Overview of Course

In this course, we will familiarize ourselves with the fundamentals of the camera such as perspective, aperture, and shutter speed, and how these inform what is being communicated in a photograph. We will learn how to use a digital SLR camera as a creative and expressive tool and discuss various methods for interpreting photographs.

Photographs often reflect personal and cultural worldviews. We will explore the role that photography has played in shaping and preserving culture through an investigation of contemporary photographers from our port locations. This inquiry will provide the backdrop for students to use photography as a creative tool through an array of photographic camera techniques and digital editing approaches.

We will learn to craft photographs, not just take snapshots. Rather, we will make photographs with an eye for capturing transformative moments in our port locations. We will use in-class discussions and critiques to assess the class's work, culminating in each student’s final photographic portfolio.