Photography Concentration

As a Studio Art BA or BFA student you may pursue the Photography concentration.

Vital Skills and Knowledge While Developing Uniqueness

The Photography concentration provides a structured sequence of courses designed to foster technical competence, critical thinking, and the articulation and development of a personal voice. Students receive thorough instruction in:

• camera equipment, several kinds of both film and digital
• photographic composition and spatial design
• lighting, beginning to advanced
• image editing and printing, in color and black and white
• sustained creative project development

Advanced students also learn to organize and present a professional group exhibition.

Coursework and Techniques

Throughout the curriculum, skill-building and personal artistic exploration are emphasized in equal measure. All courses deliver a broad range of historical and contemporary material, as well as best practices for technical applications. Students are strongly encouraged to place themselves within the context of professional photographic discourse to determine how they might contribute to the contemporary field. At each level students produce a cohesive individualized project, from initial proposal to finished prints; for the Senior Studio, the project comprises a sustained, semester-long series and twenty exhibition-quality prints. 

Exposure to Varied Styles

The program supports diverse photographic styles, including experimental, documentary, and interdisciplinary work, as well as critical investigations of still-life, portraiture, and landscape. Although the curriculum does not emphasize client-based imaging, such as advertising or wedding photography, students acquire strong professional skills through the rigorous development of their own visual ideas.

Program Details

The following Rhode Maps list required courses and sample plans of study: 

BA in Art Studio, Concentration in Photography Rhode Map

BFA in Art Studio, Concentration in Photography Rhode Map