RPHC4003 - Year 1 - Contextual Studies: Photography: Part 2 Unit Leader: Francis Summers The second term builds on the

concepts introduced in the first by examining the way in which major philosophical and cultural themes frame the construction of the image, influence our understanding of visual signs and our approach to reading and comprehension. This is explored historically and in relation to contemporary practice, within fine art and communication media and from the perspective of the creator, publisher and audience. The unit introduces first year students to new themes and fresh ways of thinking that can broaden and deepen their cultural perspective, ability to discuss critically and their understanding of the image and their approach to visual practice. There will be an attempt to link these themes to the other units that you are undertaking alongside this unit in order to widen your understanding of theses areas. What will happen in the unit: This unit will consist of a series of lectures, group tutorials and seminars. The assessed requirement for the unit will be an essay of 2,000 words utilising academic referencing. Please see the schedule for the exact timetable. Attendance is mandatory.

The aims of this unit are: A1. To explore ideas of visual language and the visual construction of meaning through theoretical concepts and photographic practice. A2. To promote a critical understanding of theories of perception, representation, contemporary communication and cultural meaning. A3. To promote the investigation and understanding of how cultural history informs the present and historical and contemporary visual practice. A4. To promote and support the development of essential academic skills i.e. research, analysis of texts, structuring of argument and the ability to critically analyse and debate verbally and in writing. Learning outcomes for unit: On successful completion of this unit you will be able to demonstrate: LO1 A growing understanding of critical ideas regarding perception, meaning, and communication. LO2 A growing appreciation of the application and operation of concepts of visual communication to both historical and contemporary practice particularly in photography. LO3 A developing knowledge of theoretical cultural ideas and perspectives and their importance in both historical and contemporary practice LO4 Developing essential academic skills to support, explore, and expand concepts, support critical analysis, the understanding and development of ideas and their expression in verbal and written form Assessment requirement: Essay of 2,000 words. This accounts for 70% of the units marks

Lecture Schedule: All lectures will be held in 806 Please check the iCal for times Monday 03rd February A Question of Beauty and Essay Briefing Monday 10th February The Still Life Issue & The Portrait Issue Monday 17th February Group tutorials (Term 1 Feedback and Commission Unit) see iCal for details Monday 24th February Documentary and the City: Where is the Street? (+ seminar task) Monday 3rd March Fashion Stories (+ seminar task) Monday 10th March Desire and Disgust: Avant-garde experiments in European photography (+ seminar task) Monday 17th March Sequencing and a Photographic Language of Objectivity (+ essay tutorials) Monday 24th March Groups 2/3 Image Analysis and Essay seminars Monday 31st March Groups 1/4 Image Analysis and Essay seminars Friday 28t h April Essay Deadline, between 14.00-16.00, Campus Registry

Seminar Schedule: All seminars will be held in 806. A task will be set for each session, and each session is expected to be driven by student input. Before the session a set text will be provided that will form the basis of discussion. It is mandatory that you read the text before the session. Please see the iCal for group times. Seminar 1: Documentary and the City Monday 24th Feb Reading: Ebner, Florain (2008) 'Urban Characters, Imaginary Cities', in Street & Studio: An Urban History of Photography, Eskildsen, Ute ed., Tate: London & Scott, Clive (2007) 'Introduction' in Street Photography: From Brassai to Cartier-Bresson, I.B.Taurus: London Seminar 2: Fashion Stories Monday 3rd March Reading: Lehmann, Ulrich (2002) 'Fashion Photography' in Chic clicks: creativity and commerce in contemporary fashion photography, ICA Boston Seminar 3: The line between desire and disgust... Monday 10th March Reading: Krauss, Rosalind (1985) 'Corpus Delicti', October, vol.33

Essay Support *Monday 03rd Feb. Essay feedback session A follow-up on general strategies, methods and skills for essay writing 14.00-15.30 Group 1+2 15.30-17.00 Group 3+4 *Monday 17th Mar. Group essay tutorials with Francis Summers Task: to support issues of structure and argument - bring essay plans and bibliography and be prepared to discuss 14.00-15.30 Group 1+2 15.30-17.00 Group 3+4 *1-2-1 Essay feedback slots: Task: To discuss your previous essay and to go through assessment sheet. Make sure you bring your essay and feedback sheet with you to the session. Monday 24th February 12.00-12.10 Madison Blackwood 12.10-12.20 Hannah Broad 12.20-12.30 Zoe Coombes 12.30-12.40 Adam Easton 12.40-12.50 Charlotte Edwards 12.50-13.00 George Enescu 13.00-13.10 Jade Gordon-Brown Monday 3rd March 12.00-12.10 Jessica Griffiths 12.10-12.20 Rebecca Henehan 12.20-12.30 Luna Limbu 12.30-12.40 Elizabeta Mikelsone 12.40-12.50 Neda Mockeviciute 12.50-13.00 Katie Morrison 13.00-13.10 Danielle Phipps Monday 10th March 12.00-12.10 Charlie Stanhope 12.10-12.20 Catherine Stuart 12.20-12.30 Mark Sutherland 12.30-12.40 Nicola Thompson 12.40-12.50 Hannah Vigors 12.50-13.00 Bethan Williams 13.00-13.10 Georgia Wynne

