cs photography information guide
DESCRIPTION
Continuing Studies photography program information guideTRANSCRIPT
Table of Contents
About the ProgrAm 1
Introduction 1
Scope 1
Unique Qualities 2
Where Creatives Unite 3
Lifetime Alumni Program 4
Career Options 5
getting StArted 7
Beginning The Program 7
Certification 7
Program Costs 9
Facilities 9
Scheduling 10
tAiloring the ProgrAm 12
CourSe liStingS 19
inStruCtor bioS 40
FAQ’S 47
Langara CoLLege | Continuing StudieS PhotograPhy CertifiCate Program
The Langara College Applied Arts division off ers a unique opportunity
for studying within the communications arts fi eld. Whether your
interests lie in hobby or career based photographic goals, the
Continuing Studies Photography Certifi cate Program will fi t your needs.
If you are studying photography as a hobbyist, then you will be
surrounded by students who are equally passionate about the craft of
photography, in an environment where creative exploration and
experimentation is celebrated. If you are studying to become a
commercial photographer, then there is a distinct advantage to the
structure of this division.
Langara CoLLege | Continuing StudieS PhotograPhy CertifiCate Program
Introduction
The Langara College Continuing Studies Photography Certifi cate Program is one of
the most respected photography programs in Canada. Taught by leading industry
professionals, this program off ers the best and largest facilities in Western Canada
and has trained many of country’s top photographers. The program is designed to
accommodate both amateur and hobbyist photographers, and those wishing to pursue
careers as professional photographers.
Scope
This program allows students to
take as many or as few courses as
they wish. If you are picking up
a camera for the fi rst time, and
want to understand how to use
it to its full capacity, then this is
the program for you. If you are a
keen amateur, you can take your
hobby as far as you would like,
up to and including taking every course in the program. If you are pursuing a career
in photography as a commercial photographer, wedding & portrait photographer or
photojournalist, then this program off ers you an exceptionally comprehensive and highly
adaptable program. depending on your goals and needs, this program is designed to
get you where you want to be. 1
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Taught by some of the top commercial and portrait
photographers in Western Canada, this program
is well-known for having some of the most
comprehensive photography courses in Canada.
Courses in the program encompass three critical
areas of study for photographers: 1) production
issues; 2) stylistic issues; and 3) business issues. The
production aspects of the program are covered
in courses that range in universal content (such as
camera, digital workfl ow, or darkroom operations)
to more specialized areas (such as digital retouching,
compositing, lighting courses for studio and
location, advanced B&W, and view cameras). There
are many technical, industry specifi c courses (such
as Fashion Photography and Photojournalism)
that encourage the development of individuality
and personal photographic style. Business courses
include detailed training on pricing structures,
copyright law, contract law, estimating practices,
and photographic business practices. The important
issue of marketing for photographers is covered
through in-depth studies of direct mail marketing,
client research, portfolio development and
maintenance, networking & public relations, website
marketing, and photographic agents.
Unique Qualities
The Photography Certifi cate Program has a
unique program model, as it is not a regular
studies academic program. The Continuing
Studies curriculum is less academic and more
vocationally driven, this means a couple of
unique qualities in the curriculum structure and
delivery. First, it makes the program very easy
to tailor to your own professional and artistic
goals: where many full time academic programs
have few or no elective courses, this program
has around 30 elective courses (covering the
professional and artistic gamut of the industry).
This program also boasts around 20 instructors
who not only make their living as professional
photographers, but also represent some of
the top talent in the commercial, portraiture
and photojournalistic industries. Our program
philosophy has always revolved around veteran
professional photographers training new
professional photographers. The industry-
oriented nature of the program also engages
you with the industry when you are applying for
certifi cation. In order to be certifi ed through this
program, your portfolio will have to be judged by
top industry people (such as creative directors,
senior art directors, designers, and photo-editors).
These are the types of people who will make up
the majority of your clientele as a commercial
photographer, and it is these individuals who will
recommend your work for certifi cation based on
its commercial viability.
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Where Creatives Unite
Students training to be commercial photographers will learn about
critical issues (such as stylistic relevancy) in their work at a very
early stage of their studies. The importance of this issue is that you
are not trying to develop your style in a bubble - instead you are
developing it with the input and collaboration of individuals who
will ultimately hire you as a photographer. You will get to know the
students studying design and art direction and they, in turn, will
enter the industry with you already in place as a source of freelance
talent they do not have to search for. This creates a strong sense of
community in the academic arena, the same as in the
commercial world.
When you enter the industry, associations such as CAPIC, PPABC,
and the gdC will play a major role in your professional life.
Collaborating with other creative individuals in the academic arena
will better prepare you on how to be a valuable member of the
communication arts industry. There are four programs under the
Applied Arts division that are closely related, where students may
work together and create strategic connections. These are the
Certifi cate Photography Program, the Communication & Ideation
design Program, the electronic media design Program, and the
electronic music Production Program. These four programs train
freelance commercial photographers, art directors for advertising
agencies, graphic designers for print communications, graphic
designers for interactive communications, and freelance music
producers (for fi lm, radio and TV).3
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As part of the applied arts division, students studying to be commercial
photographers will also be studying in the same environment as
students studying to be art directors and graphic designers. Art directors
and graphic designers will, of course, make up the majority of your
clientele as a commercial photographer. Students studying to be art
directors and designers need to collaborate with photographers as
much in the academic world as they do in the real world. This offers the
photography students the opportunity to make connections and build
relationships with individuals who will also eventually leave for the
commercial world as prospective clients.
Lifetime Alumni Program
This unique feature truly sets the program apart from other schools! Once a student
completes the 16 required courses for certification in the Photography Certificate
Program, the entire program becomes free to them for the rest of their lives. This means
you can take all of those elective courses you did not take earlier, and when technology
upgrades come back and get the up-to-date information... for free! Becoming a
professional photographer is no small undertaking and we are the first to acknowledge
that breaking into this industry is very challenging. Students who enter the program
with previous experience or training are often ready to enter the commercial world on
completion. However, some students who join the program with little or no previous
experience may find that the program flies by a little too quickly. The Lifetime Alumni
Program is designed with such students in mind- if their creative and technical skills still
need to be developed, they can continue to work with us at no cost to hone their skills.
For a full list of terms and conditions for the Lifetime Alumni Program, please contact the
Program Coordinator Andrew Tripp at [email protected].
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Career Options
As mentioned earlier, you do not have to be pursuing photography as a career to access
this program. Beginner, amateur, and hobbyist photographers are very welcome in this
program; however, this program offers many options for those pursuing a career in the
photographic industry. There are three major directions for professional photographers:
photojournalism; retail (portraiture & wedding); and commercial. Photojournalism can
be looked at from several perspectives including reportage and editorial. reportage is
photographing newsworthy events for newspapers or news magazines such as TIme.
This type of work requires someone who can respond quickly to capture a fleeting
moment, emotion, and/or action. Often shooting for magazines, editorial photography
is commissioned work where lighting and production techniques are critical. editorial
work includes photographing people, fashion, still life, and events to illustrate an article.
Portraiture and wedding photography make up the bulk of the retail market of
photographers. most students pursuing this area plan to work as individual freelance
photographers rather than a franchised studio. Portraiture and wedding photography
have progressed beyond “traditional” styles of lighting and there are great
opportunities for photographers to exercise unique photographic styles.
Commercial photography includes (but not limited to): fashion photographers;
people photographers; architectural photographers; food photographers; movie stills
photographers; stock photographers; and product photographers. The vast majority
of commercial photographers are freelance professionals working on a contract
basis: their work may include advertising or commercial purposes such as brochures,
catalogues, or annual reports. Working as a photographic assistant is an excellent way
of entering the field.
