The Constructed Image

Ally Christmas // Spring 2020 // Revised Syllabus for Online Learning // Post-COVID

Images from Carrie Mae Weems’ ​Kitchen Table ​series (1990)

INDEX // What you will find in this document:

I. Simple guide to the rest of the semester

II. Logistical planning
III. Expectations & grading
IV. Explanation of assignments and projects
V. New schedule (subject to change!)

I. Simple Guide to the Rest of the Semester

● Explore, make, have fun, be safe, but ​be creative​. Reach out when in doubt; ​we are still a
community.​
● I’ve opened up a general forum for​ c ​ lass discussion on Pweb​. It can also be accessed under
the ​Discussions ​tab on our course homepage. Use this discussion board for whatever you want
to communicate to me/us. I’d love to hear about any goals you might still have for this course —
what do you still want to achieve // what do you still want to learn?
● I will be available by ​email​ between the hours of​ 9-5 CDT​, on Zoom video call or text/chat during
my ‘​virtual office hours​’ (typically during our normal class times: ​T/Th 1-4pm CDT​), and ​by
appointment​ if those hours do not work for you.
● Please use this​ ​G doc sign-up sheet​ to schedule meetings with me either via video call
(Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, etc.) or chat (Skype, Slack, iMessage, etc.).
 ● Weekly assignments​ will be provided as separate documents (both online using G Drive and as
an emailed PDF), and they will be due on ​Sundays by 11:59pm CDT​.
● Please ​keep me informed​ of anything I need to know about the evolution of your own health or
situation. We will grow, morph, and adapt together as needed over the next 6 weeks.
● We may need to invent or include new platforms for our class, ​we will decide this as a group
when possible​. We may need to drastically change the new syllabus I created; I will do my best to
support what we need as a class community.

II. Logistical Planning

● Virtual Office Hours​: My “virtual office hours” are when I will be online and available for direct
communication. Again, use this​ ​G doc sign-up sheet​ to schedule meetings with me.
● *I do not know what time zones we’re all in now, so if none of my scheduled times work
for you, please let me know and we can schedule a different time to chat. DO NOT
HESITATE to ask for a different ‘meeting’ time. I am here for you.
● As always, I will also be reachable by ​email​, but I will be trying to limit email
correspondence to ​between the hours of 9-5​, to keep some semblance of work/life
separation. I recommend y’all try to do the same, if possible.
● Software / Hardware​: For the remainder of the semester, you can use any device that is at your
disposal for making images — ​including cell phones​.
● ZOOM​:​ ​Follow the Zoom link on our Pweb course page to join our class during the times
listed in our new course schedule. I will also email this link to you before our first meeting.
Zoom participation is always ​OPTIONAL​. Please remember, Zoom is a live video, so be
aware of your surroundings, attire, conduct, and environment when you attend our Zoom
class.
● Adobe​: Their software is temporarily free to all students. ​Please note, the agreement
from Adobe states that for any students under 18, if there are local laws requiring
parental consent to load the software on their machines, we are required to get that
consent. Follow the instructions below to enable access to Creative Cloud Desktop Apps
on your personal device:

1. Visit​ ​https://creativecloud.adobe.com​ and use your Grinnell College credentials to sign in.
2. If prompted, select ​Company or School Account​ and then enter your password. Or provide your
credentials on the following login screen.
3. From the Creative Cloud website, browse for and download your desired app. Click ​Apps ​on the
top of the page to view all apps.

For more information on how to download or install apps, see​ ​Download and Install Creative Cloud apps​.
If you need additional help, please get in touch with me or ITS.
Editing apps for your phone​:​ ​https://www.oberlo.com/blog/best-photo-editing-apps-iphone-android

● Please be intentional in your use of phone editing apps. In other words, try to avoid the cliches we
discussed at the beginning of the semester like sepia tone or selective color. Do not use
Instagram filters on your photos.
● My personal favorite apps are VSCO (photo and video), Focos (photo), Videoshop (video) and
the Adobe apps like Lightroom and Photoshop Mix (both free!).

III. Expectations & Grading

● Expectations​: No one signed up for an online studio course, so my original expectations (and
yours) are being thrown out the window. However, there is still plenty of opportunity for you all to
get something out of this class now that it’s online. We will continue working together to the best
of our abilities, which means I need you to stay in communication with me about your needs, your
goals, and the new obstacles you may be facing.
● Grading​: Grading for the rest of the semester will essentially be based on ​completion /
individual effort​ according to what each student is ​able​ to do at this time. You are welcome to
take this class as ​S/D/F​, but I can guarantee that no one is at risk of failing this course if they
continue taking it for a grade. You have all put in plenty of hard work up to this point and I do not
want those efforts to go unrecognized. I can discus grades on an individual basis for anyone who
is concerned.

