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Photography · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Fundamentals of Digital Photography

This foundation course is designed to transition students from “taking pictures” to “making photographs.” It demystifies the technical functions of the DSLR/Mirrorless camera, moving students away from Auto mode. The curriculum focuses on the Exposure Triangle, the physics of optics, and the rules of composition, providing the essential technical toolkit required for all advanced photographic pursuits.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master the "Exposure Triangle": Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
  2. Understand lens focal lengths and their effect on perspective and depth of field
  3. Apply core composition rules: Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, and Framing
  4. Manage digital workflows: File formats (RAW vs. JPEG) and basic post-processing
  5. Critique images using professional photographic terminology
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Introduction to the Camera: Body & Sensor
  2. 02The Exposure Triangle: Overview
  3. 03Shutter Speed: Freezing Motion vs. Blur
  4. 04Aperture: Controlling Depth of Field
  5. 05ISO: Sensitivity and Noise
  6. 06The Light Meter & Exposure Compensation
  7. 07Lenses: Focal Length & Perspective
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Composition I: Rule of Thirds & Balance
  10. 10Composition II: Lines, Shapes, & Texture
  11. 11Understanding Light: Hard vs. Soft
  12. 12Introduction to Color Theory in Photo
  13. 13Digital Workflow: Importing & Organizing
  14. 14Basic Editing: Adobe Lightroom Classic
  15. 15Printing Basics & Presentation
  16. 16Final Project: The Thematic Photo Series

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Thematic Photo Series

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
  2. The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman
  3. Langford's Basic Photography by Michael Langford
  4. Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs by Henry Carroll
  5. Light Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting by Fil Hunter
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