In addition to the above categories of photography, many photographers are
expanding their skill set to become more valuable to the industry. It is not uncommon
to see photographers studying film or digital video to add to their services. Some
photographers are also studying to become graphic designers and art directors in order
to offer a greater range of services. This can significantly add to an income, be valuable
to clientele, and offer more creative freedom.
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Many photographers are looking at expanding their skill set to make
themselves even more valuable to the industry. It is not uncommon to
see photographers studying to become graphic designers and art
directors in order to offer a wider range of services.
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Beginning The Program
There is no interview requirement to enter
the program, as we encourage both hobbyist
and professional photographers to attend. For
courses that do not have a prerequisite (Basic
digital Photography, Basic digital Workfl ow, Basic
darkroom, Photoshop Level 1 or Photographic
Art History courses), students can register on a
fi rst come fi rst served basis. Individuals wishing
to enter a course with prerequisite requirements
must either take the qualifying course(s) or
challenge the prerequisite(s) based on previous
training or experience. This must be done through
the Program Coordinator, Andrew Tripp (604-644-7991). Basic level courses can be
discussed over the phone, and more advanced level courses will require a portfolio
showing. Students may enter the program in any of the three terms each year. do not
let the lack of a formal interview fool you: getting into the program is simple, getting
through to certifi cation is no simple undertaking. This is one of the largest programs
for commercial photographers in Canada and the certifi cation process, as you will
soon read, happens only when your work is at a level to make you commercially viable
– in other words, you must be able to compete against the top photographers in the
world to reach certifi cation.
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Certification
The graduation process is an individual process for each student; it is not a class situation.
When students have completed, and passed all of the required courses (16 courses), they
then qualify to apply for certification. The certification process does not cost anything
and there is no deadline as to how long you can take to pursue it.
The process begins with the student letting the
Program Coordinator (Andrew Tripp) know that they
are ready to apply for certification. A meeting will
be set up, with the student bringing as wide a range
of their work as possible, to discuss strategies and
professional or personal goals of the student. The
goal of this meeting is to identify the target market
that the student will aim their work at, such as the
advertising industry, editorial clients or portrait &
wedding clients for example. When the student
has determined the market he or she would like to
target, then they are advised to research a number
of prospective clients who they would like to be
working with to determine their photographic needs, what photographers they are
currently working with and as much about their communications philosophy as possible.
This will help the student to develop their final portfolio with a greater sense of purpose
and strategy.
Their final portfolio will then be viewed by a panel of internal & external industry experts
who will look at your chosen target markets and why you feel your work is relevant to the
needs of that market. The members of the panel will then document the strengths they
feel your portfolio possesses, its weaknesses and will then cast a vote on whether they
feel the student’s work is commercially viable. If the student’s portfolio is not deemed
commercially viable, then not only will the student receive written comments why, but
they will be encouraged to correct their portfolio and then resubmit it to the panel for
review. This process costs nothing, and whether the student’s portfolio is approved by
the panel or not, they will still retain their Lifetime Alumni status.
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Program Costs
Individual courses typically range from $400 to $500 for the 12 weeklong courses (we
do offer some shorter 6 week courses that usually cost around $250). You do not pay
for the program up-front, instead you pay for each course as you take them. This means
that the average academic cost for a student pursuing certification will be around
$7,500 over the two years of the program (costs vary depending on the courses you
choose). If you are shooting film, it is a good idea to budget for around $150 per course
in materials. digital is less, however, there are printing costs to consider. In the end, it is
a good idea to budget for approximately $10,000 for all costs over a two-year period.
As the Certificate Photography
program is a part-time evening
program, it does not qualify for
student funding such as Canada
Student Loans – only full-time
study programs qualify for that
(even if you take a larger course
load, it does not qualify as full-
time). There are many funding
agencies, both government and
private, such as job retraining programs for injured workers, that will fund the program.
Scholarships also are applicable to this program.
Facilities
Langara College has the top facilities for photographic study in Western Canada. The
program offers three very large and fully equipped studios for students to work from.
We have numerous state-of-the-art power packs and strobe units for students to use:
enough to equip each studio many times over. There is a large collection of tungsten
spotlights for each studio and a sizeable collection of lighting equipment from scrims
and softboxes to umbrellas, cookies, grids, and snoots. The darkrooms are well
equipped for printing in black and white, and colour. The darkrooms offer a spacious
central sink area large enough for many students to wet process fiber-based prints
simultaneously. We also have two Kreonite dry-to-dry print processors for both black
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Large state of the art mac computer labs with the most up-to-date versions of image
manipulation software, such as Adobe Photoshop and high-end print and fi lm scanners
for every format of fi lm from 35mm up to 8X10 large format, make these facilities the best
in town. We have a number of digital printers including a 44-inch large format epson
9600 printer. The program also has three Phase 1 digital backs for the medium format
Hassleblads. Students have access to a variety of camera systems including medium
format Hasselblads to 4X5 and 8X10 view cameras.
Part-time students are able to
use/book, at no extra cost, all of
the facilities and equipment every
Sunday afternoon and some
evenings. The only restrictions are
that you must be currently taking
a course and the facilities cannot
be used commercial purposes.
Scheduling
The Photography Program is designed in such a way that you may start the program at
the beginning of any term during the year. There are four terms that run through the
year: January, may, September and a condensed term that runs in August. The majority
of the courses in the program are 12 weeks long and run one evening or day per week.
For example, if you take a course that is scheduled on monday evenings from 6:30pm-
9:30pm, that course will run every monday evening for 12 weeks.
This program is designed for working adult students who cannot attend courses during
the day on monday to Friday. Course off ered on a weekday will run in the evening from
6:30pm to 9:30pm. We also regularly off er courses on Saturday mornings and afternoons
and occasionally on Sundays.
The January, may, and September terms are considered full terms that run for 12 weeks.
The August term is a condensed term where the courses run two evenings per week for
6 weeks (instead of 1 evening per week for 12 weeks). not all courses are off ered every
term and quite often a number of the elective courses are only off ered every other term.
A few select courses, such as Food Photography or The Photographic nude, are 10
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off ered once per year due to the
amount of time spent in studio.
required and major prerequisite
courses are off ered every term.
Course schedules can be found
on our website at www.langara.
bc.ca/creative-arts/photography/
course.html. First time students
can register by calling our
registration line at 604-323-5322
and returning students have the
choice using online registration
(www.langara.bc.ca/cs).
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Tailoring The Program
As the part-time Photography Certifi cate Program has a large
number of elective courses, the program can be easily customized for
professional and/or artistic goals. This section off ers a breakdown of
photography courses relevant to diff erent photographic specialties
and explains why each course is relevant. The following photographic
specialties are explored:
Hobbyist | Fine Art | Scenic & Stock | People (Advertising &
Editorial) | Fashion & Beauty | Photojournalism &
Photo-Essay | Portraiture & Wedding | Product & Food |
Architectural | Illustrative Photography |
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Hobbyist PhotographyFor those of you interested in pursuing photography
as a hobby, this program offers a number of courses
ideally suited to making your hobby a spectacular
one. These courses focus primarily on camera,
darkroom, lighting, and compositional skills.
Because there is no obligation for students to follow
through to certification, many students take only the
courses designed to train in the fundamental skills
required of all photographers. This listing would not
qualify a student for certification; however, you are
free to pursue that goal any time, at your own pace.
