Photography and Visual Culture: Key Concepts and Historical Analyses

Quiz #1

Points 100
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For this quiz, please consider your reader a friend from class. This friend missed the lectures and readings that contain the information below. Your task is to systematically explain to them what they missed concisely but with all important details included. Your answers should be drawn ONLY from lectures and readings (you will receive a zero on any answer that draws from materials outside of this course).
Term definitions and explanations:

In approximately 200-300 words for each term, please a) define and explain these terms in detail, and b) provide an example (or a work of art related to the term) for each when appropriate.
Indexical sign:

Ambrotype:

Previsualization:

Stereograph/stereoscope:

Essays: Please draw from lectures and readings and be as specific as you can be. Each essay should be about 2.5-3 pages in length, standard 12 point font, 1″ margins, double-spaced. In total, you will write 3 essays.
Using Alexander Gardner’s Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter (1863) as your main example, please discuss the use of photographs in relation to the American Civil War. Your essay should include a thorough discussion of the idea of the photographic “document” as addressed in readings and lectures.
Using The Steerage (1907) as your main example; a) please discuss the contributions of Alfred Stieglitz to modernist photography; b) and relate his aesthetic philosophy to formalist criticism.

Choose EITHER option 3 OR 4:

Using Emerson’s Throwing the Cast Net (1886) as your main example, please discuss early “pictorialist” ideas in relation to photography. Include specific details about the techniques, subjects, relations to past art forms, and so forth. Also, include the photographer’s opinions as expressed in his writing on the subject, including his four terms for art.
Using William Henry Jackson’s The Mountain of the Holy Cross (1873) as your main example, please explain the most important aspects of 19th century landscape photography in the United States. Your discussion should include explanations of pantheism, The Sublime and Manifest Destiny.
as one file (either Word .doc or PDF). No citations are needed for any course readings
and outside sources are not allowed.

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Criteria
Ratings
Pts
Definition of key terms

15 pts Full Marks
There is a thorough and specific definition of all the terms listed in the prompt, with appropriate examples provided when needed.

13 pts Good
There are some good definitions of the terms
listed in the prompt, with appropriate examples provided when needed, though there is a need for more detail and
specificity.

11 pts Average
There is a definition of most of the terms, but some could be more specific. Appropriate examples are sometimes given when needed, though some could have been better chosen.

7 pts
Needs Substantial Improvement
There are inadequate definitions for the terms listed in the prompt, and/or there aren’t appropriate examples provided when needed.

0 pts No Marks

15 pts
First essay on
Alexander Gardner and the use of photographs in
relation to the American Civil War,
discussion of the idea
of the “document”

25 pts Full Marks
Essay provides detailed description and analysis of Gardner’s Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, and develops a thorough
discussion of

23 pts Good
Essay provides good description and analysis of Gardner’s Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, with good discussion of
photography and the

21 pts Average
Essay provides some description and analysis of Gardner’s Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, but could be more thorough.
The discussion of

16 pts
Needs Substantial Improvement
Essay doesn’t provide enough detailed
description and analysis of Gardner’s Home of a
Rebel Sharpshooter. The

0 pts No Marks
25 pts

photography and the document during the
American Civil War, with
document during the American Civil War with
room for a bit more detail.
photography and the document during the
American Civil War could
discussion of photography during the
American Civil War is

specific reference to
readings and lectures.
There are good
references to readings
be more specific in
referencing readings and
too general, and/or is
missing a specific

and lectures.
lectures.
discussion of the “document.”

Criteria
Ratings
Pts

Second essay on the contributions of Alfred
25 pts Full Marks
23 pts Good
21 pts Average

16 pts
Needs Substantial
0 pts No

Stieglitz to modernist photography and the ideas of formalist
criticism
Essay provides detailed description and analysis of The Steerage, and
develops a thorough
Essay provides good description and analysis of The Steerage, and develops a discussion of
Stieglitz’s contribution to
Essay provides some description and analysis of The Steerage, but could be more detailed.
The discussion of
Improvement
Essay provides little to no description and analysis of The Steerage. The
discussion of Stieglitz’s
Marks

discussion of Stieglitz’s
contribution to
modernist photography
and how his philosophy
Stieglitz’s contribution to
modernist photography
contribution to modernist
photography is too

modernist photography and how his
philosophy relates to
relates to formalist criticism. The essay
could be made more
and how his philosophy relates to formalist
criticism could be made
general, and/or there isn’t an adequate discussion of
how his philosophy relates

25 pts

formalist criticism.
detailed and specific.
more thorough and specific.
to formalist criticism.

Third essay on EITHER Emerson and
25 pts Full Marks
23 pts Good
21 pts Average

16 pts
Needs Substantial
0 pts No
25 pts
“pictorialist” ideas about photography (techniques, subjects, relations to past art forms, etc.) OR
Essay provides a thorough, detailed
analysis of pictorialist or landscape photography, utilizing specific
Essay provides good analysis of pictorialist or landscape photography, utilizing description of the requested
Essay provides some analysis of pictorialist or landscape photography,
but needs more specificity. The description of the
Improvement
Essay provides general analysis of pictorialist or landscape photography.
The description of the
Marks

Criteria
Ratings
Pts
Jackson and 19th century landscape
photography in the
description of the requested photograph
by either Emerson or
photograph by either Emerson or Jackson as
a main example, and
requested photograph by either Emerson or Jackson
as a main example could
requested photograph by either Emerson or
Jackson is lacking detail

US (pantheism, The Sublime and Manifest
Destiny).
Jackson as a main example, and
discusses all the
discusses the important terms, concepts, and
ideas. The essay could
be more detailed. The essay discusses some of
the important terms,
or is missing. The essay doesn’t adequately
include a discussion of all

important terms,
concepts, and ideas in
be made more specific
and detailed.
concepts, and ideas,
though there is room for
the important terms,
concepts, and ideas.

depth.

more depth.

Format and submitted on time
10 pts Full Marks

5 pts
Needs Improvement

Quiz contains all aspects of the prompt, each essay is the appropriate length, and all are formatted correctly. Submitted on time.
Quiz doesn’t contain all aspects of the prompt, each essay isn’t the appropriate length, and/or not all are formatted correctly and/or late.
10 pts
Total Points: 100

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