Revised: August 2010

Photographic Technology Department

11928 Stonehollow Dr., Austin, TX 78758 (512) 223 4707/4794

 Prof. Bill Woodhull, Department Chair, 223 4180 wwoodhul@austincc.edu

Master Course Syllabus

PHTC 2271 Advanced Imaging Lab (2-0-8)

Instructor will deliver First Day Handouts.  

OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTIONS

PHTC 2271:  Advanced Imaging Lab (2-0-8)Refined skill development in advanced color and black and white image production. Requires visual acuity, accurate color perception, and good eye/hand coordination. Must be taken concurrently with advanced level camera course or may be taken as a stand alone class with department approval. May be repeated for credit.

The Photography Class is a seminar, workshop, individual practice and research educational experience.  The foregoing makes student participation a role of substance and significance. Students are required to participate fullyin classes, assignments and projects; there is no related subject in this field too diverse to be discussed profitably.

Students are encouraged to consult with any and all of our instructors, in class or out, concerning this class or any subject in which it is felt that the instructor may be of assistance.

PREREQUISITES:

PHTC 1341

 EQUIPMENT CHECKOUT

This course does not authorize the use of any ACC equipment.

SCANS COMPETENCIES

Departmental SCANS (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills)for this course are: Reading, writing, speaking and listening, thinking skills, personal qualities, workplace competencies, and basic use of computers.  Students will demonstrate their mastery of these skills through the use of class discussions, written assignments, demonstrations, operational assignments, and test taking.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGIES

At the discretion of the various instructors, there will be lectures, videos, slide shows, class discussions, research papers, photographic assignments, class projects, guest lectures, and field trips among other communications. .

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance is critically important on several levels. This is a vocational/technical curriculum conducted primarily on a seminar and workshop basis. Most of the material taught is developed in lecture/demonstration, hands on practice, round table discussion, visiting experts, and accomplishment of assignments involving both practice and research. There is no substitute for being present. 

Additionally, we train students as business professionals and prepare them for success in the workplace. Punctuality and attendance will be expected of each student as it would be in a professional environment.

It is the policy of this department that the instructor may withdraw a student for 4 absences or a series of tardies calculated as 2 tardies equaling one absence.  A student may also be withdrawn by the instructor for excessive tardiness in completing assignments as well as for class disruption, plagiarism, theft, violence or other harmful acts as described within ACC policy (see the ACC Student Handbook).

Instructor-generated withdrawal from class may be appealed through procedures outlined in the ACC Student handbook. 

In the event of absences, students must acquire notes and other data from fellow classmates.  With regard to serious emergency absences, the instructor may elect to grant a grade of “I” (incomplete) in accordance with ACC policy if deemed appropriate.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester. (Student Handbook p.14).

STUDENT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many different viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY

Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework. (Students Handbook p.32). Acts of discipline may include dismissal from all Photography classes.

COURSE RATIONALE

This course is a critical exercise in the advanced skills necessary for image editing. The student will electronically color correct and retouch both conventional film and digital photography as a process for seamless photo compositing as well as fulfilling the requirements toward the AAS degree.

Grading Policy

Student grading is both objectively and subjectively evaluated by the instructor.  The instructor may modify the requirements as listed in the course syllabus and hand outs according to class needs, simply by notifying the subject class population in writing.  This may either reduce or add needed exercises to the course, but may not reduce the course content.  Disagreements of significance (at impasse) may be appealed to the Department Chair or his/her designee whose decision is final and binding.  Students are often withdrawn for poor grades or falling far behind.   This will, in most instances, protect the student’s transcript from a score of D or F but may be appealed through procedures outlined in the ACC policy manual.  All grades will be scored on a 100% perfect basis, although, the transcript will reflect a letter grade. 

Numerical vs Letter Grading

CRITICAL PHILOSOPHIES

Due to the Vocational/Technical nature of our department, certain operating philosophies have been found to be effective in training people in the skills of photographically "making a living", some of which follow:

We are an intentionally informal organization.  We function on a first name/nick name, highly personal basis, regardless of age or position.  If this presents any discomfort for you, personally, speak to your instructor, outside of class, and arrange for a communication style that is more comfortable for you. 

As a vocational/technical class, there will be no penalty for failure to fulfill a non-time sensitive assignment on the first attempt at the desired competency level, provided a bona fide attempt is made.  The assignment may be repeated as many times as the photographer wishes (within the time constraints of the session length) with the grade based on the highest quality submission.  We don’t play mind games, we attempt to teach lessons and the student’s acquisition of the needed skills is paramount in our educational philosophy.  Speed develops in the workplace; in the educational setting we teach competencies.

Every instructor and staff person in this department is your personal instructor and is available to you at his/her convenience, regardless of the class in which you are enrolled.  It is felt that such a philosophy contributes to the broad-spectrum education deserved by the student and insisted upon by our department. It is our intent that each student be a fully evolved photographer, not a clone!

Feel free to speak to any of the full time Faculty or the Department Chair, at any time about any subject in confidentiality or in a public forum.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY WEB PAGE

www.austincc.edu/photo

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/ACCphotodept

STUDENT HANDBOOK

A copy of the student handbook can be located on the ACC website at:

http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/

Students are encouraged to review the handbook to familiarize themselves with college rules and policies that may affect them.

COLLEGE CATALOG

Students may purchase a copy of the ACC catalog at any of the school stores.

COUNSELING

Professional services are available for many concerns needed by students.

SUPPLIES

• 80 GB portable hard drive, with either USB 2.0 or Firewire 400 connections, formatted FAT32
• Card reader
• CDR or DVD-R for archiving images
• Ink cartridges for the department’s printers, type and color(s) to be announced in class
• Ink jet printer paper, type and quantity to be job determined as appropriate for student's Print Show projects

PHTC 2271 –Advanced Imaging Lab - Addendum for Summer, 2011

Grading Policy
Summer, 2011 – Professor Don Ourada

PHONE:                       223-4681

E-MAIL:                      dourada@austincc.edu

GRADING:

Your grade for this course will be derived solely from instructor evaluations of your work as presented in a portfolio review session during the 14^th week of this semester.  You will be required to present two (2) mounted 16x20-inch display prints for this review.  On the day of the review, you will also be required to participate in open classroom discussions relating  to these submissions.

To receive a passing grade for this course, you must attend and participate…  on time!

Understanding Adobe Photoshop CS5, by Richard Harrington

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3, by Nat Coalson

Adobe Photoshop CS5 for Photographers, by Martin Evening

No specific lecture topics are included in this course.