Continuing Studies Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Certificate in Documentary Studies

Courses Offered for the Upcoming Term

Current and Past Term Courses

Workshops and Institutes





Past Term Courses

GENERAL INFORMATION | Course Levels and Lab Fees

Beginning this term, Documentary Studies courses are marked “All levels,” “Beginning,” “Intermediate,” or “Advanced” to assist students in determining the most appropriate course in which to enroll. The specific designations are defined as follows:

1. All levels – This course is open to all skill levels.

2. Beginning – No experience needed to take a course with this designation.

3. Intermediate – This level assumes students have taken the Intro class in the subject and are able to work independently with software, within the darkroom, etc.

4. Advanced – This level assumes students have taken the Intro and Intermediate courses to acquire a comfort level working independently with the medium.

The advanced workshops are highly recommended, and beginning Spring 2009, they will be required for the certificate.

A CDS lab fee of $85 is included in the cost of courses where indicated; this fee covers the use of darkroom and editing facilities for the duration of the course. Students who are enrolled in other courses and who wish to use these facilities must pay the $85 lab fee and complete registration/orientation with the CDS Photography and Digital Arts Associate in order to use the labs. Students need only pay ONE lab fee per term. Certificate students working on their final projects may pay the lab fee and use the lab(s) if they have enrolled in the Final Project Seminar within the calendar year.

Please note: Students are expected to supply their own equipment and paper, unless stated otherwise.

If you are uncertain which level is most appropriate for you, or have questions regarding course lab fees, please contact April Walton, Learning Outreach Director, at awalton@duke.edu or 919-660–3670.







REQUIRED COURSES

Introductory Seminar in Documentary Studies | Beginning
Joy Salyers

This required course is designed for students in the Certificate in Documentary Studies program or those who plan to enroll. Photography, video, oral history, writing, ethnography, and community partnerships – Documentary Studies is interdisciplinary and multifaceted in nature, encompassing many genres and numerous means of interacting with the world and its peoples. We emphasize not only methodologies but also philosophies and ethics of fieldwork in different settings. Students will explore examples of fieldwork and, at the final meeting, will present preliminary projects of their own.

Session I
Saturdays, September 13–November 1
10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (20 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $245
Course ID: 11816

Session II
Wednesdays, October 22–December 17 (No class November 26)
6–8:30 p.m. (20 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $245
Course ID: 11817

Joy M.G. Salyers is a folklorist, writer, and anti-racism educator. She consults with individuals and groups on a variety of topics—her specialties include using oral history, experiential learning, and creativity to bridge community divisions, develop identity, and combat prejudice. She is trained to use stories and writing to connect and to heal. Her personal fieldwork includes documenting personal life histories, writing poetry from family stories, and collaborating with members of a modern performance community.



Final Project Seminar In Documentary Studies | Advanced
Jim Haverkamp

The seminar will consist of group discussions about each student’s project and progress toward completion, along with guided planning on taking projects to their intended audiences.

Participants who successfully complete their project during this course will be awarded the Certificate in Documentary Studies.

Students who have met all other requirements and who have done substantial work toward their intended final projects are encouraged to request admission to this seminar by an e-mail to awalton@duke.edu (subject line “CDS Final Seminar”). Prior to approval, CDS will be in contact with students to discuss their final projects. Approved participants will be notified and given registration instructions. (Limit 8)

Please note: This class is available to certificate students and by approval only. The deadline to request admission into the course is September 29. On Friday, December 5, students will share final presentations.

Mondays, October 20–December 1
7–9 p.m. (14 hours)
Certificate graduation presentations on Friday, December 5.
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $245
Course ID: 11818

Jim Haverkamp is an award-winning filmmaker and editor based in Durham whose short documentary and fiction films have screened in festivals across the country. He has been the recipient of a Filmmaking Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council and recently was chosen to tour with Southern Circuit. He is a former organizer of the Flicker Film Festival in Chapel Hill.

ADVANCED PROJECTS SEMINARS IN AUDIO, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND VIDEO

The Advanced Audio, Photography, and Video Projects courses provide documentary artists with the opportunity to work with award-winning professionals in small group settings. Each term, CDS invites three established artists to teach the Advanced Projects Seminars, designed for individuals who are working on projects and are seeking creative guidance to move forward. This is an opportunity for students in the certificate program to refine their work before applying for the Final Seminar. Participants are required to share excerpts from their works-in-progress, and the courses are designed around the specific needs of participants. Different artists will teach the seminars each term, giving students the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives on their work. Students may take the course for credit more than once. This is also an ideal course for students who have completed the Certificate in Documentary Studies and are looking for professional advice to move forward in their careers, including information on finding resources (grants, artist residencies) to support their work.

