Art - Photography
Description
In June 2001, the Photography Program acquired 4 Mac G3’s (blueberry/USB)
for a mini-digital lab, primarily to provide for standardization in the Synergy
Center. The Photography faculty provided two faculty iMacs and the Art
Department purchased two new iMacs with CD burners so that all computers in the
Synergy Center were the graphite G4 iMacs. This created a consistent level of
performance and usage by the students throughout the Digital Media Arts program.
Subsequently, in June 2002, the Synergy Center was rolled over, as scheduled,
with all 20 iMacs replaced with 17” flat screen eMacs with faster processors,
internal CD burners and the potential to operate in the future with OS X. The
Photography Department elected to retain the 4 Mac G3’s primarily because
Synergy was still using OS 9.2 and Adobe Photoshop 6.1, and the performance
standards were similar enough not to warrant a change as well as ICS had
promised the iMacs to other departments within the C&FA Division.
In January 2004, the Digital Photography mini-lab was relocated within the Photo
area to Room 271B where the 4 Mac G3’s, an Epson 1600 XL (36 bit) scanner, an
external CD burner, three Epson inkjet printers (820, C80, 2000P) and various
peripherals are now permanently housed.
This June, 2004, the Synergy Center will receive a software upgrade to OS X and
Adobe Creative Suite and the Digital Photography mini-lab will be outdated and
substandard to Synergy. Students will have a difficult time assimilating between
the two work areas, as they presently utilize both labs, depending on
availability and access. Photography students provide significant enrollment in
the Art 179 ABCD Digital Practicums. The 4 Mac G3’s cannot be upgraded to the
newer OS and need to be replaced in Summer 2004 to bring them in line with the
main computer imaging lab in the Art area.
In Spring 2007, the entire Photography Department will be relocated to the new
Digital Arts Building. This new facility will duplicate the same space
allocations for analog photography, streamlining the usage of space for maximum
efficiency including a 30 station black and white lab, a new state of the art
color printing lab, a separate photo lighting studio and the introduction of a
30 station computer lab dedicated to digital photography. As we all know, the
medium of photography has fully embraced the digital tools and its resulting
technologies, and by providing for Photography its own computer lab, separate
from the Synergy Center and its own Digital Media program, the College has
acknowledged our success in keeping pace with this ever-changing medium. This is
a strong indicator of the strength of our program and the potential for growth
within the College’s future plans. The Photography Department will now manage
both analog and digital instruction in Photography, and this new assignment
creates exciting challenges as well as additional responsibilities.
Therefore, it is imperative that ICS recognize and supports this continual
growth within digital photography and that during the interim, the hardware and
software within the Digital Photography mini-lab must be updated for continuity,
success and transition to the new facilities in 2007.
Curriculum Impact
Photography has changed radically in the last two years as the digital
technologies have revolutionized both the capture of images and the making of
the final print. Analog processes have been elevated to a finer art and
photo-based processes have been infused by the hybrid methods of digital input
and output. This is an exciting time to be a photographer as well as to instruct
students in all the visual possibilities that these digital tools can provide.
Across our curriculum, digital photography has been introduced, with Photo I’s
scanning and viewing their work for minor editing and refined seeing. Photo II’s
are using adjustment layers, levels and curves to understand almost instantly
how the Zone System affects a negative. Our new Studio Lighting courses use
digital capture for immediate examination of lighting ratios, composition and
exposure. All four courses in Color Photography use color balance and
hue/saturation to demonstrate “live” color theory, color correction and color
density for printmaking. The Alternative Photo Processes and the Artist’s Book
students combine digital media with traditional processes daily to create
original art works and limited edition books.
Our contribution to the Digital Media AA degree in Art has been two eight week
courses, Digital Photography I and II, and both have been fully supported by the
Art Department with high student demand, productivity and student success. The
cross over between analog and digital is literally seamless at the present time
and students are embracing analog and digital equally as they experience the
potential for both strategies within photography for solving visual problems.
