An advanced study of people photography, this course will focus on the development of the photographic and social skills of the commercial photographer. This course will examine the effects of light, camera choice, and subject pose on reproducing the human form as a photograph. The student will learn to develop strategies for photographing people, build upon lighting skills, and improve photographic styling techniques. Casting and directing models, as well as the role of a professional photographic team will be included in the lectures, demonstrations, and assignments.

This course, the first segment of a two-part capstone series for Advertising Photography students, concentrates on conceptualizing and creating a cohesive and impactful body of work. It prompts students to engage in critical and creative thinking, initiating an independent senior capstone project proposal that sets the stage for their Final Senior Presentation in which all students will participate at the semester's end. Students will showcase their ability to engage with a diverse audience through compelling visual narratives, which will be further developed in the subsequent Ad Capstone II course. Students will learn to create inclusive content that appeals to broad audiences, reflecting society's diversity through ongoing support and guidance from their chosen dedicated Capstone Advisory Committee, as well as the direct oversight of the faculty member ensuring that the project aligns with academic and professional standards.

This course examines the intersections of race, civil rights, and photography in the United States. Students will learn critical concepts in the field of photography, such as visibility, performativity, and the gaze. Students will also learn to critically engage with, deconstruct, and analyze issues of race and civil rights in the production and dissemination of photography. Students will uncover a spectrum of historical and co-occurring debates about the significance of vision in marking race in the context of the United States. Questions we will ask throughout the class are: How does photography contribute to the construction of race? How does the photograph function as evidence of the markings and conservation of race in America? Students will explore a variety of photographic practices, including vernacular photography and daguerreotypes from the nineteen-century. We will examine 1960s photojournalism and the documentary work of photographers like Gordon Parks, and investigate activist photography of the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panthers, and Black Lives Matter. Finally, students will investigate the works of contemporary artists, such as Lorna Simpson, Carrie Mae Weems, Lyle Ashton Harris, and Joshua Rashaad McFadden.

Photography Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, will propose a course of study. Photography Independent Study students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll.

This course represents part one of two parts of the culmination of the studio/ critique experience for students in Fine Art Photography. Having established a working artistic methodology in previous courses, students will begin to create a final body of work through the critical engagement with their peers and faculty. The focus of the course is to create works for the Senior Exhibition during spring semester in the Fine Art Portfolio II course. Studio practices and extensive critique experiences are the focus of this course.