 34 years I can still remember some of those "Crits" like

they were yesterday. The lessons were meaningful and long lasting.

Discussions would go well beyond what you would normally associate

with lectures. They went to attitudes and they got personal. We

learned, not only, how to do the things we wanted to do but we also

got to see those things in some sort of context.

 

<p>

 

 

Previous posts have givin excellent advice on good things to teach and

directions to take....I can only add: There's nothing like productive,

well guided, and intense competition to really get the juices flowing.

 

<p>

 

 

Good luck,

Bruce

[david richhart]

Great thoughts from all the responses, and I would like to add one

thought... <p>

DO NOT allow the course to become an "easy credit". Students who

are not truly interested in learning can make a darkroom seem like

hell for the serious students, and the instructor as well. If you

have ever worked several hours to make one good print, only to have

it ruined by some jock needing a few credit hours, you know what I am

talking about...

[steve_gilb]

In one of the previous post Bruce mentions a critique method somewhat

like I had in high school. The way we did it was to put our piece on

the board and then be the first to critique it. The rest of the class

followed. Positive points only. Start off by saying you like the

print because �.. showing the others all the good stuff. The bad

stuff is obvious. We have all looked at our work one time or another

and thought it looked good enough to mount. Then, after a few weeks

in the closet you see it again and wonder why you ever wasted the

paper on it. You really do need to be your worst critique.My personal

belief is that we can learn by seeing the best things in a bad print

and then try to raise our standards to meet or exceed from there.

Tons of magazines with quality images are not a bad idea either. Stay

away from auto cameras as much as possible and focus on quality and

composition.

Regards,

Steve

[robert_a._zeichner1]

Perhaps an outcome driven approach would serve to steer you in the

right direction. I know it sounds obvious, but does the course

description as it appears in the college catalog, give you a sense of

what skills students should acquire in this course? Is this course(s)

designed to prepare students for something that will follow? If this

is part of a fine art program, you're approach might be different than

if it is part of one in advertizing. I spent 4 years at an

internationally respected art institution and got reletively little

from my photography instructor. I learned more from the lab manager

when working in the darkroom after class. As much in favor as I am of

teaching the fundimentals of traditional photography, I'd be surprized

if a student in advertizing weren't spending more time learning

Photoshop than proper procedure for washing and mounting gelatin silver

prints. But, if it's art we're talking about, perhaps two courses are

needed to cover both the traditional materials and techniques and the

modern!

[michael_meyer3]

doug, one little note froma current photo student. i am a junior at nyu tisch school of the arts and have taken a wide range of photo courses.

 

<p>

 

the most helpful part of a course is when i am able to use what i am learning. a personal project, one in which the project is up to the student can be extremely helpful in using what is learned in the classroom in the real world. it helps to solidy and make real the tech details. it also forces a student to take pictures, but allows them to do so on their own terms. i would not say that this would be the sole aspect of a course, but for an intro or beginning course, it would compliment the weekly (or whatever) assignments nicely. this is how my photo one and two courses worked.

 

<p>

 

on the other hand, when i was in a tech class, such as lighting design, i had only weekly assignments and did very little personal work. i found myself much less into the course and into what i was learning. while i learned a lot, i didn't use it. and that is frustrating. for me using the class to broaden projects i am doing is what i really love.

 

<p>

 

just a thought.

-m

[triblett_lungre_thurd]

first off,

 

<p>

 

Good luck Doug... we're all pullin' for ya.

 

<p>

 

I've taken a wide range of juco and secondary university photo classes

from intro and studio to fashion, LF, Alt processes... tons more so,

I'll tell you what I remember of my wants behind the mouldering

beerfog of my uh, hehehee ... yeah.

 

<p>

 

Do conduct intensive one on one crits during lab hours (get a

TA/hotshot student to troubleshoot a lab for the crit time, trade

lecture time, whatever you have to do) for the intro kids so that you

can become familiar with what kind of photos they want to take and to

discern what level of skill each has attained. Hopefully you'll get a

handful that need no tech help and you'll be inspired and begin giving

divided (art/tech) crits to them immediately but the majority, I'm

sure, will need to go (tech/art) first.