Digital technologies, which were once viewed as a threat to the art of
photography, have been fully embraced and new potentials for image making have
been discovered as both faculty and students experience this new digital age of
photography.
Approximate Number of Students Served
The Photography area serves approximately 275 students each semester over a
full day/evening, 6 -day schedule. In addition, 20 students study Digital
Photography each semester and in 2007, this number will increase to an
additional 120 students as we offer courses in both the day and evening in our
new Digital Photography Lab.
Support Impact
When the obsolete G3 computers are replaced in ‘04-’05, no additional tech
or personnel support will be required other than the initial installation of the
new hardware. The existing faculty and technical staff will maintain the
equipment and its operation and will request assistance at the present level of
intermittent service.
Additional support will be required in 2007, as we create a 30 computer station
lab with its own server, three film scanning stations, small to large format
printers as well as video projection for instructional delivery.
Year 1 (2004-2005)
Objective
Roll-over the Digital Photography mini-lab to standardize its operation and
bring it in line with the Synergy Center, which now uses 17” screen, G4 eMacs
with OS X and Adobe Creative Suite.
Purchase 4 digital cameras for Photography Department use only, since the
present 4 digital cameras have been shared by Synergy and the Drawing for
Animation courses. Synergy is requesting exclusive use of these cameras for Fall
2004.
Action to Meet Objective
Purchase four (4 ) - 20” Cinema Display iMacs 1.25 GHz SuperDrive, (80 Ultra
ATA drive, 1 GB DDR333 SDRAM - 2 DIMMs, DVD-R/CD-RW). These larger screen
computers are ideal for digital photography and the scanners, printers and Zip
drives can be updated with downloads for compatibility to OS X.
Software purchase of 5 site licenses for Adobe Creative Suite ( 4 for mini-lab
and 1 for the G4 with video projector for classroom instruction to a class of 30
students).
Purchase 4 Canon PowerShot G5 - 5 Megapixel Digital Cameras.
Year 2 (2005-2006)
Objective
Our input and output is quickly becoming antiquated, so upgrading of both
scanners and printers will be a priority. All our prosumer devices have a
limited life, because they are not built for constant use by students.
Professional level scanners and printers will be a priority. Presently our large
format scanner is 36 bit and 48 bit is optimum, so replacement of the scanner
will be number one concern.
Industry predicts that SLR digital cameras with inter-changability of lenses
will be prevalent, and the technology will be rivaling film capture, so the
purchase of 4 professional digital cameras (14MB +) and one large format digital
back for a 4x5 view camera will be within reach and value packed for both an
investment in technology and the students’ education.
Software upgrades as needed and as required to be consistent with the latest
versions as well as to keep pace with the Synergy Center.
Action to Meet Objective
Purchase and install one (1) of the latest professional level flatbed/large
format film scanner by Epson.
Purchase and install Nikon Coolsan 5000 ED (35 mm film/4000 optical dpi /16
bit).
Purchase and install Nikon Coolscan 9000 (medium format film /4000 optical dpi/
16 bit / Firewire).
Purchase 4 Canon EOS Digital Rebel cameras with four lenses of various focal
lengths.
Purchase and install software upgrades where needed or required.
Technical and personnel needs will remain consistent with the prior year’s need,
and the Photography faculty and staff will maintain this mini-lab with
assistance from ICS.
Year 3 (2006-2007)
Objective
In Spring of 2007 the
new Photography facilities will be ready. Not only will Photography be
relocating its entire analog program to the new building, but the Photography
Program will now be responsible for its own 24 station computer laboratory to
expand its instruction within its existing curriculum as well as embrace new
courses which utilize the digital technologies. Funding is provided through new
construction, therefore, the objective for 2006-07 is to successfully outfit
existing educational technology in the analog laboratories as well as expand to
a full digital photography laboratory.
Photography would greatly
benefit from the purchase of a 4x5 Digital Leaf Back for our large format and
studio lighting courses not to mention its immediate playback for demonstrating
to all analog and digital photo courses specific camera/lens functions such as
depth of field, selective focus and color temperature.
