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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Seeing Through Photographs by The Museum of Modern Art

4.8
stars
4,301 ratings

About the Course

Taking, sharing, and viewing photographs has become second nature for many of us. This course aims to address the gap between seeing and truly understanding photographs by introducing a diversity of ideas, approaches, and technologies that inform their making. You’ll explore the meaning of pictures and reconsider photography’s role in our visual culture. Look closely at 100 photographs from MoMA’s collection, going behind the scenes of the Museum and into artists’ studios through videos and audio interviews. Gain new perspectives on the ways photography has been used throughout the medium’s history: as a means of artistic expression, a tool for science and exploration, an instrument of documentation, a way to tell stories and record histories, and a mode of communication and critique....

Top reviews

AQ

Mar 8, 2016

Seeing Through Photographs has given me a whole new way of looking at my own and other peoples' work. So many aspects, details and points of view, the world of photography now seems even more amazing.

EE

Jun 2, 2019

It was very insightful, and a good thing is they offered quizzes and other full content, which some other free courses do not, which really helps learning. Hope to go for other courses under them. :)

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101 - 125 of 1,112 Reviews for Seeing Through Photographs

By Xinyue ( C

May 5, 2020

The journey of this course is amazingly good. I got to know that photography is not just an art or in documentary use. It's more of a combination of them both. There are no boundaries in photography. It's a really good way to explore your life and all what's going on around you. And I've got so much inspiration from this journey that I really appreciate.

By Chronis R

Jun 2, 2020

A very interesting course that has tough me much more than what I was expecting at start. It's really "deep" with a lot of information and really well made videos. That in one hand increases it's value but in the other is not the average entry level photography course (in case you are looking something like that). But still an amateur can gain a lot.

By Ángel M G

Jan 16, 2020

Muy interesante porque te hace reflexionar sobre la fotografía desde el punto de vista de una institución tan importante como es el MoMa. Lo recomiendo por la cantidad de información y material de consulta difícil de conseguir en otros países. Deseando volver a la ciudad e ir al museo para conocer en primera persona sobre lo aprendido en el curso.

By Michela M

Apr 11, 2017

magnificently detailed course, of great interest, with a vast archive and detailed and specific material for every section, with interesting interviews of experts. the course has widened my horizons and has enriched my knowledge with invaluable help thank to the great work of the curator too, for all this I'm very grateful both to Moma and Coursera

By Adrienna M ( T L

Sep 5, 2018

Although I did not chose to purchase the course, and therefore did not do the peer review projects, I found this to be a very rewarding course. It is very informative and I find that it has changed my perspectives when viewing photography. I plan to take other courses from MoMa- either auditing or purchasing I think these courses are valuable.

By Mikhail E

Aug 20, 2018

It is a course about history of American photography. I really like the course structure and its content. Videos have subtitles in different languages. However, the biggest part of the course consists of multiple hard-to-read art criticism essays written in English, so international attendees could spend more time on this course than expected.

By Karen S

Aug 29, 2020

Me gustó mucho el curso, su dinámica de vídeos y textos. Disfruté las entrevistas con autores y el poder acceder a ver como se guardan las fotos en el MOMA. No alcancé a incorporarme a actividades grupales con otros participantes, pero espero poder seguir otros cursos con más tiempo y aprovechar también esa instancia. Realmente recomendable!

By Jessica B

May 15, 2020

I’m very happy to have taken this course in photography because it enriched my personal skills and knowledge. It is well structured, every week there is a different topic to talk about, with video lessons that explain in a detailed way the topic of that specific week. I suggest everyone to take this course because it is really fascinating.

By Rita H

Feb 10, 2018

For a commercial not so young photographer, this course was so interesting, refreshing and the lectures provided me a wonderful structure. The content was just perfect to understand in a short time the most important perspectives, (historical and contemporary) about photography. Thanks MOMA what would photographers would be without you!.

By Dafne B C

Jun 7, 2020

I really loved this course because I learned to analyze and critic some of the work we discuss each week. I truly believe in self-learning and through these weeks I appreciate the way I can acknowledge things and topics about photography and I also learned the big work of making an online course with professional teachers and examples.