It is strongly recommended that current certificate students take this course in their chosen concentration. It will become a required course for all new certificate students beginning Spring 2009.



Audio Projects Seminar | Advanced
Rachel McCarthy

Mondays, September 8–October 13
6:30–8:30 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $315
Course ID: 11820

Rachel McCarthy is a Durham-based freelance radio producer and editor whose works can be heard regularly on WUNC’s The Story with Dick Gordon. She is a graduate of the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies radio program and has produced several radio specials, including an hour-long documentary about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the elderly. Her features have aired on Weekend Edition, Studio 360, On the Media, Weekend America, Justice Talking, and Only a Game and other public radio programs. She is the recipient of a Weekend America Independent Producer Fellowship and a Gold Medal at the National Mature Media Awards.



Photography Projects Seminar | Advanced
Christopher Sims

Thursdays, September 25–November 6 (No class October 9)
7–9 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $315
Course ID: 11821

Christopher Sims, who currently designs the CDS Web site, has coordinated the exhibitions and awards programs at CDS, as well as worked as a photo archivist at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. He has an undergraduate degree from Duke, a master’s degree in visual communication from UNC–Chapel Hill, and an M.F.A. in Studio Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has received a national fellowship from the Houston Center for Photography, was selected for PDN’s Photography Annual "Best Photography of the Year" in 2007 and 2008, and was featured in the book American Photography 20, a collection edited by Kathy Ryan of the New York Times Magazine.



Video Projects Seminar | Advanced
Jim Haverkamp

Thursdays, September 18–October 23
7–9 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $315
Class ID: 11822

Jim Haverkamp is an award-winning filmmaker and editor based in Durham whose short documentary and fiction films have screened in festivals across the country. He has been the recipient of a Filmmaking Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council and recently was chose to tour with Southern Circuit. He is a former organizer of the Flicker Film Festival in Chapel Hill.

GENERAL INTEREST

The Art of the Interview | All Levels
Georgann Eubanks and Donna Campbell

Explore a range of interviewing techniques and polish your listening and observation skills. We'll consider the variables involved when you are interviewing a subject for print, radio, or video, and we'll practice with the latter medium. We'll also discuss release forms, the ethics of editing, and the role of the interviewer in framing the final story or documentation. The goal of the class is to help each participant become a more experienced and confident interviewer.

Saturday, November 8
9 a.m.–4 p.m. (6 hours)
Please bring a bag lunch.
Materials fee: $5 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $185
Class ID: 11823

Georgann Eubanks and Donna Campbell are the Managing Partners of Minnow Media, LLC--a full-service multimedia production company based in Carrboro. Eubanks has written profiles and promotional materials for the last twenty-five years and once hosted a local radio program for three years. Early in her career, Campbell founded Lake Norman Magazine near Charlotte, became Knight Ridder's first female publisher, and then moved into documentary production for public television, for which she has won numerous awards. Between them, they have interviewed a range of "famous" subjects including Michael Jordan, William Styron, Mother Theresa, Maya Angelou, Ruth and Billy Graham, and Walter Cronkite, but their favorite subjects are usually the result of serendipity--the folks they often meet in their travels throughout rural North Carolina. For more information, see www.minnowmedia.net.



NEW! Classic Documentary Films | All Levels
Jim Haverkamp

In this class, we’ll screen and discuss six classic documentary films. Students will prepare short introductory remarks and/or discussion topics about one film. Discussions will be wide-ranging and free-spirited.

Sundays, October 5–November 9
2–5 p.m. (18 hours)
Course fee: $250 • Enroll also in Course 11826: $235
Class ID: 11824

Jim Haverkamp is an award-winning filmmaker and editor based in Durham whose short documentary and fiction films have screened in festivals across the country. He has been the recipient of a Filmmaking Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council and recently was chose to tour with Southern Circuit. He is a former organizer of the Flicker Film Festival in Chapel Hill.



Documenting the Self | All Levels
Ava Johnson

This class will explore how personal narrative can assist in telling an even bigger story. Using lecture, visuals, and hands-on demonstrations as preparation, students will create pieces that tell their own stories. Literal as well as conceptual interpretation is encouraged. The format for this class will be open to photo, video, audio, and performance. Prior experiences with these applications is preferred but not required.

Ava Johnson is a performer, artist, and activist living in Durham. She received her B.F.A. in photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design and her M.F.A. in studio art from UNC–Chapel Hill. When not questioning mainstream thinking or making up funny songs, she is the public information coordinator at the Center for Documentary Studies and one of the founding performers of the Cuntry Kings drag/performance group.

