Syllabus: Honors 204R, Travel Photography

Professor Tom Plummer


MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH AN EXCEPTION OR TWO

10:00 AM TO 11:20

The purpose of this class is to help you tell your photographic stories, to capture your vision of Austria and Vienna. I want you to tell this story with well-conceived, well-shot and well-finished photographs. In order for you to tell your story well, you will practice seeing creatively, finding the theme in your vision, and capturing it. We will discuss light, without which there is no photography, and, within the frame, we will explore composition, color, lines, conflict and harmony. We will work on the technical roots of photography: white balance, focus, aperture, focal length, and shutter speed.  We will practice  strategies for setting up the shot and learn the skill of patience. We will take a number of walking tours to see the elements of pictures that we're discussing (the walking tours outlined by Keele), and we will also take several trips to local museums to see how painters handled similar problems. 


Requirements: 
Attendance and punctuality: 
Unless you are at death's door, I expect you to be in class ON TIME EACH day. For every absence, I will lower your final grade by 1/3 of a grade (from A to A-, and so on). Since you have no other conflicts in Vienna, I see no reason why you should not be in class. We will also have several extra-curricular activities to do field work outside the normal class times. 


Blog postings:
On your personal photo blog post five photographs each day for five days each week (total 25 per week). I will check your blogs weekly to see if you're taking your work seriously, if you're making progress toward being a better photographer. Your blogs must contain only pictures of Vienna or travel that we make as a class. Blogs should have only titles of daily photo projects and, if necessary, minimal text.  

Reading notes: 

Each time I assign a chapter or part of a chapter from Within the Frame, I want you to turn in reading notes to me via email. These notes will be due BEFORE we discuss the chapter, so that I know in advance that we're all on the same page. 

Photo of the week:
Each week you will post, by Tuesday evening, your photo of the week. These photos will be the basis of the workshops, which we will hold each Wednesday.

Workshops:

Wednesday's workshops are a time for you to discuss each other's work. Everyone must contribute and participate. 

Final project: On your own blog, I want you to design a final project for each term, which should consist of five, well conceived photos that you will present to the class and discuss with me in a one-on-one session. 

Required texts:

David duChemin, Within the Frame

Alan Keele, "Ten Walks Around Vienna," printed out.  We will use several of these as ways of discovering Vienna.

Grades: 

Daily blog postings: 10 points per day, 5 days a week, 50 points per week. I will deduct 10 points for late submissions.
Weekly class blog postings (one a week): 150 points per week. I will not accept late submissions. Your photos must show progress and awareness of the principles of photography that are the focus of the class.
Reading notes: 20 points per post. I will not accept late submissions.
Consultation with Plummer: 20 points (required)
Final project for spring term, 200 and summer term, 200 

