Capturing the Visual World
Kelly Gates
Syllabus: CAT1_FA11_Gates_Syllabus.pdf
The transition to digital photography provides occasion to reflect anew on the history of the medium. This course explores that history from the 1820s to the present, not through lens of well-known inventors or photographers but from a broader socio-cultural perspective. Special attention is given to police use of photography and the introduction of photographic evidence in the legal system, the professionalization of photojournalism, the integration of photography into advertising, the rise of amateur photography, entertainment and scientific uses of still photography and early motion pictures, and twentieth century developments. The course concludes with an examination of the social, cultural, and political issues that are influencing and arising from the development of digital imaging techniques, online photo sharing, and the new archival practices afforded by computerization.
Grade Breakdown
Participation in section discussions (15%)
Three required writing assignments (20% each)
Final exam (25%)