Wednesdays, September 24–November 12
6–8 p.m. (16 hours)
Materials fee: $5 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $235
Course ID: 11825



NEW! How to Watch a Documentary | All Levels
Doug Vuncannon

What should you expect out of a documentary film? Great documentaries are capable of illumining the intellect and stirring the emotions, and in terms of entertainment value, deserve consideration along with the best narrative fiction films. But all of this can be lost if a viewer is unfamiliar with different documentary forms and is too nearsightedly focused on hounding down the "truth."

In this short course we'll explore different filmmakers' approaches and editing techniques, and address the fact that all films, including "documentaries," require a suspension of disbelief.

Mondays, September 22–October 13
6:30–8:30 p.m. (8 hours)
Materials fee: $5 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $160 • Enroll also in Course 11824: $145 ($15 discount)
Course ID: 11826

G. Douglas Vuncannon is a visual artist and composer who has worked as a freelance photographer and writer since 1995. His short documentary films have screened at numerous film festivals in the United States and Canada. In 2000, the Durham Arts Council awarded him an Emerging Artist Grant. His photography and writing have appeared in the Independent Weekly, and he is currently working on a documentary project made possible by a grant from Duke University’s Freewater Productions.



NEW! Traditions in Documentary Film | All Levels
Nicole Triche

As you make your own documentary film, it is important to become familiar with works that have come before you. Various documentary storytelling styles and methods will be examined in this survey course. We will view a great many films and film clips in class, and all students are expected to participate in class discussions that originate from screenings and readings. The knowledge of documentary’s past will help you make documentary’s future.

Thursdays, September 25–November 13
6–8 p.m. (16 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $235
Course ID: 11827

A native of Walnut Cove, North Carolina, Nicole Triche is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where she received her broadcasting degree in 1998. After graduation, Triche worked for seven years at the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television, where she produced various field and studio projects. Recently she received an M.F.A. in cinema from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. During her three years at UNC–G, she was co-director of the Carolina Film and Video Festival, and from 2004 to 2007 she was director of the Flicker Film Festival in Chapel Hill. Her work has screened at various film festivals, including Full Frame, RiverRun, and the Sidewalk Film Festival.

AUDIO

Make That Audio Doc: Intro to Sound Recording and Digital Mixing | Beginning
John Blythe

Documentary audio isn’t just about getting on the radio! Knowing how to record and edit audio creates multimedia opportunities for all kinds of documentary artists, and there are many new venues (such as podcasting) for sharing your work. In this class, students will make short audio documentaries using their own recorded sound. We will explore the basics of recording, interviewing, and editing using Pro Tools digital editing software. Students must provide their own recorder, headphones, microphone, and external storage device.

Thursdays, September 25–November 13
7–9 p.m. (16 hours)
Materials fee: $15 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $250 (lab fee of $85 is included in tuition and is valid for the duration of the class)
Course ID: 11828

John Blythe is a Chapel Hill–based journalist and independent producer. His radio career has included stints as a producer/director at North Carolina Public Radio (WUNC) and as a producer/reporter in New York (WFUV), where his work won a Golden Reel award, a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, and a PRNDI award. His reports also have aired on NPR’s Justice Talking and on several British radio networks. Blythe has worked as a newspaper reporter, Web editor, and magazine researcher.



Audio Projects Seminar | Advanced
Rachel McCarthy

The Advanced Audio, Photography, and Video Projects courses provide documentary artists with the opportunity to work with award-winning professionals in small group settings. Each term, CDS invites three established artists to teach the Advanced Projects Seminars, designed for individuals who are working on projects and are seeking creative guidance to move forward. This is an opportunity for students in the certificate program to refine their work before applying for the Final Seminar. Participants are required to share excerpts from their works-in-progress, and the courses are designed around the specific needs of participants. Different artists will teach the seminars each term, giving students the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives on their work. Students may take the course for credit more than once. This is also an ideal course for students who have completed the Certificate in Documentary Studies and are looking for professional advice to move forward in their careers, including information on finding resources (grants, artist residencies) to support their work.

It is strongly recommended that current certificate students take this course in their chosen concentration. It will become a required course for all new certificate students beginning Spring 2009.

Mondays, September 8–October 13
6:30–8:30 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $315
Course ID: 11820

Rachel McCarthy is a Durham–based freelance radio producer and editor whose works can be heard regularly on WUNC’s The Story with Dick Gordon. She is a graduate of the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies radio program and has produced several radio specials, including an hour-long documentary about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the elderly. Her features have aired on Weekend Edition, Studio 360, On the Media, Weekend America, Justice Talking, and Only a Game and other public radio programs. She is the recipient of a Weekend America Independent Producer Fellowship and a Gold Medal at the National Mature Media Awards.