Syllabus, Spring Term, 2010

7. Mai	TELL THE STORY Examples of photos that tell a story http://www.noupe.com/photography/35-powerful-photos-that-each-tells-a-story.html Principles of telling a story:  Keep it lean Eliminate elements of the picture that may detract from the story and draw the viewer's eye to what is important in your photo and focus on the image that you want to convey.   What strategies may help you do this? 1) Consider the rule of thirds The rule of thirds has been a principle of arts and designers for centuries. It assumes that a painting or photograph is divided vertically and horizontally into thirds. Like this:
Montag 10. Mai	In the rule of thirds, the photographers places his subject on an imaginary line along the top or bottom or right or left of a photo, but not in the middle of the photo. Further examples of the rule of thirds: http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=rule+of+thirds+photography&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=1tviS-XqGsuXOK3O5NsN&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CA8QsAQwAA Try shooting photos with the rule of thirds in mind so that you get used to thinking in terms of the principle. 2) Consider the direction of lines in your photo.  Lines may draw the viewer's eye to the story you are telling. There's more information and examples here: http://digital-photography-school.com/working-the-lines-in-your-photography And more examples here: http://digital-photography-school.com/converging-lines 3) Consider scale By emphasizing the relative size of the subject within a photograph, the viewer's eye can hardly escape it. This site has a number of good examples of using scale: http://gizmodo.com/5472218/17-clever-tricks-of-scale More examples of scale: http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=scale+in+photography&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=Q-HiS6iTCdOcOLWmzOUN&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCgQsAQwAw 4) Consider frames to lead the viewer's eye http://digital-photography-school.com/framing-your-shots-photography-composition-technique WHAT IS THE FOCAL POINT OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPH?  A focal point can be virtually anything ranging from a person, to a building, to a mountain, to a flower etc. Obviously the more interesting the focal point the better.  Focal point is the exact point at which the camera is focused at maximum sharpness. When looking into the viewfinder it is usually marked in the center with either a circle or a set of brackets. It is also the point at which the eye of the viewer looking at the photo should travel to first. It is what the photographer wants the viewer to look at and understand. It is not necessary to place the focal point dead center of the composition, nor is it desirable at all times. Position of the subject. Sometimes the photographer may wish to place the focal point off to one side and not have it in the center of the frame. However, with an autofocus camera the critical focus point must be in the center. The technique for doing this is found in the camera's manual. It will usually tell you to press the shutter button halfway to lock the focus on the subject, then while still holding the button in you can now reposition the composition before finally pressing the button all the way. The lack of an obvious focal point is generally the biggest mistake found in amateur snapshots. The viewer looks at the photo and can't find one thing of obvious interest to look at. What was the photographer thinking? What was he looking at because the viewer can't figure out why the photographer snapped the shutter. Place your subject off center by using the rule of thirds.  Placing your subject off center  is a natural way of demonstrating the focal point of your photo.  http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/secrets/3/place-your-subject-off-center Other examples of the rule of thirds: http://photocritic.org/the-rule-of-thirds And more examples:  Photographing the woman slightly off-center creates a more interesting photo. The perfect way to make photos more interesting is to use the rule of thirds: Pretend your camera frame is divided into three sections, from top to bottom and from side to side (like a tic-tac-toe game). If you position your subject away from the middle of the frame, the result will be a more artful and compelling photo. Focus – Learn to use Depth of Field to blur out other aspects in front or behind your focal point. And make sure that your camera has focused on the subject. OR you may want all of your photo to appear to be in focus. Where do you focus?  Generally put, one third of your photo will be in focus in front of the focal point and two thirds behind the focal point.  If your photograph is out of focus, it is virtually useless.  Simplify your backgrounds By placing the subject on simple, plain single colour background there is no doubt as to which is the subject. Making sure that the colour of your subject and the background contrast with each causes the subject to be clearly emphasized. You may need to change your viewpoint or angle of view in order to exclude clutter and keep the background simple. Remember that less is more. Be sure the background of your photo doesn’t interfere with your subject and take attention away from the focal points. Avoid distracting elements in the background, such as bystanders or a multi-colored wall or background. Find a solid-color background. When photographing people indoors, look for a background like a solid-color wall. When outdoors, an expanse of blue sky or even a swath of green grass can better showcase your subject. Notice patterns. While simple backgrounds are best for subjects with busy patterns, conversely, simple patterns look best set against a detailed background. The first key to a great a photograph is a clear subject. Knowing where to place it in a photograph, how to focus on it, how to emphasize it allows you to emphasize the subject to great effect with stunning photo results.  