From: Ken Watson (watsok@frii.com)
Date: 07/31/02-07:59:40 AM Z
Matt,
Read the below post on the Alt Photo list. Just a note to let you know
there is a practicing wet plate artist in Colorado, Myself. As the fist
photojournalism process, as used in the civil war, it may be of some
interest. If you should like a demo of the process or know of any one who
would be interested I am open to do this. I just need to have the sun out
to make an image and about 1/2 hr to set up.
Ken Watson
-----Original Message-----
From: Leyba, Matt [SMTP:MLeyba@Denverpost.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2002 6:06 PM
To: 'alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca'
Subject: RE: Real photography
> ----------
> From: Robert W. Schramm
> Reply To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
> Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2002 11:31 AM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
> Subject: Real photography
>
>
I am involved with the photojournalism department at the State
College here in Denver. Although these students have a different emphasis,
I
think you may be suprised at the type of material students cover.
Fundamentals are the bulk of what is taught at good schools, the latest
digtial this and that is only a small part of the course work and is
necessary. Digital is a requirement at newspapers these days, I know for a
fact as I was the film killer at the paper I work at, and no we did not
hand
over digital cameras to reporters, we have 17 real photographers. When an
intern or prospective new hire comes around, the bottom line is how good
their eye is, not if they can adjust a curve in Photoshop. (it doesn't hurt
though) Of course, if they are into pd/pt printing, that person just scored
big points! :)
This may or may not be of interest, but here is a section of the
PJ101 class Syllabus from the school, remember what those are? I might add
that students have to work in the lab and perform all the Zone VI workshop
tests as well.
(I'm working on getting The New Platinum Print added to the list!)
Required Textbooks:
Truth Needs No Ally, Chapnick, Howard, University Of Missouri Press,
1994.
What's Goin' On, Lopez, Greg, edited by Kathleen Bohland,
Bohland Publishing, 1996.
Art & Fear, Bayles, David and Orland, Ted
A Witness In Our Time, Light, Ken (will have to order from
Tattered Cover)
The Zone VI Workshop, Picker, Fred, Watson, 1978.
Suggested Readings:
Let Truth Be The Prejudice, W. Eugene Smith, Aperture, N.Y., 1985.
Photographs That Changed The World, Lorraine Monk,
Doubleday, N.Y., 1989.
Dorothea Lange and the Documentary Tradition, Karin Ohrn, Louisiana
State University Press, 1980.
Why People Photograph; Selected Essays and Reviews, Robert Adams,
Aperture, N.Y., 1994.
Is Anyone Taking Notice, Don McCullin, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.,
1973.
Photography and Society, Gisele Fruend, David R. Godine, Boston,
1980.
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this course is to come to an understanding of
visual language through the practice of photography as it is applied to
photojournalism and the study of photographic images.
About The Class:
"Today is the day."
Ruth Bernhard preached this phrase to me twenty-five years ago on a
daily basis. Today is the day. There are photographers wandering the world
with half of your talent who get all the recognition. Some may explain this
as the product of a fallen world. It is that and more. Most journalism
students at the college level are looking for the free ride, for that media
entity to come begging the student to sign on. The go-getters with minimal
talent get the jobs while the gifted journalism student is postponing the
completion of the portfolio while planning a graduation trip to Europe.
Today is the day where all this changes.
ABOUT THE COURSE:
There are two ways in which a journalist may choose to work. One is
for the furtherance of self. The second is to work to illuminate the human
condition. The photojournalist, in the traditional / historical sense will
work to illuminate the human condition. Choosing not to illuminate the
human
condition is to choose to work for the furtherance of self.
I have found that the photojournalism student struggles with both
the mastering of the machine (camera) as well as the understanding of the
aesthetic photographic process. I believe photography is art and science
and
craft. It is my objective with the offering of this course to teach an
easily understandable yet practical and profound approach to the making of
photographs (the how-to) while simultaneously imparting upon the student
the
"why" of photojournalism. As photojournalists, we make images for mass
consumption.
It is my intention to help students become aware of their personal
worldview; how it is we see ourselves in the world in which we live. It is
from our personal worldview that we, as photojournalists, approach the
subjects before our lens. It is from our personal world view that we begin
to have an understanding of our individual explicit and implicit bias
regarding our choice of subject matter, cropping, composition, personal
narrative, irony, etc.
With the uncovering of each student's personal worldview, there
begins a cultivated knowledge that photojournalism is a subjective art
form.
It is not possible for the camera to be the incontrovertible, objective
eye.
The camera must be personally held, even if momentarily to be anchored
somewhere (television's Mountain Cam, for instance). As the camera is held,
choices must be made; focal length, lens position, lighting, composition,
the aesthetic of content ... and most important, the decision of when to
interrupt the time / space continuum (make an exposure). The culmination of
these decisions is what creates the visual statement (image).
Each student, at semester's end, will begin to understand the
symbiosis between fine art photography and photojournalism. This revelation
will become more clear as the student becomes aware of the historical
precedence that has been established by photographers who have chosen to
work within the genre of photojournalism; that is, photographers who make
images that tell stories. In conjunction with assignments each week, the
student will study the work of several photojournalists. This study of
historical / contemporary photojournalists will help each student establish
visual literacy. Knowledge of powerful images is the foundation that
students begin to build a body of work. Knowing what makes powerful visual
statements is the beginning to making powerful visual statements.
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