VIDEO

Anytown, USA: The Beast of Bladenboro I and II | Beginning & Intermediate
Randolph Benson and Erika Simon

This hands-on two-course series takes as its subject the revitalization of Bladenboro, North Carolina (south of Fayetteville), through documenting the Second Annual Beast of Bladenboro (BOB) Festival, October 25, 2008. The festival aims to build community spirit, pride, and economic development in a small town that lost its mill in the 1960s and its school in the 1990s. The festival theme is based on the renowned legend of a mysterious vampire beast that terrorized the town in 1954. With help from this legend, Bladenboro is regaining its pulse.

In BOB I, students will develop the full plan for their project: from the decision making of pre-production to documentary field production to the vision of post-production. Short assignments prepare students for the final project: a field trip to Bladenboro to shoot various aspects of the festival. In BOB II, students each edit a short documentary on Final Cut Pro (FCP) using footage shot in BOB I. You will log and capture, edit, polish, output to mini-DV tape, and burn a DVD. This class will get you started or push you further, regardless of FCP experience level. Screenings will be held in Bladenboro and Durham. Basic production and editing experience is recommended.

Please note: You must have own camcorder for BOB I and your own portable hard drive for BOB II. Also, for both classes, basic computer skills are required. Students are encouraged to (but need not) register for both courses. Enroll in both courses and save $50.

Anytown, USA: The Beast of Bladenboro I | Beginning & Intermediate
10 Tuesdays, September 2–October 21, and 2 Saturday field trips, September 6 & October 25
Classes on Tuesdays, 7–9 p.m.; Trips to Bladenboro: Saturday, September 6, all day; Saturday, October 25, leave Friday evening to return Sunday morning. Transportation will be provided. (32 hours)
Materials fee: $10
Course fee: $275 • Enroll with Course 11856: $250
Course ID: 11855

Anytown, USA: The Beast of Bladenboro II | Beginning & Intermediate
Tuesdays, October 28–December 16
7–9 p.m. (16 hours)
Materials fee: $10
Course fee: $275 • Enroll with Course 11855: $250
Course ID: 11856

Anytown, USA: The Beast of Bladenboro instructors and students intereviewed on WUNC's "The State of Things" on January 23, 2009

Randolph Benson is a graduate of Wake Forest University and of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. His film Man and Dog has appeared in eighteen film festivals in seven countries and has garnered numerous awards, most notably a Gold Medal in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Student Academy Awards. His work has been featured on the Bravo Network, the Independent Film Channel (Split Screen), WTTW-Chicago, UNC-TV (NC Visions) and Telewizja Polska S.A.- Poland, and received an Eastman Kodak Excellence in Filmmaking Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Erika Simon has been teaching Final Cut to beginners at CDS since 2003. She was an editor for Gatewood: Facing the White Canvas and directed and edited SAF’s Levante: Theater for Social Change and a PSA that aired on Univisión. She recently edited Green Jobs Revolution to appear as an extra on the Everything's Cool DVD. Her final project for the CDS Certificate in Documentary Studies program won the 2006 Carrboro Film Festival Audience Award. She is a recipient of the Martha Nell Hardy Award for Outstanding Teaching, UNC–Chapel Hill.



NEW! Entrepreneurial Skills for Filmmakers | All Levels
Mimi Kelly

This course examines the basic tools for producing films: finances and budgets, copyright, memos and contracts for above- and below-the-line employees, marketing, completion bonds and other insurance, credits, bankruptcy, post-production and music, and licensing and distribution.

Wednesdays, October 8–November 12
6:30–8:30 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fees: $25 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $275
Class ID: 11857

Mimi Kelly is a producer/director/writer of film and television, and CEO of Kelly and Company. Her career encompasses feature film at Columbia Pictures and documentary work at PBS and CBS in New York. From this experience Kelly and Company evolved to produce commercials, documentaries, features, and corporate work. Her clients include an array of small and large businesses for profit and not-for-profit: NBC, Pfizer, Exxon, American Trial Lawyers Association, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Post Newsweek, Proctor & Gamble, Wm. Cook Advertising and Public Relations, Key Biscayne Development, and others.



Introduction to Documentary Video Production | Beginning
Chris Potter

Learn how to shoot good quality video. The footage you bring to the edit sessions will be what your audience sees and hears. The basic camera, lighting, and audio techniques covered in this course don’t require expensive equipment.

