History of photography & pictorial communication
2012-2013 - IMT1112 - 10 ECTS

Expected learning outcomes

The course will give the students knowledge of the general history of photography, a history of photographic reproduction technology, and the role of photography in modern graphic design. The course also has a hermeneutic approach where the students have to make themselves acquainted with critical theory that questions the properties of the published / mass produced photograph as a communicative medium. The course is also about practical and instrumental pictorial communication for designers.

Topic(s)

National and international history of photography
 The history of the technology of photography
 The history of reproduction techniques as applied to photography
 The mass-produced picture
 Photomontage and the "typo-photo" of the inter-war period, and their significance for the development of modern graphic design
 Photography as a communicative and rhetorical medium
 The status of photography as a medium for representation
 The status and potential of the photograph in the "digital era"
 Practical and instrumental pictorial communication

Teaching Methods

Lectures

Teaching Methods (additional text)

Writing of two essays with formative-iterative assessment.

Form(s) of Assessment

Essay
Written exam, 3 hours

Form(s) of Assessment (additional text)

Essay (counts 60%)
 Written Exam, 3 hours (counts 40%)
 Summative assessment of two essays after end of the semester.

Grading Scale

Alphabetical Scale, A(best) – F (fail)

Coursework Requirements

None

Teaching Materials

  • Bo Bergström (2000). Bild & budskap: ett triangeldrama om bildkommunikasjon . Stockholm: Carlsson Bokförlag
  • Erlandsen, Roger (2000). Pas nu paa! Nu tar jeg fra hullet!: Om fotografiens første hundre år i Norge: 1839—1940 . Våle: Forlaget Inter-View
  • Wells, Liz (ed.) (2004). Photography: a critical introduction . Third ed. London: Routledge
  • Plus additional material

Additional information

Emnet er kun tilgjengelig for Bachelor i mediedesign eller for maksimum 25 studenter.

Aktuelle tidsskrift i HiGs bibliotek:

  • Aperture, Ekfrase, Fotografi, History of Photography, Photography and Culture, Visual Communication

Aktuelle klassenummer i HiGs bibliotek:

  • 070.49, 760–, 770–, 771–, 773–, 778–, 779–, 302.222, 346.048

Aktuell støttelitteratur:

  • Benson, Richard (2008). The printed picture. New York: The Museum of Modern Art
  • Evans, Harold (1978). Pictures on a page.London: Heinemann
  • Fotografia publica: Photography in print 1919–1939. (c 2000). [Madrid]: Aldeasa / Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
  • Hassner, Rune (1977). Bilder för miljoner. [Stockholm]: Sveriges Radio / Rabén & Sjögren