Art & the History of Art 127 - Black and White Film Photography

This studio course introduces students to a creative practice in black and white 35mm film photography. We begin by exploring our body’s relationship to our camera and materials, with an emphasis on understanding light and photographic form. Picture-making prompts will facilitate slower, thoughtful engagements with our environments.  We’ll delve into the implications of social documentary (LaToya Ruby Frazier, Dorthea Lange), our body’s inextricable ties to Earth and biosphere (Laura Aguilar, Jenny Calivas, Ana Mendieta), explorations of family, community, and place  (Eduardo Rivera, Roy de Carava, Carrie Mae Weems, Robert Frank), and spiritual, inner, or unseen worlds (Graciela Iturbide, Keisha Scarville). Technically, this course covers film exposure and development, light, composition, contact printing, and the enlarging and printing of photographic negatives in the darkroom. Through regular critiques, weekly discussions, the study of artworks, images, texts, museum objects, and technical workshops, students will create a portfolio of photographs on a topic of their choice.

Fall 2026: Assistant Professor Baez.

How to handle overenrollment: Priority given to ARHA majors

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Artistic work, visual analysis