Teaching at MCLA
It was an absolute honor to be asked to teach photography at my alma mater, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, formerly North Adams State College. I would be teaching black and white photography to students in the same darkroom I learned in so many years ago.
When I began teaching photography I
wanted to not only share my love of the
art but take
the mystery out of
the technical aspect of photography which can be very intimidating. I
have found, from talking to my students, that while many of them have
taken an introductory class in photography before, many of those classes
neglected even the basic elements of camera operation. While we go over
composition and exposure, students learn how to best use
aperture and shutter speed through various assignments. Students also
learn how to best use, not only existing light but some flash
technique, as well.
In the introductory class students learn to develop black and white film in a wet darkroom. When the college asked me if I would consider going all digital and eliminating the darkroom altogether, I consulted the students. The consensus was students wanted to learn photography using film in a black and white darkroom. They appreciated the challenge and the hands on experience the medium afforded them. In my advanced classes students may use either film or digital for their assignments.
The introductory
class meets every Monday
evening and students share their assignments and experiences, learn how
to edit their images, give and take constructive criticism and become
better masters of their tool, their camera.
In my advanced class students take it to the next level. They not only hone their skills but develop a style of their own. Students continue to meet weekly, usually on a Tuesday night and not only complete assignments but do an oral report on a famous photographer, as part of their semester grade.
In my photojournalism class I am able to integrate my daily experience as a photojournalist. We meet one evening a week, usually a Wednesday night and have to complete weekly assignments, as in the other courses. Students also view the work of other photojournalists as they are required to comb through various publications and find a picture of the week, which we discuss.
I also sponsor internships in photojournalism at the North Adams Transcript. Those students have gone on to take positions in the field of journalism.
Below are the syllabi for the various courses I am currently teaching at MCLA:
Spring 2007
ENGL 337-51 - Advanced Photography
ENGL 205-51 - Introduction to Photography