Module: Documentary Photography

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Documentary Photography
Module Code	CM5997 (ITS) / ART1001 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Communications
Module Co-ordinator	Dragana Jurisic
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only

Description

This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the history, theory and contemporary documentary photography practices, which will enable them to critically reflect on their own practice as documentary storytellers. The module is predominantly practice based and provides an opportunity for students to develop their photographic skills and explore documentary aesthetics. Over the course of semester, students will learn about narrative photography, and they will be supported in their documentary photography project, from conception, through to development and execution.

Learning Outcomes

1. Employ technical and conceptual skills required for realising and producing documentary portfolio.
2. Demonstrate problem solving and creativity through independent research and practice, through the completion of a resolved self-generated, negotiated brief.
3. Employ key skills in the use of Photoshop, Camera Raw, Lightroom and related software for image editing.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the evolving genres of documentary aesthetics and language of documentary contemporary photographic practice.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	33	No Description
Independent Study	217	No Description
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

The History of Documentary Photography & Critical Theory
History. Critical Theory. Seminal works. Notable Practitioners. Ethical issues.

Contemporary Documentary Photography
Contemporary Practices. Aesthetic Trends. Genres of Documentary Photography. Current debates.

Image Capture Techniques
Digital SLR Camera. Aperture & Shutter Speed techniques. Shooting RAW vs. Shooting jpeg. Image Card Readers. Image Storage Options. File size and resolution. Image Capture Techniques. Basics of Lighting and Composition. Introduction to Studio lighting. Scanning techniques.

Image Editing Techniques and Software
Photoshop. Lightroom. Image RAW.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Practical/skills evaluation	Technical skills: exposure, composition and light and post processing software (Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.)	50%	n/a
Portfolio	Documentary Photography Project: proposal and project statement writing, editing and sequencing images, portfolio.	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Susan Sontag: 2001, On Photography, Picador,
John Berger: 2008, Ways of Seeing, Penguin, London,
John Tagg: 2021, The Burden of Representation: Essays on Photographies and Histories,, University of Minnesota Press,
Mark Sealy: 2019, Decolonising the Camera: Photography in Racial Time., Lawrence & Wishart,
Liz Wells: 2004, Photography: A Critical Introduction, Routledge, London:,
Susan Sontag: 2004, Regarding the Pain of Others, Penguin,
Fred Ritchin: 2008, After Photography,, Norton & Company,
John Berger: 2013, Understanding a Photograph., Penguin Modern Classics,
Liz Wells: 2002, The Photography Reader, Routledge, London,

Other Resources

None