YOUR ASSIGNMENT TODAY WILL BE TO SHOOT FIVE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ILLUSTRATE FIVE DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION: RULE OF THIRDS, APERTURE/DEPTH OF FIELD, LINES, SCALE, AND FRAMING. BE SURE, AS YOU SHOOT, THAT YOUR CAMERA IS FOCUSED ON THE FOCAL POINT (MAIN SUBJECT) OF YOUR SHOT.  FOR WEDNESDAY'S CLASS, READ AND TURN IN NOTES ON DU CHEMIN, WITHIN THE FRAME, CHAPTER FOUR
Mittwoch 12. Mai	TELLING THE PHOTOGRAPHIC STORY Chapter 4 in duChemin's book, Within the Frame, is unique among photo books I have read, because it more specific and more to the point than any I have seen in other photo books. We will return to this chapter many times during the course of this study abroad. In addition to what he says, I want to add a couple of notes on the subject of UNIVERSAL THEMES and CONFLICT. UNIVERSAL THEMES.  Universal themes were the subject of much of Carl Jung's research in psychology. Jung was a Swiss psychologist, a contemporary of Freud. He developed the idea that human thinking and story telling is based in large measure on the idea of ARCHETYPES. Here is more about archetypes:  What is an archetype? Archetypes make up the "collective unconscious" of the human race.  The collective unconscious is that vast pool of unconsciousness that all human beings share--much as animals share certain instincts.  The collective unconscious is composed of archetypes--basically primordial impulses, which of themselves have no form or meaning.  They function autonomously, as patterns of psychic perception and understanding common to all human beings,  almost as forces of nature, a kind of libido, but meant more broadly than the sexual connotation that Freud gave to the term. Among the archetypes that Jung discusses and analyzes are the following (see Robert H. Hopcke, A Guided Tour of the Collected Works of C.G. Jung (Boston, London:  Shambhala, 1992): Ego.  A complex, a group of representations of oneself that has both conscious and unconscious aspects.  Self-awareness, self-representations. Self.  The archetype of wholeness within the collective unconscious.  The ego merges with the self more or less completely as it becomes whole, integrating its various parts through a process of individuation, which takes a lifetime.  If the ego has lost contact with the Self, unsettling feelings of alienation and meaningless arise within.  In the Judaeo-Christian, the Self may be symbolized in the Garden of Eden--a place of perfect harmony.  Shadow.  The dark side of the personality, the dark power among archetypes.  It constitutes the immoral aspects of our Selves, our inferiorities, unacceptable impulses, our shameful actions and wishes.  Individuation is possible only if the shadow is acknowledged and integrated with other archetypes making up the Self.  Persona.  The masks we all wear to protect the ego, the mediary between the external world and the ego.  Anima/animus.  Within the female is a masculine side of the personality, an animus.  Within the male is a feminine side of the personality, an anima.  Jung called these contrasexual archetypes.  These, too, must be integrated for the Self to become whole through individuation, but this process may be complication by social forces and pressures.  Mother or Great Mother.  The mother archetype gives birth to all within the Self, all its multiplicity and profusion.  The task in individuation is to know the Mother and yet not lose oneself in the regressive womb of childhood ways and infantile wishes.  Father or Father of All.  Freud saw the father internalized as super-ego, father as God, father as Oedipal rival and head of the primal horde.  Jung saw the Father as much more:  the source of inspiration and wisdom as the Wise Old Man and the Hero. Child.  The Divine Child, the puer aeternus, the child within all of us.  It may be a symbol of future hopes, the seedling, the potentiality of life, newness, the Baby Jesus.  The child may also be a source of pleasure, play, which resists growing up--Pan, Eros. Kore/The Maiden.   Also the name of Persephone, Demeter's daughter, Hades' forced bride., the virgin daughter, the queen of the underworld, the companion to the puer aeternus, the puella aeterna.  Hero.  The hero archetype manifests itself in numerous folk tales, and ancient stories--St. George and the Dragon.  The hero must make a descent into the underworld, undertake battles with monsters, perform dangerous tasks. He may have supernatural parentage and an unusual birth.  This is the archetype of growth and development, the battle for Self and others.    May also be a manifestation of the archetypal masculine, the animus.    Mother or Great Mother.  The mother archetype gives birth to all within the Self, all its multiplicity and profusion.  The task in individuation is to know the Mother and yet not lose oneself in the regressive womb of childhood ways and infantile wishes.  Father or Father of All.  