You are free to move forward as far as you wish
within the program in order to take your craft far
beyond what most hobbyist photographers achieve.
The following courses are ideally suited for the
passionate amateur:
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | Landscape Photography | digital
Intermediate Photography (or Film Intermediate
Photography) | Composition & design | Practical
Lighting | Advanced Studio Lighting | Advanced
Composition & design | Practical darkroom | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Creative darkroom | Alternative
Photographic Processes | Photographic Art History |
Street Photography | Photoshop Level 1, 2 or 3 |
Fine Art PhotographyThe most significant difference between commercial
and fine art photography is simply the purpose of
the work. Fine art photographers are free to pursue
their own artistic vision and the only artistic goals
that need to be met are those of the photographer’s,
whereas commercial photographers work must
achieve a specific communications goal. In both
cases the photographers must first have a strategy
or reason to take the shot, and they must exercise
artistic control over the visual execution of the
image. In that sense, there is not so clear a division
between the fine arts and the applied arts. Please
note this list shows more courses than needed to
achieve certification. It is designed to simply show
the courses that are relevant to this specialty (while
you are free to take all of these courses, students will
typically choose select courses from the list).
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography (or
Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical Lighting
| Advanced Studio Lighting | Business Practices |
Business management | Practical darkroom | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Composition & design | Advanced
Composition & design | Personal Photographic Style
| Photographic Concept | Contemporary Image
| Creative darkroom | Landscape Photography |
Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop Level 2 | Photoshop
Level 3 | The Photographic Portrait | Creative Light
Painting techniques | The Photographic nude |
Alternative Photographic Processes | Photographic
Art History | Architectural Photography |13
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Scenic & Stock PhotographyFor those students interested in pursuing scenic
photography, stock photography agencies will most
likely represent one of your key target markets.
Stock represents an enormous range of imagery
from scenic to people, environmental, illustrative
still life, digital photo-illustration, and much
more. Travel magazines, editorials, photo-essay,
advertising, and fine art books are also potential
markets to explore. Scenic photographers may not
work their trade in the studio, but they must have
an in-depth understanding of light quality. Timing
is the other key skill a scenic photographer must
have: understanding when to shoot and when to
wait. unfortunately, patience is not a topic we teach
within the program so you will have to settle for the
following courses.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography (or
Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical Lighting
| Business Practices | Business management |
Practical darkroom | View Camera Techniques |
Advanced Black & White Photography | Composition
& design | Advanced Composition & design | The
Contemporary Image | The Creative darkroom
| Landscape Photography | Photojournalism |
Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop Level 2 | Photoshop
Level 3 | Street Photography | Alternative
Photographic Processes | Photographic Art History |
Stock Photography | Architectural Photography
People PhotographyOne thing we recommend to all students is
that no matter which photographic area you
decide to pursue, make yourself as versatile in
that field as possible. This opens up a far greater
pool of potential clients to you, and therefore
raises income expectations as well as giving you
more creative options: people photography is
no exception. People photography represents
a broad field of freelance possibilities, from
advertising to editorial, corporate, portraiture,
photo-essay, and stock. We deliver courses that
train students in the full spectrum of applied and
fine art people photography.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography
(or Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical
Lighting | Advanced Studio Lighting | Business
Practices | Business management | Practical
darkroom | Commercial Photography | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Composition & design | Advanced
Composition & design | Personal Photographic
Style | Photographic Concept | The Contemporary
Image | The Creative darkroom | Photojournalism
| Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop Level 2 |
Photoshop Level 3 | The Photographic Portrait |
Creative Light Painting Techniques | Photographic
nude | Photographic Art History | Stock
Photography | editorial Photography
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Fashion PhotographyFashion photography definitely represents one
of the most exciting and challenging areas of
photography. Being a fashion photographer
represents some of the most demanding
expectations in the field. not only must you be
superb in your lighting abilities, you must have
very refined camera, darkroom, production, and
composition skills. This area is one of the few where
the photographer alone cannot complete an
assignment, they must have an in-depth knowledge
of, and excellent working relationship with, make-up
artists, hair stylists, fashion stylists, and assistants.
Fashion photography requires some of the highest
capital outlays in terms of equipment and studio
facilities. Being able to shoot two or three models
full length with the proper lenses requires a sizeable
coved surface. It also represents some of the most
rewarding stylistic challenges for a photographer,
so if you love fast paced work, and controlled
serendipity, then this could be the field for you.
releVAnt CourSeS (inS SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography
(or Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical
Lighting | Advanced Studio Lighting | Business
practices | Business management | Practical
darkroom | Commercial Photography | View Camera
Techniques | Advanced Black & White Photography
| Composition & design | Advanced Composition
& design | Personal Photographic Style | digital
Imaging | Creative darkroom | Fashion Photography
| Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop Level 2 | Photoshop
Level 3 | The Photographic Portrait | Creative Light
Painting Techniques | The Photographic nude |
Alternative Photographic Processes | Alternative
Colour Techniques | Photographic Art History | Stock
Photography | Commercial Production
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PhotojournalismStudents interested in pursuing photojournalism
will find that the Langara Photography Certificate
Program has much to offer. We prepare students for
news reportage with an emphasis on the photo-
essay. Less time is spent on the found image and
more time is dedicated to training photographers
to create an image or a series of images designed
to illustrate a news story (equinox or national
geographic are prime examples of photo-essay).
These courses ensure students gains a diverse
set of skills in both location, scenic, and people
photography backed up with a strong sense of
lighting. Quick and decisive thinking in technical
and visual terms is the key to success in this area.
A stylistic approach is just as important as it is for
commercial photography.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography
(or Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical
Lighting | Advanced Studio Lighting | Business
practices | Business management | Practical
darkroom | Advanced Black & White Photography
| Composition & design | Advanced Composition
& design | Personal Photographic Style | The
Photographic Concept | Contemporary Image |
The Creative darkroom | Landscape Photography |
Photojournalism | Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop
Level 2 | Photoshop Level 3 | The Photographic
Portrait | Street Photography | Alternative
Photographic Processes | Photographic Art History
| Stock Photography | Architectural Photography |
editorial Photography
Portraiture & WeddingTraditional or nontraditional, that is always the
question. Originally, the photographic portrait
used lighting that mimicked the traditional
painted portrait (rembrandt lighting, etc). While
this is beautiful lighting, many people are looking
for portraits that are more illustrative in nature:
something that will convey a strong message about
the subject (via concept, mood, and/or technique).
The following courses cover both traditional and
unique ways of capturing those special moments.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography (or
Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical Lighting
| Advanced Studio Lighting | Business Practices |
Business management | Practical darkroom | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Composition & design | Advanced
Composition & design | Personal Photographic
Style | The Photographic Concept | Contemporary
Image | The Creative darkroom | Fashion
Photography | Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop
Level 2 | Photoshop Level 3 | Photographic
Portrait | Creative Light Painting Techniques | The
Photographic nude | Alternative Photographic
Processes | Photographic Art History | Wedding
Photography | Stock Photography16
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Still Life & Food PhotographyStill Life photography represents one of the most
demanding aspects of commercial photography.