Presently Palomar College
and City College each have one for demonstration and limited student use. The
approximate cost is $20,000. We had hoped to purchase it with FF&E construction
monies, but it became prohibitive since we had to stretch our monies over both
the needs of analog photography and the creation of our digital photography lab.
Action to Meet Objective
The equipment listed below is for both the new Digital Photography Lab and for
digital enhancements in our analog laboratory and photo studio. It is imperative
we secure Apple computers because they are the preferred computers by
photographers because of Apple’s superior file management system, color monitor
quality, and the new OS X recognizes both consumer and professional digital
cameras making file readability instantly accessible, not to mention that many
of the print drivers are now provided with the operating software on the all
Macs.
For the Digital
Photography Lab:
Purchase and install:
One (1) Apple MacBook Pro
17” Display, 2.16 GHZ Intel Core Duo + 2 GB memory with Mac OS X + iLife and
iWork and 3 year Apple Care Plan for use as the Teacher’s Station and for its
portability to both individual student’s desks and in the Photo Studio for
digital capture.
Twenty-four (24), iMacs 17”
Display Mac OS X Intel Core Duo + 2 GB memory + 3 Year Apple Care Plan
including Mac OS X + iLife and iWork.
Upgrades for 35 sites -
Adobe Creative Suite 2 which includes latest version of Photoshop.
Upgrade for Microsoft Office
Suite for 24 computer stations.
Nikon Coolscan 5000ED
(medium format film /4000 optical dpi/ 16 bit / Firewire) dedicated film
scanner.
Two (2) Epson 1680 Pro
series – 48-bit, flatbed reflective and large film format scanners.
Two (2) Epson 4800 Large
Format Printers with stands and covers.
One (1) Video Projector -
EIKI 5500 and projection screen for use with Macbook Pro presentations.
Eight (8) Canon EOS Digital
Rebel XT 10 megapixels Cameras with normal lenses (18-55mm).
For
Analog Photography Laboratory:
Three
(3) Epson 1680 Pro series – 48-bit, flatbed reflective and large film format
scanners. Note: The four (4) iMacs G5’s with 17” Display screens (purchased
2004) can be utilized as scanning stations in the analog Photo Area and Prep
Room.
Relocate EIKI Video
Projector from Digital Media Arts Center to the Photo Prep Room since it was
purchased by Synergy funds and Digital Media Arts is upgrading to a newer
projector in their new facility. Photography will provide maintenance and
service including bulb replacement with this acquisition.
For
the Photo Lighting Studio, Priority One purchase for Photography
:
One (1) 4x5 Format Leaf Back
Digital Capture for Sinar Large Format Studio Camera.
Note: Digital back can be
connected to the MacBook Pro in the studio for immediate playback, minor editing
and saving of the image. These files can then be sent via the network or
transferred to computers within the Digital Photography Laboratory. Necessary
imaging software and Adobe Creative Suite 2, will be provided on this dedicated
computer for both the studio and the Digital Photography Laboratory.
For
the faculty and staff offices:
Upgrade
one (1) faculty office, with 17” iMac, network software for campus/www web
access, Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Microsoft Office for Mac.
Upgrade technician’s office
with current PC for IFAS, campus e-mail/www web access + a networked laser
writer printer. All staff computers should be networked to the laser writer
printer in the tech’s office.
Within
the Photography Storage area:
One
(1) current PC for use in bar code record keeping for the check out and
inventory of photographic equipment and supply usage. This computer should be
networked to the laser writer printer in the tech’s office.
Technical
and Personnel Assistance will be
required on site in the new Digital Arts Building not only for Digital
Photography’s 24 station Mac Lab and 4 Macs in analog photography, but for the
30 station lab in Digital Media, the 30 station lab in Digital Multimedia as
well as units in use by Media Comm. The hiring of a full-time Technician to be
on the premises for immediate assistance is mandatory for the success of all
programs and daily operations within the new Digital Arts Building.
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