PHO 1—History of Photography at Butte College
Welcome to the Fall 2023 Semester!
“I have found a way of fixing the images of the camera! I have seized the fleeting light and imprisoned it! I have forced the sun to paint pictures for me!”
L. J. M. Daguerre, in a letter to Charles Chevalier 1
About this class
The course content is delivered through Canvas, Butte College’s learning management system.
It’s delivered as an asynchronous course, meaning that we don’t meet at an assigned time each week, but there are tasks you’ll need to complete on schedule.
This course starts on Monday, August 21, 2023. The semester ends on December 15, 2023.
Weekly Schedule
The weekly modules open on Monday morning and close the following Monday at 11:59 pm
Monday—Module opens.
Tuesday—Review the Overview and Tasklist page to find out what you’re doing each week so you can plan accordingly.
Friday—Comments on the weekly discussion are due.
Monday—All other assignments and responses to your classmates’ discussion posts are due.
“The illiterates of the future will be the people who know nothing of photography rather than those who are ignorant of the art of writing.“
Walter Benjamin, 1928 2
Prepare for Week 1
- Purchase your textbooks:
- Photography: A Cultural History ISBN 978-1-78627-785-5 or e-Book ISBN 978-1-78627-785-5
- 100 Ideas That Changed Photography ISBN 978-1-85669-796-5 (Sorry, no e-book.)
- In the Canvas Global Settings update the following:
- Upload an image for your profile picture. It doesn’t have to be a selfie, any image you’d like to use is fine.
- Update, if necessary, the contact method in your profile. This is the email address where Canvas will send you Inbox messages and Announcements.
- Select your notification preferences for this course. Please select “Notify Immediately” for Announcements.
- Select your personal pronouns. Since this course is asynchronous, we’ll never meet each other in person. In an effort to get to know you a little bit better, I’d like you to choose your pronouns. Choosing personal pronouns is a personal decision that allows individuals to express their gender identity authentically and helps create a more inclusive and respectful society. But it also helps with getting to know your classmates. Watch the video below to find out why.
Teaching Philosophy
I believe in creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment that empowers students to be active participants in their educational journey. Online teaching provides unique opportunities to foster meaningful connections, facilitate collaborative learning, and promote the development of essential skills for the digital age.
Photography is a diverse discipline, and college is an opportunity to explore new ideas and concepts. Please keep an open mind. The course will contain material including the nude human figure, art about challenging topics, and content that definitely isn’t safe for work. I’ve included the work in this course, not to shock you (though that was often the artist’s intention) but because the work is vital to understanding the larger canon of art. I respect your right to free speech, guaranteed under the First Amendment, but I believe expressing your views through civil and respectful discussion, critical reasoning, evidence-based arguments, and self-reflection is possible as part of our inclusive learning environment.
At first glance a photograph can inform us. At second glance it can reach us.“
Minor White 3
Our Pact
What you can expect of me:
Professionalism: I will choose course content that is relevant and current and assign work that enhances your understanding of the course content.
Grading: I will grade and return assignments within 72 hours of the due date. And If I don’t know an answer, I will tell you. We will find the answer together.
Fairness: I will grade assignments carefully and objectively and administer our academic honesty policy evenly.
Accessibility: I will treat each student respectfully and courteously. I am available to meet outside class and will work with you to accommodate documented disabilities.
Communication: I will respond to your emails within 24 hours during the week and within 48 hours over the weekend.
What I will expect of you:
Opportunities to learn: You will log into our course each week no later than Monday evening to evaluate the work and due dates in the current module. Each week, you will invest about 8-10 hours of time on the coursework and assignments.
Course Work: You will aim to submit all assignments on time. If you identify a concern with meeting a due date, you will contact me early in the week to discuss your concern and come to an agreement about an extension if needed.
Respect: You will be brave and challenge yourself to lean into discomfort. This is the space where growth occurs. You will be thoughtful in your interactions with peers while taking extra care to respect and support the growth of students with varying and diverse backgrounds.
Growth: You will challenge yourself to try new things, keep an open mind, and recognize that mistakes are a vital part of the learning process. We all make them, and we will celebrate them together.
Communication: I am your learning partner. Let me know if you encounter problems with Canvas, PlayPosit, broken links in the course, or any other issue right away. I will help you resolve your problems, but I need to know about them.
This course is an introduction to the history of photography. Make plans to set aside about 1-2 hours every day to work on this class. You won’t be able to get everything done on the last evening.
While you can complete this class using the Canvas app, you’ll have better results if you use a computer. There is a fair amount of writing in the course that’s easier to complete with a full-sized keyboard.
Each week you’ll contribute to a class gallery assignment and start the process of creating our final class project—an online exhibition—and catalog on the history of photography that you and your classmates will curate.
Additionally, there will be reading, discussion, and writing assignments. Along with the resources listed below, I am available to help you with any questions you have about your writing, editing, or formatting. (It’s what you pay me for!)
My Advice for Success
Course Goals
Through our readings, discussion, and class exhibition, at the end of this course, you’ll be able to
- Describe the significant people and events in the history of photography.
- Analyze how technological advances in capturing, manipulating, and distributing images have influenced the art of photography.
- Recognize the various uses that have been considered appropriate for photography.
- Analyze the relationship between photography and contemporary events in the United States and the world.
Support for You
This course will cover a lot of material, especially at the beginning of the semester. You won’t be able to get everything done on the last evening, especially if you run into technical problems. Make plans to set aside about three hours every day to work on this class.
If you have technical problems with Canvas, please check the Help feature on the left side of the page. However, if you do run into issues with the course, please let me know. I want you to succeed in this class and in your college career. Please let me know right away if there are any broken links or other problems with the Canvas course or if you don’t see the green “Complete” notice at the end of a PlayPosit bulb.
RESOURCES
- CAS (Center for Academic Success) provides academic support services to Butte College students. It is located inside the Learning Resource Center on main campus, in CHC 230 at the Chico Center, and in GCC 105 at the Glenn County Center. Free services include Tutoring, Computer Labs, Workshops, Group Study Rooms on main campus, and TIP Sheets. Students may take a Critical Skills for College Success ½-unit course through CAS.
- Butte College Library Services never close with our 24/7 Live Chat feature, plus you can easily search for library resources from your home computer. Our librarians at the Main Campus and Chico Center libraries can help you with locating research guides, books, journal articles, newspaper articles, and much more. The Library also has laptop computers and mobile WiFi hotspots available for week-long check-out!
- Roadrunner Hub The Roadrunner Hub Basic Needs Resource Center is a network of people and programs that offer students food, housing resources, and other services to limit the barriers to their educational goals and success. Additionally, we aim to connect students to community resources to ensure they have a sustainable source of support even after leaving Butte College.
- Our Team is dedicated to supporting students and empowering them to be the best version of themselves.
- DSPS Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) is the office responsible for determining eligibility for academic accommodations and adjustments for students with disabilities.
- Student Health Services The Student Health Center offers the following services to currently registered students. There is no charge to see the nurse practitioners, physician or mental health specialist. Some tests, medications and procedures require a minimal fee.
Susan Sontag 4
Quotes
- Hirsch, Robert. Seizing the Light: A Social and Aesthetic History of Photography. New York: Routledge, 2017.
- Mellor, David. Germany, The New Photography, 1927-33, Documents and Essays. Arts Council of Great Britain, 1978.
- Comer, Stephanie, Deborah Klochko and Jeff Gunderson. The Moment of Seeing: Minor White at the California School of Fine Arts. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2006
- Sontag, Susan. On Photography. New York: Picador, 1977