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Creating an Analog Photography Class.

You might get one or two copies of Into Your Darkroom Step by Step to keep on hand for the students to refer to when you are busy with someone else.

I used the Horenstein book to learn the basics years ago. I still refer to it on occasion.
 
Since these are high school students I would just put a camera in their hands and give them a few brief handouts. Make the class as hands-on and fun as you can and don't expect them to study a text.

If you are going to use a book, Hoenstein's would probably be my recommendation for this age group.
 
Just have them read the "Understanding EI" thread here on APUG and tell them it will be on the test ... .

Seriously, one resource that would be invaluable, and would be hard to find in any text, would be a collection of well exposed and well developed example negatives, and well-printed prints.

If those high quality examples could be paired with problem examples as well, it would be invaluable.

IMHO, one of the hardest things to learn is when you have got something right, and how to tell. The internet does a very poor job of that, and most texts have trouble too.

Matt
 
I would recommend Horenstein's and Upton's books but since it is a summer class with limited time I would keep it as hands on as I could. I think it would be best to build the excitement in both the process of taking the photographs and the creative process of developing and printing the images. You can do all of this with handouts and by showing examples in the darkroom. What ever way you go it is good to see someone here in Tennessee teaching the younger generation about real film photography. Good luck to you.
 
My basic photography class was taught by Henry Horenstein back in 1975. Great teacher, the book has just enough to get you started and it's not toooo technical. They will be making decent exposures and prints in no time. Adam's books and the others can be explored latter. Make it easy for them...
 
Get them 'hands on' and in the darkroom as soon as possible. Nothing will cause a teenager to lose interest faster than a lot of technical info up front. They should be shooting the first week. Yes, they will trash some film and they will have some really badly exposed negatives. But if you combine some very basic exposure information and give them room to make mistakes (some of which they will think are 'art'), they'll stay interested.
 
In 1980, My high school photography class teacher had a bulk loader and a 100 ft roll of Tri-X that he would roll our own with. He charged much less than local film stores, and if you wanted a different film, you could supply that yourself.

There was one rule about the bulk loader - Woe to the student that touched the bulk loader without permission of the teacher...
 
RalphLambrecht said:
Are are looking forward to the 'Way Beyond Understand EI' thread?
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Goodness Ralph, ths IS funny. I read that thread and I felt so much better about my understanding or lack of same on that. And on the Phil Davis book Beyond the Zone system, that might just qualify as an instrument of torture in most countires. I know it tortured me. It's the photo equivelent of waterboarding, you think you are drowning but you are not.
JOHN
 
smieglitz said:
Since these are high school students I would just put a camera in their hands and give them a few brief handouts.
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Ditto.

Though it might not seem like it on APUG, photography isn't about the Ultimate EI or f-stop timing but about making images.

The basics of wet photography aren't very involved and fit into a few xeroxed sheets. A couple of demonstration classes should cover introductory darkroom techniques.

An introductory text in photographic composition might be appropriate, like Grill and Scanlon. You might also try Zen and the Art of Archery and a few Minor White exercises - a little of that goes a very long way. And a book on the theory (vizcrit, as it were) by Robert Adams. And there is always Szarkowski. I don't know that it is necessary the students buy the books but rather that the books might form the basis for classroom sessions and take-home exercises.

You might have some cameras available for student loan, like an old view camera, a speed graphic, a few box brownies/holgas and that sort of thing. Most students shouldn't have much trouble rustling up a '35 - though rustling a working one may be a problem.
 
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David Vestal's books are excellent though quite dated from the '70s.

I would suggest that you are facing an enormous amount of work so plan on a long time frame for get your facility created and organized unless you have a whole lot of assistance

I would also break the curriculum into parts. The easiest way to teach an intro course to photography is to have the students shoot color negative film and have it developed by a local photo-finisher.

You should plan on generating your own curriculum notes and possibly create Power Point presentations since visual presentations are more effective if you have a digital projector.

Field trips are also effective. IMO, mixing darkroom with intro classes muddies the water for the beginner.