Freud saw the father internalized as super-ego, father as God, father as Oedipal rival and head of the primal horde.  Jung saw the Father as much more:  the source of inspiration and wisdom as the Wise Old Man and the Hero. Child.  The Divine Child, the puer aeternus, the child within all of us.  It may be a symbol of future hopes, the seedling, the potentiality of life, newness, the Baby Jesus.  The child may also be a source of pleasure, play, which resists growing up--Pan, Eros. Wise Old Man.  (See also Hero, Father).  Jung sees the Wise Old Man as the personification of spirit, spirit as knowledge or wisdom Logos, in Christian religion, the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Ghost.  His power is in quietness, secretiveness, but in magical strength ("May the Force be with you).  Trickster.  This is the jokester archetype, the fool in the king's court, the energy that makes fun of authority when it takes itself too seriously.  In its shadow form, it may upset the balance of the Self, but integrated it gives a sense of reality to the other archetypes and puts things in perspective. Quaternity.  The archetype of four--sometimes in conjunction with circles--as a symbol of balance, often symbolized by the mandala.   We'll discuss in class applications of archetypes and universal themes to photography.  CONFLICT The early master of conflict in cinema was Sergei Eisenstein, a Russian filmmaker (1898-1948). Much of Eisenstein's early work was based on the idea of conflict in his films: conflict within the shot, within montage of shots, and within sections on his films. Important for us is conflict in the shots.  Eisenstein sought to produce conflict in every shot of his films. He did this by a range of strategies, including conflict between lines--lines going one way and another way within the same shot. Conflict between large and small scales within the shot--large people, small people, for example. Conflict between light and dark. Conflict between near and far. If I can find a copy of Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin in Austria, we will view parts of it to illustrate this.  Here are some clips of Eisenstein's work on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euG1y0KtP_Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps-v-kZzfec We'll talk about the conflict and archetypal appeal in some of these scenes in class. The point for our thinking is to look for conflicting ideas, shapes, and lines in our photographs. I am speaking to myself as well as to the class. Eisenstein gives a great deal to learn from.  FINAL THOUGHT: If we try to incorporate every part of these ideas into each photograph, we may go mad. These are ideas to keep in mind, not ideas to obsess about. But once in our heads, we may become more alert to these ideas and snatch them when we see them.
Montag 17. Mai	Das Schmetterlinghaus At least SEVEN photos posted to your blog for this outing.  THIS TIME TELL YOUR STORY IN PHOTOS OF GOING TO THE SCHMETTERLINGHAUS.  You now have a lot to think about when taking your photos. Remember the principles we have discussed:  Remember principles we have discussed: Focus and focal point Eliminate extraneous elements Consider aperture  Consider shutter speed Consider the rule of thirds (the position of the subject) Consider lines Consider scale Consider framing your subject Consider tension--conflicting lines, scales, colors Consider the background for your subject This photo from the National Geographic Magazine sets a  standard:
Mittwoch 19. Mai	WHAT THIS CLASS SHOULD BE ABOUT AND WHY WE AREN'T MAKING IT HAPPEN For Monday, read this and write a report:  Diagnosing and Treating the Ophelia Syndrome http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=2537 For Monday, look through at least one of these sites and try to imitate at least TWO photographs that you see and like and be prepared to defend your choice and your photograph Travel photography sites Travel Photographers Network: http://www.travelphotographers.net/ National Geographic Travel Photography Tips http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/travel-photography-tips/
Freitag 28. Mai Montag 31. Mai	Reisefotografie Brenda Tharp Photography http://www.brendatharpphotography.com/-/brendatharpphotography/ Don Sniffin http://dansniffinphoto.com/-/dansniffinphoto/default.asp National Geographic Travel and Culture http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/ Recommended by Krystle: http://mlwphotos.blogspot.com Guest photographer Gordon Nebeker Photographing people  A short list of hints from David duChemin--and a couple of hints from Plummer Treat your subjects kindly.  Get acquainted with them. Take your time. Sit with them a chat or make sign language. Clown a little. Nothing works better with people than to have a little laugh together.  You can do this without knowing their language. Remember: the photographers of National Geographic don't know everyone's language. But they make conversation with gestures, with a handshake, with eye contact. One good photo with one person may be worth your whole trip.  The eyes. You have to get their eyes in focus. The eyes are more important than any other part of the person (unless, of course, you're taking a picture of their hands or feet).  The catchlight. The catchlight is the little glint of light in your subject's eyes. If you don't get that glint of light, subjects tend to look lifeless.  The lens. DuChemin likes to use his 80 mm lens. But if you don't have an 80 mm lens, use your feet.  