Final Portfolio

Due:

Wednesday, 12/1

The final portfolio consists of two aspects: electronic and printed. It should represent your strongest work created over the course. It will be graded as a separate project. It would be a really good idea to strategize what you will be submitting ahead of time with the instructor. Revisions to any project images you are submitting are welcome. If you are submitting a revision, please indicate with the filename. Use the following criteria:

Electronic:

• Jpegs, highest quality
• 1200 pixels in longest direction
• sRGB
• LASTNAME_PROJECTNAME (REVISION)_(number).jpg

Examples:
jordan_uncannyREVISED_1.jpg

jordan_strategies_1.jpg

jordan_strategiesREVISED_2.jpg

Prints:

• Highest quality possible
• Print from full resolution files (at least 300 dpi)
• No banding, clogged nozzles, etc. (If you have banding, go through steps to clean nozzles, or use another printer)
• Good color and tonal range (adjust files as required)
• One large print (prepare file for printing–due Monday 11/29)

Projects represented in portfolio:

• Shooting strategies (3 images)
• The extended photo (as many images that comprise your final piece or pieces)
• The constructed image (1-3 images)
• The uncanny image (as many images that comprise your final piece)
• Open project (as many images that comprise your final piece or pieces)
• Any additional work you have made for the class outside of specific assignments that you wish to include as part of your portfolio

New Course

Photography: Creative Studio Lighting

Art 408-001

12:00 pm - 2:45 pm MW

Faculty: Chris Jordan

Learn how creative studio lighting can transform your photography. Learn fundamentals for still life, portraiture, location work and other applications. Explore natural, hot light and strobe light sources, reflectors, light modifiers and more. Develop a body of work exploring the use of light as an expressive photographic medium. The course will primarily be taught digitally, but skills also apply to film.

Pre-requisites: Art 318, Art 224, or permission of the instructor.

Project Five

This an open project. It should be ambitious and adventurous. It can be an extension of a prior project or something completely new. Think big!

Submit a proposal:

1. General description/prediction of the project as you see it. Be as specific as possible.
2. Research examples of artists/photographers that have addressed similar themes/techniques/ etc. Describe how this pertains to your project.
3. Proposals are subject to instructor approval.

Due Dates:

• Written Proposal (graded) 11/3
• Production Critique (graded) 11/15
• Final File(s) and Prints 11/22

This is a longer-term project that will essentially be worth the weight of two standard projects in your final grade.

Project 4: An Uncanny World

©Loretta Lux

The Uncanny:

Something that is both familiar and foreign at the same time. The uncanny usually rings somewhat odd or disturbing in a subtle, psychological way. Some examples of the uncanny would be: mannequins, wax works, ventriloquists, etc.

For this project, create an image that explores the uncanny. This may be a portrait, still life or (something else?). It might be helpful to think of it as being staged, or a slightly modified reality. Working with subtlety often makes for a stronger image. The examples below should help clarify some possibilities.

Think big for this one... props? costumes? styling?

There are just a few technical ground rules for this project.

1. At least 11"x14" @300 DPI. All component pieces should be at adequate resolution
2. At least one of the main subjects should be shot with white screen techniques
3. The white screen subject should be masked and appropriately integrated into the new background

Due Dates:

• 10/18 Written project description and proposal due.

1. Describe the theme or idea, treatment of subject(s), props, backgrounds, etc.
2. Include in this proposal a list of specific artist works that you are using for inspiration.
3. Describe how this work is inspiring you. use this blog or other resources for your explorations.

• 10/20 White Screen Studio Session. We will be shooting in class. Please plan accordingly (arrange for models, props, etc.)
• 11/3 Final Image due

Useful links:

Loretta Lux

Gillian Wearing

Gregory Crewdson

Justine Kurland

AES+F

Sarah Anne Johnson

Miranda Lichtenstein

Student Work:

Project 3

Up to this point we have explored the singular and the extended image.

For this project we will explore how a single "image" may be comprised of or constructed from multiple source images.

There is a long history of this kind of practice dating back to photography's beginnings, with the work of Oscar Rejlander.

In the realm of painting/collage/multimedia, Robert Rauschenberg's combines are a good example:

Other examples:

Diane Fenster

Istavan Horkay

Yours Truly

The collage approach is yet one of many possibilities. Alternatively, you might find success with the "indecisive moment" that compresses multiple points of time into one image.

For this project create a combine image that engages strongly and boldly with one of the themes of contemporary art (from presentations—time, place, spirituality, identity, science, body, language, etc.) and/or the human condition (war, peace, religion, mythology, etc.—many of these shown in Baraka film).

The image should have at least three source images worked into a cohesive whole with a strong design. All of source imagery should support the theme visually and conceptually—choose carefully.

Work will be evaluated on:

• Photography and Design
• Fresh and original take on your theme or concept—does the concept come through in a creative and engaging way?
• Photoshop skills (use of layer masks, blending modes, advanced blending, colorizing layers, etc.)

Due dates:

10/4 Progress critique (graded). At least three solid comps

10/13 Final image due.

Presentation ideas

Suggestions for Presentations (but feel free to find others, perhaps more interesting)

Some of these pertain to identity, the body, or both

• Carrie Mae Weems
• Lyle Ashton Harris
• Will Wilson
• Catherine Opie
• Nancy Burson
• Katy Grannan
• Shirin Neshat
• Collier Schorr
• Matthew Barney
• Janine Antoni
• Patricia Piccinini

Pertaining to Language:

• Xu Bing
• Keith Johnson (some of his grids)
• Lorna Simpson
• Gillian Wearing ("Signs that say...")
• Susana Reisman
• Barabara Kruger
• Ilona Granet

Theme Presentations

Create a 3-5 minute presentation within your assigned theme. The presentation schedule is on the syllabus. The first session has been moved back a week. Identity, Body and Language will present on 9/20

• Identity
• Body
• Language
• Spirituality
• Time
• Place
• Science & Technology

Expectations:

1. Must contribute 3-5 minute presentation and discussion about artists / photographers (at least 2) that work very closely within the theme and exemplify creative exploration of the associated ideas.
2. Must have visual resources (website or scanned images as digital slides into powerpoint)

• What are they doing, exactly?
• How does artist work function within the theme?
• Describe the work from a visual standpoint... how do the visuals support the idea, and vice versa?
• What questions does it raise? Or answer?
• What intrigues you about the work?
• What does the work remind you of? Other work?
• What specifically do you think makes the work effective? What isn't so successful?
• What do you learn/take away from the work?

3. Generate three questions to pose to the class, to generate discussion of your topic