Dr. Pete Poston's Homepage at Western Oregon University - Ch 161: Fundamentals of Photography for Forensic Science

Instructor

Dr. Pete Poston
office: NS 110
phone: 503-838-8218
office hours: MTWF 10, M 3, or please make an appointment.
email questions: postonp@wou.edu
Web page: http://www.wou.edu/poston

Pre-req's

Consent of instructor

Textbook

"Photography: An Introduction" 9th edition by Barbara London, Jim Stone, John Upton.

"Photoshop CS3 for Forensics Professionals", George Reis

Lab & Supplies

Lab handouts will be furnished. Darkroom chemicals will be supplied for you. Occasionally you will also need to purchase T-Max 400 B&W film or have film developed at your own expense. The bookstore handles film developing, or you can go to Focal Point Photography in Dallas, Hi-School Pharmacy in Independence, or the Shutterbug in Salem (downtown and Lancaster Square).

The department has five Pentax PZ-M SLR cameras that has manual focusing, aperture, and exposure control, as well as several automatic modes. You are welcome to use your own SLR camera as long as it has a manual setting. Point-and-shoot cameras are not adequate for this class since they are fully automated.

The Department also has two Canon Digital Rebel cameras, and two more can be checked out for 3-day periods of time from the Instructional Technology Center.

Assignments & Special Project

In addition to the lab, there will be exercises assigned where you will be asked to take photographs on your own that illustrate basic camera operations.

There will also be a special project where you pick a scientifically-oriented subject and prepare a portfolio. Each special project must be cleared by the instructor first. A simple example would be photographic documentation of an insect collection. Details of the special project requirements will be posted later.

There is only one designated lab period for the special project, so you are expected to devote some outside time in the darkroom. The darkroom can also be used any time. Sometimes we have extra time at the end of other labs to work on your project.

Quizzes

There will be four scheduled 10 point quizzes to help you keep up. You can find example quiz questions on the textbook companion webpage. The lowest quiz score will be dropped. Your final quiz total - minus the lowest score - will be scaled up to a total of 50 pts.

Make-up
Policies

QUIZZES:

Since the lowest quiz score is being dropped anyway, there will be no make-ups on quizzes. The only exception will be if you have to miss a second quiz - then I will give you a make-up.

FINAL EXAM:

University policy states that the final exam time will not be moved unless you have three or more finals on one day. Please do not ask to take the final early because you want to leave for vacation early, etc.
If you have to miss the final due to some unforseen emergency, then it must be communicated through the Office of Student Affairs (838-8221). Illnesses, family emergencies, etc must be accompanied by some form of proof, e.g. a note from your doctor, funeral home, etc.
Under these conditions then I will give you an incomplete, not a makeup (see Incompletes section below).

LABS:

Because of the limited amounts of equipment and time, there will be no make-up labs. NOTE: If you miss two labs, you fail the course!

NOTE:

If you get sick during a quiz and can't finish it, then that becomes the quiz you drop, unless it's the second quiz as stated above. Then I will give you a make-up. If you get sick during the final exam and can't finish it, then you will receive an incomplete as listed above. You will not be allowed to finish your final at another time.

Grading

140 pts	(35%) comprehensive final (Wed, Dec 9, 12-2)
160 pts	(45%) lab - 8 labs @ 20 pts each
50 pts	(12.5%) Special project
50 pts	(12.5%) quizzes
400 pts	total

Grading will be no harder than A=90%, B=80%, C=70%, D=60%, F < 60%

Incompletes

Incompletes are given under special circumstances such as medical reasons, family emergencies, etc. In order to receive an incomplete, the University requires you to sign a contract with me outlining the steps you must take to finish the course. Usually this means there will be a time deadline for completion of the course before your grade reverts to an "F".

Academic Dishonesty

The Code of Student Responsibility (PDF file) defines cheating as "intentional use, or attempted use of artifice, deception, fraud, and/or misrepresentation of one's academic work". For this class, which involves taking exams, quizzes, and perform labs, cheating is usually but not limited to talking or writing to other students, using crib sheets (prepared notes), or looking at another student's paper. The penalty for cheating will be a zero grade for the test or quiz or assignment in question.

Students have the right to appeal this action as described in the Code of Student Responsibility

Students with Disabilities

It is your right to request special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. For questions, call the Office for Disability Services at (503) 838-8250 V/TTY, or email them at ods@wou.edu.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Click on each chapter topic for a link to the book webpage
where you can find supplementary learning materials including
demonstrations and practice exam questions.

Week of	Chapter(s)	Lecture Topics	Lab
Sept 28	Ch 1: Getting Started Ch 2: Camera Ch 3: Lens	Basic parts film & digital SLR cameras, loading film, memory cards, ISO, focusing, factors controlling exposure, shutter speed and aperture, standard shutter speeds and apertures, shutters, depth of field, lenses & circle of confusion, panning	Extra Lecture Time
Oct 5	Ch 3: Lens cont'd Ch 4: Exposure, Sensors, and Film	Focal length, angle of view, types of lenses, electromagnetic spectrum and light, CCD detectors, B&W film & how it responds to light, ISO & grain - film and digital cameras	LAB #1 - Learning How to Use Your Camera
Oct 12	Ch 5: Developing the Negative Ch 6: Printing in a Darkroom	lecture follows lab handout, practice placing film on reels, demo an enlarger, contact sheets	Safety Talk LAB #2 - Part I: Developing TMAX 100 Film, Part II: Printing the Positive
Oct 19	Ch 4: Exposure, Sensors, and Film	Dynamic range, equivalent exposures, IR film	Lab #3 - Applications of Infrared Film in Forensics
Oct 26	Ch 4: Exposure, Sensors, and Film	Exposure modes, light meters & 18% gray, controlling exposure	LAB #4 - Exposure
Nov 2*	Ch 4: Exposure, Sensors, and Film	Filters in B&W photography	LAB #5 - Using Filters in B&W Photography and Push-Processing Kodak TMAX 400 Film
Nov 9	Ch 13: Lighting	Direction & diffusion of light, light temperature, artificial light	LAB #6 - Flash Photography and Painting with Light
Nov 16	Ch 8: Setting Up a Digital Darkroom	Hardware and software, bits and bytes, file formats, color management, histograms	Photoshop book: LAB #7 - Ch 5, 7, 18
Nov 23	Ch 9: Image Editing	Lab 7 & 8	Photoshop book: LAB #8 - Ch 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21
Nov 30	catch-up	Lab 8 cont'd	Special Project - mandatory attendance
^*Last day to drop without being responsible for a grade is Fri, Nov 2nd

COURSE SYLLABUS

Click on each chapter topic for a link to the book webpage where you can find supplementary learning materials including demonstrations and practice exam questions.

Click on each chapter topic for a link to the book webpage
where you can find supplementary learning materials including
demonstrations and practice exam questions.