As this type of photography is “making” pictures
rather than “taking” them, a highly refined sense
of lighting coupled with superb compositional
skills is a must (knowing where to look for
propping and surfaces is also valuable). On top of
learning the fundamentals of photography, you
will need to become intimate with the tools of
this field: studio lighting and large format view
cameras. It is important that you have strong
darkroom skills as well as a solid foundation in
digital imaging. What clients will look for in a still
life shooter are tremendous lighting and camera
skills, a strong visual and technical problem solver,
and someone with a distinctive stylistic approach.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography
(or Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical
Lighting | Advanced Studio Lighting | Business
Practices | Business management | Practical
darkroom | Commercial Photography | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Composition & design | Advanced
Composition & design | Personal Photographic
Style | Creative darkroom | Food & Beverage
Photography | Photoshop Level 1 | Photoshop
Level 2 | Photoshop Level 3 | Creative Light
Painting Techniques | Alternative Photographic
Processes | Photographic Art History | Stock
Photography | Commercial Production
Architectural PhotographyFor those students who love commercial and
residential architectural design, this field offers a
number of photographic possibilities. Architectural
Photographers often are found working with
graphic design firms who specialize in brochures
and websites for developers. editorial photography
also represents a major market for photographers
through such magazines as Architectural digest
and Western Living magazine. Architectural
Photographers are also often sought out for large-
scale product photography such as furniture or
appliances when they are being shot in interior
environments. The key challenge for architectural
photographers is being able to mix (and balance)
a variety of light sources from interior and exterior,
and artificial lighting to outside natural light.
Being able to work with and interpret the work of
architectural and interior designers is critical for this
type of photographer.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography (or
Film Intermediate Photography) | Practical Lighting
| Advanced Studio Lighting | Business Practices |
Business management | Practical darkroom | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Composition & design | Advanced
Composition & design | The Creative darkroom
| Landscape Photography | Photoshop Level 1 |
Photoshop Level 2 | Photoshop Level 3 | Alternative
Photographic Processes | Photographic Art History |
Stock Photography | Architectural Photography
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Illustrative (Conceptual) PhotographyJerry uelsmann summed it up nicely by saying that
illustrative work is photographing objects for “what
else they are.” In this category, photographers use
whatever subjects necessary in ways that strongly
illustrate a concept. This is a type of photography
that is becoming immensely popular in almost
every aspect of applied art. Originally, editorial
work was the most common arena for illustrative
work, as the images had no other purpose than to
illustrate the written editorial. designers and art
directors find new ways of utilizing the power of the
illustrated photograph and it has become popular
in advertising, annual reports, and all forms of
non-media assignments (such as Cd covers). Superb
conceptualizing skills are one of the most important
strengths of an illustrative photographer. This area
is particularly demanding on almost every creative
and technical aspect of photography: strong
lighting skills and a host of production and printing
techniques are needed to ensure you have the
creative options necessary to conceptualize freely.
releVAnt CourSeS (in SuggeSted order)
Basic digital Photography (or Basic Film
Photography) | Basic digital Workflow (or Basic
darkroom) | digital Intermediate Photography (or
Film Intermediate Photography | Practical Lighting
| Advanced Studio Lighting | Business practices |
Business management | Practical darkroom | View
Camera Techniques | Advanced Black & White
Photography | Composition & design | Advanced
Composition & design | Personal Photographic
Style | The Photographic Concept | Contemporary
Image | The Creative darkroom | Photoshop Level
1 | Photoshop Level 2 |Photoshop Level 3 | The
Photographic Portrait | Creative Light Painting
Techniques | The Photographic nude | Alternative
Photographic Processes | Photographic Art History |
Stock Photography | Commercial Production
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Course Listings
The previous section described the various areas of photographic study available to
students through this program. This section takes a closer look at the individual courses,
describing their content, their prerequisites, and their costs. For students who are unsure
about the courses that are open to them, please contact the Program Coordinator
(Andrew Tripp) either by phone at 604-644-7991 or via e-mail at [email protected]
BASIC DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY lays the groundwork for a present upgrade or
future study in the field of photography. Control
of exposure and depth of field is the primary
focus of this course, along with: exploration of
composition; stylistic approaches; and metering for
daylight, studio light, and night scenes. This course
explores issues unique to digital shooting such as
white balance, dealing with image noise, and an
introduction to image file formats. The student
will learn through lectures, studio workshops, slide
shows, and field trips. Critiques of student work will stress positive achievements toward
instilling the confidence to tackle more challenging photographic work. Students are
encouraged to discuss ideas and concepts with the instructor and fellow students in an
environment that welcomes input and exploration.
PrereQuiSite: none
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BASIC DIGITAL WORKFLOWis the companion course to Basic digital Imaging and the co-prerequisite to digital
Intermediate Photography. Where the Basic digital Photography course deals primarily
with image capture, the Basic digital Workflow course deals with how to process you
digital image files. The course works predominantly with software programs like Adobe
Lightroom or Capture 1, but it does not matter if students are using Apple’s Aperture
or the proprietary software for processing their images. Other topics included in the
course cover optimizing dSLr camera set-ups, exposure controls (both on camera
and via computer). The course teaches reviewing, organizing and ranking files, image
adjustments, image and online publishing, file handling, storage, archiving, and printing.
PrereQuiSite: none
BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY (Film)lays the groundwork for a present upgrade or future study in the field of photography.
Control of exposure and depth of field is the primary focus of this course, along with:
exploration into composition; stylistic approach; and metering for daylight, studio light
and night scenes. This course offers a glimpse into basic black and white darkroom
techniques, and shooting a live model in a studio setting. The student will learn through
lectures, studio workshops, slide shows, and field trips. Critiques of student work will
stress positive achievements toward instilling the confidence to tackle more challenging
photographic work. Students are encouraged to discuss ideas and concepts with the
instructor and fellow students in an environment that welcomes input and exploration.
PrereQuiSite: none
BASIC DARKROOM (Film)is a course designed to give the student a solid background in black and white printing
techniques. Students begin by learning the characteristics of different black and white
films and the quality of print they can expect from them. Adjusting film characteristics by
adjusting their processing time will also be explored with students developing their own
film. Tone and contrast are two of the most important considerations in making a print,
and considerable time will be devoted to these topics. Technical considerations such as
choice of paper, exposure, and filtration will be explored in-depth, but students will also
learn about tone and contrast from an artistic perspective. Tonal considerations are very
subjective, and it takes time and experience before a photographer can recognize and
produce the qualities of a superbly printed photograph. The class explores the various
methods of burning and dodging to fine tune a print, although emphasis will always 20
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be placed on creating as close to a perfect exposure in camera. The course fi nishes
with students learning dry mounting and display techniques. All assignments will be
thoroughly critiqued on both technical and aesthetic grounds: students are encouraged
to push their abilities to the limit.
PrereQuiSite: none
DIGITAL INTERMEDIATE PHOTOGRAPHYtakes most of the material covered in “Intermediate Photography” and applies it
to digital SLr picture taking. designed for students who are beyond the basics of
photography, it covers aspects such as shooting raw vs. j-peg, white-balance concerns,
and preparation for printing, in addition to lighting for still life and people. Students
require their own digital SLr. This course expands on the knowledge gained by the
students in Basic Photography and helps them to acquire new techniques for tackling
diff erent kinds of lighting situations. each lecture is followed by a shooting session or
demonstration in order to put the techniques discussed into practice: emphasis is placed
on exploring elements in a fun and creative environment. Students work both outdoors
and in the studio, and live models will be our subjects for the shooting sessions using
studio strobe equipment. Assignments are fl exible enough to allow the students to
pursue their particular areas of interest, such as portraiture, landscape, still life, fashion,
etc. Both the instructors and the fellow students provide feedback and ideas in relaxed
and casual critique sessions. eff ective composition is stressed throughout the course as
well as technical considerations, and the students are strongly encouraged to explore
creatively and technically with the full support and involvement of the instructor.
