AH 325 - History of Photography

This course covers the history of photography from its beginning in the 19th century to the present with a focus on Germany and its defining relationship with American photographic movements. In addition to understanding how the techniques and uses of photography have developed over time, the course examines the role of the printed image, both as an art form and as a document that depicts the historical, political, and cultural movements in Germany. Starting in the 19th century, the course will analyze the documentary benefits of photography, as well as creative positions such as Pictorialism, New Vision, New Objectivity, and Subjective and Conceptual Photography. The courses will also address developments in photojournalism, analog and digital, since digital photography today provokes the mistrust of the viewer more than ever before. In this context, students will study individual pictures and their content in relation to the caption and the standpoint of the respective photographer. To understand the different forms and uses of photographic expression, slides and textual sources will be used in class. Site visits to galleries and museums in Berlin are also an integral part of the course.