Final Project Proposal Guidelines

PHOTO 1 FINAL PROJECT IN QUARANTINE PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Project Due May 6th (three weeks away)

Photo1_FinalProject_ProposalGuidelines(PDF of this assignment)

TWO PARTS
– 3 paragraph PROPOSAL
– TIMELINE

Make something photographic to mark this time, something physical to remember this expanse of time and space. Write a three paragraph proposal describing your overall concept and the materials, subject, and form. Imagine you’re writing a grant application, make it sound intriguing!

How will this photographic project reflect your current circumstances? How does the required distance of quarantine affect your vision? Will you involve your quarantine group family / friends in the making of this work? Will you respond to family photographs? You are welcome to integrate family / found photographs in your project. Will you make a Blurb photobook or have prints made through an online print service?

Create a weekly timeline for your project.  What will you accomplish by what date to ensure you finish the project by May 6th?  Remember you only need to place the online order for prints / books by then.

On May 6th, you’ll present your final project as a pdf, along with an order receipt for your printing of photographs or photobook. Alternative presentations such as photo-sculptures, performance pieces, etc. will be considered on a case by case basis by Christine.

For the proposal, summarize in three paragraphs the photographs you would like to make for your final project. Clearly articulate what ideas and subject matter you want to work with, what you expect the pictures to be like formally, and how you envision them as a series. Why is this project important to you? Where does it come from? What are your sources of inspiration? What questions does it address? How will your process and approach give the work meaning?

Consider the time you have to complete this project, and how you will accomplish it. Your proposal should be a finished piece of writing and be written as if you were submitting it as a compelling grant proposal.

Your proposal should address the following questions in a compelling and integrated way, not prescriptively list the ingredients. The proposal should give us an overall sense of your project, the materials, subject, and why. You don’t need to answer all the questions, just the ones that matter to your project.

MATERIALS

  • Camera
  • Digital or Film type & size? (if film, how and when will you have it processed)?
  • Tripod?
  • ISO
  • Rectangle or square aspect ratio
  • PRINTS? (Color or B/W Mail order labs, see photo resources on blog).
  • Print size? Look at your maximum resolution on your digital camera to find out how big you can print.
  • Paper type (Glossy or Luster or Matte)
  • Integration of color
  • Integration of alternative techniques
  • Integration of mixed media: drawing, painting, fibers, sculpture, sound, text, video, performance, etc.
  • Presentation: BLURB PHOTO BOOK?  https://www.blurb.com/ or Online Print Order? (see photo lab resources on blog) or photo album, clamshell box, book, sculpture, installation, performance, etc.

SUBJECT

  • Representational and/or abstract
  • found and/or constructed
  • Natural or Artificial Light
  • Quality of Light
  • Time of Day
  • Weather
  • Mood
  • Setting
  • Composition
  • Shutter Speed (long exposures?)
  • Depth-of-Field
  • Perspective
  • How you will interact with the subject? Your relationship to the subject.
  • Do you want to reference other photographs or images? Why or why not? If so, how?
  • Do you want to integrate family / found images in your project?

WHY

The use of __________ formal or technical means brings out the ________ quality of the ______________ subject or source.

The photographs and my source will relate in ______________ way through __________ means.

– How does this relate to current circumstances? Quarantine?

– Why is this project important to you?
– Where does it come from?
– Does it relate to or integrate your family photographs?
– What are your sources of inspiration? Personal, cultural, historic, contemporary, text, image…
– What questions does the project address?
– How does it relate to or deviate from your past work?

EXPENSES
I encourage you to design and order a Blurb print-on-demand photo book or upload digital files to have printed by a lab. Bowdoin will reimburse you $80 for class photography project materials or related costs INCLUDING ANY COST OF SHIPPING PHOTO EQUIPMENT BACK TO BOWDOIN. Reimbursement proposals must be submitted to [email protected] for approval prior to purchase by May 4th. $30 will cover the cost of a softcover Blurb photo book if you choose to have one printed for your final project. If you’d rather do something else for your final project, describe your plan in your final proposal and I’ll give you feedback.

Kaempfer Fund can also be used, see email from Leash Menard…

“We will still be accepting requests for Kaempfer Fund assistance for purchases towards your spring 2020 visual arts courses, but with a spending cap of $500 maximum per student per course. This is to ensure we have enough funding to support everyone’s needs for the rest of the semester. Please be conservative and only spend what you need to complete your coursework.

Rather than getting supplies directly from the Bookstore, requests will be based on reimbursements for supplies that you purchase up front in order to complete your coursework this spring. To submit a reimbursement request, please email me a photo or scan of your receipt, and let me know the course(s) to which it applies.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I wish you all the best for a healthy and safe semester.

Sincerely,

Leash

Alicia “Leash” Menard
Department Coordinator, Visual Arts
Bowdoin College
(207) 725-3861
[email protected]