fall 2009 * tt 12:30-1:45 * par 104* rhe 330c #45215
instructor: lester faigley

This course aims to make you a better writer, a better photographer, and a better analyst of images. We will look at the issues which have pre-occupied practitioners and theorists of this medium for the past century and a half, from the daguerreotypists of the 1830s and 40s through to the new issues raised by today's digital work. Topics which we will discuss include the ways in which one might "read" a photographic image; advertising and commodity culture; documentary and news photography; personal photographs, the family album, and the role of the photograph in autobiography; gender, desire, and the representation of the body; surveillance and the photographic gaze; "truth," realism, evidence, and faking; and photographic ethics.

Expect to write eight short discussion-board essays in response to our readings and viewings, make two presentations using your photographs, write an essay about documentary photography, and complete an original documentary project. The documentary project will consist of 10-20 photographs and 1500-2000 words of explanatory text. The text and photographs should present an understandable, engaging, 'picture' of the subject, but the writing and the photos should each stand on their own.

A syllabus and more information about the course are available on Blackboard.

REQUIRED TEXTS
The Little Penguin Handbook, Second edition, MLA update. Faigley. 2009. ISBN 0205743390
Handout essays and online readings and viewing

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
A camera, preferably a 2MB+ digital camera

GRADING
Please note that there will be penalties for late work: two points for each calendar day late for discussion board essays; three points for each calendar day late for projects. The late penalty applies to both drafts and final versions. You must attend class from the beginning on workshop days to receive credit.
Points for each project and discussion board essay will be recorded on eGradebook.

Points possible
Discussion board essays: 33
Project 1: 5
Project 2: 15
Project 3: 40
Project 4: 7

Point equivalents for final grades computed by eGradebook
100-93 = A
92-90 = A-
89-87 = B+
86-83 = B
82-80 = B-
79-77 = C+
76-73 = C
72-70 = C-
69-67 = D+
66-63 = D
62-60 = D-
59-0 = F

ATTENDANCE
Participation is ESSENTIAL. If you miss class, you will still be responsible for the work for that day. You expect me to report for work-and on time. I expect the same of you. Coming in late is disruptive. So be punctual. Also, be advised that two tardies (more than ten minutes late) equals one missed class. Five or more absences results in failure of the course.

Lester Faigley | faigley AT uts DOT cc DOT utexas DOT edu