Photo Image Making
Formulate your own visual language and explore your world.
Who We Are
Photo Image Making fosters artistry through the exploration of lens-based, photographic media. Photography is a rich medium, with a long history, a deep connection to the contemporary art world, and boundless potential for self-expression. Our students are driven to find their own voice within the medium and explore their identities, their imagination, and their connection to the world around them. In addition to a strong technical tool set, you will gain awareness to contemporary art making issues, learn how to interpret images, and understand the place of photography in the context of art history. Whether you want to explore commercial photography, documentary or photojournalism, or fine art image making, our program supports diverse perspectives and interests.
Career & Job Outcomes
- Teacher
- Commercial Photographer
- Graphic designers & Photographers
- Architectural photographer
As with each of our concentrations, your coursework will be supported by our Foundations Program, giving you a visual language, a critical eye, and the technical skills to find your voice and participate in the advancing world of photography.
Our students leave the concentration with a number of job skills to support them in their careers. Because you are responsible for every part of the image making process, you’ll be uniquely equipped to work in commercial and studio environments.
Our Facilities
We have the facilities to enable offerings in a wide range of processes & techniques, from standard silver-based imagery production & digital capture/output methods to alternative processes such as cyanotype & palladium printing. Our classroom is a flexible space that can be set up for lectures or demonstrations as needed.
The Visual Arts Building has its own dedicated Digital Fabrication Lab where you can learn 3D modeling & printing, the operation of laser cutters, & the use of CNC machinery. The Nancy Richardson Design center is a short walk away & several of our faculty members serve as instructors.
Our studio production facilities include a Mac-based computer lab with multiple workstations, as well as Epson scanning equipment and inkjet printers. Photo students can also access department computer labs for work on other Mac and PC format computers as needed to complete projects. We have two darkrooms available for enrolled students.
A 10-station darkroom is dedicated to 35mm format & beginning instruction. Intermediate & advanced classes can access a 12-station darkroom that can accommodate enlargement work from 35mm to 8"x10" film formats. In addition to our inkjet printing for color imagery, we have a color processor that offers color print enlarging capacity up to 30"x40" from any film format up to 8"x10", fed through a 2-station color enlarger darkroom. The facility is completed by a large print finishing area that included mounting & matting equipment.
Students wishing to work in a controlled lighting environment can utilize an image capture studio that is equipped with both electronic strobe & continuous source lighting equipment, seamless backdrops & a heavy-duty camera stand, as well as copy stand & vertical magnetic copy boards for flat work.