Photography

Photography is used to illustrate, advertise, communicate, and express. Emerging digital technologies are expanding the realm of what is possible in photography and, at the same time, fueling the demand for outstanding creative images. In the photography program you will concentrate on developing skills in the use of black and white photography, color photography, digital photography, and will explore the integration of video and moving images. Student work is on display at the Photography department site. Students are also encouraged to submit writing and art work to the Kelab Art and Literary Journal, a collaborative effort of the Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Photography and New Media programs along with the Writers' Guild.

You will integrate the computer into your art-making process in the first semester and continue to build and refine your technical and aesthetic skills throughout your four semesters. Additionally, you will learn to use the web as a content-delivery tool, become fluent in technologies that allow images to be integrated with motion, sound, animation, and interactive dialogue. You will also gain a firm grounding in traditional visual arts studies. There are art foundation courses including drawing and design that will help you to fully understand and communicate the visual experience.

In addition to technology-based skills, you will approach photography as a fine arts activity and acquire a traditional broad foundation of study in the visual arts. Seven art courses address the topics of design, drawing, and art history in order to provide a solid grasp of visual fundamentals.

Photography

 

Degree Requirements

Careers on Career Coach

You will be prepared for the increasingly electronic environment that commercial creative work requires. There are many areas of concentration and job classifications within the field of photography that graduates can consider. Among the areas of concentration are architectural photographer, medical/scientific photographer, stock photographer (freelance and agency), fine arts photographer, photojournalism and press photographer, fashion photographer, commercial photographer, advertising and editorial photographer, and visual artist.  

Digital technology is allowing the creative artist to redefine what is possible in photography, and offers the opportunity to embark on an exciting journey into the future of creative imaging. Thus, it is difficult to predict the full range of employment opportunities that will become available, as new technologies and new opportunities will continue to unfold. At present, the two largest areas of activity are: 

  • Creative digital photography - commercial digital photography such as travel, sports, photojournalism - digital photographic illustration - digital multimedia content production - and digital artist. 
  • New media content production - multimedia - moving image and animation - web content production - media artist. 

Learn more about related jobs:

Program Chair

Christine Shanks

Christine Shanks

Associate Professor, Graphic Design

I am an image maker, designer, and educator. I feel at home on the computer and working by hand in the studio. 

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Transfer Options

This program is intended to facilitate transfer to a four-year college with studies in photography or related visual disciplines. In almost all cases, the degree will satisfy the requirements of the first two years of study at the transfer institution. Recent graduates have transferred to:

  • University at Albany
  • Buffalo State College
  • Cornell University
  • SUNY College at Cortland
  • Ithaca College
  • SUNY New Paltz
  • SUNY College at Oswego
  • Rochester Institute of Technology

 

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