Essay Questions: Address one of the three following questions. 1. Compare and contrast the work of Brassa and Wolfgang Tillmans Some pointers: -Consider how their work operates to document or represent people and their surroundings. You might look at how their work looks at 'fringe' activities or 'marginal' people. -You could consider how their work operates across the notion of documentary, fashion, portraiture and street photography. -You might want to look at the different contexts of the photographers and possibly compare them to other photographers working in this way. -Some other photographers to consider include: Daido Moriyama, William Klein, Lee Friedlander, Pieter Hugo, Walker Evans, Vivian Sassen, Helen Levitt, Walker Evans, Ed Van der Elsken, Lise Sarfati, Boris Mikhailov, Diane Arbus 2. Photographs are made not taken. Consider this statement in relation to examples of photographers who use construction as a key part of their work. Some photographers you may wish to consider: Hannah Starkey, Anne Hardy, James Casebere, Anna Gaskell, Cindy Sherman, Guy Bourdin, Duane Michaels, Miles Aldridge, Jeff Wall, Thomas Demand, Laurie Simmons, Tim Walker, David Lachapelle 3. Compare and contrast the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher and Robert Frank, paying attention to the way in which they use series of images. Some pointers: -Consider the way in which a series of photographs produces a particular meaning. -What kind of relations between images are produced in these works? -How do the photographers use different methods to group photographs? -You may also wish to look at the context of the photographers and also other photographers who use similar methods. These could include: Ed Ruscha, Taryn Simon, Eadweard Muybridge, W. Eugene Smith, Walker Evans, Rinko Kawauchi. Essay deadline: Monday 28th April Location: Registry Office Annexe between 14.00-16.00

Submission of work. DATE FOR HANDING IN WORK: 28th April between 14.00-16.00. THE ESSAY MUST BE 2000 WORDS LONG WITH VISUAL EXAMPLES, APPROPRIATE REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. REFERENCING AND BIBLIOGRAPHY MUST FOLLOW UCA ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS BY USING THE HARVARD SYSTEM OF REFERENCING SEE STUDY GUIDES FOR INSTRUCTIONS. IT MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH TURNITIN (SEE MYUCA FOR GUIDANCE) FAILURE TO SUBMIT WORK CAN LEAD TO FAILURE OF THIS UNIT AND MAY JEOPARDISE PROGRESSION ON THE COURSE. IF YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES TALK TO YOUR TUTORS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OR APPLY FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. THIS ESSAY CONTRIBUTES 70% TOWARDS THE OVERALL MARK FOR THIS UNIT.

Assessment Criteria Knowledge of Contexts, Concepts, Technologies and Processes Applied knowledge and theoretical understanding of perception, communication LO1 and meaning Critical understanding of historical and cultural LO2 photographic practice Understanding through Application of Knowledge Use of research to initiate, support, and develop LO3 ideas Strength of argument through structure, flow, LO4 and development Application of Technical and Professional Skills Use of academic conventions to communicate LO5 clearly in written form REFERENCE MATERIAL Essential Author Barrett, T Barthes, R Bignell, J Berger, J Wells, L Papageorge, T Elkins, J Arnheim, R Palmer, D Date 2005 2009 2002 2008 2009 2011 2009 2004 2008 Title & publication details Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images (California: Mayfield) Mythologies, trans. A. Lavers (London: Vintage) Media Semiotics: An Introduction (Manchester University Press) Ways of Seeing (various: Penguin) Photography: A Critical Introduction (London: Routledge) Core Curriculum: Writings on Photography (Aperture) How to use Eyes (London: Routledge) Visual Thinking (London: University of California) Structuralism and Poststructuralism for Beginners (London & New York: Readers and Writers)

Recommended Author Philips, S Crary, J Gombrich, E Hall, S (ed) Hughes, R Date 2010 1990 2002 1997 1991 Title & publication details Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera (London: Tate) Techniques of the Observer: On Vision and Modernity in the Nineteenth Century (Cambridge & London: MIT Press) Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation (London: Phaidon) Representation Cultural Representation & Signifying Practice (London: Sage) The Shock of the New (London: Thames & Hudson)

La Grange, A

2005

A Basic Critical Theory for Photographers (Amsterdam/Focal Press)

