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School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
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School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
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Topics in Digital Photography (11:035:250) Syllabus

Note:

This syllabus is for general information about the course. The instructor will provide you with an updated syllabus specific for the semester of enrollment.

Course Description

2 Credits. Online via Canvas. This course will help students learn how to properly use an advanced digital camera in order to achieve desired photographic outcomes. (You will learn what all those dials on your camera do!) Students will also learn how to use various camera lenses and other photographic equipment. You will become familiar with how to use Adobe Photoshop to correct and enhance photographs. You will also learn some basics about photography composition. Even though the course is taught online, it is a "hands on" course. Most of your assignments will involve taking photographs and/or correcting and enhancing them by using Photoshop or other photographic software programs. Students will also be required to set up a social media account on Flickr.com in order to share photos.

Learning Goals

As a result of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify, select and utilize digital camera settings, lens and photographic equipment
  • Utilize software to correct and enhance digital photographs
  • Employ the basics of photographic composition

Requirements

  • Digital Camera with manual settings
  • Access to Adobe Photoshop CS6 (available at RU Computing Labs)or subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan

Basis for Grading

Students will be evaluated on weekly assigned photographic compositions and a final portfolio project. Threaded discussions and quizzes will also be assigned over the course of the semester.

Schedule

Typical topics include:

  • Week 1: Course introduction
  • Week 2: Types of Cameras – what to look for in a digital camera / How to Approach Learning Online
  • Week 3: What do all those dials and settings on my camera do? Which one should I use?
  • Week 4: What's all this "noise" I hear about in photography?
  • Week 5: Camera Lenses and Their Characteristics / Photographic Composition
  • Week 6: Digital Basics and Staying Organized
  • Week 7-8: Photoshop Basics
  • Weeks 9: Fixing and Restoring Photos / Correcting White Balance
  • Week 10: Creating HDR (High Dynamic Range) Images and Improving Post Processing Skills
  • Week 11: Shooting Your Own HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photos
  • Week 12: Using Photoshop Layers to Create Composite Images
  • Week 13: Create Your Own Composite Image
  • Week 14: Final Exam – Present your portfolio.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Please follow the procedures outlined at ods.rutgers.edu/students/getting-registered. Full policies and procedures are at Office of Disability Services website.

Academic Integrity

The university's policy on Academic Integrity is available at policies on academic integrity.

The principles of academic integrity require that a student:

  • properly acknowledge and cite all use of the ideas, results, or words of others.
  • properly acknowledge all contributors to a given piece of work.
  • make sure that all work submitted as his or her own in a course or other academic activity is produced without the aid of impermissible materials or impermissible collaboration.
  • obtain all data or results by ethical means and report them accurately without suppressing any results inconsistent with his or her interpretation or conclusions.
  • treat all other students in an ethical manner, respecting their integrity and right to pursue their educational goals without interference. This requires that a student neither facilitate academic dishonesty by others nor obstruct their academic progress.
  • uphold the canons of the ethical or professional code of the profession for which he or she is preparing.

Adherence to these principles is necessary in order to ensure that:

  • everyone is given proper credit for his or her ideas, words, results, and other scholarly accomplishments.
  • all student work is fairly evaluated and no student has an inappropriate advantage over others.
  • the academic and ethical development of all students is fostered.
  • the reputation of the University for integrity in its teaching, research, and scholarship is maintained and enhanced.

NOTE: Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Resubmitting your own work that has previously been evaluated in this class or any other class.
  • Copying text directly from websites and other sources without attributing the original source(s).
  • Copying the work of students in other sections (past or present) of this course.

Failure to uphold these principles of academic integrity threatens both the reputation of the University and the value of the degrees awarded to its students. Every member of the University community therefore bears a responsibility for ensuring that the highest standards of academic integrity are upheld.

NOTE: To help protect you, and future students, from plagiarism, all essay assignments will be submitted through Turnitin.com.

Accessibility

Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS website.

Attendance and Participation Policy

Students are expected to actively participate in all of the online activities for the course. Attendance in the online sessions is determined by thorough, thoughtful, relevant and on time contributions made in the weekly assignments including threaded discussions, reaction papers and quizzes. The course proceeds with the assumption that students have thoughtfully read and reviewed the assigned materials.

Students are responsible for completion of all assigned readings, materials discussed and assignments on or before the assigned due date.

Student Wellness Services

Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services (CAPS)

848-932-7884 |17 Senior Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

CAPS is a University mental health support service that includes counseling, alcohol and other drug assistance, and psychiatric services staffed by a team of professional within Rutgers Health services to support students' efforts to succeed at Rutgers University. CAPS offers a variety of services that include: individual therapy, group therapy and workshops, crisis intervention, referral to specialists in the community and consultation and collaboration with campus partners.

Violence Prevention & Victim Assistance (VPVA)

848-932-1181 | 3 Bartlett Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance provides confidential crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual and relationship violence and stalking to students, staff and faculty. To reach staff during office hours when the university is open or to reach an advocate after hours, call 848-932-1181.

Disability Services

848-445-6800 | Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145, Livingston Campus, 54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854

Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation.

If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS website.

Scarlet Listeners

732-247-5555 | scarlet.listeners@gmail.com

Free and confidential peer counseling and referral hotline, providing a comforting and supportive safe space.