Documentary
Photojournalism
(PMA
304)


Fall
2010,
Fridays
9:00
–
4:00

Mac
Lab
1



Edward
Stapel

Phone:
887‐7444


Email:
edward.stapel@chestercollege.edu

Office:
PMAD
Center
Offices
(2nd
Floor)

Office
Hours:
Tues.
and
Thurs.,
1:00
–
2:30
and
by
appointment



COURSE
DESCRIPTION:

This
course
introduces
students
to
the
power
of
photography
as
a
storytelling
medium.


Lectures
will
cover
the
history
of
documentary
photojournalism
as
well
as
traditional

and
contemporary
practices.

Students
will
develop
the
photographic
skills
necessary
to

tell
a
story
visually
and
the
reporting
and
writing
skills
required
to
gather
complete
and

accurate
information
to
accompany
their
photographs.

Through
critique,
the
class
will

examine
the
task
of
the
photo
editor
in
selecting,
editing,
and
displaying
photographs.





Students
will
be
given
a
series
of
assignments
designed
to
develop
their
skills
as
visual

stories
tellers.

The
assignments
will
increase
in
complexity
through
the
course
of
the

semester,
culminating
in
a
final
project
portfolio.

The
lectures
and
assignments
are

designed
to
encourage
students
to
get
close
to
their
subjects
–
both
physically
and

metaphorically
–
in
order
to
best
capture
and
tell
their
stories.




Students
are
required
to
have
a
digital
SLR
camera
for
this
course,
but
may
shoot
with

film
(color
or
B&W)
for
certain
assignments.
When
working
with
digital
files,
students

are
expected
to
fully
utilize
the
sophisticated
options
Photoshop
provides
for
image

output
(we
will
have
a
digital
imaging
primer
to
make
sure
everyone
is
up
to
speed).

Students
who
wish
to
shoot
color
film
and
print
with
the
color
processor
must
have

already
taken,
or
currently
be
taking,
Color
Photography
I.

For
black
and
white
film,

high
quality
RC
prints
will
be
allowed
for
critiques
but
fiber
based
prints
will
be
required

for
final
projects.




TEXT:

Photography
by
London
and
Upton

Other
readings
will
be
provided



SUPPLIES:

A
Digital
SLR
(DSLR)
camera
and
lens(es)
with
which
you
are
comfortable
and
whose

functions
you
understand.
Short
to
medium
focal
length
lenses
are

recommended
(by
short
to
medium,
I
mean
28mm
or
50mm
or
similar
zoom)
–

lenses
of
this
length
will
allow
you
to
shoot
“close”
to
your
subject(s)


 Typical
darkroom
supplies
and/or
digital
supplies

Film
camera(s)
(optional)

Typical
darkroom
supplies
to
support
your
film
habit

CD‐R’s,
jump
drives,
or
other
memory


Paper:

Cheapo
paper
or
laser
prints
for
contact
sheets



 High
quality
5‐star
Epson
paper
for
prints–
sizes
to
be
discussed

Some
sort
of
portfolio
(inexpensive
is
fine)

Mat
board
and
presentation
materials:
to
be
discussed



ATTENDANCE
POLICY:

This
class
meets
once
a
week,
so:

If
you
miss
more
than
2
classes,
your
final
grade
will
be
dropped
one
letter
grade.

If
you
miss
more
than
3
classes,
you
will
fail
this
class.

If
you
come
to
class
30
minutes
late,
you
will
be
counted
absent.

There
are
no
excused
absences.



GRADING
POLICY

Assignments
must
be
turned
in
on
time.

Assignments
will
be
evaluated
in
a
group

critique
format
and
attendance
for
these
critiques
is
mandatory.

Late
assignments
will

be
marked
down
one
letter
grade
for
each
class
they
are
late.

Submitting
work
without

participating
in
critique
will
result
in
a
one‐letter
grade
drop.

Not
attending
critique
and

not
submitting
work
will
result
in
a
two‐letter
grade
drop.

If
you
have
a
conflict
with
a

scheduled
critique
date
it
is
your
responsibility
to
make
arrangements
with
me
to

present
your
work
to
the
class
at
another
time.

If
you
miss
a
class
it
is
your

responsibility
to
contact
me
before
the
next
class
in
order
to
pick
up
any
assignments

you
may
have
missed.

Showing
up
for
class
unprepared
will
be
considered
another

absence.



Since
much
of
the
discussion
of
work
in
this
class
is
conducted
in
critique,
class

participation
is
mandatory
and
will
be
taken
into
consideration
for
grading.





GRADING
CRITERIA

Assignments/Critiques
 
 
 
 30%

Attendance
and
Participation

 
 
 30%

Final
Portfolio/Project

 
 
 
 40%



WHERE
TO
SHOP:

Chester
College
Bookstore

Hunt’s
Photo
–
Manchester
–
366
S.
Willow
–
603.6063322


 
 ‐
Melrose,
MA
–
100
Main
St.
–
781.662.8822

The
Camera
Shop
at
the
Institute,
Amherst
St.,
Manchester
–
603.623.0313

B&H
Photo
–
1
800
606‐6969
‐
www.bhphotovideo.com

Freestyle
Sales
–
1
800.292.6173


‐
www.freestylephoto.biz

Light
Impressions
–
lightimpressionsdirect.com






ROUGH
OUTLINE
OF
THE
SEMESTER:

9/3
Intro
to
class
and
course
overview

Slide
Presentation:
Types
of
Photojournalism
Assignments

Assignment
1:
4‐panel
story

Reading:
A.
D.
Coleman,
“Documentary,
Photojournalism,
and
Press
Photography
Now”

9/10
Critique:
Assignment
1

Slide
Presentation:
An
overview
of
the
history
of
photojournalism
and
a
quick
look
at

contemporary
photojournalism

Discussion:
Coleman

Finalize
Reach
the
Beach
assignments

Assignment
2:
Reach
the
Beach

Reading:
Susan
Sontag,
from
Regarding
the
Pain
of
Others

9/17
Reach
the
Beach
(quasi‐field
trip)



9/24
Critique:
Reach
the
Beach

Discussion:
Sontag

Slide
Presentation:
War
Photography.
Manipulation
in
imagery



10/1
Deerfield
Fair
Field
Trip

Lab
time:
contact
sheets
from
the
fair



10/8
Critique:
Deerfield
Fair

Project
Proposals
due

10/15



10/22
Family
Weekend
and
5K
Road
Race



10/29
Critique:
Family
Weekend

Halloween



11/5
Registration
Day

Final
Project
Proposals
due

11/12
Critique:
Halloween



11/19



11/26
Thanksgiving



12/3




12/10