Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Photography Principles: Color / Digital (Face-to-Face)

ART 3800-01

Course: ART 3800-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ARTD
CRN: 31343

Course Description

This is a 3000 level ART course. The main goal of this is to make…art. The emphasis on this endeavor will be through exploration of advanced digital lens-based works; concept development, compositing, retouching and editing techniques, as well as a focus on output and presentation. Students will gain experience with subtractive and additive color in a photographic environment. Students will be introduced to contemporary artists and explore a range of strategies for creating artworks through digital media. A RAW-capable digital SLR camera is required.

Required Texts

Required Text: None

Course Materials
  • A notebook / sketchbook and a pen or pencil
  • Cost of materials for midterm and final project
  • Working camera equipment
  • HIGH quality inkjet paper
  • BOX or an art folder for transporting your prints

Learning Outcomes

  • develop and refine your language of color
  • instruct the student in the ability to “see” color
  • provide the necessary tools and dialogue to effectively use color in a dynamic way
  • develop an understanding of color in the digital workflow
  • refine the digital workflow as it relates to photography

Course Requirements

Course Grading Scale
  • 900 to 1000 = A
  • 800 to 899 = B
  • 700 to 799 = C
  • 600 to 699 = D
  • 000 to 599 = F
Grading Breakdown
  • Project 1: 100pts
  • Project 2: 100pts
  • Project 3: 100pts
  • Project 4: 100pts
  • Project 5: 100pts
  • Project 6: 100pts
  • Project 7: 100pts
  • Attendance: 100pts
  • Critique Participation: 100pts
  • Final Portfolio: 100pts

Total Points Possible: 1000

Extra Credit: Artist date once a week. 5 points each.

Overview of Projects
  1. Project 1
  2. Project 2
  3. Project 3
  4. Project 4
  5. Project 5
  6. Project 6
  7. Project 7
  8. Final Portfolio
Grading Rubric
100% - 93% = A:

The assignment exhibits the highest level of mastery of the ideas and the execution of skills related to the assignment. When applicable, the student has progressed successfully from previous criticism.

92% - 90% = A-:

The assignment exhibits the highest level of mastery of EITHER the ideas OR the execution of skills related to the assignment, not both. When applicable, the student has progressed successfully from previous criticism.

89% - 80% = B Range:

The assignment exhibits a satisfactory level of mastery of the ideas and/or the execution of skills related to the assignment. The assignment does not show any progressive thought supporting the decisions made in the production of the assignment. When applicable, the student has progressed to a certain degree from previous criticism.

79% - 70% = C Range:

The assignment exhibits poor mastery of the ideas and/or the execution of skills related to the assignment. The assignment does not show any progressive thought supporting the decisions made in the production of the assignment. The minimum requirement has been meant to fulfill the assignment. When applicable, the student has not progressed at all from previous criticism.

69% - 60% = D Range:

The assignment exhibits no mastery of the ideas and/or the execution of skills related to the assignment. The assignment does not show any thought supporting the decisions made in the production of the assignment. The minimum requirement has not been meant to fulfill the assignment. When applicable, the student has not progressed at all from previous criticism.

59% - 0% = F Range:

The assignment has not been submitted or was submitted late.

Course Outline

TENTATIVE COURSE CALENDAR FALL 2025

(T = Tuesday, Tr = Thursday)

Cycle: Lecture → Workday → Crit (starting Week 2)

