Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Advanced Black and White Photography (Face-to-Face)

ART 2800-01

Course: ART 2800-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ARTD
CRN: 10246

Course Description

This studio course refines and expands Black and White photographic skills. Students will further their technical base in photography by learning advanced darkroom and printing techniques. Emphasis will be placed on exploring light and composition to create b/w images as contemporary means of individual artistic expression and engagement with our world. A manual 35mm film camera will be provided.

Required Texts

Course Materials


Students will have access to the darkroom and must follow class safety protocols. Students will still be introduced to advanced darkroom techniques while exploring and responding to the visual qualities of the medium. You will need paper & film on campus by the third week of school. Purchase Supplies
Links to an external site.

  • Film ISO 50/100/125/400 Professional quality (at least 4 rolls recommended, Ilford HP5)
  • Ilford Multigrade RC paper 8x10 Satin or Pearl (at least 50 sheets)
  • Binder (1.5 - 2 inches)
  • An 8.5x11 inch archival box for image storage and turning in assignments 

Manual 35mm SLR Rental 

The SUU Film, Art + Design Department will provide each student with a manual 35mm SLR camera to borrow for the semester.

Recommended Text

  • Black & White Photography: A Basic Manual, by Henry Horenstein
  • The Print, The Negative, The Camera by Ansel Adams

Learning Outcomes

After the course, students will be able to:

  1. Effectively use a light meter and perform advanced exposure calculations 
  2. Successfully expose and develop 35mm black-and-white film
  3. Compose images using a heightened process of observation
  4. Identify contemporary and historical photographers by their style and process
  5. Read a negative to assess for printing and conduct necessary advanced techniques for a finished portfolio print
  6. Analyze and discuss work based on aesthetics, content, and technical quality using industry-specific terminology

Course Requirements

Quizzes

You will have 6 quizzes to evaluate your knowledge of the 35mm camera, the darkroom, film development, printing, and alternative photographic techniques. Each quiz will consist of 5 multiple-choice questions. There is no time limit, and you will have two attempts to complete each quiz. Quizzes must be submitted by the assigned due date. 5 points each

Participation Activities / Discussion Boards: 35mm "The Foundation"

Students will learn the fundamental functions of a 35mm camera, film development, printing, burning, dodging, toning, and alternative photographic approaches within the darkroom through text(s), videos, lectures, and hands-on demonstrations. You will have 8 Discussion Board participation activities in this course. Each Discussion Board will have its own criteria and questions. Submit an initial post(s) responding to the prompt before 11:59 pm on the designated due date and post your reflections on at least two other classmates' before the due date. You will not be able to see others' postings until you have posted something of your own. 6 points each

Peer Reviews

For each creative project, we will have a virtual critique, where you will share your thoughts and ideas regarding the creative/technical progress of your peers while offering constructive suggestions for improvements. You will have 6 Peer Review activities in this course. Virtual Critique = Peer Reviews to be completed via Canvas. We will use the general comment or media comment to provide feedback on photographic imagery. Student peer reviews will be considered complete when students have commented at least once on each peer's page and completed the rubric (if provided) for each assigned peer. 5 points each

Assignments

You will have 4 photographic assignments: Beginning Darkroom Portfolio, Beyond the Straight Photograph, Windows & Mirrors, and Independent Project: Personal Vision in Black & White; each will focus on specific criteria and skills learned in this course. Assignments must be submitted by the assigned due date. 20 points each

Grade Scheme

The following grading standards will be used in this class:
GradeRangeA | 100 % to 94.0%
A- | < 94.0 % to 90.0%
B+ | < 90.0 % to 87.0%
B | < 87.0 % to 84.0%
B- | < 84.0 % to 80.0%
C+ | < 80.0 % to 77.0%
C | < 77.0 % to 74.0%
C- | < 74.0 % to 70.0%
D+ | < 70.0 % to 67.0%
D | < 67.0 % to 64.0%
D- | < 64.0 % to 61.0%
F | < 61.0 % to 0.0%