Please note: While any video camera will work for this introductory course, you will be best served by a camera that has an external microphone jack, a headphone jack, and the capacity for manual control of exposure and white balance. If you buy a tripod, make sure it's a video tripod with as smooth a pan head as possible. Please contact instructor with any questions about purchasing equipment.

Tuesdays, September 16–October 28
6:30–9 p.m. (17.5 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $250 (lab fee of $85 is included in tuition and is valid for the duration of the class)
Course ID: 11858

Chris Potter studied documentary film and video techniques at the Rice University Media Center. He has produced and directed commercial, industrial, and public service videos for more than twenty-five years. He recently completed a documentary video on the Tillery resettlement community in northeastern North Carolina.



Documentary Video Editing with Final Cut Pro | Intermediate
Simone Keith

Learn and discuss video editing techniques using the advanced features in Final Cut Pro. Find out what makes a smooth cut, understand the proper use of effects and transitions, and explore sound mixing while editing your next documentary project. Basic Final Cut Pro skills are required, and access to a portable FireWire hard drive is desirable. Required Text: In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch. Recommended Text: Final Cut Pro HD for Dummies.

Mondays, October 20–December 8
6:30–9 p.m. (20 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $265 (lab fee of $85 is included in tuition and is valid for the duration of the class)
Class ID: 11859

Simone Keith’s short documentary Heavier Than Air has screened at numerous festivals and aired on UNC-TV. A native of Brazil, she has been making documentaries and video essays since arriving in North Carolina ten years ago. Keith has earned two Telly Awards and has collaborated on The Wonder of It All, a UNC-TV documentary about the life of George Beverly Shea, which was nominated for a regional Emmy. She currently works at North Carolina State University, where she is the videographer and editor for In the Garden with Bryce Lane.



Documentary Field Videography Production | Intermediate
Simone Keith

In this course, you will learn how to negotiate technical problems in the field without compromising quality. Choose the best location for your shoot, work with available light, select the right microphone for the right situation, set proper audio levels, and learn how to “shoot in sequence.” We will also discuss proper framing and composition techniques and the advantages of handheld vs. tripod shots.

Saturdays, September 20–October 4
10 a.m.–4 p.m. (15 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $265
Class ID: 11860

Simone Keith’s short documentary Heavier Than Air has screened at numerous festivals and aired on UNC-TV. A native of Brazil, she has been making documentaries and video essays since arriving in North Carolina ten years ago. Keith has earned two Telly Awards and has collaborated on The Wonder of It All, a UNC-TV documentary about the life of George Beverly Shea, which was nominated for a regional Emmy. She currently works at North Carolina State University, where she is the videographer and editor for In the Garden with Bryce Lane.



Video Projects Seminar | Advanced
Jim Haverkamp

The Advanced Audio, Photography, and Video Projects courses provide documentary artists with the opportunity to work with award-winning professionals in small group settings. Each term, CDS invites three established artists to teach the Advanced Projects Seminars, designed for individuals who are working on projects and are seeking creative guidance to move forward. This is an opportunity for students in the certificate program to refine their work before applying for the Final Seminar. Participants are required to share excerpts from their works-in-progress, and the courses are designed around the specific needs of participants. Different artists will teach the seminars each term, giving students the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives on their work. Students may take the course for credit more than once. This is also an ideal course for students who have completed the Certificate in Documentary Studies and are looking for professional advice to move forward in their careers, including information on finding resources (grants, artist residencies) to support their work.

It is strongly recommended that current certificate students take this course in their chosen concentration. It will become a required course for all new certificate students beginning Spring 2009.

Thursdays, September 18–October 23
7–9 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $315
Class ID: 11822

Jim Haverkamp is an award-winning filmmaker and editor based in Durham whose short documentary and fiction films have screened in festivals across the country. He has been the recipient of a Filmmaking Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council and recently was chose to tour with Southern Circuit. He is a former organizer of the Flicker Film Festival in Chapel Hill.

PHOTOGRAPHY

NEW! Documentary Portraiture: A View from Two Sides | All Levels
Abigail Blosser

How would you describe your experience creating someone’s portrait? How would the subject describe his or her experience with you?

This class will be a theoretical and practical exploration of portraiture from both the subject’s and photographer’s perspectives. Through examination of your own individual practice as a photographer, you will learn to merge documentary approaches with the artistic aesthetic involved in portraiture. The photographer’s intentions, the relationship between photographer and subject, sensitivity to surroundings, and awareness of expressive possibilities will be explored in class. We will also address practical aspect of portraiture, such as working with different types of cameras and lighting, as students develop their own artistic voices through shooting assignments, engaging in weekly discussions, examining portraits, and reviewing works-in-progress.