By Paola S T

Sep 13, 2020

I loved this course! It allowed me to discover amazing photographers around the world.

Additionally, I learned about documentary photography, pictures of people, about challenging histories while constructing narratives and the contemporary culture!

In conclusion, I loved the course and now is my dream to go to the Museum of Modern Art!

By Ιάνθη Π

Sep 17, 2017

This is a seriously interesting course. It includes a wide range of perspectives and practices in photography with a manageable coursework, and at the same time gives a wealth of information to anyone interested to get to know more about a given module or artist. If MoMA decides to offer any other similar courses, please count me in!

By Matteo T

Apr 30, 2016

Great content and very useful material. Lessons are prepared in a very professional way. It probably misses some analysis of the preparation work the mentioned photographers did for their collections/books. It's more based on critics and MoMA history and connections with differents genres and movements within documentary photography.

By Olga M

Jun 20, 2020

The academic base is very well prepared and let me see the history facts and learned about photographers that made a huge impact into the industry. Changed my perspective view to the black and white and documentary photography by helping to discover the hidden sides and effects. Special thanks for the media content of the course!

By Rafael P F

Oct 19, 2020

It is a great tool in understanding everything that gives meaning to a photograph. I learned to observe, not only the image but the context and the intention of the photographer. I am a photographer and I must say that this course has motivated me to start my own research path to develop new forms of expression with photography.

By Melissa S

Jul 12, 2020

I really enjoyed this course. It was very though-provoking and students could dive in as much or little as comfortable with. The instructor emailed us and sent various opportunities to attend extra chats, webinars, etc. It was very well paced and stayed interesting the entire time, even for those of us who are not "art majors!"

By Nandita H

May 31, 2020

This course has helped me understand the complexities, or at least some of the complexities involved in documentation of events around us (the main area of my interest). It has deepened my understanding of the meaning of art (an old fashioned phrase!) and will help me (hopefully) make my writing more nuanced. Thank you.

By Monique D

Mar 20, 2017

This class was an excellent overview of photography. I also was able to learn about new photographers. I've taken a history of photography course before and other art courses where photography was reviewed so I was happy to see that the course still allowed me to learn something different. I highly recommend this course.

By Hronis P

Jun 1, 2020

This course gave me an excellent chance to study the history of photography through the works and lives of interesting photographers. I've learned a lot about 'reading' photographs and creating better and meaningfull photographs. These six weeks were fun, interesting and make me look my passion in a more artistic way

By Neil M

May 22, 2020

I really enjoyed this. It encompassed the history and art of photography and provided some succint and select examples of the artform. I emerge from it with a deeper appreciation, not so much from a technical perspective but a better understanding of emotions that are generated and also what is possible. Thank you.

By André C

Feb 12, 2017

Ce cours est très complet, les supports sont variés et intéressants sans être trop lourds. L'organisation est bien pensée, avec quelques heures par semaine il est possible de le suivre sans trop de problèmes. J'ai beaucoup appris sur les débuts de la photographie et également sur le travail de divers photographes.

By Rezky N

Jun 28, 2020

This class is good for anyone who has an interest in photography either as an audience or a photographer. You'll learn the history of photography through different eras and how it developed over time. It's not really about how to take a photograph but more about understanding messages in the realm of photography.

By Diogo F

Apr 25, 2020

It's an exceptional course. The content and topics covered are quite varied but they manage to establish an archival relationship between them. It is a tour with the curator Sarah through the MoMA archives that will hardly be repeated. For photographers or not photographers it is a course that I strongly advise.

By Savvas I

Mar 29, 2020

This course does not only provide insights into photography since the Daguerre era, but at the same time offers a drone-like introspection of human history, culture and civilization, during the same period. It is expertly presented following a multidimensional approach and it is worth every minute spent studying.

By Emilia

May 15, 2018

I've only done just 2 weeks of this course but I am totally falling in love with It.

I am not that photography master, it's just one random passion I have between many, but thanks to the pictures shown and the detailade but not hard to understand knowlege I am starting to be even more passionate about Photography.