ART/JMS 328: Documentary Photography
Roosevelt University: Spring 2025
Mike Ensdorf, Professor of Photography
Humanities/Art/Journalism & Media Studies
How to reach me
E-mail: mensdorf@roosevelt.edu
Office: 620, Auditorium building
Phone: 312-341-6458
Office Hours: Wed, Noon-2pm, Auditorium 364
The best way to reach me is by e-mail. I check it daily.
Course description
An exploration of documentary photography consisting of camera usage, shooting assignments, slide lectures, and computer work. No previous photography experience required. Cameras will be available for checkout. We will discuss the ethical, philosophical and practical considerations when making documentary photographs.
Time: 2pm-4:30pm, Wednesdays
Place: Aud 362
Evaluation:
- Assignments: 25%
- Attendance/participation: 25%
- Midterm project: 25%
- Final project: 25%
Be prepared to work in class. Bring camera to every class.
Attendance: Mandatory. Lateness and any unexcused absence will affect your final grade.
Three absences is considered to be deserving of a failing grade.
Textbook: None
Withdrawal Date: The final date for an official withdrawal from this class (meaning a “W” would appear on your transcript) is Friday, March 21, 2025. In order to withdraw after the official withdrawal date, you must petition for a late withdraw with Office of the Registrar. Petitions are granted only for non-academic reasons after the deadline.You should consult your academic advisor if you are considering withdrawing from a course. If you receive financial aid, also check with your financial aid counselor to assure that aid isn’t affected by withdrawing from a class.
RU’s Learning Goals:
The University’s three overall learning goals for undergraduate students are:
- Effective communication
- Knowledge of discipline-focused content
- Awareness of social justice and engagement in civic life
Goals and Learning Outcomes of the Documentary Photography Class:
- To become proficient at the techniques of shooting & manipulating photographic imagery.
- To think more ethically, as well as creatively about image enhancement and manipulation.
- To create awareness of social justice and issue oriented photography.
- To develop effective ways to talk about and critique work.
- To produce a significant documentary photography project combining the techniques and concepts generated in the course.
Class Structure:
- Lecture, slides, and handout readings related to the technique, theory, history, ethical considerations, and creative processes of documentary photography.
- In-class demonstration and instruction of image capture, enhancement, and manipulation programs.
- In-class studio time to allow for more individual assistance in the completion of assignments and larger projects.
- Classroom critiques of assignments and projects.
Class organization
Week 1: The Documentary Aesthetic/Introduction and Orientation (1/22)
- Introduction to course material and facilities
- Introduction to compositional techniques
Homework: Assignment 1-Shoot at least 50 pictures demonstrating your understanding of ALL of the compositional techniques described and shown in class.
Week 2: Light and Shadow (1/29)
- Assignment 1 due
- Introduction to editing and workflow
In-class project: Import Assignment 1. Select the best 15 images for presentation in class.
Homework: Assignment 2-Shoot at least 50 pictures concentrating on light and shadow. Be sure to photograph at different times of the day and in different lighting conditions.
Week 3: Point of View (2/5)
- Assignment 2 due
In-class project: Editing your light and shadow photos into a series
Homework: Assignment 3-Shoot at least 50 pictures of one subject making sure you photograph it from as many points of view as possible.
Week 4: Portraiture (2/12)
- Assignment 3 due
- How to choose a subject
Homework: Assignment 4-Make portraits of five different people.
Week 5: Editing (2/19)
- Assignment 4 due
Homework: Choose a subject for the mid-term project Photo Essay and begin photographing. Shoot at least 50 pictures of one subject. Follow the shot list closely.
Week 6: Mid-term Project Studio Time (2/26)
- Studio time for mid-term project editing
Week 7: SPRING BREAK! (3/5)
Week 8: Mid-term Critique (3/12)
Week 9: Final Project Kickoff/Museum of Contemporary Photography (3/19)
- Discussion and examples for final project
- Print viewing at the Museum of Contemporary Photography
Homework: Choose a subject for your final project and shoot 50 photographs.
Week 10: Final Project In-progress Critique (3/26)
Homework: Shoot another 50 photographs of your chosen subject.
Week 11: Final Project Studio Time/Introduction to Blurb(4/2)
Homework: Shoot another 50 photographs of your chosen subject.
Week 12: Complete Photobook and Send to Blurb (4/9)
Week 13: Printing Session (4/16)
Week 14: Printing Session (4/23)
Week 15: Printing Session (4/30)
Week 16: Final critique (5/7)
Note: Weekly course content is subject to minimal change.
About your instructor
Mike Ensdorf, Associate Dean/Arts & Sciences, Professor of Photography/Journalism & Media Studies, Founder and Director/Gage Gallery at Roosevelt University. Master of Fine Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Ensdorf helped develop the Journalism and Media Studies and Graphic Design programs at Roosevelt University in Chicago. In Roosevelt’s Department of Communication he teaches: Film and Digital Photography, Photobook History and Practice, and Pinhole to Cameraphone: Photography’s History and Practice. Ensdorf’s photographic work was included in the Iterations exhibition at the International Center of Photography in New York, and in the book of the same name published by MIT Press. His work was also included in the Photography after Photography exhibition, touring museums in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, and finishing at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia. His work is represented in the German and English editions of the book, Photography after Photography: Memory and Representation in the Digital Age, published by G+B Arts. Ensdorf’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago. As founding director, Ensdorf has developed the Gage Gallery at Roosevelt University into “Chicago’s premier space for showcasing contemporary critical social photo-documentary work.” (Michael Weinstein, NewCity, Chicago.)