Course Topics
Introduction to the history of photography as a technical medium to create pictures. Famous photographers: photographic styles, Media and stories. The digital photographic image and its creation in present time: social media, fake identities and the aesthetics of the surface. Photography as medium to observe the world, as means of documentation and its possibilities to create stories: here participants work out individually or in small groups (2 students), a topic, which must be realised as a project by the end of the semester. The aim is not to produce formal, aesthetic individual images but a photographic narrative or photographic reportage. One possible aim is to create a joint exhibition.

Propaedeutic courses
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Teaching format
Lecture, project work, in person teaching, group discussion, exercises on location.

Educational objectives
Goal: Knowledge and understanding: The basic knowledge required to understand and practically implement photography and image design. The practical realisation of one's own creativity and the necessary knowledge and techniques. The content is developed in the group using a specific project as an example. This includes familiarisation with the various areas of photography (e.g. reportage, travel, landscape and portrait photography) and the corresponding technical implementation options as well as familiarisation with and practical application of common image editing software. Applying knowledge and understanding: The basic theoretical knowledge forms the starting point for the acquisition of technical skills for creating, editing and critically analysing and critical analysis of image material (photos), as well as the basis for understanding of application-related aspects of visual communication. Judgement: The ability to critically reflect on the use of photography photography, also taking into account the socio-cultural and historical context. Knowledge and understanding: The necessary basic knowledge for the understanding and practical realisation of photography and image design should be acquired. Applying knowledge and understanding: The basic theoretical knowledge forms the starting point for the acquisition of skills for creating, editing and critically analysing and critical analysis of images. Judgement: The ability to critically reflect on the use of photography photography, image design and the use of images in a socio-cultural and historical context. Communication: The ability to communicate with the course instructors and other participants about the motives and backgrounds of their own visual messages is one of the practice-relevant, meta communicative competences of the participants' professional field. Learning strategies: In line with the didactic form of the workshop theoretical impulses and practical inputs are are given. The participants will put these into practice using their own work.

Additional educational objectives and learning outcomes
none

Assessment
Project work: Independent development and realisation of a photo project from the idea to implementation. Oral examination: Submission, presentation and discussion of the project results.

Evaluation criteria
Criteria concerning the allocation of the evaluation: Coherence of the project from idea to realisation. Reflection and critical discourse skills against the background of the competences acquired.

Required readings

Mitchell, W.J.T.: Das Leben der Bilder. Eine Theorie der visuellen Kultur, München 2012, (Beck)

Sontag, Susan: Über Fotografie, Frankfurt M. 1981ff (Fischer)

Kaiser, Marcus: Im Blick der Bilder, Wiesbaden 2023 (Springer)

Burgin, Victor (Ed.): Thinking Photography, London 1994 (Macmillan Press)

Supplementary readings

Helmes G. & Köster W. (Hg.): Texte zur Medientheorie, Stuttgart 2002 (Reclam)

Ziegler, Ulf Erdmann: Fotografische Werke, Köln 1999 (DuMont)

Further literature will be provided in the course if required.

Further information
This course is not a course in photographic technique.