Fill the frame with your subject. Get in close. Crowd your own personal space with theirs. Fill MORE than the frame with your subject. You don't have to have the whole subject in the frame. Look at duChemin's photos in the book. He often crops the top of the head off.  Use a shallow depth of field unless the background is something crucial to your subject. Again look at duChemin's photos. People's eyes, faces, gestures tell you as much or more about where they are than if you step back and take them in a landscape. DuChemin shoots with a lens with a 1.2 f-stop. Most of us don't have one with an aperture that large, but shoot with what you have.  "We owe it to our subjects to create the best image we can, and that takes care and time. After all, this is their face and their identity you are interpreting. Rushing in, pushing a camera in their face, and then rushing away is the photographic eqivalent of hit and run, and i's unproductive and unpleasant for all involved. Take your time and take your cues from the people you're interacting with. Above all, make it an exchange.  Photographing children Be sure you have some permission to take photos of a child.  Children are wonderful, light, alive. Take your time. Be playful. Clown around a little. Be playful. Let them see the pictures you are taking of them.  Shoot in a continuous or "burst" mode if the children are moving around.  DuChemin suggests taking photos of children with a wide angle lens. If you do (or if you retract your telephoto lens to its shortest distance), you will find that you have to get up close to children. Don't be reluctant to do that, especially if the child is having a quiet moment--or maybe even in an active moment.  Be creative about your camera angle. Shoot from above. Shoot from low angle. Don't be afraid to get down on the ground a shoot from their angle. That implies a close, trusting relationship.  Engage the parents. Show them the pictures of their children. Again, be patient and wait for the moment.  Photographing seniors Anyone can take a photo of an older person fighting to stay alive, someone disabled in some way. Take it from me--I'm a senior. Old people will not be amused if you treat them like freaks. If you want a good photo of a senior, get close to them in the same way you would any other subject. Have fun with them. Talk to them. They're in there. You might learn something.
Montag 7. Juni	Using Natural Light to Your Advantage Basic qualities of light: 1)    Intensity. Intensity refers to the strength of the light. This depends on the output of the source. The sun, is bright. A 15-watt light bulb is weak. Intensity also depends on the distance of the light from the subject. Light falls off with greater distance. 2)    Direction. If you have a single light source, the direction is clearly defined. Where there are multiple sources, or the light is diffused, as on a cloudy day, the direction is less evident or even absent. 3)    Color. Light varies in color, depending on its source and the substances that filter it. Natural sun light has a different color than fluorescent lighting and incandescent lighting. Of all the light sources, fluorescent light is the most difficult to judge, because it comes in a wide range of colors. The directions of light: Put generally, the direction of light comes 1)    as front lighting 2)    as 45 degree side lighting 3)    as 90 degree side lighting 4)    as backlighting Front lighting flattens out your subject. Novice photographers like to get their subjects facing the sun in bright light. This pancakes the subject, because it removes all shadows, which are essential to showing the shape of the subject. Outside, this kind of light occurs most at the noon hour or if your subject is facing directly into the light source. Sometimes front lighting is called "paparazzi lighting, because it's a quick flash in the face of the subject just to get a shot.   45 degree side lighting occurs in mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Studio photographers tend to use 45 degree lighting, mixed with other directions of light, for standard portrait lighting. This direction of light produces a nice balance of light and shadow, without overwhelming the subject. 90 degree lighting emphasizes the contrast between light and dark. It’s more dramatic. Backlighting may be used to create a dramatic rim of light around your subject. Used badly, the subject becomes a dark shadow on your photo. For travel photographers, the best light usually occurs 1) on cloudy days; 2) at dawn; 3) at dusk; 4) at sunset; 5) at sundown. Cloudy days produce a more evenly distributed light. Down and sundown produce more dramatic and colorful light. Some photographers look for their subject on an ideal day, check the time of day when the light is ideal, and come back the next day, set up, and are ready to shoot at the ideal time.  The best travel photographers are out early and stay out later than amateur photographers. This is not to say that you can’t get good photos on a sunny day at high noon. But you need to calculate how the light and shadows interplay on your subject to produce an effect you want Assignment: for your photo blog this week, shoot three photos at high noon in bright light, three at 45 degree angles, and three at 90 degree angles. Find a good place to take photos either at sunup or sundown, calculate the best time to be there, go early enough to set up your shot, and take five more shots. That’s a total of 14 photos of your 25 for the week.
Mittwoch 9. Juni	Workshop

