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ARTH 323/CHTE 323 Photography and Archaeology: The Art of Documentation Spring 2019 Instructor: Jeff Vanderpool

“Looking at photographs of the past in general, it seems that the last thing we examine is the photograph itself.”

- Socratis Mavrommatis

Images (from L to R): Engraving by Frédéric Martens, 1841, based on photograph by Pierre-Gustave Joly

de Lotbinière, 1839; Nelly's, 1937; Anagnostopoulos Bros. OE, 1985; Martin Parr, 1991.

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Course Description The renowned Greek archaeological photographer, Socratis Mavrommatis, observed that when we look at photographs of antiquity we often privilege the subject over the photograph. In fact, one of the unwritten tenets of archaeological photography is that of impartial depiction. This effectively implies that the "hand" of the photographer should be invisible. But how much can this actually be made invisible? Perhaps we have just desensitized our vision when examining archaeological photographs by only considering the subject and not the photograph delivering it? In recent years the photograph itself has become the subject of study thus transforming it from being a mere document to a cultural object in its own right. The study of the relationship between photography and archaeology requires a multi-disciplinary approach. We must be practitioners and theorists, researchers and analysts, approaching archaeological photography from a variety of angles. Through lectures and viewing the work of major figures in the field you will become familiar with the development of the medium alongside the discipline of archaeology. Through site visits and hands-on experience with specialized equipment you will gain insight into the mechanics of photography and how it shapes vision. Through examining case-studies and conducting your own research you will discover how photography has often held up a mirror to the greater cultural contexts of archaeology. Greece is an ideal setting for this course: photography and scientific archaeology were born at roughly the same time and the histories of both disciplines are intricately connected. To explore this relationship, the class will visit archaeological sites, object storage facilities, photographic archives and museums. Students will also be required to conduct visits in their own time to complete a photography based research project. The goals of the course are:

to develop an understanding and appreciation for the role of photography in archaeology;

to develop visual and critical thinking skills relevant beyond the scope of this class. Upon completion of the course students are expected:

to be knowledgeable about historical developments in, and theoretical approaches to, archaeological photography;

be able to recognize, describe, analyze, and interpret visual images;

and be familiar with strategies with which to approach photographic images. This course does not require any familiarity with photography or photographic processes. Since it is designed as a higher level art history course, previous knowledge of Western art would be useful. Some knowledge of archaeological processes and/or the ancient world is helpful but not necessary. Course Resources and Activities We will read a wide variety of texts, from historical accounts to essays on image theory. There are a few core texts that will constitute our primary reading and will be required reading in preparation for our lectures and discussions. There is also a much longer "select bibliography" from which we will be reading certain selections. Several of our meetings will be on-site at archives, museums or sites. You are not required to have any specialist equipment to participate. Where equipment is not provided, a decent cell phone camera will suffice. If you have your own camera, so much the better. You will find it helpful if you have your own laptop with photo-editing software installed (designated CYA computers will be available if you do not have a laptop or software). It is preferable that this is not the "out-of-the-box" software bundled with most computers, but rather one that has extended capabilities for image resizing, cropping, exposure enhancement, sharpening, etc. The industry standard is of course Adobe Photoshop, but it is by no means the only option. There are also free, open-source alternatives that are reliable such as GIMP, Paint.NET and

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many more. For the purposes of this course we will be looking at some of the most fundamental features of editing software when we talk about image publishing. Writing During the course you will be required to write a research paper on one of the following topics: A. “One reality, two views.” Compare the photographic output of two photographers - one Greek, one

foreign - about Greece. How are they similar, how are they different? What does their work say about their respective cultural values?

OR B. Consider Walter Benjamin’s theory of the representation of art in photography. In what ways does his

theory apply to archaeology? How has the digital age affected the way we perceive cultural objects? Lab Work This course presents a multidisciplinary approach to the subject of archaeological photography. In order to put yourself in the shoes of the photographer and gain an inside understanding of the photographer's thoughts and processes that result in a final image, you will be required to produce some practice-based work. This will include:

A single image from a large format field camera during one of two site visits;

An object photograph during one of two site visits;

The completion of an on-site photography assignment;

One "publishable" photograph of your choice from the above. Research Project A large part of your assessment on this course will derive from a photographic research project you will develop throughout the course. This will be presented at the end of the course in the form of a poster presentation or paper. Your project will draw from the physical photographic archives in Athens and any one of the numerous online photographic archives. Learning Objectives By the end of the course, you should be able to:

1) Have the ability to evaluate archaeological photographs both for their success as a visual record and/or as part of a historical narrative of archaeology.

