History of Photography: 1930s to 2010

This course is a study of photography from the 1930s to 2010 and will focus on the historical developments, trends, styles, and movements that have shaped our understanding of photography. This course consists of chronological and thematic examinations of the role of photography in relation to artistic production, art movements, social history, landscape, politics, identity, culture, postmodernism, conceptualism, and appropriation.

We will investigate the vast array of styles, artistic practices, and movements in the medium throughout the period. We will also examine how the photograph has been positioned as a documentary tool and a form of objective truth and look at how this approach has been questioned and re-envisioned. In addition, we will explore the question of how our relationship with the photograph has changed with digital technology, and how this technological influence has affected our attitudes towards the photograph. Through this course you will learn how photography has been used to capture and transform the world, its inhabitants, conflicts, triumphs,  and histories.

Slide lists with information about the images in the lectures and lists of optional short videos about the topic are provided for each lecture.  I also have a History of Photography: 1839 to the 1930s course that covers the first part of photography’s history posted on Udemy.