Part II of a two-semester course that will survey major topics in the Histories of Photography. Emphasis will be given to the diverse cultural uses of photography from its invention to the present day. Such uses include: the illustrated press; amateur photography; studio photography; industrial; advertising, and fashion photography; political and social propaganda; educational and documentary photography; and photography as a medium of artistic expression. Much attention will be paid to how photographs construct histories, as well as being constructed by them.

Preference given to Sophomore Photography Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Photography

How does visual art influence our relationship with the land and with each other? This seminar course explores various forms of landscape representation and its ties to creating and perpetuating ideas around ownership and identity. We will focus on the ways that mediums such as photography and film have been used to reinforce systems of oppression and uphold power dynamics that have led to our current climate emergency. Students will learn about the relationships between extraction, displacement, and visual material, and gain knowledge around past and contemporary artists whose work has influenced environmental movements. The course will also present crucial debates about the relationships between aesthetics and politics, and the role of the artist in an age of ecological collapse.

Comparative works will be drawn from a global context on climate action, indigenous rights, natural resource extraction, and more, but will focus primarily on American colonization and imperialism. In addition to weekly assignments and film screenings, students will develop and present their own final project using historical visual strategies to develop an open call for proposals for a future exhibition related to art and the climate crisis.

This course does not require prior knowledge or photographic experience. Students will develop practical visual analysis skills and conceptual acuity that will strengthen their authentic voice and respective practices as artists and environmental stewards.

Elective

This course explores the intersection of Photography, Dream and Play, emphasizing experimentation, chance, and intuition in photographic image-making and sequencing. As dreamers, we intend to create a space to think about the image as a form of self expression. We will explore various approaches to photographic narratives by embracing non-linear storytelling, poetic associations, and tactile interactions with images. Through hands-on exercises, collaborative workshops, and theoretical discussions, students will engage with photography as a dynamic, physical, and self-expressive medium. Students are invited to participate by creating and maintaining their own journals and further encouraged to dive into their photographic archives. By engaging with the materiality of photographs, we will consider how the act of holding, folding, layering, and arranging images fosters deeper connections to both the work and the viewer.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $100.00

This winter session class is devoted to the color blue.  Through the historical photo process cyanotype (aka the blueprint), students will create unique prints that can be used in artist books, clothing, sculpture, quilts, collages, or as stand-alone imagery. We will print on various surfaces such as fabric, objects, hand-made and store-bought paper.  Students will bring items, darkroom negatives, drawings, and digital images to convert into digital negatives in class.  Other mediums can be put on top of the cyanotype, so we will explore its multimedia capabilities. Finally, we will also change the blue by natural toning our cyanotypes.  Please bring a sense of curiosity, and experimentation.   

Estimated Cost of Materials: $150.00 - $200.00

Elective

The Image & Difference explores the ways in which photography is and has historically been central to the production of a wide array of forms of difference, and to the normalization of inequities within and between communities and nations. Students will develop means of better understanding how both images and ideas act on us in the perpetuation of forms of differentiation in our contemporary experience of social, political, sexual, racial and economic difference. Discussions will also center on reckoning with how images and ideas might simultaneously offer means of resistance through examination of creative strategies devised by communities or artists to evade, subvert or refuse these exercises of power. The class demands a willingness on the part of all its members to confront unpleasant, ethically reprehensible acts, events, objects and images and to speak to and about them openly, and with care.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $25.00

Majors are pre-registered by the department. This course is a requirement for Sophomore Photography students.

Major Requirement | BFA Photography

This is a basic course in the techniques of photographic seeing. Students will be given exercises to develop their ideas concerning the fundamental visual problems of photography. Students will also learn technical aspects of exposure, developing and printing in the darkroom as they explore and respond to the visual qualities of the medium. Students must provide their own 35mm camera with manual controls.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $150.00 - $200.00

Elective

This is a basic course in the techniques of photographic seeing. Students will be given exercises to develop their ideas concerning the fundamental visual problems of photography. Students will also learn technical aspects of exposure, developing and printing in the darkroom as they explore and respond to the visual qualities of the medium. Students must provide their own 35mm camera with manual controls.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $150.00 - $200.00

Elective

This is a basic course in the techniques of photographic seeing. Students will be given exercises to develop their ideas concerning the fundamental visual problems of photography. Students will also learn technical aspects of exposure, developing and printing in the darkroom as they explore and respond to the visual qualities of the medium. Students must provide their own 35mm camera with manual controls.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $150.00 - $200.00

Elective

A continuation of PHOTO-5302, providing an open and dynamic environment where sophomore can create photographs and engage in constructive feedback on their progress.

Enrollment is limited to Sophomore Photography Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Photography

A continuation of Photo 5305 allowing junior level majors to investigate their image making concerns in depth. Class time will be used to critique work in progress.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $150.00 - $200.00

Enrollment is limited to Junior Photography Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Photography

This course provides majors with a fundamental understanding of the differences between film-based photography and digital imaging and introduces students to the underlying principles, languages and tools of electronic media. Students will learn key concepts in digital imaging such as modes of data capture, file management, processing workflow, color management, resolution, 'non-destructive' image processing, film scanning and inkjet printing. This course will show students how to strategically tailor software tools to their own specific imagery and workflow needs. Students will need their own digital or film cameras for this course.

Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Sophomore Photography Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Photography

This studio course is designed to help students slow down and become more contemplative with their photographic practice. This darkroom based course will give students ultimate compositional control as they learn to use the large format camera. Topics covered will include using the view camera's tilt, swing, shift and rise movements to control focus, perspective and image shape. Student will also learn film exposure techniques and advanced black and white printing controls. Later in the course students will be introduced to large format digital scanning and printing workflows.

Estimated Materials Cost: $150.00 - $500.00

Elective

This class explores form and space through the addition of dynamic light, with particular emphasis on the importance and weight that it holds within a photographic image. Students will investigate and answer the essential question: how does light serve an image? The course encourages critical examination of how artificial light is employed in fine art, documentary, commercial, and advertising photography to emphasize concepts, emotions or illustrate objects and space, placing a strong focus on contemporary works. Throughout the semester, students will gain the necessary skills to work in a professional photography studio, helping them build a strong foundation for greater control of their own projects. Additionally, the class covers the practical skills required for professional roles related to commercial photography, such as lighting technician, digital technician, art director, creative director, and studio management.

Active participation in live demonstrations, both in studio and on location will give students crucial hands-on experience. Starting with the basics, students will learn fundamental principles of light and grow confident in handling all types. Whether hard, soft, painterly, illustrative, high-key, low-key, gelled, natural, flash, and continuous, eliminate any fear of working with light when photographing people places or objects. By the end of the class, students will feel empowered and ready to keep learning about light, gaining a new confidence in approaching lighting challenges throughout their creative journey.

Estimated Materials Cost: $150.00 - $200.00

Elective

In this course students will use the latest digital processes to create negatives for printing on hand coated papers. All processes will use the digital photo work space to create negatives that will be printed using the Photo Transfer Van Dyke Brown and Photopolymer Gravure processes.  Students will learn the history behind each process as well as view work from modern artists. Students will work in class but will need to spend 2-4 hours per week in addition to in class working lab time. Grading  criteria, 50% of students' grades will be based on attendance, participation and assignments. Students will work throughout the semester to complete a portfolio of well crafted prints. The portfolio will be submitted at the final crit and will constitute 50% of the students grade.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $200.00

Elective

Advanced Darkroom Printing:  Artists who long for more hands on time with their materials are turning to the B&W darkroom. The advanced darkroom printing course is for students who have previous darkroom experience and who want to take their BW printing skills to the next level. In this course students participate in group printing labs where they will learn advanced darkroom printing techniques. Material also covered in include;  film exposure and film development, Pyro film developers, custom print developers, print flashing, bleaching, and toning.  Students will also learn un - sharp negative masking, print retouching and enlarged digital negatives for contact printing. Grading will be base 60% on weekly assignments and 40% on the final portfolio and presentation of 10 perfect prints.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $250.00

Elective

This course is designed for art students looking to transition into the creative economy. As the worlds of art and commerce increasingly co-mingle, we will explore how a RISD education and skill set is marketable for business, academia, non-profits, and the gallery world. This hands-on course will include making a business plan, building a brand, finding and dealing with clients, and managing estimates, invoices, taxes, and insurance. Through practical in class exercises, guest lecturers, readings and assignment work, we will address the risks and rewards of making a living as an artist /entrepreneur.

Elective

This class is an introduction to the fundamentals of photography. The emphasis is on how to make a better picture and how to understand and talk about photographs more coherently. The workflow will be digital.

Technical matters will be thoroughly taught. How to use your camera for those with no photography experience (or how to use it more deeply for those who already have some experience). How to understand the digital workflow, such things as the available camera settings and basics of post production (Photoshop and InDesign, in particular). We will even have one darkroom class, where students can see how old school/analog photography works. Also, we will look at the history of photography from 1839 (and before) until now.

Assignments will include three projects, where students will produce specific bodies of work. Also included will be presentations by each student on photographers they are particularly impressed/influenced by.

Required: Access to a digital camera with raw capability, as well as a 1TB (min) portable hard drive.

Elective

This course is an ongoing discussion of individual work with special reference to current issues and concerns in contemporary art. Each student will be required to show and discuss work. Grades by participation.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate Photography Students.

Major Requirement | MFA Photography

The Undergraduate Seminar works in complement with Senior Studio to provide a forum in which students assemble in discussion, analysis and reflection around a set of ideas, practices and histories that are of substantial relevance to photography, its history and its contemporary forms. The content of the seminar will vary from year to year, but students will be expected to read, research, discuss, write about and/or present on the material addressed in class. The seminar will interact with the department's Visiting Artist lecture series, with the SEI Lecture Series, and with MCM events at Brown. Attendance at those lectures is highly encouraged.

Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Enrollment is limited to Senior Photography Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Photography

This course is an ongoing discussion of individual work with special reference to current issues and concerns in contemporary art. Each student will be required to show and discuss work. Grades by participation.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate Photography Students.

Major Requirement | MFA Photography