Study Skills are available through the library Some useful links to study skills are: Study Advice - general page http://community.ucreative.ac.uk/article/25877/Study-Advice Essay writing - includes tips on the production of essays, from time management to formatting http://community.ucreative.ac.uk/index.cfm?articleid=12239 Study Guides - links to various forms of advice, from punctuation to essay writing style, to how to take notes... http://community.ucreative.ac.uk/article/25871/Study-Guides Harvard reference Guide - a how-to page concerning using Harvard referencing for quotation and bibliography http://community.ucreative.ac.uk/article/27187/Referencing

Suggested further reading: (It is not expected that you will read all these texts; they are provided to provide research guides and paths for your further research and the production of your essay) Other general reading for an introduction to photography:
I include this list again as it does not seem to have been used for the lest essay. It is strongly advised that you familiarise yourself with this list.

Edwards, Steve (2006) Photography: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press Bate, David (2009) Photography: The Key Concepts, Oxford and New York: Berg Bull, Stephen (2010) Photography, London: Routledge Cotton, Charlotte (2003) The Photograph as Contemporary Art, London: Thames & Hudson, Bright, Deborah (2005) Art Photography Now, London: Thames & Hudson, Marien, Mary Warner (2002) Photography: A Cultural History, London: Laurence King Ritchin, Fred (2008) After Photography, New York: W.W.Norton & Co. Sontag, Susan (1978) On Photography, Allen Lane: London Tagg, John (1988) The Burden of Representation: Essays on Photographies and Histories, Basingstoke: Macmillan Classic Essays on Photography (1980) Trachtenberg, ed., New Haven: Leete's Island Books which includes: -Benjamin, Walter 'A Short History of Photography' -Bazin, Andre 'The Ontology of the Photographic Image' -Baudelaire, Charles 'The Modern Public and Photography' Thinking Photography (1982) Victor Burgin (ed.), Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1982 Wells, Liz ed. (2002) The Photography Reader, London: Routledge Goldberg, Vicki ed. (1981) Photography in Print: Writings from 1816 to the Present, Alberquerque, University of New Mexico Bolton, Richard ed. (1999) The Contest of Meaning: Critical Histories of Photography, Cambridge Massachusetts, MIT Press Weski, Thomas (2006) Click Doubleclick: The Documentary Factor, London: Walter Konig

Vitamin Ph (2006) London: Phaidon Gernsheim, Helmut (1971) A Concise History of Photography, London: Thames and Hudson, Newhall, Beaumont (1982) The History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present, New York: The Museum of Modern Art Barthes, Roland (1977) Image-Music-Text, New York: Hill & Wang Barthes, Roland (1984) Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, London: Flamingo Dyer, Geoff (2005) The Ongoing Moment, Little Brown Shore, Stephen (2007) The Nature of Photographs, London: Phaidon

Recommended reading relating to lectures: A Question of Beauty Beech, Dave, ed. (2009) Beauty, London: Whitechapel Gallery and MIT Press Scarry, Elaine (2001) On Beauty and Being Just, Princeton: Princeton University Press Eco, Umberto (2004) On Beauty, London: Secker and Warburg Pacteau, Francette (1994) The Symptom of Beauty, London: Reaktion Donoghue, Denis (2003) Speaking of Beauty, Yale: Yale University Documentary and the City: Where is the Street? Ebner, Florain (2008) 'Urban Characters, Imaginary Cities', in Street & Studio: An Urban History of Photography, Eskildsen, Ute ed., London: Tate Scott, Clive (2007) Street Photography: From Brassai to Cartier-Bresson, London: I.B.Taurus Westerbrook, Colin and Meyerowitz (1994) Bystander: A History of Street Photography, London: Thames & Hudson Bush, Kate ed. (2012) Everything Was Moving: Photography from the 60s and 70s, London: Barbican Sequence and the Page: Fashion Stories Lehmann, Ulrich (2002) 'Fashion Photography' in Chic clicks: creativity and commerce in contemporary fashion photography, Boston: ICA Cotton, Charlotte (2000) Imperfect beauty, London: Victoria and Albert Museum. Brookes, Rosetta (1992) 'The Double Page Spread; Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin, Deborah Turbeville' in Chic Thrills; A Fashion Reader, Berkeley: University of California Press, Newton, Helmut (1998) Pages from the glossies: facsimiles, 1956-1998, London: Scalo Harrison, Martin (1990) Appearances: fashion photography since 1945, London: Cape

