Course Syllabus

COMM 2180 Photojournalism

Course Description

Photojournalism is a form of visual communication that documents the emotions, drama, suspense, and exhilaration of real-life events and people for a variety of media outlets, including print and electronic media. As artists and storytellers, photojournalists create images that document our culture. These images capture the momentous and everyday circumstances of contemporary life and society. This course will teach students to understand photography as a form of visual communication as they address aspects of photography such as formal composition, narrative elements, aperture, shutter speed, power of color, the dramatics of black/white, and more. The photographs taken in the course may be used for the school newspaper.

Justification

Photojournalism features an immersive and hands-on perspective geared towards creativity and innovations in photography. Students will be taught to produce high-quality photographs that attract attention to a news story, focusing on images that will make people want to know more about the issues. Photojournalism will not only use artistic expression but will work hand-in-hand with cutlines to pull readers in and arouse their interest in the event the student witnessed first-hand. This course is designated a Fine Arts (FA) General Education experience. This course will provide students with an understanding of the basic conceptual frameworks with historical and cultural contexts of artistic works and be instilled a sensibility of the creative process. Assessment will occur through the student's ability to critically evaluate creative works using the language and methodology appropriate to dance, music, theater, and/or the visual arts disciplines.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. Through collaboration with other students on the Snowdrift newspaper staff, the student will be able to demonstrate basic creative skills individually and as a team. Students can articulate cut lines as part of the creative process to enhance their artwork. This will help students understand how photography can be used to capture the basic human condition. Photography can show the struggles and successes of the culture at Snow College and society as a whole. This outcome will be assessed through photo assignments, written assignments, exams, and a final portfolio.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. Students will read about and analyze professional photojournalists and their images. They will be able to identify legal and ethical issues related to photojournalism and review their relevance to today's culture. Students will demonstrate their understanding through written assignments and oral presentations. Students can increase their ability to read, retrieve, evaluate, and interpret the material they research. This will help students identify photography's history and influence in the news, media, and society. Class discussions and presentations will provide the student with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of photography and allow the students visual communication. This outcome will be assessed through assignments, exams, and a final portfolio.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. As a member of the Snowdrift staff, teamwork is vital to effective functioning. Students will work with reporters, designers, and other photojournalists to create a unified newspaper. Students will be asked to schedule appointments, interview for background information, and write a cutline to enhance readers' understanding of their artwork. Students will demonstrate their understanding through classroom discussion, written assignments and exams.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. This course encourages students to work in various settings in producing a student newspaper at Snow College. Students will have the opportunity to explore the art and craft of photojournalism and are evaluated on their contribution within the collaborative framework of newspaper production. Students will demonstrate various rates of an understanding of conceptual and elemental principles fundamental to creating artistic expression through discussions, photo assignments, exams, and a final portfolio.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Through lectures, discussions and visual examples students will be introduced to the creative process of photojournalism. Students will have to opportunity to produce a variety of creative projects that demonstrate the ability to use the elements and principles of photography. Assignments leading up to the final projects will allow for feedback and improvement in the creative process.
    Through lectures, discussions and visual examples students will be introduced to the creative process of photojournalism. Students will have to opportunity to produce a variety of creative projects that demonstrate the ability to use the elements and principles of photography. Assignments leading up to the final projects will allow for feedback and improvement in the creative process.
   
2. Provide an informed synopsis of the performing and/or visual arts in the contexts of culture and history through reading and interpreting pertinent information using a variety of traditional and electronic media. Students will view, interpret, analyze, and discuss a selection of work from historical photojournalists, more modern photojournalists and current photojournalists. They will discuss the impact of these works with the public and historical and current significance. Through class discussion, quizzes, and final exam students will demonstrate comprehension and their understanding of pertinent terminology.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the conceptual and elemental principles fundamental to the creation of various forms of artistic expression. Each student will demonstrate a working knowledge of the basic concepts and elements of photography by submitting various assignments focusing on the individual areas and three final projects that will demonstrating the ability to put all of these elements together. Understanding will be assessed through each assignment during the semester and the final photo essay and portfolio.
4. Exhibit an ability to critically analyze artistic works using appropriate techniques, vocabulary, and methodologies. Students will be introduced to the vocabulary, basic techniques and genres of photography through class discussions, viewing historical and contemporary photographic works and assignments to demonstrate their knowledge of the use of the vocabulary and techniques.
   

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will discuss issues of ethics within a photojournalist's field. Additional discussions and activities about reporting with the camera as accurately and ethically as possible, yet alterations will be discussed within the creative process. The creative process will produce photographs that are basic to visual communication. Students will utilize elements such as composition, exposure, and shutter speed to set up shots in a way that captures the essence of formal design. They will also learn camera techniques, color correction, and photo manipulation to enhance their creative process.
2. Students will read about and analyze professional photojournalists and their images. They will be able to identify legal and ethical issues related to photojournalism and review their relevance to today's culture.
3. Students will receive basic instruction and demonstration of the desired artistic outcomes. Classroom discussions will highlight the need for formal design and discuss principles basic to photography as visual communication. Students will be encouraged to shoot assignments based on their learning, demonstrating key elements. Classroom instruction will include reviews of photos students have hit the previous day(s). Emphasis will be placed on various mediums, including print, digital, and online elements.
4. Facial expressions, emotions, movement, body posture, composition, light, and shadow, can tell a story in the same way words can. Writing and speaking both require the knowledge of a specific written language, but anyone can appreciate the visual image. Students will have the opportunity to critically analyze their photography, their classmate's work, and professional photojournalist's work. There are specific techniques, vocabularies, and methodologies used to critique, understand, and function in a professional photojournalistic setting.

Course Content

Topics covered in the course will include photography as a form of visual communication, composition, style, cropping, lighting, color, use of lines. Students will learn how to photograph people, action, and environments. Students will learn design in photo essays and the unique requirements for news photography including writing cut lines to enhance the image, feature photography, special effects in photography. The course will also cover the ethics and legal issues of news photography including the use photoshop enhancement and the manipulation of copyright laws.