Darkroom work should only be introduced as a second course after the
student completes the intro course.
 
Jon Shiu said:
Check out Henry Horenstein's Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual. Highly recommended.

Jon
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I suggest this one, or "Photography" by London and Upton (or Upton and Upton in some editions).

IMO, a basic photography class does not require a darkroom in any way. Just shoot 35mm transparencies, and your positive is right there...and teaches exposure and color balance without introducing the confusing and technically-involved negative-to-positive thought process and the interpretive element of printing, both of which, IMO, confuse the learning of the most basic and important technical knowledge (exposure and color balance). IMO, the beginning class should mostly be about composition, concept, and lighting, and they should exit at the very least understanding exposure and color balance, and save everything else for a later class. Printing is an overly complex thing to introduce to beginners, and I don't know why it is usually what is done in a beginning class. IMO, because of the manipulative nature of it, it makes it too hard to teach judging exposure, IMO. The fact that you can get so many lightnesses and darknesses and different levels of contrast from the same negative makes getting a handle on exposure difficult, especially in a group setting.
 
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smieglitz said:
Since these are high school students I would just put a camera in their hands and give them a few brief handouts.
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I agree with Joe. Try to teach them how to photograph and see through the camera. Use C-41 color film and have them get it developed at a local finisher and critique their prints.

Forget about the darkroom stuff and save those for advanced courses.
 
I went that route the first summer I held a photo course, gave out single use color cameras, then handed the kids back their results. I had some grant money for this through Penn State Extension(4H) as part of a two week summer art program. It was great fun for the age group, but you will be working with older teens. I think if you find a book you want to teach out of, then use exerpts from it as handouts. You may only want to concern them with composition and exposure, as you might not have the time for darkroom.

Rick
 
The Time Life series of photography books comes to mind. There are still many volumes to be found that are forgotten and/or discarded. They would have been published in he mid 70's so they are all film based in structure. Beautiful images through out by masters of the craft. No photographer should be without the series IMHO.
 
Does anyone have some Lesson Plans?
 
I have done this with HS students. Be patient.... Attention spans are surprisingly short, interest levels and commitment vary greatly in the group and most importantly, avoid motor drives! In a class of 15, I would feel fortunate to have 2-3 truly interested, focused and eager to learn. 2-3 that are hopeless film burners, making the same errors over and over and seemingly able to continue this indefinitely. The rest will gain a general understanding of the concepts, composition and basic equipment handling. It is actually quite rewarding; just have reasonable expectations.
 
I still feel the magic when a print comes up in the developer. I never felt that when I picked up a box of slides or machine prints from the photofinisher.

Get them in the darkroom making prints. They'll have fun, get hooked, and that will motivate them to learn more.
 
I've never taught a formal class on it, but I like the langford book and the life series of books (silk?) (small thin books) for the basics.
 
Couldn't agree more. Get their hands wet asap.

Use a super basic cheetsheet for developing times. One film, one developer, one temperature, one time. One routine for printing. I would start them with just one multigrade paper. Use multigrade but don't tell them about the multigrade filters till the need arises, which it will. Results now. Details later.

The best exposure guide would be the old sunny sixteen cheetsheet for those w/o good in camera meter. The best sunny sixteen cheetsheet I know of is a small chart about 2/3 down this page - www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm - The chart would need editing for simplicity for teens. It will get them through anything from night shots to brightest daylight.

Get them making stuff with as close to no theory as you can. Trust me, they will ask when they need a more sophisticated answer. You can always add information as they need it.

No books at the start unless someone asks for one.
 

Two things, I would say forget the text book, when there is a text book it's easy for students to trip up getting ahead of themselves.

Each lesson should cover a single topic, so for example in the first lesson you introduce the camera without film, in the second you introduce them to film, maybe the third introduces exposure. Lesson 4 introduces the darkroom, you can go on from here.

This makes it easier for the students to absorb the topics better, because your not doing everything at once. After introducing exposure, you need to get each student a camera and film and give them a shooting assignment.
 
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