Tuesdays, September 9–October 28
6:30–8:30 p.m. (16 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $255
Class ID: 11829

Abigail Blosser is a practicing artist and photographer. Her art has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States, including the Kennedy Museum, Duke University, and the Reese Museum. She earned her M.F.A. in photography from Ohio University and has taught photography to students of all ages. Her Web site is abigailblosserphotography.com.



NEW! In Search of Home | All Levels
Mildred Joyner Long

What are the various ways we may define home? Using the broad notion of home as a starting point, we will explore topics such as private and public space, family portraiture, landscape, memory, and the impact of globalism. We will also consider technical and practical issues relevant to making photographs. We will look at the work of historical and contemporary photographers, and through readings, class discussion and assignments, we will consider what home means to us and seek our own photographic voices within this idea. Students will prepare weekly assignments for group critiques and will be immersed in a personal project by the course’s completion.

Mondays, September 15–November 3
6:30–8:30 p.m. (16 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $255
Class ID: 111830

Mildred Joyner Long is a photographer based in Chapel Hill. She rediscovered her love of photography working with public collections of photographs in New York, where she also completed the Certificate Program at the International Center of Photography. She more recently received her M.F.A. in studio art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is held in several private collections. A native of North Carolina, a new mother, and a lover of spaces, Long continues to be inspired by the idea of home in her own work.



Introduction to Darkroom Photography in Black & White | Beginning
MJ Sharp

Nothing beats the magic of processing your own film and making your own prints in a wet darkroom. This class will introduce students to the beauty of traditional black-and-white image-making, from exposing black-and-white negative film to producing final prints. Please bring your film camera to the first class. Any style of film is just fine, with older models often being much easier to use and understand. So dig around in the back of that closet and bring in the oldest thing you can find!

Please note: Access to darkroom and photo chemicals is included in the cost of the course: you must buy your own film and paper, which are readily available at any of the four pro camera stores in the area.

Tuesdays, September 2–October 7 (No class September 23)
6–8 p.m. (10 hours)
Course fee: $175 (lab fee of $85 is included in tuition and is valid for the duration of the class) • Enroll also in Course 11849: $160
Course ID: 11847

MJ Sharp was the staff photographer at the Independent Weekly for most of the 1990s and has also freelanced both nationally and locally. In recent years, she earned her M.F.A. and has turned her attention to large-format documentation of the night landscape as well as other personal projects. In addition to her fine art work, she teaches both basic and special topics in photography. Samples of her work are on-line at www.mjsharp.com.



NEW! Know Your Basics: The Documentary Photographic Tools of Exposure – Aperture and Shutter | Beginning
MJ Sharp

THE BASICS! The building blocks of a good exposure are the same whether you're shooting with a digital or a film camera. You're using aperture and shutter speed to capture an image, but how you employ those tools can mean the difference between an "average" rendering of your subject matter and an evocative and telling image of it. Automatic cameras take all the guesswork – and all the creativity – out of your hands. This class will give it back to you.

Recommendation: Students should take this course prior to taking the specific Digital Photography class.

Wednesdays, September 3–October 1 (No class September 24)
6–8 p.m. (8 hours)
Course fee: $150 • Enroll also in Course 11847: $135
Course ID: 11849

MJ Sharp was the staff photographer at the Independent Weekly for most of the 1990s and has also freelanced both nationally and locally. In recent years, she earned her M.F.A. and has turned her attention to large-format documentation of the night landscape as well as other personal projects. In addition to her fine art work, she teaches both basic and special topics in photography. Samples of her work are on-line at www.mjsharp.com.



Digital Photography | Intermediate
MJ Sharp

This class will focus less on the basics of picture-taking in general (see the Basics course for that) and more on issues specific to digital photography: capture formats, histograms, color profiles, color spaces, and digital printing.

Tuesdays, October 14–November 18
6–8 p.m. (12 hours)
Lab fee: $125 (exact amount due by the second class)
Course fee: $235
Course ID: 11850

MJ Sharp was the staff photographer at the Independent Weekly for most of the 1990s and has also freelanced both nationally and locally. In recent years, she earned her M.F.A. and has turned her attention to large-format documentation of the night landscape as well as other personal projects. In addition to her fine art work, she teaches both basic and special topics in photography. Samples of her work are on-line at www.mjsharp.com.