Course Outline


Week 1 – Introduction & Cameras
  • Course overview, syllabus, expectations
  • How a 35mm camera works: shutter, aperture, ISO, metering
  • Equipment checkout & cleaning
  • Demo: loading film
  • Homework: videos/readings; begin Reel Practice
  • Quiz: syllabus, discussion expectations, film/paper basics

Week 2 – Film Developing Basics
  • Reel practice
  • Demo: film development
  • Designated shooting day
  • Reading: common processing problems
  • Discussion: first-roll shooting experience
  • Quiz: film developing concepts

Week 3 – Develop Roll #1 & Contact Printing
  • Develop Roll #1
  • Darkroom etiquette
  • Demo: contact printing
  • Assignment: develop film + contact sheet
  • Discussion: development & contact printing
  • Quiz: darkroom basics

Week 4 – Printing & Enlargement
  • Making enlargements
  • Burning & dodging demo
  • Begin Darkroom Portfolio printing
  • Assignments: enlargement + burning/dodging
  • Quiz: print quality and process

Week 5 – Spotting & Roll #2
  • Spotting demo
  • Artist discussion (Brett Weston)
  • Roll #2 shooting discussion
  • Designated shooting day
  • Discussions: artist reflection

Week 6 – Develop Roll #2 & Portfolio Work
  • Develop Roll #2
  • Darkroom printing workdays
  • Continue building: Beginning Darkroom Portfolio

Week 7 – Critique & New Concepts
  • Critique: Beginning Darkroom Portfolio
  • Reading/Activity: “Mirrors and Windows”
  • Introduce Roll #3 assignment
  • Videos: alternative/altered processes

Week 8 – Alternative Processes
  • Demo: painting with developer (in-class activity)
  • Demo: combination printing + partner activity
  • Demo: solarization
  • Assignments tied to all three demos
  • Quiz: alternative approaches

Week 9 – Roll #3 (Mirrors & Windows)
  • Develop Roll #3
  • Darkroom printing workdays focused on “Mirrors & Windows”
  • Discussion: alternative process reflections

Week 10 – Continued Printing & Critiques
  • Continued printing: Mirrors & Windows series
  • Final project discussion (Roll #4 & Roll #5)
  • Two-part critique: Mirrors & Windows

Week 11 – Final Project Begins: Independent Project: Personal Vision in Black & White
  • Designated shooting day (Roll #4)
  • Develop Roll #4
  • Darkroom printing workdays focused on Independent Project: Personal Vision in Black & White

Week 12 – Final Project Continued: Independent Project: Personal Vision in Black & White
  • Develop Roll #5
  • Ongoing final project printing
  • Progress check: final project

Week 13 – Workdays & Field/Alternative Options
  • Final project printing workdays

Week 14 – Final Project Completion
  • Final darkroom workdays
  • Final critique preparation

Week 15 – Final Exam / Wrap-Up
  • Camera check-in
  • Critique: Independent Project: Personal Vision in Black & White
  • Submit on Canvs: Independent Project: Personal Vision in Black & White

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

  • No late work will be accepted.
  • Equipment failure does not account for leniency on due dates for assignments.

Attendance Policy

Success in this course is dependent on your active participation and engagement throughout the course. As such, students must complete all assignments by the due date and actively participate in class discussions.

Additionally, students are expected to:

  • Log on at least three times a week – on different days to complete weekly assignments, assessments, discussions and/or other weekly deliverables as directed by the professor and outlined in the syllabus;
  • Participate in the weekly threaded discussions; this means that, in addition to posting a response to the thread topic presented, students are expected to respond to each other with comments or questions.

If you cannot meet the class' minimum discussion requirements due to such a circumstance, please get in touch with your instructor as soon as possible. 

Instructor's Response Time &amp; Feedback

Canvas Information

Canvas is where course content, grades, and communication will reside for this course.

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.