SPRING BREAK

Mittwoch 23. Juni	Photographing people, stage 2. Getting to know your subject, making your subject comfortable, learning to relax. Giving your subject the dignity he or she deserves in a good portrait. Sharing photos with your subject--by email, by direct print. The value of a business card. Continuing your acquaintance with your subjects.   Things to discuss today:  1) the final project: form and content. What story will you tell?    2) always bring textbook and camera to class 3) problems with posting and how to solve them 4) schedule meeting times with Plummer And finally:  5) Showing your photos and entering competitions. It's time to play the game. Get your stuff out there. Enter a competition.   What makes a photo worth showing? Here are the criteria for this year's Utah State Fair competition:  See also:  http://www.utahstatefair.com/exhibitors_and_competitions/competitive_exhibits/living_arts/photography.php Lot Numbers (subject areas) (For Classes A-E) 1. Action 2. Animals/Pets (domestic) 3. Architecture 4. Artistically Manipulated 5. Botanical 6. Commercial & Industrial 7. Creative Art 8. Human Interest 9. Humor 10. Journalistic 11. Macro/Close up 12. Panorama (8" x 24") 13. Portraits - children and babies 14. Portraits - female/male 15. Portraits - groups 16. Scenic - includes "hand of man" *see below 17. Scenic - excludes "hand of man" *see below 18. Sports 19. Still Life 20. Unclassified 21. Wedding / Social Event 22. Wildlife - in the wild 23. Wildlife - in captivity 24. Fair Theme ~ Uncommonly Good * "hand of man" refers to anything in the photograph that is man made - for example, a fence, road, house, etc.  QUALITY General exposure, color, zones, sharpness, presentation and no obvious gimmics. What do judges/people like? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE AND MEANING OF THE PHOTOGRAPH Did the maker accomplish their goal? Could they have done better? Is the purpose and meaning clear to the beholder? Does the beholder have to guess what the intention of the photograph is? Is there continuity? (Power, beauty, mood. emotion. positive-negative, color, action) Is the mood or feeling enhanced? Is the image believable? QUALITY (nitpicking scrutiny) this can override impact in the final analysis. Flawless physical and intellectual CRAFTSMANSHIP Are there only positive supportive elements and space? Flow and Composition Continuity (Does everything support the presentation/statement?) Difficulty Eloquence Harmony Balance The Moment Saturation Perspective Grain and detail Contrast technical aspects, compression, flare, distortion, highlights, shadow, spectacular control Correct key Dimension Depth Echoing Unseen lines Emotional lines Compositional framing Timeless TIPS FOR AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHY IMPACT - something that catches the eye of the beholder. Appeal A visual statement An emotional stir An interesting design Stirring color or black and white Composition Rarity/beauty/pleasing Singular without distractions Unbelievable - How did they capture that? QUALITY General exposure, color, zones, sharpness, presentation and no obvious gimmics. What do judges/people like? APPEAL The more universal the appeal of the image, the better chance of rating with more of the beholders. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE AND MEANING OF THE PHOTOGRAPH Did the maker accomplish their goal? Could they have done better? Is the purpose and meaning clear to the beholder? Does the beholder have to guess what the intention of the photograph is? Is there continuity? (Power, beauty, mood. emotion. positive-negative, color, action) Is the mood or feeling enhanced? Is the image believable?
Montag 28. Juni	In today's class we will work through DuChemin's chapter, "Photographing People," more carefully than we did on May 31, because photographing people is such an essential part of travel photography and the challenges of lighting, camera angle, positioning people is almost infinitely complex. If you have a great subject and your depth of field is too strong, or if you have a great subject and your lighting is unbalanced, you have a problem.  This is also one of DuChemin's longest and most detailed chapters, filled with examples, and you'll need to read it carefully and try experiments on your own as you read through it. First, a quick German review. You will have to introduce yourself, however you can best do it: Hello:  Grüss Gott (Austrian phrase). In Germany, you'd say, "Guten Tag."   My name is: Ich heisse Maria How are you? DON'T ASK THIS QUESTION. IT'S INSULTING UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW. AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR TOSS OUT "WIE GEHT'S" CASUALLY, AND IT'S INSULTING TO GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN SENSITIVITIES.  What is your name? Wie heissen Sie? (But if you're talking to an adolescent or child, say, "Wie heisst du?" May I photograph you?  Dürfte ich Sie/dich fotografieren?  (Dürfte is a more polite form than darf in a case like this) Would you like to see your photo?  Möchten Sie (or möchtest du) das Foto sehen?   Thank you. Vielen Dank. Or Dankeschön.  At this point, you might add a polite formality. Shake hands and say "Auf Wiedersehen."   Remember that people will resent being treated like a photographic object or a trophy. You must take care to treat them as important people. Your assignment before next Monday will be the following:  1) Read through DuChemin's chapter on your own, again, write careful notes, and email them to me  by Sunday evening (tgplummer@gmail.com).  2) Using DuChemin's ideas, take several photos of different people you do not know AFTER you've chatted with them and then asked to photograph them. Post all of the photographs on your blog AND send me a copy of your best two photos of these people by email by Sunday evening.   3) Review DuChemin's section on taking candid photographs of people on the street (pp. 131-138). Then take several candid photographs of people by sitting in a cafe with a cup of hot chocolate (remember, you can stay there as long as you want)--or some other public place of your choosing--and take several pictures of people passing by. Post these on your blog and email me your very favorite shot.  4) Find an interesting background for a candid photograph (see again the cover of DuChemin's book). SET YOUR CAMERA ON A TRIPOD. Take several photos of the background to be sure the background is just the way you want it.  Then wait for someone interesting to come by. Maybe you set up in front of a church or a store or an interesting wall--whatever. Have your camera set up for white balance, depth of field, focus--all the things that can ruin a good photograph--and wait. Take several photos of people, post them to your blog, and send me the very best one by email.  Summary:   Please email me the following:  1) Reading notes of DuChemin's chapter on photographing people. This is a long and complex chapter, and your notes will be much longer than usual.  2) Email me the following photographss by Sunday evening:  --Two photographss of people you've talked with and then gotten permission to photograph them.  --Your very favorite candid photograph of a person or of people taken with a hand-held camera. --Your very favorite photo of people walking past an interesting background, taken with your camera on a tripod.  IF YOU GET THESE ASSIGNMENTS RIGHT, YOU'LL ENJOY TAKING THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND YOU'LL MEET SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE.  HAVE FUN.
