Dr. Rebecca Weller
CSUB—Art Department
rweller@csub.edu
Web Page: www.csub.edu/~rweller
Office: LB 102
654-2283
Office hours: (M/W) 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
(T/R) 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
ART 391: “History of Photography”
Spring 2016
Classroom: DDH 105H
MW 12:45 – 2:50 p.m.
Course Description: When we look at a photograph as a document, we focus on what is
captured. When we look at a photo as a work of art, we focus on how it was made—the
subject becomes secondary. If the viewing context determines what type of image that it
is (high art or mass-produced document), how do we discuss issues of value or meaning
in a single photograph? “History of Photography” is a survey of the development of
photography from its invention through today. This course includes the study of the
interrelationships between photography and the other visual arts, the effects of changing
technologies on the photographic image, and the contributions of major photographers.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
 Identify the processes used to produce photographic images and discuss each in
terms of its inherent characteristics.
 Compare and contrast noteworthy photographers with respect to style, technique,
and intentions.
 Relate the historical development of photography to the social institutions that
rely on the “truthfulness” of the photograph.
Required Text:
 Mary Warner Marien, Photography: A Cultural History 3rd edition
(Prentice Hall, 2011). ISBN# 0-20-570800-5
Synopsis of Assignments (and % of your final grade):
 Exams (20% each): Exams consist of slide identifications (by artist, title, date,
and type of image) and essay questions that allow you to demonstrate your
knowledge of photographic terms, appropriate historical context, and information
about specific artworks. To help you prepare, a list of images will be attached to
my website during the week prior to an exam. Additionally, this study guide will
include five essay questions for you to prepare, three of which will actually be on
the exam, from which you will choose only two to answer. Blue Books will be
required!

Term Paper (25%): Write a 10-page paper analyzing one of the themes or issues
covered in this course, focusing on a limited number of photographs. This
assignment will require old-fashioned library research, complete with
bibliography—no internet sites (cites) allowed! Specific information on this
assignment will be posted online after the third week.

In-class work (15%): students will frequently be asked to analyze a photograph
in class. Attendance is, therefore, crucial, as this activity cannot be made-up.
Attendance: Attendance is crucial to your understanding of the material since missed
slide lectures and discussions cannot be made up and images that are not in your textbook
will be presented in class. Remember to contact me regarding any absences.
Late Paper/Missed Exam Policy: Papers and exams must be turned in on time. They
will be docked one letter grade (the equivalent of 10 points) per day until I receive it,
including Saturday and Sunday. There will be no make-up exams. If you miss an exam
or fail to turn in a paper on the due date, please contact me immediately. Plagiarism will
not be tolerated. For information on what constitutes plagiarism, search “Academic
Integrity” on CSUB’s home page.
To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact the Office of
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) as soon as possible. Their office is located
in SA 140, and they may be reached at 661-654-3360 (voice) or 661-654-6288 (TDD). If
you have an accommodations letter from the SSD Office documenting that you have a
disability, please present the letter to me during my office hours as soon as possible so we
can discuss the specific accommodations that you might need in this class.
ART 391
Spring 2016
Schedule of Lectures and Assignments
Part I: (Origins – 1880) The “Science” of Photography
March 28
March 30
April 4
April 6
April 11
April 13
April 18
April 20
Introduction
Invention
Portraiture
Architectural & Land Surveys
War
NO CLASS
“Others
Exam #1
Chapters 1, 2
Chapters 2, 3
Chapters 2, 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Exam
Part II: (1880 – 1945) The “New Vision” of Photography
April 25
April 27
May 2
May 4
May 9
May 11
Pictorialism
Social Documents
Modernism (European)
Modernism (American)
Berenice, Eugene & the Decisive
Moment
Exam #2
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Exam
Part III: (1945 – Present) The “Art” of Documentary Photography
May 16
May 18
May 23
May 25
May 30
June 1
June 6
June 8
FSA
Photojournalism
Straight Photography
Postmodernism
HOLIDAY—no class
Photography in 21st Century
Movie: John Waters’ Pecker
Final Exam (2:00 - 4:30 p.m)
Chapter 9
Chapters 9, 11
Chapters 10,11
Chapters 11-13
Chapter 14
Papers Due
Exam