  • Tr (Aug 28) → Syllabus, course intro, history of color photography, icebreaker shoot, & gear check.
  • T (Sept 2) → Lecture: Color Theory Foundations (wheel, additive/subtractive, harmony basics) + Launch Project 1
  • Tr (Sept 4) → Workday (Project 1)
  • T (Sept 9) → Critique (Project 1)
  • Tr (Sept 11) → Lecture: Digital Workflow for Color + Preparing for Print + Launch Project 2
  • T (Sept 16) → Workday (Project 2)
  • Tr (Sept 18) → Critique (Project 2)
  • T (Sept 23) → Lecture: Color Psychology & Mood + Launch Project 3
  • Tr (Sept 25) → Workday (Project 3)
  • T (Sept 30) → Critique (Project 3)
  • Tr (Oct 2) → Lecture: Color Harmony & Styling + Launch Project 4
  • T (Oct 7) → Workday (Project 4)
  • Tr (Oct 9) → Critique (Project 4)
  • T (Oct 14) → No Class (Fall Break)
  • Tr (Oct 16) → Lecture: Advanced Editing & Cohesion + Launch Project 5
  • T (Oct 21) → Workday (Project 5)
  • Tr (Oct 23) → Critique (Project 5)
  • T (Oct 28) → Lecture: Color in Cinema (visual sequencing, mood boards, style replication) + Launch Project 6
  • Tr (Oct 30) → Workday (Project 6)
  • T (Nov 4) → Critique (Project 6)
  • Tr (Nov 6) → Lecture: Finding Your Personal Palette + Launch Project 7
  • T (Nov 11) → Workday (Project 7)
  • Tr (Nov 13) → Critique (Project 7)
  • T (Nov 18) → Lecture (Final Portfolio)
  • Tr (Nov 20) → Workday Progress Check in (Final Portfolio)
  • T (Nov 25) → No Class (Thanksgiving Break)
  • Tr (Nov 27) → No Class (Thanksgiving Break)
  • T (Dec 2) → Workday (Final Portfolio)
  • Tr (Dec 4) → Workday Final Polish & Print Prep
Final Exam Week
  • W (Dec 10) → Final Portfolio Presentations (3:00–4:50 PM)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Assignment Due Dates

Everything due for an assignment is listed on each individual assignment sheet along with the date when it is due. All assignments are due at the beginning of class. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of what is due and when it is due.

Authorship / Quality Policy

All work submitted for credit must be new work made THIS semester for this class and must be made personally by the student. For digital output, if you use an outside service bureau (i.e. Walmart, etc.), you must supervise the process closely enough so that all prints meet your final approval. The student is fully responsible for the technical and aesthetic quality of all the work submitted for credit in this class.

Cellular Phone Policy

The use of cellular phones or any mobile communication device in class is not permitted. Students are responsible for silencing such devices and stowing them out of sight during class.

Exam Dates / Project Presentation Dates

Exams and presentations dates are as stated. There are NO makeup dates.

Late Work Policy

All assignments are due on the date as stated on each assignment sheet. Late work will NOT be accepted.

Note Taking Policy

Students are responsible for all materials covered in class and note taking is highly encouraged. The professor is not responsible to re-teach missed or neglected material (see attendance policy), but rather will review the student’s notes with the student to clarify misconceptions.

Written Document Policy

All written documents due for credit must be printed and turned in at the beginning of the class on the assigned due date. It is the students’ responsibility to have their written documents printed before class and turned in on time. No written documents will be accepted late or electronically.

Statement on Civility in the Classroom

Our university is a community of faculty, students, and staff that enjoys an expectation of cooperation, professionalism, and civility during the conduct of all forms of university business, including the conduct of student–student and student–faculty interactions in and out of the classroom. Further, the classroom is a setting in which an exchange of ideas and creative thinking should be encouraged and where intellectual growth and development are fostered. Students who disrupt this classroom mission by rude, sarcastic, threatening, abusive or obscene language, and/or behavior will be subject to appropriate sanctions according to university policy. Likewise, faculty members are expected to maintain the highest standards of professionalism in all interactions with all constituents of the university.

Attendance Policy

Studio courses are experiential in nature and rely heavily on in-class instruction, collaboration, and critique. As such, attendance is mandatory.

A student who misses more than 25% of scheduled class time (including unexcused absences and tardiness) will receive a final grade no higher than a “C–”, and may fail the course, regardless of performance on assignments.

Excused absences—such as those due to documented illness, university-sponsored activities, or other legitimate circumstances—may be made up with appropriate documentation (e.g., a doctor's note or official university communication). It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor before the absence when possible and to make arrangements to complete missed work promptly.

Course Fees

Program Fee: ART courses are now $19 per credit. This covers ink and some paper. The program fee charged for this course is designed to maintain high quality programming, equipment, software, materials, supplies, and services for students in the College of Performing and Visual Arts at Southern Utah University.

Prerequisites

Course Prerequisite(s): ART 1050, ART 2210

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.