While photojournalists and commercial photographers typically shoot assignment-based work, many artists using photography as their primary creative medium will organize their work into distinct series. The photos in a series might be united by rigid visual consistency or they might employ a broad range of techniques with a singular idea in mind. A series can take many forms, provided that the images are all related through strong thematic or conceptual premises.

OBJECTIVE
Your objective for the remainder of the semester is to create a photographic series.

You’re free to work with any styles or approaches you like – i.e. portraiture, street photography, still life, etc. – provided that your work can be read as a coherent set of images.

The open-ended nature of this project can be daunting. If you’d like some ideas, framework, or inspiration, you might visit the websites of Edward Burtynsky, James Casebere, Sarah Charlesworth, Mitch Epstein, Abelardo Morell, Laurie Simmons, Alec Soth, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Carrie Mae Weems, or James Welling. These are by no means the only artists working in series, but their websites are all very well-organized according to distinct bodies of work.

AGENDA
Completing this project can, and should, be an enjoyable, stress-free process. For this to be the case, it also needs to be a well-considered, organized one. You need to plan when to shoot, and that plan must adhere to the following schedule. Otherwise you will find yourself rushing to complete your images at the last minute, and the quality of your work will suffer.

Week 13 / May 4
– Project Introduction – Review project requirements and ideas for series. Lab Session: Serial Images.
– For Week 13 – Start shooting. Shoot at least 40-50 images. Share your best 4-5 with our Flickr group.

Week 14 / May 11
– Update & Editing Session – Discuss ideas and images for project. Review work in progress. Edit images using Lightroom and Photoshop; local corrections.
– For Week 15 – Finish Shooting, at very least 40-50 images. Make final selection of 6-10 images. Share final edited selection on Flickr and Openlab.

NO CLASSES – May 18 – READING DAY

Week 15 / May 25
– Review & Critique – Present final photos; group discussion and critique.

REQUIREMENTS
– You must create an OpenLab post with 6-10 photos for your final critique on the last day of class.
– You must upload the final, color-corrected files for these photographs to our Flickr group prior to the critique.
– Your photographs must demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles discussed in class: i.e. light & shadow, correct exposure, framing, etc.
– Your images must be conventional “straight photographs” – you cannot use filters, photoshop effects or digital photo-montage techniques. You’re free to do whatever you want – as long as it happens in front of the camera.
– Your photographs must express your own thoughts, ideas, opinions, concepts or viewpoints in some way, shape or form.
– You must continue to shoot and upload a minimum of 40-50 images then share your best 4-5 with our Flickr group each week.

ASSESSMENT
Grading for the final project will be based on technical proficiency displayed in shooting and color-correcting your photographs, along with your contributions to the dialog and working method established in class.

Technical considerations will include:
– Exposure & Lighting
– Control of shutter speed, aperture if possible, and ISO
– Framing & Composition
– Color Correction & File Management
– Image Consistency

Additional considerations will include:
– Expressive use of photographic medium
– Originality of thought & approach
– Ability to execute ideas
– Personal challenges presented/surpassed
– Growth in photographic knowledge