Art - Photography

Description

The role and use of technology is dramatically driving the current and future curriculum needs within the Photography area in the Art Department.   While continuing to embrace the medium’s traditional foundations, it is vitally necessary for the Photography area to respond to these curriculum needs through the incorporation and use of the technologies as they become available, particularly as the shift from analog to digital practice becomes more necessary as driven by the educational needs of students to function as photographers in a professional environment.

Starting with the Spring 2007 semester, students will engage the photography curriculum in the Digital Arts Building with its new and expanded analog and digital technology facilities.  The analog facilities have been expanded to include a total of 38 enlarging stations, 10 film processing rooms, and multi-function finishing area that includes a blending of both analog and digital practice, including 3 computer/film scanning stations.  To supplement the traditional analog foundation, a 24-station digital photography lab has been created to address the evolving curriculum needs.  In addition, a separate photography studio provides students the necessary physical space to pursue curriculum activities in anticipation and support of professional work.  The breakdown of equipment and software in each of these areas is as follows:

Analog

• 5 – Apple iMac (17”) – 3 are located in multi-function finishing area and 2 are located in classroom/prep room.  Four (4) of these are scheduled for roll-over during the Fall 2007 semester and one (1) scheduled for roll-over during the Fall 2008 semester.
• 5 – Upgraded licenses of Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Microsoft Office 2004.
• 3 – Epson V700 Film/Reflective Art Scanners.
• 1 – Eiki Video Projector to be removed from Digital Arts Synergy Lab.

Digital

• 24 – Apple iMac (17”) – Dual-core processor and memory upgraded to 2 GB.  These will be scheduled for rollover during the Fall 2010 semester.
• 1 – Apple MacBook Pro (17”) – Dual-core processor and 1 GB memory.  This will be scheduled for rollover during the Fall 2010 semester.
• 25 – Licenses for Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Microsoft Office 2004.
• 2 – Epson V700 Film/Reflective Art Scanners.
• 1 – Nikon Super Coolscan 5000ED Film Scanner
• 2 – Epson 4800 Large Format Inkjet Printers with local networking capabilities and archival pigment inks
• 5 – Canon EOS Digital Rebel Camera Kits
• 1 – Eiki Video Projector

Studio

None prior to scheduled move-in of Spring 2007 semester.

Faculty/Staff

• 1 – Apple iMac (17”) – Scheduled rollover for faculty office (Suda House).
• 2 – Upgraded licenses for Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Microsoft Office 2004 (Suda House and Susan Richardson)

In each of these areas (analog, digital, and studio), the current and future role of technology is being addressed in the photography curriculum.  In the Fall 2006 semester, the Art Department approved the transformation of a photography curriculum that incorporates a blending of analog and digital instruction at all levels of coursework.  In support of this curriculum, the Art Department also approved the creation of an AA in Photography degree that compliments the established AA in Art with an emphasis in Photography.   With the approval of an updated curriculum, new degree offering, contemporary facilities and active faculty, the Photography area in the Art Department is positioned to be the institution of higher education for all of San Diego County in providing our students and the campus community progressive photographic instruction. So as to maintain this high level of instruction and presence in the photography community, it will be necessary for the College to be time-responsive in adapting facilities with the necessary current technologies as the medium itself continues to redefine itself and as students needs evolve.

Curriculum Impact

The continual evolution of photography required a complete re-examination of the curriculum and course offerings to better prepare students for the future, including recognizing areas of specialization more in line with the contemporary growth and evolution of photography.

The newly proposed Photography Curriculum has been revamped to recognize the emergence of digital tools as a viable medium for photographic image making.  The changes to the curriculum and additional course offerings include the following:

• Art/Photo 150, 151, 152, 154 and 252 are blended courses with increasing levels of instruction in digital methods and will remain within the AA in Art.
• Art 178/278 Digital Photo I/II, both have been re-numbered (156/256) into the Art/Photo 150/250 sequence of course numberings.

• Art 162 Artist’s Book has been changed to Photo 253AB – The Photographic Book.
• Art 254, 255, 256, and 257 (Color Photography courses) have been deleted from the course offerings due to the lack of industry support for color papers and chemistry.  In place, two new courses Photo 155 – Color Photography I and Photo 255 – Color Photography II have been created and added with instruction in the blending of analog and digital materials for color photographic practice.
• Two new course offerings have been created to address photograph’s lens culture from both traditional and technological perspectives.  Photo 157 – Lens Culture in the Public Eye and Photo 257 – Documentary Photography are being introduced to examine and engage in the practice of photography within contemporary contexts, including analog and digital technologies.

In addition, a new AA in Photography (TOPS Code 1012) has been proposed to provide an additional path for our students due to the lack of transfer to SDSU and UCSD for our photo curriculum and the demand for a terminal degree concentration/major course of study by students. These curriculum changes will align the Photography area with most community college and university photography programs throughout San Diego County and the rest of the State, but also will provide for retention of our students as well as increase the recruitment possibilities of Grossmont College as the institution of higher education to study photography.