2) Explore, compare and contrast historical narratives and artistic vision in archaeological photography.

3) Reflect on the importance of the still image as a recording tool for archaeological work but also as a source of information itself with respect to the cultural context of the archaeological process.

4) Reflect on and engage with the basic mechanics of the production of archaeological photographs. Course Requirements You will be assessed based on your written work, which will draw from knowledge acquired through attending lectures and reading. You will also be assessed, to a lesser extent, on some practice-based elements.

1) Exam: The exam is designed to test your theoretical knowledge acquired from attending lectures and conducting the reading.

2) Essay: You will write a short essay on your choice of one of two given topics. This will test your ability to combine material covered during the class with your own research.

3) Photographic Research Project: You will choose the topic and will conduct independent research. The results of your research can be presented as a poster presentation or a paper.

4) Assignments: You will produce photographs during labs and site visits which will be assessed for meeting the preordained parameters. This is critical for understanding the procedures and

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methodology of archaeological photography. Following are descriptions of the four lab/field-work assignments:

i. Because of the deliberate nature with which you must operate a large format field camera, you will get an in-depth understanding of some of the most fundamental considerations when creating a photograph. These in turn will apply to all devices large or small;

ii. We will also visit an object storage facility and have the opportunity to work with actual archaeological objects. Working with an object you will come to understand first hand some of the many challenges faced when depicting it photographically.

iii. We will also visit one of Greece's many archaeological sites to understand site photography first hand. Moving around an archaeological site with specific tasks in mind will help clarify the variety of options and challenges faced by archaeological photographers. A site photograph may appear simple in its final form, something which often hides the mastery that went into creating it;

iv. In order for a photograph to be published it must meet certain requirements. You will be taught how to select and create one "publishable" photograph of your choice from the above site visits.

Class Participation: Your attendance and in class writing and analysis – is vitally important to your success in this course. (for more details, see attached rubric) Attendance: Students are expected to report for classes promptly. CYA regards attendance in class and on-site as essential. Absences are recorded and have consequences. Illness or other such compelling reasons which result in absences should be reported immediately in the Student Affairs Office Policy on Original Work: Unless otherwise specified, all submitted work must be your own, original work. Any excerpts from the work of others must be clearly identified as a quotation, and a proper citation provided. (Check Student handbook, pg. 9) Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: If you are a registered (with your home institution) student with a disability and you are entitled to learning accommodation, please inform the Director of Academic Affairs and make sure that your school forwards the necessary documentation. Books, Course Materials, Moodle Adams, Ansel Easton. The Camera: Ansel Adams. Place of Publication Not Identified: Little, Brown, 1989. Asdrachas, Spyros I., Alexandra Moshovi, and Aliki Tsirgialou. Greece through Photographs: 100 Years of

Visual Testimony. Athens: MELISSA Publishing, 2009. Baldwin, Gordon, and Martin C. Jurgens. Looking at Photographs: A Guide to Technical Terms. Los Angeles,

CA: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2009. Barrett, Terry. Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images. New York: McGraw Hill,

2012. Barthes, Roland. Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography. London: Vintage, 2000. Bohrer, Frederick Nathaniel. Photography and Archaeology. London: Reaktion Books, 2011. Dorrell, Peter G. Photography in Archaeology and Conservation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,

2000. Farrell, Ian. Complete Guide to Digital Photography. London: Quercus, 2017. Jeffrey, Ian. How to Read a Photograph: Understanding, Interpreting and Enjoying the Great Photographers.

London: Thames & Hudson, 2008. Lyons, Claire L., and John K. Papadopoulos. Antiquity & Photography: Early Views of Ancient Mediterranean

Sites. London: Thames & Hudson, 2005. Marien, Mary Warner. Photography: A Cultural History. 4th ed. London: Laurence King, 2014. Mavromatis, Socratis. The Creative Photography in Archaeology: From Travelers of the 19th Century to the

Creative Photography of the 20th. Athens, 2008: Benaki Museum.