IV. Explanation of Assignments & Projects

● Weekly Assignments​: In addition to the larger projects, there are now ​small weekly
assignments​. Think of these like the “low key assignments” you were completing earlier this
semester.
● They will be ​graded on completion​ and have ​suggested​ ​due dates​. Each assignment
will be outlined as its own document (available both online through G Drive and emailed
as a PDF), with a list of links for both ‘required’ and recommended reading and/or
viewing, inspiration, and technical assistance.
● ‘Required’ is in quotations because I recognize that not every student has the same
access or capabilities now in terms of a laptop, camera phone, specific software,
high-speed internet, etc. If you CANNOT complete anything, your grade will not be
negatively impacted. Please let me know when there are assignments you cannot
complete for any reason.
 ● For any assignments that you ​cannot​ complete, I will have ​alternative options​ available
if you are still able and willing to do something else in lieu of those assignments. These
alternatives will likely include responses to readings or artist talks / ART21 videos, or
short writing/making assignments.
● Student Artist Presentations
● Limit presentations to ​10-15 minutes​ in duration.
● These will be recorded by the student presenters using whatever program is easiest and
available (a few options: QuickTime screen- and audio-capture, Powerpoint has a built-in
“Record Slide Show” function, Screencast)
● Recordings will be uploaded to ​OneDrive​ in the “Student Artist Presentations” folder
● Students will then have ​one week to watch and respond with at least 1 comment or
question ​about the artist/presentation
● *For students who CANNOT record / upload a recorded presentation, you can put your
‘presentation’ into the notes section of a Google Slides presentation and share a link to
that* (or we can come up with some other solution that works for you)

● Reading Discussions
● Students who have not led a reading discussion yet will ​create a list of focus questions
(minimum of 6)​ for their remaining reading assignments.
● For example: Xinya and Savannah are scheduled to lead the next reading discussion
(Chapter 2 from the ​Focal Press Companion)​ , so they will come up with ​a list of 6+
focus questions​ and then ​post them on the reading’s message board in Pweb​ —
this can be found under the “​Discussions​” tab.
● To substitute for in-person reading discussions​: Again, we will use a forum/discussion
board on Pweb under the ​Discussions ​tab — students will have ​one week to add at
least 2-3 comments/questions to the board​, either in response to whatever is already
posted or as a new thread. For those who can do video chats, feel free to meet in video
‘breakout groups’ in the session listed under the ​Collaborate ​tab to discuss the reading.
● The following reading assignments will remain with ​new due dates (CDT)​:
1. DUE by 12pm Thursday, April 2​: Chapter 2:​ ​“Constructing Places” from The Focal
Press Companion​ ​(read pgs ​6-30​, and at least glance at the images throughout the
rest of the chapter)
2. DUE by 12pm Tuesday, April 14​: Artie Vierkant’s “​The Image Object Post-Internet​”
3. DUE by 12pm Tuesday, April 21​: Aline Smithson’s "​Now What? Thoughts on the
Future of Photography​" — Write a response (min. 2 paragraphs) on what YOU think
the future of photography looks like as an undergrad student who may still be new to
the medium; feel free to answer some of the specific questions addressed in the
interviews (e.g. “Have you discovered any new and innovative ways to present
yourself as an artist?” // “What do you need in terms of support from the photo
world?”)
4. NOW EXTRA CREDIT READING RESPONSE​: The reading response from Monica
McTighe (available on Pweb in the “Readings” tab: pages ​1-12​ +​116-119​ from
Framed Spaces: Photography and Memory in Contemporary Installation Art​) will
now be considered extra credit. Turn in by ​11:59pm on May 10​ for credit.
● Projects ​— Will continue as follows:

● Project 1— Image + Text​ :​ Essentially continuing as planned

● This is now entirely digital — students will share as pdfs
● Due by ​12pm on Tuesday 4/28 ​(submit to OneDrive)
● Students will then have ​48 hours​ to go online and write down at least ​3
comments/questions f​or each person’s work
● Optional video call “critique” on ​Thursday 4/30​ starting at ​1pm CDT