Students are encouraged to discuss their ideas for the class assignments amongst
themselves, in order to learn independent problem solving techniques.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC digitAl PhotogrAPhy & bASiC digitAl WorkFloW
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INTERMEDIATE PHOTOGRAPHY (Film)expands on the knowledge gained by the students in Basic Photography and helps
them acquire new techniques for tackling different kinds of lighting situations. each
lecture is followed by a shooting session or demonstration in order to put the techniques
discussed into practice (emphasis is placed on exploring elements in a fun and creative
environment). The students work both outdoors and in the studio, and live models will
be the subjects for the shooting sessions using studio strobe equipment. Assignments
are flexible enough to allow the students to pursue their particular areas of interest,
such as portraiture, landscape, still life, fashion, etc. Both the instructors and the fellow
students provide feedback and ideas in relaxed and casual critique sessions. effective
composition is stressed throughout the course as well as technical considerations, the
students are strongly encouraged to explore creatively and technically with the full
support and involvement of the instructor. Students are also encouraged to discuss
their ideas for the class assignments amongst themselves, in order to learn independent
problem solving techniques.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC PhotogrAPhy (or bASiC digitAl PhotogrAPhy)
BASIC PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHYimmerses students in the world of people photography. The course looks at shooting
people for fashion, editorial and portraiture. Students will learn many new lighting
scenarios for people photography as well as how to pose and communicate with your
subject. Students will practice extensively with working models as well as become
accustomed to working with non-models who may not be as comfortable in front of a
camera. This course builds on many of the principles learned in Basic digital Photography
(or Basic Photography) and Basic digital Workflow).
PrereQuiSite: bASiC digitAl PhotogrAPhy & bASiC digitAl WorkFloW
PRACTICAL LIGHTINGexplores in detail, the fundamentals of lighting through several assignments involving
still life set-ups in the studio and people photography both in studio and on location.
The first five weeks of the course centre on lighting for still life photography. The lighting
concepts explored in this section are applicable to a wide variety of subjects, whether in
the studio or in ambient lighting conditions. Topics such as lighting for various surface
qualities, contrast control, and manipulation of light quality are learned through lecture,
illustrated slide shows, and lots of practical experience. Included is a comparison of 22
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lighting equipment and various accessories. Students will gain an appreciation for
the potential of lighting to create a more effective photograph (via control of mood
and style). The second five weeks concern lighting for people photography. natural,
artificial, and mixed source lighting is explored through an opening lecture and slide
show followed by subsequent shooting sessions with professional models. Students will
discover numerous methods of controlling the light necessary to produce an effective
portrait in a variety of circumstances. Stylistic approach and content are stressed
throughout the course, along with technical considerations.
PrereQuiSite: digitAl intermediAte PhotogrAPhy (or intermediAte
PhotogrAPhy)
ADVANCED STUDIO LIGHTINGis a course that tackles light for light’s sake. The purpose of this course is to give the
students a very comprehensive understanding of how light works on film. Predictability
and control are the ultimate goals of any commercial photographer. Surprises, even
pleasant ones, are completely unacceptable to the commercial shooter, s/he must be
able to envision the image and then achieve that vision exactly on film. The first part of
this course focuses on the physics of how light reacts on film, manipulation of lighting
quality, contrast control, critical metering techniques, ratios, and comparative ratios. The
course goes on to explore some contemporary lighting techniques and circumstances
such as projected light, motion (with combined light sources), painting with light, shutter
drag, and controlling natural sunlight through key shifting. Students learn through a
series of lectures, slide shows, discussions and demonstrations, and practical experience
shooting both stills and models in the studio and on location. Students are encouraged
to use both the studio and especially the home assignments to not only hone their
technical skills, but also their conceptual and stylistic approaches.
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BUSINESS PRACTICESis designed to help students explore all aspects and avenues for marketing their skills as
a photographer. The topics in this course are relevant to all specialties in photography
from commercial, to portraiture, wedding, editorial, and photojournalism. All of the
traditional methods of marketing are covered in-depth from advertising and direct mail
to public relations, networking, personal selling, photographic agents, and Internet
advertising. This course is about helping students to identify where they fit in and how
to research their potential markets. You must be able to articulate the stylistic approach
to your work, and ensure that it is clearly communicated in all of your marketing efforts.
The portfolio is also extensively covered, exploring issues such as content and message,
researching your clients’ needs, portfolio design and presentation, along with editing,
pacing, and sequencing your
images. Students will complete
two comprehensive assignments
in sequencing portfolios, and
creating a marketing and
objective driven business plan.
PrereQuiSite: none
BUSINESS MANAGEMENTis part of a three-course series specific to the commercial photographic industry that
includes Business Practices & Commercial Photography. The focus of this course is
primarily on the logistics of running a commercial photographic business. The first
part of the course explores the methods and considerations of producing estimates
and proposals. Topics such as the usage scale, copyright, pricing, material costs, billing,
and location/propping costs are covered in-depth. The fact that your estimate is the
last chance to promote yourself to a client is stressed throughout, thus presentation
skills are also looked at closely. The other major topic of this course is legal and ethical
business considerations, exploring: copyright law; what you legally can or cannot shoot;
standard photographic contracts; what a client can expect of you; and you of the client.
Also covered in detail are business finance issues such as HST, business licenses, taxes,
accounting, and financial planning. We also invite agents from CAPIC, PPABC, and CAPA
to discuss the purpose of each association.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
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PRACTICAL DARKROOM (Film)is an intermediate level course designed to allow students greater control over the black
and white medium. exposure and development of film, fine-tuning of printing skills,
recognition of tone and contrast, and a subsequent exploration of print enhancement
techniques form the basis of this intensive darkroom course. A modified zone system
approach to film treatment is followed by an introduction to fine art exhibition quality
print-making (including the use of fiber based paper and print toners such as selenium,
sepia and brilliant blue). Archival processing is discussed and offered for practice during
several darkroom sessions. Specialized techniques (such as paper flashing and print
diffusion) are demonstrated and explored to offer the student a dramatic expansion of
his/her darkroom repertoire. Finally, finishing and presentation of prints are considered.
Students are encouraged to experiment not only with their technique, but also with their
stylistic approach and conceptualizing skills.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC dArkroom
COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHYis part of a three-course series including Business Practices and Business management.
In the majority of commercial shoots, the final image is a result of a close collaboration
between photographer and art director. most concepts start out in the form of a
composite rendering (which can be as little as a stick person pencil sketch), and it is
up to the photographer to translate this into a tangible image that captures the style
and essence wanted by the client. This course is designed to teach the students the
communication process necessary to achieve this. Students will spend most of this
course shooting various advertising layouts while consulting and negotiating stylistic
considerations with the art director. The objective is to become an active partner with
the art director for the purpose of achieving the perfect image for the assignment.
Students learn excellent lighting techniques and are encouraged to scan their images to
disc so the instructor can crop, retouch and place them into the ad: giving the student
a hi-res colour output of the job. In this course, students will learn how to operate and
work extensively on the Hasselblad medium format camera systems.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting & PhotoShoP leVel 2
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VIEW CAMERA TECHNIQUES (Film)is a course that explores the world of the large format camera. Students will work
extensively on 4X5 cameras while learning the principles of large format techniques.
These cameras have capabilities beyond any rigid body SLr camera system, being able
to manipulate both perspective and greatly increase (or decrease) the depth of field or
sharpness of an image. These cameras are mostly for shooting still life and architectural
photography (and very effective with people photography), and if these are the areas
you wish to shoot in then view cameras will become an essential part of your career.
Topics explored include sharpness and perspective control through the Scheimpflug
effect, camera operations, multiple exposure mapping, and use of inter-camera masking.