 

<p>

 

For the advanced class... do them a favor... don't try to cover

everything between 35mm to LF in a semester for every student. Pace

it for the individual student's wants and abilities. Nothing new

there.

 

<p>

 

 

 

<p>

 

p.s. Jucos rule. Mine had good teachers from Brooks and RIT. The

secondary university programs around here are worthless.

[jacque_staskon]

I know this is coming in a bit late, sorry ...Field trip.

What's important in a photo class? I hope you have been thinking

about this for a while, and did not just get hired on last week and

trying to pull it all together.

When I teach a photo one course, the first thing I try to do is

de-mystify the camera. I will have a class of ladies saying, "my

husband always took the pictures, or I am just not technical"

Infuriating. (in our area the average student at the JUCO is 37 and

female)

So make things simple for the photo ones. Basic, film loading, focus,

shutter speeds, aperture. the basic workings of the camera. The

reason I am stressing this part is, when the students get to advanced,

you will be surprised how many of them will not have this basic

knowledge. Oh sure, there is always someone in the class that has

tons of experience and is taking the class to work in the darkroom or

for some other reason. They can sometimes have the worst habits.

After the basics, then be very careful to teach proper film

development. Then the basics of print making. You can finesse their

work in advanced classes.

Have local pro's come in and show their work or go to their studios.

Lots of field trips. As much one on one as you can. Give them your

home phone number, so when they are stuck they will call you.

Praise their efforts, remember this is a foreign language to most of

your photo ones. And when you have critique, don't let them say things

like I did not have time to complete, because... blah blah blah. Make

the images stand alone, no excuses and no blaming. If you do that at

the get go, they seem to get more motiviated and work a bit harder.

when I start critique, usually within the first month, I let the

students know that the viewer does not care if the shooter had a bad

day. the viewer only cares about what is being viewed. So I hold

whats called a no excuses critique. Critique is for overall impact

and design, composition and subject matter. All the other stuff is

written on the back after critique and given to the students next

class. (spotting, mounting, matting, etc.) Personal comments are left

to the written word, the student then appreciates the time effort you

as instructor are spending with their work.

Encourage your students to take photographic risks. Let them know

that its normal to imatate, then innovate, then inspire. Sometimes

that takes years, other times only days.

Do not under any circumstances show them your personal work.

Otherwise you will have created Doug clones. If you must show them

your work do so during the last class of the semester. Have them bring

in all kinds of images instead. Talk about them all the time. Learn

from the masters and the locals. Slide shows, books, magazines,

videos. Use everything you can get your hands on.

Photo One is a hoot to teach, I love it when the light comes on and

they realize they can do it.

Have fun with it most of all. If you need any teaching info you can

e-mail me direct. I have been instructing photography in JUCO and

University since 1984 and I keep thinking I will retire, but they keep

coming up with classes for me to teach. Now I am teaching mostly

advanced students, just got back from exploring the desert under the

full moon. Fabulous trip.

Oh I almost forgot, the advanced students will let you know what they

need. Teach them well.

[james phillips]

Best of Luck with the new courses Doug.

 

<p>

 

From all of the answers that you have contributed on this forum we

can all see that you are more than qualified to teach photography

courses. If I was to sit in on one of your classes I would be less

worried about the particular area you were to focus on but rather I

would be more interested in how you taught me. What I am trying to

say is that whatever area you elect such as focusing clearly and

attention to detail, or composition techniques, or perhaps exposure

basics I would be more interested in how you explained this to me.

Every one of your postings is telling me that you can easily relate

to newcomers and can converse on their levels. This is an excellent

quality in a teacher that you clearly have mastered. In summary I

would suggest that the topic selections can be yours, but please

teach me clearly and throughly at least one basic skill that I can

continue to build upon when I have completed your class.

 

<p>

 

From previous experiences I know that you will enjoy teaching almost

as much as photography itself.