Mittwoch 7. Juli	CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF PLACE
	Discerning the spirit of Vienna with your camera. Discussion of DISCERNMENT. Discernment is not just seeing--it is perceiving. To discern is to see past the mask of a place, past the mask of a people. Today we will talk about the power of discernment, the LANGUAGE OF DISCERNMENT. And we will explore ways the photographer might have to get into the heart of a place. Or, more appropriately, to get closer to the heart of a place.  Take a few minutes to write a list of things you associate now with Vienna. Make a mental trip to places you been. What stands now out in your mind? What do you think of when you think of the “spirit of Vienna” as YOU know it. YOU are the photographer. YOUR feelings, YOUR reactions, YOUR impressions of Vienna are now more important than anyone else’s. No other photographer can see Vienna the way you see Vienna, because you have a personal vision, a unique vision of the place. Consider in your list The lines you think of when you think of Vienna The shapes The colors The smells The sounds The body language The spoken language Facial gestures What sensations do you have when you think about Vienna? What senses does the city bring up in your mind? Think about the city at key times of the day: between 5 am and 10 am (yes, we’re going to do it). Think about the city between 4 pm and 10 pm. Those are the times when the LIGHT is most beautiful, when the city radiates is unique charm. What does the city say to you at those times of day? What are its lines, shapes, colors, smells, and sounds at those times? Do you know the which way is east, which way is west in Vienna? Do you know the direction of the sunlight? Think about the Danube. Which direction is it flowing? Does that help orient you? In taking photographs of Vienna now, in these last few weeks, take slow strolls through the neighborhoods you want to explore again. Relax. Sit for a bit and look around you. What do you SEE? What do you FEEL? How do you convert that into a photographic vision? You now have the tools to take photographs that capture these feelings and emotions. Review the syllabus and decide what things you want to explore now, but be prepared for surprises. SERENDIPITY. We will talk more about SERENDIPITY. Serendipity means  “meaningful coincidence.” Something happens, someone comes along, the light changes, shapes emerge in a unique moment and give you an image you could not have captured if you had not be ready for it. SERENDIPITY comes to those who expect it. You find a place with the background that you want to capture. You set your camera on a tripod in a place that you want to deliver an image for you. You make sure all of the technical matters are in place—focus, white balance, light and you WAIT. YOU SIT AND TAKE DEEP BREATHS AND WAIT. And you listen, and you watch, and you inhale and you smell the smells and listen to the sounds. YOU MAKE A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION WITH THAT PLACE, AND YOU WAIT FOR SERENDIPITY TO DELIVER THE IMAGES TO YOU THAT YOU ARE WAITING FOR. This photo comes from David duChemin’s blog: Here’s what he writes about it on his blog: Genoa, Italy. I took a spot reading off the pavement in the beam of light. It happens to be pretty close to 18% grey, so I exposed manually at those settings, prefocused on the spot, and waited until someone came. It’s usually worth the wait. Remember his words? He found a place where the light spoke to him. He set his white balance, set his ISO, shutter speed and aperture so that everything was ready. Then he waited. And when this man came along to the stage that duChemin had set for him, he took the photograph. Or he took a series of photographs to make sure that he could reproduce the man in the place exactly as he want to capture both the man and the place. It’s a fine photograph, because he was ready to take a fine photograph. Taking a fine photograph means being ready for SERENDIPITY when it comes to you. Your assignment, due BEFORE we leave for Hallstatt on Friday, is to read in duChemin, pages 188-207 and write notes on those pages. Email your notes to me by Monday of next week. I will not ask you to turn in your notes. I will know if you read the pages and tried to come to terms with them. Your assignment in Hallstatt will be to apply the lessons you’ve learned in this lesson to capturing the most personal photographs you can of that place.  I would like you to send me or download onto my computer the best five photos you took, the five you are proudest of. These you should send me by Wednesday of next week. We will continue our discussion of the “spirit of place” and our own applications of it next week.
Montag 11. Juli	The Spirit of Place continued Bob Krist, one successful photographer, says that photographers put together a shot list before they go to a new place. Here is a possible list from his book, The Spirit of Place: Skylines Street scenes People--including local celebrities and characters Recreation Culture Historic monuments and buildings Shopping Entertainment Storytelling--close ups of detailed shots Neighborhoods Festivals, street fairs, and parades You now have six classes, counting today, to finish shooting your travel photography book. It's time to examine what you have, what your points of emphasis will be, and to write a shot list of things that you still need to shoot. Krist's list, above, is a good way to think about it. You do not have to have shots of every item on the above list. But it's important to write your own shot list. What haven't you photographed that you want to include in your book? Do you want more people? More buildings? More shopping areas? How will your book of photographs be an expression of your trip? Krist says that one way to get photographs that aren't run of the mill is to go out when no one else is around. DuChemin says that his schedule is to shoot from first light to 10 AM and then from 4 or 5 PM until dark. First light comes about one-half hour before sunrise and darkness comes about one-half hour after sunset. Those are the times when light is most dramatic, most colorful, and shadows least intrusive. Here's a list of sunrises and sunsets in Vienna for the coming days. To repeat: if you are shooting early morning, you should be ready to SHOOT, not leave the house but to shoot, by 4:39 on July 14.
