Kracauer's "On Photography"

For this post, read Kracauer's "On Photography" (available on Blackboard).

Then watch this video by Feist.



Finally, find one quote from Kracauer's essay that helps answer one of the questions from the "Questions to Consider" post. Provide the quote, and write a brief explanation as to its significance/meaning. Be sure to give the page number of the quote as well.

Susan Sontag's "The Image World"

Hello All,

For this post, read Susan Sontag's "The Image World," which you can find on the class Blackboard page.  Then find one quote that provides an answer to one of the questions from the list on the previous post.  Finally, provide a brief explanation (a couple of sentences) of why you found that quote meaningful.

Note: Do not repeat a quote someone has already posted; you must find a new quote to discuss if "your" quote is taken.

Questions to Consider for Your First Essay

Hello All,

This is a list of questions that will help you brainstorm for your first essay.  There is no need to respond to this post; this will just be a list that you can return to when you are reading the photography essays or constructing your first essay.

What is Art?  What are the qualities that would elevate a given object to the status of "art"?
Why do people create art?
Why do audiences want to experience art?
Does art require context?  In other words, does an artwork lose anything out of context?  Is a Picasso painting the same in person as it is as an image we might use as the screensaver on our desktop computer?

Can photography be art?
How is photography different from other forms of art (like literature and painting)?
How is it similar?
What qualities would a photograph need to possess to be elevated to the status of art?

Why do people take photographs?
What function/purpose/utility do photographs serve for us as individuals?  For us as members of a family or community?  For anonymous/unknown audiences?

Finally, if anyone is interested, the Bakersfield Museum of Art is hosting an exhibit titled "Photography in Mexico," with some fantastic photographs, including my all-time favorite: "Mujer Angel" by Graciela Iturbide.

Class Photographs

J.R. Brownlow's "Farm Life"

M. Munoz's "Skyscape"

P. Kaur's "Sunset Horizon"

V. Villalpando's "Newport Harbor"

Z. McCarthy's "Dog Drama"

V. Rivera's "Three L Door"

E. Chavez's "High School Football"

W. Bishop's "Food and Friends"

L.M. Rountree's "Cousins"

R. Jacobo's "Weekend Escape"

V. Camacho's "Window on Europe"

F. Salahud-din's "Home"

N. DiMaggio's "Happy Pig"

J. Torres's "White Cat on White Fence"

S. Avalos's "Celebrity Stalkers"

S. Ali's "My Precious Boy"

R. Hough's "Nephews"

P. Lopez's "Rose of Life"

M. Lumpkin's "End of Summer"

B. Rhodes's "Sibling Bonding"

C. Correa's "Tule River"

L. Tinajero's "Summer Reading List"

M. Cueto's "Central Coast"

S. Summers's "Pink Flamingos"

P. Castillo's "Before Sunrise, Venice Beach"

A. Gonzalez's "Missing Gammy"

B. Leonard's "Desert Eye"

Post #2: The Syllabus

For this post, read the syllabus, and post one question you have about the class (the syllabus, the assignments, etc).  I will not be reading the syllabus out loud on Saturday, but I will be answering all of your questions . . .

Fall 2014, Post #1

Hello All,

My name is Matthew Woodman, and I will be your instructor for English 305.  For this first post, to which you should post a comment/response by September 20, provide a brief introduction of yourself: your major, current job, career goals, what you hope to learn in this course, and any additional trivia about your life.

Here's a bit about me: I have been teaching at CSUB for fourteen years and have spent most of my life here in the central valley.  In addition to English 305, I also teach the freshmen writing course (110), another upper-division GWAR course (310), Advanced Technical Writing (ADM 510), Introduction to Literature (101), and the first-year-experience course (CSUB 101).  When I am not teaching, I am writing poetry; you can see some of my work here and here.  When I am not writing, I am probably reading a book (I'm in the middle of Catherine Lacey's Nobody Is Ever Missing, which is great) or working on my garden of California native plants (which you can follow here).  In terms of this course, I hope to help you improve all aspects of your writing, from development and organization to depth and insight.  Along the way, my goal is to make writing a skill that you will enjoy improving.