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Molyneaux, Brian. The Cultural Life of Images: Visual Representation in Archaeology. London: Routledge, 2012.

Papadopoulos, John K., Piet De Jong, and John McK. Camp. The Art of Antiquity: Piet De Jong and the Athenian Agora. Athens: American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 2007.

Rosenblum, Naomi. A World History of Photography. New York: Abbeville Press, 2007. Xanthakis, Alkis X. History of Greek Photography, 1839-1960. Athens: Hellenic Literary and Historical

Archives Society, 1988. Suggested viewing: Ways of Seeing. By John Berger. BBC. Secret Knowledge. By David Hockney. BBC. The Genius of Photography: Fixing the Shadows. BBC. The Genius of Photography: Documents for Artists. BBC. The Genius of Photography: Right Time, Right Place. BBC. Class Schedule

Lesson Reading

1 Introduction - Ways of seeing Brian Leigh Molyneaux, “Introduction: The Cultural Life of Images” Naomi Rosenblum, “A Short Technical History, Part I,” A World History of Photography Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, “Introduction,” Antiquity & Photography Claire L. Lyons, “The Art and science of Antiquity in 19th Century Photography,” Antiquity & Photography Walter Benjamin, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” The Photography Reader Suggested viewings: John Berger, Ways of Seeing David Hockney, Secret Knowledge BBC: The Genius of Photography: Fixing the Shadows BBC: The Genius of Photography: Documents for Artists BBC: The Genius of Photography: Right Time, Right Place

2 How technology shapes vision, PART I: The “Analogue” Age

Naomi Rosenblum, “The Early Years: Technology, Vision, Users,” “Documentation, Landscape and Architecture,” A World History of Photography

3 Field Work: The view camera I Ansel Adams, “Large-Format Cameras,” The Camera

4 Field Work: The view camera II

5 Archaeology, photography and the history of modern Greece: three coinciding stories.

John K. Papadopoulos, “Antiquity Depicted,” Antiquity & Photography Spyros Asdrahas, Greece Through Photographs

6 How technology shapes vision, PART II: The “Digital” Age

Sarah Kember, “The Shadow of the Object,” The Photography Reader Martin Lister, “Introduction to the Photographic Image in Digital Culture,” The Photography Reader Manovich, “The Paradoxes of Digital Photography,” The Photography Reader

7 The Real and the Actual Michael Shanks, “Photography and Archaeology,” Cultural Life of Images Ansel Adams, “Lenses,” The Camera Piet de Jong, The Art of Antiquity

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8 Object Case Study: The Pylos “Combat Agate”

9 The Archive Frederick N. Bohrer, “Meaning or the Archive,” Photography and Archaeology Allan Sekula, “Reading and Archive: Photography Between Labour and Capital” The Photography Reader

10 Site Visit: Benaki Museum Photographic Archives

11 Reading a Photograph Roland Barthes, Camera Lucida Ian Jeffrey, How to Read a Photograph Terry Barrett, Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images

12 Photographic typologies and object classifications

13 Art of the Document Frederick N. Bohrer, “The Image as Object,” Photography and Archaeology Costis Antoniadis, “Photography: Documentation and Art,” The Creative Photograph in Archaeology Socratis Mavrommatis, “The Creative Photograph in Archaeology,” The Creative Photograph in Archaeology

14 Site Visit: Object Studio I Peter G. Dorrell, “Principles of Object Photography,” Photography in Archaeology and Conservation

15 Site Visit: Object Studio II

16 “Notes and Illustrations:” What constitutes a “publishable” image in form, content and technique.

17 Lab: Digital workflow and image preparation for publishing

Ian Farrell, Complete Guide to Digital Photography

18 Archaeological site photography

Peter G. Dorrell, “Site Photography,” Photography in Archaeology and Conservation Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, “An American on the Acropolis: William James Stillman,” Antiquity & Photography The Art

19 Site Visit: Ancient Kerameikos

20 The “Whole” Picture: The greater context of an archaeological excavation

Frederick N. Bohrer, “Travel, or Presence,” Photography and Archaeology

21 Site case study: The Ancient Methone Archaeological Project

22 Art Photography and Archaeology

23 Exam

24 Project presentations