Documentary Photography as Fine Art | Intermediate
Doug Vuncannon

Where do documentary photography and “fine art” converge? And how does one come to terms with the statement, “Every photograph is a self-portrait”? Going beyond the realm of composition and craft, class discussions will strive to identify elements of still photography that have the power to transcend the simple recording of images. Students will develop their own photographic visions through weekly assignments and have the opportunity to share their work during classroom critiques. During the sixth week of class, students will meet with the instructor in individually scheduled meetings.

Tuesdays, October 28–December 9
6:30–9 p.m. (17.5 hours)
Materials fee: $5 (exact amount due at first class)
Course Fee: $250
Course ID: 11851

G. Douglas Vuncannon is a visual artist and composer who has worked as a freelance photographer and writer since 1995. His short documentary films have screened at numerous film festivals in the United States and Canada. In 2000, the Durham Arts Council awarded him an Emerging Artist Grant. His photography and writing have appeared in the Independent Weekly, and he is currently working on a documentary project made possible by a grant from Duke University’s Freewater Productions.



NEW! Location Lighting | Advanced
MJ Sharp

This class is for students who are already comfortable with the variables of ambient light shooting (if you’re not, it is best to take the Know Your Basics class first) and are now ready to add their own light to the scene. Especially in documentary shooting, where you can often find yourself in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, having the ability to add various kinds of light to a scene is critical. We will cover lighting strategies using on- and off-camera flash to create effect. If you’ve ever found yourself missing a picture because “there wasn’t enough light,” then this class is for you.

Recommendation: Take the KNOW YOUR BASICS course first.

Wednesdays, October 8–November 5
6–8 p.m. (10 hours)
Course fee: $175
Course ID: 11852

MJ Sharp was the staff photographer at the Independent Weekly for most of the 1990s and has also freelanced both nationally and locally. In recent years, she earned her M.F.A. and has turned her attention to large-format documentation of the night landscape as well as other personal projects. In addition to her fine art work, she teaches both basic and special topics in photography. Samples of her work are on-line at www.mjsharp.com.



Photography Projects Seminar | Advanced
Christopher Sims

The Advanced Audio, Photography, and Video Projects courses provide documentary artists with the opportunity to work with award-winning professionals in small group settings. Each term, CDS invites three established artists to teach the Advanced Projects Seminars, designed for individuals who are working on projects and are seeking creative guidance to move forward. This is an opportunity for students in the certificate program to refine their work before applying for the Final Seminar. Participants are required to share excerpts from their works-in-progress, and the courses are designed around the specific needs of participants. Different artists will teach the seminars each term, giving students the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives on their work. Students may take the course for credit more than once. This is also an ideal course for students who have completed the Certificate in Documentary Studies and are looking for professional advice to move forward in their careers, including information on finding resources (grants, artist residencies) to support their work.

It is strongly recommended that current certificate students take this course in their chosen concentration. It will become a required course for all new certificate students beginning Spring 2009.

Thursdays, September 25–November 6 (No class October 9)
7–9 p.m. (12 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $315
Course ID: 11821

Christopher Sims, who currently designs the CDS Web site, has coordinated the exhibitions and awards programs at CDS, as well as worked as a photo archivist at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. He has an undergraduate degree from Duke, a master’s degree in visual communication from UNC–Chapel Hill, and a M.F.A. in Studio Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has received a national fellowship from the Houston Center for Photography, was selected for PDN’s Photography Annual "Best Photography of the Year" in 2007 and 2008, and was featured in the book American Photography 20, a collection edited by Kathy Ryan of the New York Times Magazine.



ONE- OR TWO-DAY COURSES

Alternative Printing Workshop | Beginning
Leah Sobsey

This course will explore a variety of historical and contemporary photographic processes. Step outside of the traditional silver gelatin and digital print and explore the endless possibilities of alternative photographic printing techniques. This hands-on workshop is designed to explore printing techniques using your own negatives and imagery. Techniques will include cyanotype printing (blueprint), Polaroid transfers and lifts, and liquid emulsion printing, which can be painted onto any surface, including paper, canvas, tile, and stone. You will need to bring your black-and-white negatives and color slides to the first class.

Saturdays, September 20 & 27
12–4 p.m. (8 hours)
Materials fee: $35 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $150
Class ID: 11853

Leah Sobsey is an artist and educator. She received an M.F.A. from the San Francisco Art Institute and was awarded a fellowship from the Vermont Studio Center and Anderson Ranch. Her work has been exhibited widely in galleries and museums and is in private collections across the country. She has taught at the San Francisco Art Institute and the Maine Photographic Workshops. She currently teaches at UNC-Greensboro. A sample of her work can be viewed at leahsobsey.com.