Approximate Number of Students Served

The current Photography area serves approximately 275 students each semester.  Students are actively working in the photography facilities 6 days a week (Monday – Saturday) for 9 – 13 hours per day. 

Beginning with move into the new facilities of the Digital Arts Building in the Spring 2007 semester, the number of students served will increase an additional 120 students as the Photography area will increase its course offerings during the day and evening, particularly in the new Digital Photography Lab, for an approximate total of 395 students each semester.

Support Impact

The present job description for the Photography area Technician does not provide for assistance for computer and technology support. With the new facility and use of technology in support of all curriculum activities (analog and digital), the Photography area will be dependent on ICS for assistance to keep the computer and technology equipment (hardware and software) maintained, upgraded and in operation to insure that the facilities and curriculum activities for students function without technical problems or delays at all times during instruction.  It is imperative that there is technical assistance available at all times of instruction in the Digital Arts Building in support of the Photography and Digital Arts areas.

A trained individual will be needed on-site in the Digital Arts Building to support technical problems in all areas of the Photography, including the Digital Photography Lab and computer/scanning stations in the Analog Photography area.  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. 

Year 1 (2007-2008)

Objective

With the approval of the proposed curriculum in place, the Photography area will critically examine the impact these changes will have on our technology needs as well as what the industry is dictating in digital enhancements.

Primarily, the Photography area will focus on updating the studio lighting and camera equipment.  The continuous lighting systems and units are from 1964, and due to the 40+ years of rigorous use by students, it is necessary to replace them immediately from both a technology and student safety standpoint.  The minimal amount of studio strobe lighting systems are from 1986, and it is necessary to replace and enhance them with contemporary equipment to insure students acquire the necessary experience in working with equipment that is used in professional working environments.   It is also necessary to enhance the studio-shooting environment with tools utilized in professional working environments, including the use of digital capture cameras to keep pace with the industry and other community college instructional programs.

In the Digital Photography Lab, the Photography area would like to pursue the use of a server, possibly shared in the short-term and a dedicated server over the long-term.  The server would enhance curriculum instruction and facilitate a more productive workflow of digital files for students and faculty.  As photography rapidly becomes a more digital endeavor with less emphasis on analog technologies, it will be necessary and beneficial to have a dedicated server for photography to address these expanded workflow needs for a growing population of students working in digital photography.

In an effort to meet the expanding use of digital technology in analog photography environments, the Photography area will focus on enhancing the computer/scanning workstations with inkjet printers. 

Action to Meet Objective

Explore the following:

Digital

• Use of a server, short- and long-term, to address digital photography workflow needs of students and faculty.

Purchase the following:

Studio

• Continuous Lighting Systems and Units to be used in Studio and Location shooting environments.
• Studio Strobe Lighting Systems and Units to be used in Studio and Location shooting environments.
• Large format digital capture back(s) to be used in Studio shooting environment.

Analog Prep/Classroom

·        Inkjet printers for the Analog Photography area to replace Epson R800 currently used 

                                                         Year 2 (2008-2009)

Objective

As photography continues to rapidly transform with digital tools, materials and technologies, the Photography area will focus on the incorporation of additional digital technologies across the curriculum to enhance the instructional delivery with the Photography area’s blended curriculum.  This will include the use of medium-format cameras that can be utilized in analog and digital shooting environments as well as enhancing the curriculum and instructional possibilities with the use of field view cameras in large format photography instruction. 

Action to Meet Objective

Purchase the following:

 Analog, Digital and Studio 

• Medium-format camera system(s) capable of working simultaneously in analog and digital environments through the use of interchangeable backs.
• Field view camera system(s) to be used in intermediate and advanced courses across the curriculum.

Year 3 (2009-2010)

Objective

With the continued development of digital photography tools, materials and technologies, the Photography area will continue its focus on the incorporation of digital technologies across the curriculum.  The use of medium-format cameras, which can be utilized in both analog and digital shooting environments as well as the instructional possibilities with large format photography with the use of field view cameras.

 It will also be necessary to analyze and evaluate the physical workspaces for both analog and digital photography as the technological developments in photography continue to rapidly evolve and change.  It will be critical to develop action plans based on this analysis so as to insure the Photography area is able to address the needs of students as the medium evolves, and transitions with greater emphasis on digital technology.

 Action to Meet Objective

Purchase the following:

 Analog, Digital and Studio 

• Medium-format camera system(s) capable of working simultaneously in analog and digital environments through the use of interchangeable backs.
• Field view camera system to be used in intermediate and advanced courses across the curriculum.

Conduct the following:

• Analysis and evaluation of current analog and digital facilities with recommendations to address facility, instructional equipment and supply needs if/when/how photography mediates between analog and digital technologies.

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