Students will use the cameras for still life, location people shoots, and architectural
assignments. The College will supply students with cameras and Polaroid film.
PrereQuiSite: intermediAte PhotogrAPhy
ADVANCED B&W PHOTOGRAPHY (Film)How many times have you seen a black and white photograph that seems to have an
exceptional range of tone? Subtle highlight detail is held with ease and the shadows
appear luminous, the print seems to glow with a silvery range of distinct tones. Creating
a print that has these qualities requires an understanding of the capabilities and
nature of the materials used. The Zone System provides a method to predictably and
accurate test the results that are being obtained from a particular film and developer
combination. You will test your specific combination of equipment and determine
an exposure index (a “personal ISO”) for a chosen film. With this information in place,
printing in the darkroom becomes a rewarding experience rather than a series of test
strips created in an effort to find some combination that yields acceptable results. use
of a densitometer will be included as part of the film testing. effectively using a spot
meter and a viewing filter will be studied in context to creating an image. Testing on its
own would not be enough unless the information is incorporated into your shooting
technique. The latter half of Advanced B&W focuses on metering as well as the use of
filters. Precise tonal placement is possible with the use of a spot meter. Scene contrast
assessment and how it relates to your exposure and development will be studied in
detail. The final several weeks focus on one-on-one instruction while printing your own
negatives. Advanced B&W has many students commenting on the improvement they
witness in the quality of their images. You will also find that your results are
more consistent.
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COMPOSITION & DESIGNexplores the nature of perception and intentional image making: equipping the
student with the tools of recognized design and composition techniques, whilst also
encouraging innovative thinking. Classroom study of the fundamental elements
and principles of composition, and design are complimented by practical studio
assignments. Students learn how to intentionally incorporate the design elements of
line, color, texture, space, and shape into image designs. Further study of the principles
of rhythm, balance, and scale enhance their understanding and ability to manipulate
the viewer’s response to the image. Contemporary and historical styles of composition
and design are reviewed, and students become accustom to critiquing and reviewing
design principles in contemporary advertising and fine arts imagery. The mystique
of good versus bad composition and design will be thoroughly decoded, enabling
the student to approach assignments and expressive image-making with increased
confidence and the ability to communicate effectively and immediately with the viewer
on multiple levels of awareness.
PrereQuiSite: digitAl intermediAte PhotogrAPhy (or intermediAte
PhotogrAPhy)
ADVANCED COMPOSITION & DESIGNcontinues students’ studies in compositional
technique and the psychology of design for
photographers. Learn to add deeper thoughts and
ideas to your images while also extending your
compositional and presentation skills. Students
continue from earlier studies in Composition and
design to look at further into design theory. Topics
covered include the psychology of seeing (How does
my brain ‘see’?), unusual composition techniques
(fish eye and panoramic), image association (What
am I looking at?), image distortions, telling stories
with sequences of images and, creating a simple
multi-media presentation of their
final assignment.
PrereQuiSite: ComPoSition & deSign
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PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLEis designed to help the student identify and develop their own stylistic approach in
whatever genre of photography they enjoy. Having pushed forward with the technical
skills necessary to produce commercial quality images such as lighting, subjective
exposure, camera techniques, film development, printing and production, the
photographer is inevitably faced with the question “where do I go from here?” For
the casual type that question does not necessarily present itself; however, it proves
enormous, and must be answered honestly and thoroughly before a photographer
can join the ranks of serious image-makers. This is where the development, or
recognition of one’s own personal aesthetic, becomes extremely important (without
its presence in a photographer’s work, s/he could be viewed as a hit-and-miss shooter
rather than a creative photographer capable of producing powerful images stamped
with a unique and recognizable style). Through creative exercises and shooting
assignments, combined with an overview of photographic style from an historical
and contemporary perspective, the student will be guided into the area of aesthetics
which is truly their own.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC CONCEPTprovides techniques for acquiring the mental and emotional tools needed to
conceptualize an original, effective, communicative, and memorable image for any
commercial assignment or self-assigned project. Students explore practical, aesthetic,
and conceptual techniques and acquire in-depth understanding of the collaborative
role of the art director. Classroom hours cover the work of selected contemporary
and historical conceptual photographers, the use of metaphor and surrealism, ethics
and socio-cultural influence of advertising imagery, plagiarism, and copyright issues.
Learnings include creative sampling, research techniques, overcoming creative blocks,
appropriate choice of traditional and alternative creative processes, personal style,
visualization techniques, and effective and detailed image review techniques. Practical
studio hours require experimentation with classroom ideas. The student will complete
a series of portfolio presentation images showcasing their conceptual skills by the end
of the course.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
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THE CONTEMPORARY IMAGEIn this course’s creative
environment students develop a
cohesive body of photographic
art. Students participate in
slide-lectures and discussions
that examine contemporary
photographers, trends and
theories in photography, guiding
them through the production
of an independent personal
photographic project. emphasis is placed on a fine art approach to photography with
students creating image series that form a unifying concept. Students will be expected
to produce a creative rationale to accompany the work and be expected to defend the
visual execution of the concept. These projects will require all of the skills learned to date
in regards to camera technique, lighting, darkroom or digital processes.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
THE CREATIVE DARKROOM (Film)This course introduces students to a selection
of experimental techniques in fine-art black and
white photography and alternative image creation
centered on (though not limited to) the darkroom.
The course encourages individual tastes and styles,
and fosters innovation in the darkroom. Classroom
discussions, instructor demonstrations, student
darkroom experimentation, and a group field trip
are included in Creative darkroom. Students will
experiment with a number of different processes in
multiple-exposures as well as working with Kodalith
films. refraction printing, brushed developer, sandwiching negatives, multiple toning,
hand colouring, and bleaching techniques will be explored.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC dArkroom
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LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHYis a basic level course designed for those that have experience with the camera and a
good knowledge of exposure and depth of field. Critical investigation of design and
composition, of filters and of metering techniques for various lighting circumstances, are
the prime focus for photographing the landscape. Students explore the techniques and
artistic considerations of full scenic, close up, and urban landscapes through a series of
home and in class assignments. Students gain technical knowledge through a series of
slide shows, Polaroid tests, studio workshops on quality and angle of lighting, and field
trips. The instructor works closely with each student to help them start to recognize
stylistic approaches and develop their own unique style and perspective to shooting
various landscapes. At the end of the course all assignments will be given a thorough
critique, including student participation. emphasis will be placed on building individual
student strengths, as well as identifying and offering solutions to areas that may require
further development.
