Free Online Course: “The Camera Never Lies”

A free, six-week online course offered by Coursera and the University of London (UK) beginning on August 4, 2014 should be of interest to all photographers who use imaging programs and want to know if there was life before Photoshop.

This short history course is an introduction to use of images and other media as historical evidence in the twentieth century, issues of authenticity and manipulation, and the place of film and historical adoptions as public history.

Did the photographer stage this iconic image? Find out for sure.

While that’s the academic description, don’t let it frighten you off. It promises to be fascinating and you can participate as much or as little as you want to– no tests and no grades.

Register at: https://www.coursera.org/course/lyingcamera

Even if you read this after the course has started, you can access all back lectures and course material.

Coursera offers courses on a multitude of subjects in partnership with major universities around the world and its mission is to empower people to improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in with education.

Here’s the Course Syllabus for “The Camera Never Lies”

Week 1: The Camera Never Lies – Introduction

Week 2: Images and History in the Twentieth Century

Week 3: The Air-Brushing of History: Stalin and Falsification

Week 4: Photojournalism, Authenticity and Matters of Public Acceptability – The Battle of Mogadishu

Week 5: The Power of the Image – Mount Suribachi, 1945

Week 6: From Page to Screen – Film as Public History

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Article Last updated: August 03, 2014