Photography. History and Practice

The class will focus on the emergence of photography in the context of the art and science of the first third of the nineteenth century. Participants will discuss what makes a photo shot different from traditional painting or drawing, and experiment with the early photo processes, such as cyanotype and salt prints, during the practical session.

Course members will learn what the terms “negative” and “positive” mean in photography, find out how the camera is arranged, construct a primitive photo camera and develop several shots with it using different color combinations and contrasts.

The class is based around the influence of photography on the evolution of applied science and fine arts, and will introduce the categories of “exposure”, “shutter speed” and “aperture”. During the practical block, the group will try to solve a number of visual tasks by changing and fine-tuning different camera settings.

The participants will be introduced with the tradition of ceremonial photo and painterly portrait. They will also learn more about the qualities of the “main light”, discuss composition canons, and work with the medium of classic studio portrait.

During this session, the class will examine the influence of photography on late nineteenth and early twentieth century painting. The group will discuss photography as an “independent medium” before learning to make shots using diffusion filters, long exposure, and light brush.

The class is dedicated to various old-time printing techniques. The participants will discuss how the choice of a printing method may impact the perception of the shot.

The lecturer will introduce direct photography—a new photographic language invented after World War I, explaining to the group the expressive options of pure form, rhythm, and angle. The practical part will focus on creating formal landscapes.

The course members will learn the principles of classic black and white printing and will develop several prints in a dark room under red light.

The lecturer will trace the history of photojournalism and commercial photography, before asking the group to create their own advertising posters using the medium of photogram.

Surrealism in art, photography, and literature is the central theme of the seminar. The participants will analyze the problem of “objectivity” in photography before learning new expressive techniques during the practical workshop.

After learning more about the concept of the color wheel, the group will discuss the significance of color in fine art and photography and will work with color contrasts and combinations.

The final session will go over the expressive mediums borrowed by photography from film. The group will be introduced to the categories of montage and photo series and will develop and narrate a story using selected shots.