PrereQuiSite: digitAl intermediAte PhotogrAPhy (or intermediAte
PhotogrAPhy)
BASIC COLOUR PRINTING (Film)introduces students, already capable in the black and white darkroom, to the nuances
of colour printing. This course is designed to give students a good understanding of the
fundamentals of colour theory, while being very practically oriented with ample time
spent doing hands on work in the colour darkrooms. The assignments are arranged so
students cover the technical aspects and artistic considerations of colour printing while
working on their own images. The course will explore various technical principles such as
the colour wheel, the structure of colour film and paper, colour temperature, filters used
for colour correction, and how subtractive colour printing works. After completing this
course, students have gained the ability to “see” the colour balance in their prints and
transparencies, and make educated decisions regarding colour balance while taking the
image and creating the final print.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC dArkroom
INTERMEDIATE COLOUR PRINTING (Film)expands on the knowledge of colour photography that is taught in Basic Colour
Printing. Students continue honing their colour printing skills, while learning new film
and processing techniques. This is a hands-on course, with the students spending the 30
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majority of their time learning while in the darkroom and processing lab. Colour theory
is expanded upon, as is learning about colour C41 and rA-4 processing in the College’s
minilab. Students experiment with cross processing e6 to C41 and the inherent qualities
of printing high contrast and colour shifted cross processed negatives. Printing skills
will be taken beyond the basics with students learning display quality colour printing
on 16X20 prints, colour correcting for various light sources, and Ilfochrome colour
printing from transparencies. Film techniques such as slide duping and transproofi ng
(transparencies from colour negatives) are covered in theory and assignments. This
course is designed for students who wish to experiment stylistically through various
processing techniques and those wishing to exercise complete control over the
reproduction of their portfolios.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC Colour Printing
PHOTOJOURNALISMexplores the world of reportage, editorial, and the photo-essay. Students will learn
through a series of lectures, slide presentations, home assignments, and practical
assignments what is involved in the process of creating images that are able to move,
inform, and evoke the viewer. This course will take an in-depth look at all aspects of
photojournalism from capturing the found moments and shooting on assignment for
the news, to illustrating features and stories in editorial, to creating image series that
are stories in themselves through photo-essay. emphasis throughout the course is
placed on content, mood, and stylistic approaches; however, technical considerations
like fi lm characteristics, incident and strobe
lighting, equipment choices, and printing
for reproduction are addressed. Students
produce assignments ranging from graphic
reportage to editorial portraiture and
serial images. Students can expect to be
challenged regularly to articulate their
intent and rational for choosing the manner
in which they portray their assigned topics.
Past and present trends are explored with
discussion on what the future holds for the
diff erent aspects of photojournalism.
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FOOD & BEVERAGE PHOTOGRAPHYis a course that introduces students to one of the most challenging aspects of still
life photography. The first objective of this course is to dispel some of the myths that
surround food photography, such as coating the food with a vile goop that gives it a
shelf life longer than that of the actual photographer. Students definitely learn the tricks
of the trade, but the primary emphasis of this course is on using a carefully planned
approach. This field is explored mainly from the perspective of editorial and advertising
work with emphasis on the stylistic, objective, and ethical differences between the two.
Students will learn to work with some of the more troublesome subjects such as ice
cream and beer. Both a professional food photographer and commercial food stylist
teach throughout the course, so students learn how these relationships are structured
and what each expects from the other. Topics are covered through a combination of
lectures, slide presentations, practical demonstrations, and students shooting their own
work with the aid of a professional food stylist. Assignments will be handed out at least
one week in advance so the students have ample time to conceptualize, plan, and gather
props. The instructors are available for consultation at all times.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
FASHION PHOTOGRAPHYis an introduction to the ever-exciting and constantly changing world of fashion; and the
capturing of beautiful imagery to showcase current fashion by designers, fashion stylists,
hair and make-up artists. Intentional or not, the photographic image throughout history
has documented the styles and trends of the world for well over a century. Through
demonstrations, presentations, and practical application this course will take a close
look at: the history of the fashion photograph; equipment considerations; location and
studio shooting techniques; lighting; and the world of models, agencies, and stylists.
Professional models, make-up artists, and stylists will compliment the shooting sessions
and work to bring forth today’s trends and styles in fashion imagery. Throughout the
ten weeks of this course you will be taught and shown in-depth lighting techniques,
stylistic approaches, and equipment considerations for compiling an editorial fashion
spread, model portfolio, and your own personal look and style for your portfolio. much
like the fashion world itself, photographing fashion is in a constant state of flux as we try
to present in new ways the ever-changing spectrum of stylized imagery: this course will
assist you in embarking on that path.
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PHOTOSHOP LEVEL 1is an introduction to the photographic tools, palettes, and applications of Adobe
Photoshop. This course is designed to provide photographers and designers the basic
knowledge and fundamentals of Photoshop and the key skills necessary to achieve
professional looking results for your images. You will learn to save pictures in different
formats, select and transform areas of an image, apply special effects, and work with
layers. A basic understanding of the macintosh operating system and familiarity with
the layout of a macintosh style keyboard, mouse and desktop is required to fully
benefit from the lessons within this course. Over the ten weeks you will be exposed to
a myriad of tools, techniques and examples of how to prepare images for print and/
or presentation. Through lecture, presentations, and on-screen tutorials, you will learn
how Photoshop can assist in your image making endeavors. The course is designed to
show the many ways of achieving colour correction, exposure adjustment, and other
techniques. There is ample time to practice and hone these new techniques and skills
on your images in the computer lab.
PrereQuiSite: none
PHOTOSHOP LEVEL 2is a continuation and enhancement of all of the skills learned and practiced in
Photoshop Level 1. This course will take your Photoshop skills to an exciting new
level involving advanced techniques such as portrait restoration, fashion retouching,
special effects, advanced layering techniques, and composite image techniques. File
preparation for print (rgB & CmYK), web display, and portfolio presentation will be
covered, as well as some of the output options available in today’s market. Ample time
is provided in the mac Lab to put these newfound skills to work on your own images. It
is extremely difficult these days to find images in print that have not received, in some
way; the touch of Photoshop within it’s content. Photoshop is to a photographer today,
an essential tool in the evolution of the photographic process. Whether your original
image capture is done on film or digitally, Photoshop provides an ever-increasing
amount of tools, skills and techniques to assist the photographer in realizing their (or
the art director’s) dreams. Previous restrictions on the imagination have been lifted
opening up a whole new world of photographic possibilities and this course will assist
you in finding your own path down a more creative road.
PrereQuiSite: PhotoShoP leVel 1
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PHOTOSHOP LEVEL 3continues to hone the student’s capabilities in critical selection and extraction process
such as channel masks. Projects are student driven – instead of being handed an
existing image to practice on, students are expected to discuss self-driven ideas with the
instructor. The preference is that students will work on large image fi les with signifi cant
image detail (these can be composite images). This course emphasizes a well-planned
approach to image making where lighting and image capture play as great a role is the
digital post-production work.
PrereQuiSite: PhotoShoP leVel 2
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITexplores people photography as it relates to a number of genres, from traditional studio
and location portraiture to that of illustrative fi ne art. All aspects of portraiture are
embraced including lighting techniques, posing, design, ambience, rapport with your
subjects, aesthetics, choice of materials and presentation. Through lectures, illustrated
slide shows, studio and location shooting sessions and critiques, the student is provided
an environment in which to thoroughly explore his or her potential and specialty within
this very challenging and rewarding fi eld. Beginning with traditional studio portraiture,
the course then tackles the techniques and aesthetics of location portraiture as well as
editorial, advertising and fi ne art applications. Students are encouraged to raise their
creativity to new heights and ultimately compile a mini portfolio of portraits.
PrereQuiSite: PrACtiCAl lighting
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STREET PHOTOGRAPHYis a course designed to teach students location photography from an editorial, urban
photo essay perspective. emphasis is on a very creative, edgy approach that captures
the essence of a city and it’s culture. From pictorial to fine art; graphic detail to street
portraiture, this course examines the “rules” of photography and when, where, why and
how to effectively break them. Students also look at the etiquette of shooting this type
of work along with legal and ethical considerations.