Desire and Disgust: Avant-garde experiments in European photography Krauss, Rosalind (1985) 'Corpus Delicti', October, vol.33 Krauss, Rosalind and Livingston, Jane (1986) LAmour Fou: Photography and Surrealism, London: Hayward Gallery Suleiman, Susan Rubin (1998) 'Dialogue and Double Allegiance: Some Contemporary Women Artists and the Historical Avant-Garde' in Mirror Images: Women, Surrealism and Representation, Cambridge MA.: MIT Press Lusty, Natalya (2007) Surrealism, Feminism, Psychoanalysis, Aldershot: Ashgate Mundy, Jennifer (2001) Surrealism: Desire Unbound, London: Tate Menninghaus, Winfried (2003) Disgust: The Theory and History of a Strong Emotion, New York: SUNY Sequencing and a Photographic Language of Objectivity Greenough, Sarah (1994) 'Fragments that Make a Whole: Meaning in Photographic Sequences' in Robert Frank: Moving Out, Washington: National Gallery of Art Stimson, Blake. (2006) The Photographic Comportment of Bernd and Hilla Becher in The Pivot of the World: Photography and its Nation, Cambridge, MA.: MIT Hatch, Kevin (2005) '"Something Else': Ed Ruscha's Photographic Books', October, vol.111 Troeller, Jordan (2010) 'Against Abstraction: Zoe Leonard's "Analogue"', Art Journal, Vol.69, No.4 Wylie, Donovan (2004) The Maze, London: Granta Becher, Bernd & Hilla (2002) Industrial Landscapes, Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press Baker, George (1996) 'Photography Between Narrativity and Stasis: August Sander, Degeneration, and the Decay of the Portrait', October, vol.76,

ESSAY PARTICULARS *Make sure you answer the question! *Make sure you adhere to the word count as you will be penalised for going significantly under or over. *Always reference your sources when quoting. This is essential. Use Harvard style of referencing. *At the end of your essay produce a bibliography; a list of all the books you have read to produce the essay (even if you havent quoted from them). This is essential. Neither footnotes / endnotes nor bibliography count towards the final word count. *Be aware of plagiarism please refer to myUCA for guidance on this issue. When using pictures make sure you include their producer (artist / photographer), their title and their date. If they are of a specific material or size, include this also (i.e., marble, 24 foot high etc.). Also make sure it is clear to what pictures you are referring to in the text when using images in your essay. It may be useful to label them numerically, i.e. fig.1. (If doing this, also be sure to still include photographer, title, date with the image itself) ESSAY TIPS: Compare and contrast specific images read these images carefully, in terms of your responses to them and also in terms of other writing on the photographers work. Look at the photographers photographs, not their life stories. A good essay is an analysis of the work and its many contexts (from the personal to the historical) not just that of biography. Try to avoid producing lists of life events (for example: they were born in X, then went to college in Y etc.) and if using life events make them intersect with your argument. What do you want to say about their work? Look at how photographers use technique as a visual language examine visual strategies, look at perspectives, camera position, composition, the use of certain styles and motifs. Look at the use of details, textures, colour and contrast. Be sure to describe the images you use. Locate their work within a context who are they associated with, what ideas do they use? What other photographic histories does their work interact with? Locate a central idea in the essay and read around it dont rely solely on catalogue essays, look around the issues you find. The more adventurous your research the more interesting the essay will be.

Follow your gut instinct, but be sure to back it up with the relevant research Remember, an essay consists mostly of research. The better and more focused the research the more creative you can be with your arguments Be sure to structure your essay provide an introduction and conclusion. In your arguments try to stay focussed and dont wander all over the place.

FINAL TIPS: Always have a good starting point: If given a choice of questions, try and choose the one that either speaks to you or that you think presents the real challenge (i.e. gets you worked up about the issues). If asked to write on a subject of your choice pick a topic that you really want to cover, not one that you think is relevant but a little dull. Dont be afraid of the obscure and the personal they are often rewarding starting points Always do the research: Trying to write a presentation or essay on the night before deadline is a recipe for stress ulcers and heart attacks. Any essay is always 90% research with 10% of the time spent writing up the research into an essay. (This is obviously an exaggeration time should be left to write and rewrite the piece!) Always PLAN the research: A very simple point, but if you can structure the research well, the essay can easily mirror it, thus telling the story of your research (the interesting bits at least). Think about opposing positions, about non-agreeing photographers / writers, about using many different sources that you can pull together into a grand plan, an argument that takes us through the story of the research. Always use an introduction and a conclusion: The introduction and the conclusion bookend the work with one mirroring the other. You should state your intended journey plan in the introduction, i.e. that you will be looking at the birth of the portrait through the work of Frank and Gursky looking at this + that aspect of the work (insert topic here, i.e. deadpan, subjectivity vs. objectivity, historical context, etc.). The body of the text follows through this procedure. The conclusion then mirrors this reminding the reader of the journey taken. ALWAYS USE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING Always use spell-check. Re-read the work before handing it in! Use Harvard method for quoted sources and for your bibliography Reference your sources + title your pictures! Always save your work as you write!!! KEEP A BACK-UP! Keep your own copy of your work.