December News

We have been so busy in the photography classes.  The Beginning Analog photo students finished up their composition projects and are now in the midst of working with the creative controls-using shutter speed to show motion and aperture to control depth of field.  Some terrific work is being made.  The Advanced class has so much happening!  The 1st quarter independent projects were impressive, as was some of the self portraits.  I am very excited for this quarter though.  Check out their blogs to see what they have been up to.
Right now, though, it is the Digital Photo class that is blowing my mind.  Here is a slideshow of some of the grids they have been making.  The assignment was to explore color-monochrome, complements, color harmonies-within the context of a grid form.  I am loving these.



We have been studying the early history of photography in the beginning photo class.  Here is a video on Ian Ruhter who is one of the many contemporary photographers using the wet plate collodian process.

SILVER & LIGHT from Ian Ruhter : Alchemist on Vimeo.

October News

There is lots going on right now in the photography classes.  In the Digital Photo classes students are getting adept at working with Lightroom and understanding more of the capabilities of their cameras.  We took our first walking and shooting field trip to the Director Park area in downtown. The Beginning Photography classes just finished up their early process assignments.  This seemed to be the year of the pinhole camera.  Students made some wonderful cameras out of shoeboxes, various tins, and round boxes.  Some beautiful little accordian books were made along with one camera made from a decorated egg like tin that was presented in a handmade nest.  Lots of great photograms, both kaleidoscope designs and interesting series done.  Beginning students are now starting to work with their film cameras and learning how to develop film.  Advanced students are continuing to work on self portraits and their independent projects.  Some wonderful ideas are being pursued.  Their first prints of the year are on display in the student gallery now.
9 students, Lilly Windle (draw, paint, print teacher), myself, and another chaperone just got back from an art filled New York City trip.  We were non stop visiting museums, walking the hi-line, making art in the Guggenheim, and seeing shows at the Chelsea Galleries.  It was a fantastic trip! Some of the photographers work we saw were Nick Brandt, Edward Burtynsky, Irving Penn, Alfred Stieglitz, Walker Evans, a great show pairing sculptress Louise Nevelson with photographer Aaron Siskind, and so much more.  Highlight for me, though, was a painting workshop based on Robert Motherwell collages and Kandinsky paintings that we took in the Guggenheim.

The group and subway art in New York

Painting at the Guggenheim

A New School Year

Welcome back to a new school year.  I am looking forward to another great year of watching students become skilled photographers and artists!  Check out the slideshow below showing work of previous students.
I 'm setting up the class website differently this year.  You can find information on all the classes I teach on the About page.  Syllabi, supply lists and grading policies are posted for each.   Email me if you have any questions about cameras.  Assignments for all classes will be on the assignments page.  Calendars with due dates, daily plans, etc. for each class can be found on the calendar page.  In both the advanced photo class and the digital photo class, students will be required to keep a blog in which they post their research and images.  You will be able to see their work on the blog pages.  There is also a page for accessing grades online.
I am constantly updating the list of contemporary photographers and technical and historic links.  I really enjoy when students turn me on to a photographer they discovered.  Use all these links for research and ideas.
I love teaching all forms of photography.  I love teaching the history of photography.  My approach to both teaching and making photographs is through a fine art lens.  I strongly believe that there is great relevance in teaching analog photography and how to become more creative thinkers.   If you would like to know more about me, check out my profile.
See you all very soon!

Senior Art Show

Please join the arts department in celebrating our seniors who are in the advanced art classes this Thursday in the main hallway

The Last Quarter

The last quarter of school has arrived.  Beginning Photography students just finished up their portrait unit.  The work produced was some of the finest I have seen from beginning students.  I will be displaying the portrait work in the Linc Gallery soon.  You can see some of this terrific work hanging at Noodles and Co. across the street from Powell's Bookstore.  It will be displayed for the month of April. The beginning classes now start on landscapes-both natural and urban.  They will also be working on photo essays-mini portfolios of one subject of their choosing.  Here are a few inspiring landscapes:

Mitch Dobrowner

Marc Adamus

Zeb Andrews

The Advanced Photography class will be starting to get ready for the senior show, which is on May 23.  To help with this, I have given them an emulation assignment.  Check out the advanced photography assignment page to see some ideas.

February News

It is the start of second semester.  Can't believe how fast the first one went.  Most of the seniors have all their college applications in with many of them already accepted.  There was some terrific work done in all my classes, but particularly in my beginning photo classes.  I was so impressed with the quality and content shown in their final portfolios.  I am looking forward to what students do in my advanced photo classes this quarter with an emphasis on bookmaking.  On a personal note, my show and artist's talk went very well.  The highlight for me was seeing so many former students.  It meant so much to me that they showed up.  Thank you to all my colleagues, current and former students, parents,friends, and family for the support.  The beginning classes will be starting a huge unit on portraiture.  Here is some inspiration.

Annie Leibowitz

Phil Borges

Diane Arbus

Mary Ellen Mark

Emmet Gowin

Arnold Newman

Arnold Newman

Richard Avedon

Sally Mann

Irving Penn

January News

Happy New Year.  January is going to be very busy.  The semester ends on the 31st.  All students will be presenting their semester final portfolios starting on the 28th.  In the Beginning classes, we will be finishing up with the creative controls-motion and depth of field, and moving on to Light, Shadow and Reflections.  The Advanced Class has already started working on their finals which is an assignment based on words.
The big news for me is that I have a solo show at the I Witness Gallery, opening on the 4th and running through February 23rd.  I will be doing an artist talk on February 1st.  I also recently had a piece in the Alternative Process show at SoHo photo gallery in New York City.  My colleague, Lilly Windle, and I went to NYC for the opening and to start planning for a trip next year in which we would take students.   I also have a piece in the show Birds, Imagined or Real at the Photoplace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont.  Busy, busy!
Hope to see you at the opening.