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78305-01 - Seminar: The Photographic Image (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Peter Fornaro (peter.fornaro@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Photography is shaped as much by technology as by aesthetics. This seminar follows key shifts from analogue cameras and darkroom work to digital capture and software-based editing, showing how tools changed what photographers could do - and what viewers came to expect. We will discuss the history and future of photography, current developments in computational photography and AI, asking what still counts as a “photograph” and how we can judge credibility and intention in a world of increasingly automated images. |
| Learning objectives | After the seminar, students will be able to … - outline key shifts from analogue photography (camera + darkroom) to digital photography (capture + software-based editing) and explain them with concrete examples. - explain how tools and workflows (cameras, editing software, platforms) shape photographic choices, visual styles, and viewers’ expectations. - use core concepts of authenticity, manipulation, provenance, and context with confidence and precision. - situate current developments in computational photography and AI, and argue what may still count as “a photograph” today. - assess an image’s credibility and intention by combining visual cues with contextual information, without falling into technological determinism. |
| Admission requirements | The number of participants is limited to 20. In case of over-subscription, students of Digital Humanities will be given priority. |
| Course application | Bitte belegen Sie die Veranstaltung über das System der Universität Basel. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 26.02.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Fasnachtsferien |
| Thursday 05.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 12.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 19.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 26.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 02.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 09.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 16.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 23.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 30.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 07.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 14.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 21.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Thursday 28.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Modules |
Doktorat Digital Humanities: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Digital Humanities) Modul: Creating, Analyzing and Visualizing of Data (Master's degree subject: Digital Humanities) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | - Attendance and active participation (presence is required). - Oral presentation (short seminar talk on a chosen topic/image/case study, followed by discussion). |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Digital Humanities Lab |