Ecological Photography

Course name: Ecological Photography
Code: Phot 2100
Total count of hours: 60 hours
Description:
This course offers general and basic knowledge and skills about the possibilities and stages of digital photography applied to ecological exploration.
Through practice exercises and field trips students will apply the information provided in lectures.
Students will be able to consciously create and manipulate digital photographic images while exploring Costa Rican ecological systems.
Objectives:
-Have a clear knowledge of the basic principles of photography to consciously handle a digital photographic camera.
-Have a clear knowledge of the basic principles of photographic composition.
-Have a basic notion of Ecological systems throughout Costa Rica and important issues in relation to photographic exploration.
-Perform basic manipulations through Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw.
Content:
Students will develop creativity and artistic sensitivity for the elaboration and critique of photographic images based on the following subjects:
Subject 1: Introduction to Photography. History/ The Photographic Camera. / Exposition: Shutter speed and f. stop
Subject 2: Depth of Field. Definition / Factors that affect the depth of field. Capture of Movement. Frozen movement and Panning.
Subject 3: Photographic Optics. Type of lenses/ Focal length and angle of coverage/ Zoom, Macro, Fisheye/ ISO factor / ISO in the digital camera / Intelligent use of ISO in point n shoots. Digital photography: resolution, format
Subject 4: Composition. Photographic Composition/ Composition with lines and color. Light. Basic use of lighting/ Color Temperature and white balance/ Direction of light
Subject 5: Ecology and Photography. Investigation of Costa Rican Ecology / Review of Ecological Photographers / The Photographic Inventory / The Photographic Critique
Subject 6: Digital manipulation. Introduction to Photoshop CS4. Crop, Contrast, Color, Selection tools, Layers, Filters/ Adobe Camera Raw
Subject 7: HDR Photography
Methodology:
The course is theoretical and practical. Lectures will be imparted to present the theoretical aspect of the subjects with visual support and applied practical exercises in the classroom. Students will perform practice exercises to apply the lessons studied in the classroom.
Students will investigate aspects of Costa Rican Ecology in order to create coherent series of images during the fieldtrips.
Requirements:
Students must have a digital point n´ shoot or SLR camera and a basic knowledge of Mac and Windows Operating Systems.
Field trips: Participation in field trips is mandatory.
Two day field trips will be on Saturday and Sunday.
Attendance to every class is mandatory. If a student gets sick or has some other important problem, he/she has to bring a document justifying their absence.
After 2 absences, students will fail the course.
Behavior
Professors have the right to expel a student from the classroom should he / she:
1) be disruptive in the classroom
2) be under the influence of alcohol
3) behave in a disrespectful way.
Audience
This course is structured for International Students attending the Study Abroad program at Universidad Veritas. However, courses are not exclusive to foreigners so a few native student could enroll in this course.
Evaluation System:
10% 1 written tests
10% Investigation
50% 7 assignments / 9 Practice in class
30% Final project