Day of Photo

Picture Yourself at RIT

RIT's renowned Photo School hosts a Day of Photo event every fall! Stay tuned for information about our 2024 event.

A student looks through the viewfinder of a camera.

Throughout the free event, prospective students spend time with us exploring our undergraduate photo offerings: Advertising Photography, Fine Art Photography, Photographic Sciences, Photojournalism and Visual Media

The agenda includes:

  • Tour multi-million-dollar renovated facilities in the renowned School of Photographic Arts and Sciences
  • Participate in hands-on demos, including advertising portraits, high-speed portraits and digital magic
  • Get a glimpse at our industry-standard cameras and equipment
  • Spend time with award-winning faculty, students and alumni
  • Learn more about our undergraduate BFA and BS program offerings, as well as photography-related clubs on campus 
  • Join our RIT Photo Prize Instagram contest for a chance to win prizes 
  • Meet one-on-one with faculty
  • Hear from Undergraduate Admissions about the application and financial aid process

A Rich History

Past in-person Day of Photo events have included portrait and high-speed photography demos, a student panel, facilities tours, equipment showcases and portfolio reviews. Hover over images for photo credit.

Photo Prize Contest

A student poses with a boxed camera kit she won.

In conjunction with Day of Photo, the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences runs an annual RIT Photo Prize Instagram competition to discover, support and highlight the next generation of image makers! 

Photo by Sophie Proe '24: Winner of the 2022 Photo Prize competition, Marisa N.

Entry and Eligibility

Entry into the contest is simple: Tag your 10 best Instagram posts with #RITphotoprize2023. That’s it! Our faculty judges will follow the tagged submissions and winners will be announced during the Day of Photo event. Attendance is not required to be a winner.

Participants must currently be enrolled in seventh through 12th grades or community college, and be in a photography class. Final awarding of prizes will require proof of student status.

Prizes

Award winners will be determined by our team of faculty judges. Prizes for 2023 are to be announced. Previous winners have received subscriptions to Adobe Creative Cloud, cameras, photography equipment and more.

Renovation

The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences recently completed a $3.5 million renovation that bolstered what were already state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. The work was made possible by a substantial gift from Chance Wright '18 (Advertising Photography) and his mother, Pamela Mars Wright.

New spaces and facilities upgrades include: 

  • New professional sound room for recording interviews and audio editing.
  • New motion media room outfitted with high-performance computers for video editing.
  • New 4D media room equipped for the creation of stop-motion video.
  • An ultra-modern student lounge — with new furniture and an adjacent study center for meetings, working and relaxing.
  • Upgrades to the school's darkrooms, accompanied by a new classroom area for teaching and critique
  • Upgraded computer lab, complete with enhanced screens, computers and scanning and printing capabilities. 
  • Expanded footprint to accommodate additional equipment for the school's Photo Cage, an equipment rental space that offers the latest gear and accessories for checkout.

Contact

A student poses for a portrait in a studio.

Questions about the event can be sent to:

spastour@rit.edu