LearningPhoto history 95

The History of Photography. Fall 97 Robert Fichter, office hours 8 -9 am, or by appointment. rm. 410 FAB, 644-6474, 224-2715. E-mail rficht@mailer.fsu.edu WWW :"http://mailer.fsu.edu/~rficht/School_materials/School_materials.html

This course is about stepping into the flow of ideas that have been generated by the fixing of the lens formed image. Because the straight photograph so closely resembles what we have been taught to believe is reality photograph raises a number of interesting issues.

Besides taking a look at the history of photography, we will be examining the cultural meanings of photography, and various critical stances toward photography. History, in its most basic form, is a chronological listing of people or concepts related to an idea. If we use Kuhn's1 concept of the paradigm then we can locate and list the ideas that have articulated the development of photography.

You should feel free to research anything that you would find of interest. T Think of yourself as a curator of a museum without walls.2

How to approach your readings.3

Use 3x5 cards for your note taking. You can sort your information in a variety of ways if you put one reference on each card

Look up any word that you don't know.

When reading make a list of the concepts developed by the author.

Do a time line for the period covered. Frequently an author will skip around. Doing a timeline helps keep the events straight in your mind.

Use the copy machines to capture images and large volumes of text.

Go to the library to do your reading. Check standard indexes. Actively look at random for sources.

Projects: 1. In class note book of responce to the class and the ideas presented. 2. 7 minute slide presentation on an imndividual artist of interest to you. TBS. 3. The over all project for you is to develop a critical theory about photography. This will be a substantial work that can take a variety of forms. You develop the concept and present the idea to me in a written outline and we arrive at an agreement as to its fisability. It could be a traditional written manuscript, a collaged text, a comic book, video or sound tape. It must refer to a minimum of 20 outside sources.

1T. Kuhn, The Shape of Time 2Malraux's concept of the museum without walls 3 Reading is good for your mind.