Portraits and Dreams: Literacy Through Photography Basic Workshop | All Levels
Katie Hyde and Elena Rue

Discover the program created by photographer and teacher Wendy Ewald that encourages students to explore their world through photography. This workshop instructs teachers how to use photography and writing as a tool for increasing students’ critical thinking, self-expression, and personal involvement in school. By linking picture making, writing, and critical thinking, this workshop will help teachers make connections across curricula. Teachers will use photography to investigate self-portraiture and dreams, learn about LTP’s collaboration with Durham schools, and plan a project to implement in their own classrooms. Please contact the LTP staff directly with any questions about the course content: ltpworkshops@duke.edu.

Please note: Participants will be provided with cameras for use during the workshop.

Thursday–Friday, November 6–7
9 a.m.–4 p.m. (12 hours, with one-hour lunch break each day)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $285
Course ID: 11854

To register, contact Duke Continuing Studies by calling (919) 684-6259 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit their Web site at: http://www.learnmore.duke.edu/weekend/courses

If you are a professional interested in taking this class for CEUs, please contact Garry Crites at gjc3@duke.edu or 919-684-3178.

Katie Hyde has been involved with the Literacy Through Photography program since she studied with Wendy Ewald in 1998. She currently directs the LTP program and travels nationally to teach LTP workshops at major museums, in schools, and with community organizations. She has a doctorate in sociology from North Carolina State University and teaches visual sociology at the Center for Documentary Studies.

Elena Rue is Literacy Through Photography’s program coordinator. She oversees the LTP program in the Durham Public Schools and helps lead LTP workshops. Before joining LTP, she worked as a documentary photographer for five years and has worked for several projects and programs at the Center for Documentary Studies. In 2006, she was a CDS Lewis Hine Documentary Fellow in Ethiopia.

INSTITUTES AND SPECIAL TOPICS

NEW! American Islam: Black American Identity, Community, and History | All levels
Youssef J. Carter

This course will examine how various African American Orthodox Muslim communities have developed in the later part of the twentieth century and how African American identity affects the practice of Islam in America. Through open discussion, original sources such as historical monographs, journal articles, and engaging various speakers, we will get a glimpse of how African American Muslims have formed and documented community and identity while considering race, religion, and gender.

Mondays, October 6–November 24
6–8:30 p.m. (20 hours)
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $235
Course ID: 11861

The academic interests of Youssef J. Carter are twentieth-century African American history and the African Diaspora. His research focuses on documenting social activism and the processes of community development among black Orthodox Muslims in America in relation to the larger currents of Islamic revivalism in the latter half of the twentieth century. Currently, he’s completing his thesis project, a historical narrative of the Islamic Party in North America, concentrating on how the nature of black identity affects the motive to form organizations or movements that possess a social-political center. His work highlights the importance and presence of black Islam in the past, to bring its rich history into the present.



NEW! Weaving Community Through Story: Performance Documentary Institute | All levels
Jerry Pope and Rebecca Williams

In this institute, we will look at different ways to create community–based performance. Through three distinct phases – story gathering, working the material, and rehearsal/presentation – we will explore these questions: How do you shape personal narrative? What does if feel like to "reveal" your story? How does an outsider enter and work with a community in a way that is respectful and meaningful for both parties? How do you facilitate a process that helps a community express its own needs? Participants will work with their personal stories during the first weekend, shaping their narratives into performance, and utilize community-based material during the second.

THE WEAVING COMMUNITY THROUGH STORY: PERFORMANCE DOCUMENTARY INSTITUTE HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR FALL 2008

Friday–Sunday, October 17–19 and October 24–27
This two–weekend institute starts on Friday, 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. (28 hours)
Materials fees: $10 (exact amount due at first class)
Course fee: $385
Class ID: 11862

For more than thirteen years, Jerry Pope and Rebecca Williams, founders of Serpent Child Ensemble, have created theater projects based on personal narratives and oral history interviews conducted in communities across the U.S. These projects function on several levels simultaneously – preserving history, honoring individuals and communities, exploring social and community issues and needs, skill building, and strengthening communities across class, race, gender, and generational lines. Pope also teaches at UNC–Asheville and Warren Wilson College. Williams teaches at UNC–Asheville and at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is the oral history coordinator for Together We Read in Western North Carolina.

Winter/Spring/Summer 2008

Fall 2007

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Fall 2006

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Untitled, from the series Raising Helana. Photograph by Lissa Gotwals, from her project for the continuing studies course Final Project Seminar in Documentary Studies. Gotwals's work from this series was published in issue 03 of Blueeyes Magazine.