What's important in photo course

[Doug McFarland]

From all of the various courses I?ve taken in both photography and art, and after watching my two sons struggle in college with photography classes, I think the most important aspect of photography is the artist's vision. Everyone can learn technique, but not everyone will be able to develop a vision and see the world. Seeing is most important.

I'm a 5x7 large format fine art B&W photographic artist, but if I were running a course I would have them all buy a $12 Holga and some chromogenic film of their choice. That would completely eliminate the technology of focus, shutter speed, aperture, ... of picture taking.

Nothing else left to worry about except subject and composition :-)

Doug

[Doug Paramore]

Wow! Thanks, all. You have all helped, either by fresh ideas or strengthening what I felt was important. I plan to give the students a good working knowledge of the technical side of photography, and then concentrate on letting them find their own way of seeing things. I do not want to turn out a room full of Doug Paramores. I think the technical side is important, because one cannot do the artistic side of photography without at least a good working knowledge of the scientific side. The technical / scientific side can be learned, the artistic side can be nurtured and encouraged. I am grateful for your comments and suggestions.

Highest regards,

[David Grandy]

Over the last twenty years I've taught a number of photography/photojounalist courses. Before I teach a course or even hold a one hour lecture, I ask myself: "What skills do I want my students to have once the course (or class) is over?" This is the absolute first thing to establish before you teach anything. This question assumes that you have some skills and that the students would be interested in aquiring those skills. If you have no skills or if you can't answer this question then don't offer the course.

But you do have skills and after you answer this question - at least in your mind - then you prepare your lesson plans so they take your students to YOUR goal.

All too often, and especially in fine art courses, the instructor doesn't have a sense of where they want to take the their students. They meander, they waste time; and sometimes I think that they are back teaching grade four and are forcing "seat work" on their students. If you ask for an assignment to be completed, how does this solve part of the final equation? If it doesn't - and this applies to all assignments or tests - then you are wasting their time.

So figure out where you want to take your students, and then provide a course that takes them there.

[Raymond Bleesz]

Doug, as a teacher, number one rule is that no question is silly or foolish, so your question is right on! In my experience, the words "repetition & standardization" are most important in technique.

I can not stress enough that it is the student's obligation to READ and STUDY if they are serious about their work--reading, looking, experimenting & asking questions are the attributes of a good student. Photography is also a study of its history--images, people, times, innovations, etc--this must also be taught along with technique. May I suggest the use of Polaroid 35mm slides--images taken from books etc. which you yourself make for classroom lessons AND make the students do likewise as a class assignment--to build up a "library" of images.

And lastly perhaps, as a teacher, you need to stress that Photography is a means of worldly communication--a universal language--- utilizing the body's senses--eyes, hands,cognitive,affective & psychomotor aspects of the brain. Your enthusiasim, honesty and personal charm are factors which contribute to being a good educator. Kick them in the ass Doug! I'm sure you will do well! Raymond A. Bleesz, Histographer

[David R Munson]

First of all, I'd like to say that all the responses to this question have been absolutely first rate. This certainly is a great place to share knowledge.

Of the photography courses and workshops I've taken thus far, the ones that seem to be the most effective are those that alternate between the technical and artistic aspects of photography. Concentrating too much on one or the other in beginning photography courses leaves the students wanting in the neglected area. A good strategy seems to be to teach/learn a new technique and then apply it before moving on to another topic. This way, it can be experimented with while it is still fresh in the mind and any problems that come up are easily dealt with.

Every class will have students of varying ability, and it's important for the instructor to recognize that. While it is important to make sure the students with a more basic understanding don't get left behind, it's equally important to make sure that the more advanced students aren't bored out of their skulls. While teaching basic skills to students with essentially no knowledge of photographic processes, I think it's important to establish a basic knowledge of which control does what and why. That way, when mistakes are made, it's easier both for the instructor to explain what went wrong and for the student to understand why what happened happened.

Make sure to listen to what the class is saying. If a particular class shows special interest in something specific, don't be afraid to go a little off curiculum and expore it more in depth. The last thing you want to do is kill curiosity, and letting students explore topics that interest them will help their curiosity grow.

I really like previous suggestions of introducing students to the work of established and famous photographers. I think every person here has a favorite photographer whose work has served as inspiration and/or a benchmark for comparison. Letting students find a photographer they can use for inspiration can do wonders for making them more enthusiastic.

Actaully, if I don't end this post here, I'll be late for (what else?) a photography class. Again, great answers, everbody- we've certainly got some great minds here.

[Joseph Wasko]

Oh, by the way, one last thought from me.

Your learning curve is the steepest. It will probably take 2 or 3 repetitions before you get your class requirements down based on skill levels, budget, etc. Most of the procedures can be pre-printed in a foolproof 1,2,3 etc. order.

Don't beat yourself up if things are chaotic. Just do your best. Not everybody is Ansel Adams; but it is better to ask for more than settle for the bare minimum. I would note well the comments of David Grandy and Raymond Bleesz.

[C.W. Dean]

Doug, if we can presume that the students will have access to some kind of lab, then my vote is for emphasizing making the print. Recently many thousands of photographers have, sadly, never made a print. One of the immense creative joys of photography is preparing an image from start to finish by oneself. If you can get them started with the print, then the serious ones will pursue their photographic education indefinitely.

[Bruce Wehman]

Doug,

I am a 1967 graduate of Brooks Institute. It's been a long time and things were a lot different then. And this was (is) a pretty intense and inclusive program. We were all required to have a 4x5 view camera with an 8 inch lens. We did Dye Transfer and got pretty deep into the technical aspects of just about everything we did. And as I think back on what I learned and didn't learn it seems that the things that really stick in my mind were not those technical things but what was discussed at our weekly critique or "Crit," as we called it.

Here, we would mount our assignments on an unsigned board of uniform size, so that the instructor would not know whose work he was discussing. And then he, along with the rest of the class, would tear into them. After he gave each board a grade he would look at the back to see to whom it belonged and, of course, announce it to the class.

You can imagine what an adreline soaked experience this was for all of us, instructor included. Things used to get hot and heavy and you know, after 34 years I can still remember some of those "Crits" like they were yesterday. The lessons were meaningful and long lasting. Discussions would go well beyond what you would normally associate with lectures. They went to attitudes and they got personal. We learned, not only, how to do the things we wanted to do but we also got to see those things in some sort of context.

Previous posts have givin excellent advice on good things to teach and directions to take....I can only add: There's nothing like productive, well guided, and intense competition to really get the juices flowing.

Good luck, Bruce

[David Richhart]

Great thoughts from all the responses, and I would like to add one thought...

DO NOT allow the course to become an "easy credit". Students who are not truly interested in learning can make a darkroom seem like hell for the serious students, and the instructor as well. If you have ever worked several hours to make one good print, only to have it ruined by some jock needing a few credit hours, you know what I am talking about...

[Steve Gilb]

In one of the previous post Bruce mentions a critique method somewhat like I had in high school. The way we did it was to put our piece on the board and then be the first to critique it. The rest of the class followed. Positive points only. Start off by saying you like the print because ?.. showing the others all the good stuff. The bad stuff is obvious. We have all looked at our work one time or another and thought it looked good enough to mount. Then, after a few weeks in the closet you see it again and wonder why you ever wasted the paper on it. You really do need to be your worst critique.My personal belief is that we can learn by seeing the best things in a bad print and then try to raise our standards to meet or exceed from there. Tons of magazines with quality images are not a bad idea either. Stay away from auto cameras as much as possible and focus on quality and composition. Regards, Steve