● Project 3 — Beyond the Veil​ :​ OPTIONAL

● *​As Bucksbaum has been officially closed, I can no longer offer to print for
students (sorry!)
● For those who still want to do this project​: think about the many other digital
forms of images we can create today and how you may want to use different
formats to think about the ‘contemporary spirit photograph’. Example formats and
apps you could use/hack: TikTok, Instagram stories, Snapchats, Boomerang,
GIFs, Tumblr posts, screen recording of your phone or computer… and anything
else you can think of!
● If completing this project, it is due by ​4pm on Sunday 5/3​ (submit to OneDrive)
— if participating in critique (and even if you aren’t participating but are willing to
leave feedback for the students sharing work), please go online and post at least
3 comments or questions before critique on Tuesday
● Optional video call “critique” on ​Tuesday 5/5​ starting at ​1pm CDT

● Project 4 — Diffraction​ : ​CANCELED

● New Projects​ // ​Collaborative Assignments​ :

1. Exquisite Corpse​: The name Exquisite Corpse is derived from a parlor game enjoyed by the
French Surrealists in the salons of the early 1920s. The artists would each draw a body part
(limb, head, torso, etc) on a piece of paper and then pass it on to the next artist, concealing all but
the connecting lines. The next artist would add their part then pass it to another. The resulting
 collaborative drawing would be a body or corpse with a bit from each artist. The process
celebrates the unexpected, and results in unusual, surprising, and exquisite creations.
● To work for photographs​: Each student is only allowed to see the photo from the person
ahead of them. Influenced by some aspect of the previous image whether it be
composition, theme, subject, color, or gesture, the photographer creates a new photo and
passes it to the next person in line. The visual thread that is created leads the viewer on
a photographic journey with each image dependent on the one before and after it. We
may draw inspiration from​ ​a new nothing​, which is a platform for photo-based
conversations between artists​.
● You will have ​3 days to take a new picture and send to the next person​.
● Images will be shared via email​ (use OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive links if files
are too large to be emailed). ​Do not forget to ​CC me (Ally)​ so I also get a copy of the
image.
● Order for taking and sending photos​ ​(generated at random):

1. Tess 9. Savannah
2. Brenna 10. Judith
3. Xinya 11. Liv
4. Peter 12. Giani
5. Mira 13. Clara
6. Sage 14. Caroline (​The last person sends their
7. Eduardo image back to the first person, then
8. Rachel repeat).

● At the end of the semester, I will compile all images into a single webpage to present the
final ‘conversation’ that occurs over the next month or so.

2. Documentation Project:​ In lieu of another large, individual-based project, your only other
assignment is to ​document your life in some way at least once every day​. If there is anything
preventing you from doing so ​every ​day, just do the days that you can — I will not take off points
if you don’t participate every single day. However, this can become a very interesting personal
experiment for each of you to document how your lives may be impacted during this very strange
time — whether it’s your art being impacted, your living situation, your personal health, your
emotional state, etc. — whatever you feel comfortable sharing with the rest of us.
● Your images will be collectively shared through ​Instagram​. I would ask that you create a
new account specifically for this class (so that we can keep feedback through comments
between the people in our class, only), and I encourage you to set that account to ​private​.
You do not have to use your real name or any personally identifying information.
● Once you create your account, ​send me your @handle​ and I will create a list of
everyone’s names/links to share with everyone in the class.
 ● Label all posts with the hashtags ​#grinnellphoto​ and… _____ shall we come up
with another collaborative hashtag?? In addition to following all your classmates,
follow these hashtags so you never miss a post!
● Try to post once a day​, but again, it’s okay if you miss a day or if you double up
on posts sometimes.
● ***If you do not feel comfortable using Instagram for this class it is NOT required
and we will determine a different solution for you to participate in the project.
● Your documentation can take any visual form, for example: a still image, a vlog, a
‘how-to’ video, a snapchat, a Boomerang, a GIF, a meme, a TikTok video… really
anything visual that you can think of that can be uploaded to Instagram.
● Try to put some ​intention​ and ​consideration​ into your image-making, so instead of just
pointing and shooting, you should still be thinking about the basics of composition and
creating something of visual interest.
● I also encourage you to think of this ‘documentation’ as something that ​has room for
experimentation and construction​ (considering this class is on ‘the constructed
image’). For example, here are two photos I took today, where the first had no intention
and the second had intention put into it (I moved closer to the window and focused on
some gross drips on the glass):

