Misc

Objectives of the Photography Program
The objective of the Photography program is to train students to be qualified advertising photographers. The emphasis in the program is on the “shooting side” of photography. The students are trained in small, medium and large camera technique. They must be trained in available light and studio lighting. They are trained in preparing and styling on location as well as in the studio. They are competent in photographing both people and products. They are competent in the various areas of advertising photography, in architecture, and editorial photography. They are competent in both color and black and white. Although the program does not emphasize the darkroom, students must show a high competency in darkroom technique. Students are also trained in presentation methods and in the business of advertising photography. Employment opportunities include working as an assistant in an advertising photography studio specializing in products, fashion, food, catalog work, or architectural work; opening up one’s own private photography studio (specializing in any of the above areas); working in production houses (shooting film and video); working for corporations (shooting work) for corporate publications; working as a staff photographer for a magazine; and free lance.

Entrance Requirements for the Photography Program
Prospective applicants are qualified on the basis of 12-18 photographic samples. Samples should be originals. Slides, B&W or color print, or electronic output may be submitted. The applicant must submit a written statement of their intent and reason for study. The department council reviews the submitted work and an interview with the applicant is required. Acceptance and placement within the program is determined in this manner. Relevant prior life/work experience or academic credentials are also considered as criteria for placement within the program. All applicants must have a minimum of a high school diploma/G.E.D.

International and foreign students who do not speak English as a first language must either pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or demonstrate their English language verbal skills in a conversation with an admissions officer.

Instruction Methods Used in the Program
The Photography program provides training in essential competencies for professional success in the following ways:

1. A professional in the field teaches every class.
2. Student assignments are realistic and parallel the problems that the instructor faces on the job.
3. Portfolio Center makes every attempt to teach students with the same materials and equipment that are currently used in the business.
4. Emphasis is put on presentation of work, and on business practices.
5. Students are encouraged to join local professional organizations that relate to their major area of interest.
6. Portfolio Center student work is exhibited in exhibitions in the profession, and student work is published in professional magazines.
7. Every graduating student’s portfolio is reviewed by a group of prominent members of the advertising profession with the student present to gain feedback, advice and ask questions.

In conjunction with the above elements, photography students work with student art directors and designers in many of their classes, just as they would professionally. These experiences mirror the “real world” so that graduates are well seasoned in the role they will play as professionals. Instructors use a variety of instructional materials- videotapes of black and white and color processing for both paper and film. They use videotapes of both current and prominent photographers. Slides are used daily in teaching photography. Textbooks and periodicals are used as reference material. Field trips to local working studios are taken several times each quarter. Once a year, field trips are taken to prominent national studios in Los Angeles, New York or Chicago. Students are encouraged to subscribe to American Photo and Communications Arts magazines. Another important industry publication, Photo District News, is available for students in the Library.

Facilities and Equipment Used for the Program
Portfolio Center facilities consist of a two-story brick building. The first floor consists of classroom areas, a large open studio, 3 computer labs, a library and administrative offices. Classrooms are well lighted and equipped with folding chairs and tables, depending on the needs of the class. The bottom floor houses the photography facilities, Student Services (where student artwork is laminated), a classroom, a large work area, a conference area, and administrative offices.

Interior walls are of sheetrock. All the walls in the school are white for exhibition purposes and to maximize light efficiency. The large open studio on the first floor can be partitioned with accordion sound-proof room dividers allowing it to function as four individual classrooms when needed, as an open studio for student work space or as a hall for lectures and seminars. The walls of this space as well as the halls and other classrooms are covered with ongoing exhibits of the best student work from the previous quarter. The exhibition serves as an excellent resource for on the spot teaching reference as well as a record for visitors and prospective students of the quality of student work.

Portfolio Center has an extensive Power Macintosh computer lab consisting of a 45 color Macintosh computer network, all equipped with industry standard removable storage drives, 6 black and white laser printers and 5 color scanners for flat art and film. The computers have over 1,000 type faces installed and are updated as educational licenses become available for the most current versions of programs used within the industry, including Quark Express, Photoshop, Freehand, Illustrator, Lightwave, Microsoft Word and Macro Media Director. Because some students have IBM computers at home, the computers at Portfolio Center have system software that allows the MAC computers to read IBM compatible material. In addition, high-speed T.1 data provide all Mac workstations with e-mail and web access.

Class Hours
Portfolio Center students attend 5 classes per week. Each class is 4.5 hours in length, and may be held from either 8:00AM to 12:30PM, 1:00PM to 5:30PM, or 6:00PM to 10:30PM. Class schedules vary depending on program and quarter level. The Seminar series are held on Thursday mornings (all students must attend). Class schedules vary from quarter to quarter, depending on instructor availability.

Subject Descriptions
Please see attached Photography course descriptions preceding this “comments” section, as well as the Photography section of the school catalog.