After screening all the YouTube video lecture presentations provided in this module, think about what you learned or discovered this week. These discoveries will become the basis of your “Five Important Points.” Write out the ideas you find most important, explain why you chose them, and be sure to discuss specific photographs to support and/or facilitate your points. As each module has a few YouTube lectures, please be sure to provide a random sampling of points so that you are writing at least five points on ALL of the lectures combined rather than just one lecture.
Remember, the goal is to demonstrate understanding of topics and ideas so be sure to discuss photographs when applicable to points being made. For example, if you write a point about a photographer or a photographic movement or even a photo process per se, be sure to provide a photographic example and explain how this photographic example applies to your discussion. You may embed photos if you so desire. Also, please note how important it is to write in your own words rather than copying from the lectures verbatim.
videos that needed to be watched
Example of UNSATISFACTORY points:
- “Photography was invented because painting was too expensive for most.”
While this is a true statement it does not follow the instructions. It is not three or more sentences and does not contain enough details in terms of demonstrating a thorough understanding of chosen topic.
- “Joseph Nicephore Niepce made the oldest photo in 1826-27. It’s dark and blurry and hard to read.”
While this is also a true statement, it does not follow the instructions. It’s much too short in length, does not identify the photo in question “A View from his Window at Le Gras,” and does not contain enough details in terms of demonstrating a thorough understanding of chosen topic.
Examples of SATISFACTORY random points:
- “Niepce made the photo “A View From His Window at Le Gras.” It’s said to be the oldest known permanent camera based photo and dates back to 1826-27. He used bitumen because it is sensitive to light and that is what made this photo a successful negative. While this rooftop photo seems inferior as compared to the photography of today, its historical significance lies in its invention.”
- “While there were many other inventors of the photographic process, Louis Daguerre was given the credit because he got to the finish line first. This is because his associate, Francois Arago, presented his camera process to the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1839. As the Academy was blown away with Daguerre’s invention, they wanted it to be France’s gift to the world.”
- “Photography was born out of the desire to commemorate one’s existence. As painting was more of an aristocratic endeavor, middle and lower class society members could only get likenesses made from silhouette and physionotrace machines which were much cheaper. While these machines made profile likenesses in a drawing format, nothing compared to Daguerre’s invention that provided crisp and clear photographic images.”
- “Anna Atkins’ “Algae Flagellatum” seems like a modern piece of art. I love how the algae floats beautifully in the 3D space. This photograph is blue in color because Atkins used the cynaotype process created by another photographer named Herschel. Atkins is important to this discussion because she is one of the very first female photographers in history.”
- “Daguerre’s photo “Boulevard du Temple” is one of the first known daguerreotypes made by the inventor of photography (or man given the credit for the invention). The photo is crisp and clear and depicts a street scene that includes a building and shoe shine worker. Apparently, there was a horse and carriage moving down the street in the scene but the early process could not capture this type of movement at the time since the process was slow.”
