Fall 2024 - Prof. Greer Muldowney @ Boston College
Intermediate Photography: Conceptual and Studio
Course Summary
Intermediate Photography: Conceptual & Studio was a project-based course that emphasized the development of personal vision through portfolio-based series. Students explored both digital and analog photographic practices, refining their technical skills in image-making, production, and presentation. The course integrated experimental and interdisciplinary approaches, encouraging students to conceptualize and execute cohesive bodies of work.
Through lectures, artist presentations, critiques, and hands-on studio work, students investigated historical and contemporary photographic practices. Assignments included an “In the Style of” project, self-directed work, and a final portfolio, all of which were discussed in structured group critiques. The course also incorporated readings from The Photograph as Contemporary Art and required students to critically engage with selected artists and themes.
In The Style Of…
The "In The Style Of" class project had the goal of emulating the distinctive photographic approach of any photographer of our choice. I chose Neil Krug, renowned for his surreal and heavily stylized imagery, and particularly his collaborations with musicians like Tame Impala and Djo. Drawn to the abstract, dreamlike quality of his work, my project tried to replciate Krug's signature aesthetic, which emphasizes extensive post-production techniques and a deliberate manipulation of color. Key elements of Krug's style, such as his flattened perspectives, intentional use of grain and texture, and a vibrant yet often otherworldly color palette, were explored and applied in the creation of my works.
Examples of Neil Krug’s work
Final Project
This final project aimed to revitalize the early 2000s internet phenomenon of creepy pastas by recreating their original found-footage aesthetic with a contemporary twist. Moving beyond the shift towards fictional lore seen in later internet horror like Five Nights at Freddy's and analog horror, this project blended nostalgic creepy pasta figures (e.g., Slenderman, Jeff the Killer) with traditional folklore creatures (e.g., Bigfoot) and more recent horror icons (e.g., Poppy Playtime).
The project culminated in an interactive installation simulating a containment breach scenario within the fictional SCP Foundation. Installed in a darkened basement, viewers acting as SCP employees navigated the space with flashlights to locate the escaped monsters hidden within a collection of printed, matte photographs. Each monster was accompanied by an official SCP document detailing its characteristics and background, immersing the viewer in a narrative that demanded close inspection of the images, some containing obvious or subtly concealed monsters, while others were empty, heightening the sense of unease and discovery.