● You are ​allowed to use an appropriated image/video​ as your

‘documentation-of-the-day’ for ​up to ~15% ​of your final images. This means, that if there
is a day you just can’t bring yourself to make an image, you are permitted to use an
image you ​saw​ that day, instead. Again, you can skip days as needed, but I encourage
you to push yourself to try and make at least one image every day if you are able to.
● Pet photos are allowed, but make sure they are well-composed, well-lit photos and not
just ‘good photos’ because they are taken of pets. ;)
● A note on this project vs. Project 1​ — you are permitted some overlap between the
images of these two projects. [ I.e. some of the images you take for this Documentation
Project could also exist in your zine for Project 1; this overlap seems natural and likely. ]
 ​ etailed​ ] SEMESTER SCHEDULE //
// NEW [ d
ASSIGNMENTS & DUE DATES
[ each week, I will also send the weekly assignments as a separate document —
to stay organized and to keep you up to speed in case anything changes ]

[ ​WEEK 1: March 30 - April 3​ ]

Viewing / reading​: Nat Geo: “​These photos capture a world paused by coronavirus”​

Recommended viewing #1​: “​Shooting with a Smartphone​” course on LinkedIn Learning — you can
login to this site using your Grinnell info. ​Chapters 2-4​ have great little info videos on getting more
comfortable using your phone as a camera.

Recommended viewing #2 (especially for students who still plan to do Project 3)​:​ ​Ann Hamilton
ART 21​ (15 minutes)

Creative assignment​: In response to the Nat Geo article, make ​at least​ 1 image ​that captures some
feeling that you have about your current situation. ​Write a sentence or two to accompany the image​,
similarly to the quotes paired with each image in the Nat Geo article. This photo can be used for your
Documentation Project as well. Upload your image and text (could combine them in a word doc and
upload as a PDF, or you could put them together in Photoshop, or using an app on your phone like
Snapchat or an Instagram story, etc.) to the “Nat Geo Assignment” folder on OneDrive.

Suggested due date​: ​11:59pm CDT Sunday 4/5

Tuesday ​3/31

● Open for student video or chat conferences — ​Ally available via Zoom from ​10am - 5pm CDT
(will send out a link the night before from which you can directly access the Zoom meeting)

Thursday ​4/2

● Student artist presentations​: Clara & Sage, due by 12pm CDT

● Everyone else has ​one week​ to watch and respond with at least ​1 comment or
question​ about the artist/presentation
● Reading responses for​ C​ hapter 2 from Focal Press​ due by 12pm CDT​ (upload to Pweb)
● Xinya​ & ​Savannah​: Post a list of ​6+ focus questions​ on the reading’s message board
session in Pweb (also ​by 12pm today​) — the message board session can be found in
the “​Collaborate​” tab on our course Pweb
● Everyone else will have ​one week​ to add at least ​3 comments/questions​ to the board,
either in response to the focus questions already posted or as a new thread
 [ ​WEEK 2: April 6-10 ]​

Viewing / reading​: “​Windows & Stems”​ PDF (available on Pweb in the “Readings” section), and review at
least​ 2 ​of the following links of artists who are making work at home:

Tabaimo,​ ​https://art21.org/watch/extended-play/tabaimo-dolefullhouse-short/
Uta Barth,​ ​https://bombmagazine.org/articles/light-looking-uta-barth/
Sarah Sze,​ ​https://art21.org/watch/art-in-the-twenty-first-century/s6/sarah-sze-in-balance-segment/
Laurie Simmons,​ ​https://art21.org/read/laurie-simmons-photography-perfection-and-reality/
Paul Pfeiffer,
https://art21.org/read/paul-pfeiffer-scenes-of-horror-poltergeist-the-exorcist-and-the-amityville-horror/
Petah Coyne,​ ​https://www.sfmoma.org/watch/petah-coyne-materials-are-language/
Tomiko Jones,​ ​http://www.strangefirecollective.com/qa-tomiko-jones

Recommended viewing​:​ ​Life in a Day​ (2011, 1 hr 34 min)

Creative assignment​: Make ​5 images​ using different windows. ​Consider:​ What can be used as a
‘window’? Must windows only exist in physical life? What everyday objects could also be described or
used as ‘windows’? If possible, do at least ​some​ editing on these images (thinking of proper exposure,
color correction, white balance, cropping, etc.) — whether that’s on a mobile app or using Adobe
software. Upload your final 5 images to the “Windows” folder on OneDrive.

