Ground Rules

The purpose of this class is to learn to make successful portrait photographs, both in and out of the studio. Students will be expected to turn in a wide variety of assignments over the course of the semester. Students will be expected to work hard, and the reward will be photographic skills and knowledge to last a lifetime.

Prerequisites: You must be familiar with B&W techniques, including film processing and printing. You must understand how to operate a 35mm camera.

Furthermore: If you are proficient using other formats, you are welcome to use them in this class. For those unfamiliar with medium format cameras, we will have a Hasselblad demo during the 2nd week. For those unfamiliar with printing in the A-Lab, we will have a demo during the 1st day of class. For those unfamiliar with film processing here at LACC, please see me.
If you would like to turn in assignments in color (and have taken the color class, Photo 42), you may do so.

Digital: Lighting subtleties are not rendered identically with film and digital mediums. This is one of many reasons why digital photography is not allowed in this section of Photo 15. If you want to use a digital camera for tests, composition, etc, that is your prerogative. Assignments must be produced using non-digital methods.

Color: If you have successfully completed Photo 42, Color Printing, you may choose to complete some of your assignments for this class in color. These must be printed here at LACC.

Alternative Processes: You may choose to explore alternative processes in this class. If you can make great and compelling photographs using unusual techniques, go for it. However, remember that the topic of this course is portraiture, not alternative processes. If you choose to present your assignments in anything other than traditional format, you must be prepared to defend this position. Keep in mind that many of the assignments in this class are designed to teach specific lighting techniques. For these assignments, you must make sure that these techniques are not obscured or nullified by your choice of processing.

Grading: Your final grade is a combination of the following: visual assignments, in-class presentations, attendance, class participation, and the extent to which you have progressed as a photographer over the course of the semester. If you are on time to class and completes all of your assignments, you will receive a B. If you are on time to class and complete all of your assignments exceptionally well, you will receive an A. If your performance is lackluster, you will receive a lower grade.

On time Assignments: Your assignments must be turned in on time. If they are late, they will be down-graded by one entire grade for every week they are late. If you have a sob story or medical excuse to explain late work, it needs to be very good and must be accompanied by documentation. Police reports or a doctor’s note will suffice. A note from your mother is not good enough.
Reshoots: If you are not satisfied with your assignment, you will be allowed to reshoot it once and only once with no impact on your grade. In order to reshoot an assignment, you must first turn in your first attempt on the day it is due. You may decide to reshoot an assignment either before or after you have received a grade. Upon making this decision, you will have 2 weeks to complete the assignment and to resubmit it. I strongly urge you to get the assignments done to your satisfaction the first time around.
Cleanliness counts: Please keep your assignments away from dogs’, cats’, and childrens’ mouths. Do not spill food or beverages on your assignments. Do not leave them out in the rain. If your assignments appear grease-stained, bitten, warped, or otherwise stained, it had better be on purpose and not because of neglect.
Be punctual: Late-comers and lolly-gaggers will not be tolerated in this class.

Subject Matter: The nature of this class requires you to enlist people to act as your subjects. You may use your families, your co-workers, your friends, or total strangers as subjects. Be prepared to model for your fellow students. You may not use mannequins as your subjects. You may not use animals as your subjects, though you are welcome to include them in your photographs. Although nudity is a time-honored tradition within the genre of portraiture, today’s litigious society does not allow it to exist in the classroom here at LACC. If you intend to experiment within this tradition, you must do so outside of this institution.