Mitwoch 14. Juli	On Monday of next week, July 19, we will make a pre-sunrise field trip to a place, to be announced, where you can take some good shots in the wee early hours. Shoot from a high angle. It is also important that you find points for high angle photographs of the city. One that you may find useful is the tower in St. Stephen's cathedral, which is accessible at various times of day. And we need to round out some historical sites. We will take one field trip to Kahlenberg, where the Turks were turned back and defeated in the Battle of Kahlenberg in 1529. And, finally, what details would you like to photograph but still haven't? Remember the "divine details." What are those details for you in Vienna? Are they the cupids on buildings? The faces of people? The shops that you've frequented? The food? These photographs will make your final project more interesting and valuable to you. Be sure when you think about these photographs to reexamine duChemin's suggestions. He'll save you some time and help you get great photos. For the sake of your photographs, remember that the best hours of the day are in the early morning hours, between sunrise and, say, 10 AM and then again in the late afternoon, between 5 PM and 9 PM. On Wednesday, July 14, we will discuss photographing architecture, so I suggest you wait until after that class to take photographs of buildings. Your assignment for Wednesday: write your own shot list. Write a list of shots that you believe cover what you want and a list of shots that you need to take. Email this list to me by Wednesday at 8 AM. We will discuss your lists in class.  Also on Wednesday, we will discuss photographing architecture. This is an important area of travel photography that we have not yet touched on with any degree of detail. We won't be able to do it justice in this class, but we do need to discuss some key elements. Photographing architecture This website is a good place to begin thinking about how to photograph architecture: http://photo.net/architectural/exterior The following ideas have come from Val Brinkerhoff, photography professor at BYU: Photographing architecture General: Architectural photography may include photographing exteriors and interiors. Among other things it involves photographing residences, businesses, churches, mosques, temples, and historical sites such as buildings, monuments, and statues. It includes, but is not limited to, photographing architectural details, styles, forms, features, and symbols. It requires an understanding of focus, depth of field, lighting, and camera angles. Modern twists on architectural photography include using limited depth of field, soft focus, tilted images, motion (cars, people, bikers, etc.) blurred in with the photographs of architectural sites, and panorama photography.  Photographing architectural exteriors: Pre-shooting: If possible, scout the building beforehand. Walk around the entire structure and consider the following: What is the time of sunrise and sunset? How much earlier and how much later do you need to be there for the best light? What is the direction of the light? At sunrise? At sunset? How can you even out the contrast between interior and exterior lights? What is the weather forecast for the day you will shoot? Position of the photographer What are the best angles or your positions for your photograph? What distance should you be from the object? What will you do about nearby buildings or objects? Styling concerns: Landscaping: What landscaping would you want to exclude or include in your photograph? What blockages are a problem? What distracting elements should be avoided or moved? (cars, garbage cans, unsightly signs, unwanted people, construct, etc.) What are the effects of street lighting that may cause color casts? Should you make minor improvements to the object before photographing it? Photographing the building’s exterior Use a tripod, if possible a cable release or remote control. Alternatively, use the timer on your camera to avoid any unnecessary shaking or movement. Utilize proper pre-selected and planned times, angles, and lenses (if you have them). Continually observe how the lighting is changing around you as you shoot and how that is affecting your work Prepare for the unexpected Plan to take breaks where possible to think about what you are doing and to consider shifts in your work.
Montag 19. Juli	In preparation for chatting with you about your final projects, I am passing on the following recommendations:  Your final project should include photographs with a clear and intentional focal point composition (rule of thirds or some other balance that makes for good composition) portraits that have some universality to them (see section on archetypes in syllabus—May 12) an element of conflict, irony, or tension depth of field suited to the photograph (determined by your aperture setting) shutter speed appropriate to the subject lines, scale, frames, etc. to draw attention to your subject attention to light and lighting, color Returning to duChemin’s chapter on story telling, and including other discussions from class, I believe a good final project would include the following (this updates earlier class discussions about the number of photographs for your books): # of photos Subject 2-3 Establishing photographs of Vienna—the city scape from high focal points. Consider a tower in Stephansdom or the Donauturm or some other high point of your choosing. 5-10 Medium length photographs—neighborhoods, street shots, the Naschmarkt (more comprehensive photos), Grinzing, Prater, etc. 5-15 Detail shots—closeups of people, places, foods, statuaries, architectural ornaments, butterflies, ice cream, whatever has caught your attention. 10-15 Portraits (remember the discussion of archetypes on May 12). These should be of two kinds—candid street shots and portraits. 5-10 Photographs of architectural landmarks—the opera, the parliament, churches, architectural styles (renaissance, baroque, gothic, art deco, etc.). At least two or three of these should be pre-sunrise or post-sundown photographs (see Day 66 of my blog for examples-- http://tomsshutter.blogspot.com 5-10 Travel, both group and personal: Salzburg, Dorfgastein, Hallstatt, etc. 1-2 Closing photographs that bring your story to an end. Total number of photographs: 33 to 65  You may, of course, want to include more than 65, but keep in mind that quality is the key. I consider the quality of your photographs far more important than the quantity. Your book should reflect what you have learned from this class about taking good photographs. You should choose a printer with a reputation for quality. I have no personal experience with printers other than iPhoto, but blurb.com comes highly recommended from one of my photographer friends. Blurb.com’s pricing is as follows on the two formats I would recommend:  http://www.blurb.com/create/book/pricing I strongly suggest that you consider either the “standard landscape” or “large format landscape” books for your project and that you have your photographs printed on “premium paper”—either “lustre” or “matte” finish will reproduce good photographs. I have used both in printing my own photographs.