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Unit of study_

CAEL3019: Alternative Photographic Practices

2025 unit information

This unit introduces students to advanced and alternative chemical-based photographic practices. It will explore contemporary photographic abstraction through the work of artists manipulating the material substrate of the photographic medium. The darkroom will become the site for experimentation using camera-less as well as in-camera photographic proesses and hybrids of digital and analogue technology. There will be an awareness of sustainability in darkroom practices by utilising low-impact plant-based and DIY developers and toners where available. This unit builds upon the solid analogue darkroom processes taught in the Photography and the Darkroom elective.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Arts and Social Sciences

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Sydney College of the Arts
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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(12 credit points at 2000 level from CAEL including CAEL2042) or (12 credit points at 2000 level from CAST and CAEL2042)
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. identify and effectively utilise the tools and technology associated with alternate processes in photographic darkroom practices
  • LO2. understand where these processes fit within the context of art history and contemporary practice
  • LO3. discuss and critique photographic works made in the alternative darkroom in terms of its formal and conceptual merit
  • LO4. demonstrate experimental and critical approaches to art work production
  • LO5. demonstrate strategies to synthesise concept, process and form in art making.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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