Suggested due date​: ​11:59pm CDT Sunday 4/12

Tuesday ​4/7

● If you’ve been able to download the Adobe CC Suite and plan on using ​Lightroom​ or I​ nDesign
to complete your zine for ​Project 1​, and you don’t know HOW to do so, watch one of the
following video demos [links will be added to Pweb in the “Presentations / Demos” tab]:
● Demo on making ‘books’ in Adobe Lightroom (exporting as a PDF)
● Demo on designing a 16-page zine in Adobe InDesign

Thursday ​4/9

● Student artist presentations​:​ Tess & Rachel, due by 12pm CDT

● Everyone else has ​one week​ to watch and respond with at least ​1 comment or
question​ about the artist/presentation
 [​WEEK 3: April 13-17 ]​

​ athan Jurgenson’s “​The Fear of Screens”​ (2016; printable PDF version available in
Viewing / reading​:​ N
the “Readings” section on Pweb)

Recommended viewing #1 (especially for those students still doing Project 3)​: “​A Better Ghost
[Interview w/ Evan Meaney]”​ — specifically watch the video on this page

Recommended viewing #2​: For if you are having an existential crisis about being an artist (or just need
a good laugh about art stuff in general) — Hennessy Youngman’s​ ​ART THOUGHTZ: Bruce Nauman
(NSFW / Not safe for conservative family members / *Language and… hand gestures*)

Creative assignment​: Create ​at least 2 constructed portraits​ using only the lighting / settings /
environments you have available to you. How can you create a constructed portrait without the tools and
​ hese portraits can be of yourself ​or​ someone else (or a
space of an established lighting studio?​ T
combination of the two). Upload your final images to the “con_Portraits” folder on OneDrive.

Suggested due date​: ​11:59pm CDT Sunday 4/19

Tuesday​ 4/14

● Reading responses for Artie Vierkant’s “​The Image Object Post-Internet​”​ due by 12pm CDT
(upload to Pweb)
● Brenna​ & ​Liv​: Post a list of 6
​ + focus questions​ on the reading’s message board in
Pweb (also ​by 12pm today​)
● Everyone else will have ​one week​ to add at least ​3 comments/questions​ to the board,
either in response to the focus questions already posted or as a new thread

Thursday ​4/16

● Nothing due today; available to meet during virtual office hours (​1-4pm CDT​)

[ ​WEEK 4: April 20-24 ]​

Recommended viewing / reading​:​ ​Sans Soleil​ (​ 1983, 1 hr 44 min) — Directed by Chris Marker; a cult
classic film among photographers. ​Description:​ “A meditation on the nature of human memory, showing
the inability to recall the context and nuances of memory, and how, as a result, the perception of personal
and global histories is affected.”

Creative assignment​: None this week — focus on other projects

Tuesday ​4/21

● Reading responses for Aline Smithson’s ​"​Now What? Thoughts on the Future of
Photography"​ ​due by 12pm CDT​ (upload to Pweb)
● [​ Write a response (min. 2 paragraphs) on what YOU think the future of photography
looks like as an undergrad student who may still be new to the medium; feel free to
answer some of the specific questions addressed in the interviews (e.g. “Have you
discovered any new and innovative ways to present yourself as an artist?” // “What do
you need in terms of support from the photo world?”)​ — ​How might the current pandemic
situation factor into your response now?​ ]
● OPTIONAL​: Collaborative class video chat on ​Zoom from ​1-2pm CDT ​to discuss responses to
the Smithson reading

Thursday ​4/23

● Student artist presentations​: ​Caroline & Xinya​, due by 12pm CDT

● Everyone else has ​one week​ to watch and respond with at least ​1 comment or
question​ about the artist/presentation

[ ​WEEK 5: April 27 - May 1 ​]

Tuesday ​4/28 Project 1: ​Image + Text D

​ UE by 12pm CDT

● Project 1: ​Image + Text​ d

​ ue by 12pm CDT​ ​(submit to OneDrive in the Project 1 folder)
● *Don’t forget to ALSO submit either a single image from the zine or the full PDF to the
Project 1 folder on ​Pweb​ (for grading purposes)
● *In the next 48 hours, everyone who is able should go online and add at least ​3
comments/questions​ for ​each​ person’s work.

Thursday ​4/30

● Project 1 Critique​:​ O
​ PTIONAL video critique on Zoom: ​1-4pm CDT

[ ​WEEK 6: May 4-8 ​]

​ /3*
Sunday 5

● OPTIONAL — ​Project 3: ​Beyond the Veil​ due by 4pm CDT on Sunday 5/3​ ​(submit to
OneDrive in the Project 3 folder)
 ● For anyone who wants to participate in the video critique for Project 3 (and even if you aren’t
participating but are willing to leave feedback for the students sharing work), please go online and
post at least ​3 comments/questions​ before critique

Tuesday ​5/5

● Project 3 Critique​: OPTIONAL video critique on Zoom: ​1-4pm CDT

Thursday ​5/7

● OPTIONAL: Final video meeting on Zoom​ (​1-4pm CDT​) to share the ​Documentation​ and
Exquisite Corpse​ Project results