Learn how to communicate through graphics and digital photography. In this class, you will "focus" on the basics of camera operation, exposure, image control, picture composition, photo enhancement, and photo manipulation. This course discusses digital and traditional film photography, design, graphic arts, and electronic communication through discussions and mock-ups. You will complete photography projects which demonstrate techniques such as portraiture, composition, landscapes, architecture, wildlife, and nature. It is STRONGLY recommended that you use a digital camera for this course to complete all required assignments. If you choose to use a cell phone for this course, you will also need to access a photo editing application that permits users to apply settings that can generally be applied within menus typical of DSLR cameras. Note: This course does not focus on how to use specific photo editing software, but rather on the characteristics of various forms of photographic art and techniques used to achieve such artwork. Therefore, students should be prepared to use their camera and software editing tools or plan to learn and experiment with their use on their own while completing course activities.
Prerequisites: None
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
- explain how photography has changed over time
- experiment with your camera’s settings
- adequately manage your digital files
- develop an understanding of composition, elements, and principles of design
- focus on objects for still life photography
- explain the difference between a close-up and macro
- understand the importance of quality photo editing
- identify the genre of a photograph
- explain the importance of ethics in the field of photography
- discuss the character’s emotional state portrayed in a portrait
- discover how to capture personality in a portrait
- incorporate direction, framing, and the rule of thirds into your photography
- apply composition techniques
- apply four types of architecture photography to your work
- create three types of action photography
- explore color, pattern, texture, and lighting
- interpret the type of action or abstraction within a photograph
- apply photo narration to tell a story through your photography skills
- discuss the impact that photography can have on the world
Course Outline:
Module 1: Introduction to Digital Photography & Communications
Module 2: The Digital World
Module 3: Getting in Focus
Module 4: Extremely Focused
Module 5: Getting More Personal
Module 6: Moving Out
Module 7: Special Effects
Module 8: Lasting Impressions
Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.
Additional Costs: Students must have a digital camera and image editing software. See the technical requirements section for details.
Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school mentor is also able to access this score within the Student Learning Portal. Schools may use this score for conversion to their own letter grading system.
Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.
Technology Requirements: A digital camera is required for this course. Video Cameras are NOT suitable. A cell phone may be difficult to complete some assignments successfully, though most assignments can be met with the use of a modern smart phone camera app accompanied by a photo editing application. Ideally, the camera, or combination of camera and photo editing application, you use should allow for experimentation with lighting, settings, and menu functions.
Your Camera Must Have:
(a) a flash that you can control and turn on/off as needed; (b) OPTICAL zoom (the range doesn't matter as long as it can zoom); (c) macro capability; (d) USB cable or other means of transferring your photos from the camera to the computer; (e) viewfinder OR monitor screen; and (f) the ability to export photos in a .JPEG image file format.
Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/
Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments.
Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:
- Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
- Download and install software
- Use a messaging service similar to email
- Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
- Open attachments shared in messages
- Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
- Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
- Save a file as a .pdf
- Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
- Insert images or links into a file or html editor
- Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
- Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
- Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
- Use presentation and graphics programs
- Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
- Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
- Create and maintain usernames and passwords
Note: This course does not focus on how to use specific photo editing software, but rather on the characteristics of various forms of photographic art and techniques used to achieve such artwork. Therefore, students should be prepared to use their camera and software editing tools or plan to learn and experiment with their use on their own while completing course activities.
Additional Information: This course requires additional hardware and software. See the additional costs and technical requirements sections of the syllabus for details.