PrereQuiSite: digitAl intermediAte PhotogrAPhy (or intermediAte
PhotogrAPhy)
CREATIVE LIGHT PAINTING TECHNIQUESis a course designed to give you an edge in a very competitive market. Photographers
must push themselves to create identifiable imprinted styles to their work in order
to stand out amongst the crowd, and this course will provide significant additions to
the student’s artistic repertoire. Take the technique “painting with light”, explored
in Advanced Studio Lighting, to new levels using techniques such as painting with
flashguns, multi coloured gels, and painting black and white prints. This course will
allow the students to take even the most mundane or ordinary object and turn it into
an illustrated work of art. Alternative light painting techniques for people photography
are also covered including light painting on black and white portraiture, as well as light
painting with animals. Students will learn through a series of slide shows, illustrated
lectures, demonstrations and lots of practical assignments designed to give the students
experience with various subjects, surfaces, textures and locations. One of the main
purposes of this course is to illustrate just how versatile this technique can be, from
subtly sculpted light to an almost electric neon effect, students are encouraged to
experiment with unconventional approaches and techniques.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NUDEis designed to introduce the students to all aspects of fine art figure studies. The
human figure has easily been the most studied subject in the history of creative visual
expression. no other subject offers as much fascination for the artist or the viewer alike.
The photographic nude allows the artist to use the human figure to portray people with
an intimacy that is hard to match with other photographic genres. The nude figure is
both familiar yet captivatingly different; a single image can reveal the youth we have 35
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left behind or the maturity that awaits us. every emotion, good or bad, can be captured
and frozen, the artist and the viewer afforded the time to study it, to gaze upon it and to
interpret it. The interpretation and communication
of their art is the challenge that awaits the student
of this course. Students will have the opportunity
to work in a professional well-equipped studio
with both male and female subjects. Format and
photographic medium will, for the most part,
be left up to the individual student. He or she
will be expected to use this unique opportunity
to experiment while using strong photographic
technique to push out the limits of their creative
vision. Professional ethics and concerns as well as
group critiques and debates will be encouraged.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES (Film)focuses each class on the development of a given process, its historical genesis, and why
it was popular and revolutionary in its day. The students also learn the new methods
of practitioner’s today as well as each process’ relevancy to commercial markets
in the 1990s - what’s trendy, what’s not and what clients are looking for in original
photographic works. many current commercial photographers, striving to distinguish
their styles from the rest have looked back to past practices such as cliché verre, pinhole
photography and photograms, giving the techniques a fresh, modern and thoroughly
contemporary overhaul. This course continues on with this trend and gives the students
an environment in which to add a whole new dimension to their stylistic approach.
Through illustrated slide lectures, hands on workshops and discussions of historic and
contemporary practices, students will gain knowledge and try first hand fundamentals
of alternative photography and techniques that are the foundations of modern
photographic processes. This course is an excellent compliment to foundation darkroom
and photography courses.
PrereQuiSite: bASiC dArkroom
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COMMERCIAL PRODUCTIONis a course that deals with everything big in commercial shots. It is co-taught by a top
industry producer and commercial photographer. Students will learn how to bring
together teams of experts to deliver very challenging photographic assignments. The
course includes many guest speakers representing specialties such as hair and make-up
artists, fashion stylists and fashion historians, propping stylists and digital composite
specialists. Students will work with one of Vancouver’s largest advertising agencies,
such as rethink or ddB on shooting and actual advertising campaign that will be used
just long enough to allow the agency to enter it into the awards shows – of course any
winning entry’s will have the student’s name attached to the photography credit.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
PHOTOGRAPHIC ART HISTORYis a course designed to show the students both
the technical and stylistic movements throughout
the history of photography in order to better
understand the foundation upon which current
trends are built. The photographic arts, although
relatively young in comparison to the other
arts, have evolved rapidly since their inception
nearly 160 years ago. The Photographic Art
History course will examine the beginnings of
photography and its initial ties to painting, as
well as follow its 20th century transformation
into an independent art form. Some of the most
enduring figures in photography and their philosophies will also be examined in relation
to economic and social developments of their day. each class is designed to address
a different timeframe in a chronological progression from past to present, allowing
the students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with each era and epoch of
renowned photographers.
PrereQuiSite: none
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WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHYis a course that illustrates what today’s couples really wants from their wedding
photographer, namely one with a unIQue approach! They hire established
photographers for their ability to see and their ability to see differently! every wedding
is a unique experience and should be photographed accordingly. This course strives to
push the photographer to look past the traditional and tackle wedding photography
in a way that captures the emotions and personalities of the couple and the guests.
The course covers issues from communicating with your subjects, protocol, stylism
and technical issues for formal, ceremony and candid shots. From behind the camera
to business and marketing skills this course encourages students to go beyond the
conventional, offering their clients contemporary wedding photography with an
artistic sensibility.
PrereQuiSite: PrACtiCAl lighting
STOCK PHOTOGRAPHYis a course designed to open up the world of
stock as an alternative stream of income for
the professional photographer and has taken
advantage of the growth of the Internet over
the last ten years. Stock photography is now
a highly competitive market that has seen
massive mergers, unprecedented growth, and
the involvement of some of the world’s most
talented image-makers. Stock photography has
gone from being used in newsletters and travel
magazines, to being the lead images in some of
the largest marketing world-wide campaigns.
This course focuses on the different means of marketing images through stock houses,
negotiating contracts, increasing the percentage of “accepted” images, and look at
trends and styles. It explores the advantages and disadvantages of rights managed
versus royalty Free and gives students an insight into how to file, categorize, and
market images in their own archives.
PrereQuiSite: AdVAnCed Studio lighting
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ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHYThe first evening consists of a presentation and discussion on what architectural
photography is all about, including the type of equipment used and why it may be used
in different situations. discussions include portfolio composition, the type of clients
who commission architectural photography, and why they assign this work and what
they would expect of the photographer. Classes concentrate on the practical aspect
of photographing the exteriors and interiors of buildings. Lighting and the use of light
are very important as well as an ability to pick out the important design elements of a
structure. A successful shoot tells a story that a viewer can read. Students will be directed
towards achieving strong composition in their photos and how to shoot certain details or
experiment with viewpoints and focus. There will be two sessions on weekends in order
to photograph the exteriors of buildings during daylight. There will be ongoing critiques
and discussion; the final session will consist of a student slide show and discussion.
PrereQuiSite: PrACtiCAl lighting
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Instructor Bios
Jim bAlderSton (intermediAte PhotogrAPhy
/ bASiC Colour Printing / intermediAte
Colour Printing / Street PhotogrAPhy)
Jim has been involved in the Canadian photographic
industry for over 25 years. He has worked as a
commercial and fine art photographer, and for many
years ran one of Vancouver’s top darkroom and studio rental facilities. Jim is a veteran
instructor having taught at a number of schools in Vancouver and conducts travel
photo seminars. Jim is the Program Coordinator for Langara’s masters Series where he
coordinates some of the world’s top artistic talent (including photographers) to come to
Vancouver to lecture and run seminars.
greg blue (AdVAnCed Studio lighting / CommerCiAl PhotogrAPhy /
buSineSS PrACtiCeS / buSineSS mAnAgement / VieW CAmerA teChniQueS /
CommerCiAl ProduCtion)
greg has worked in Vancouver as a commercial photographer and art director for over 25
years. On top of coordinating the program, greg stays very active in the commercial field.
His commercial work is divided primarily between large-scale advertising assignments
for clients, such as Telus & BmW, and illustrative still life photography. His illustrative work
consists of using primarily still life images to illustrate concepts for stock photography,
editorial, and book covers. greg has taught photography since the mid 1980s and has
been the Program Coordinator of the Langara CS Photography Program since 1997.
He has sat as the President of the Vancouver chapter of CAPIC and is the only Western
Canadian photographer to have ever sat as the national President of CAPIC (Canadian
Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communications). Awards for his work 40
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include the Lotus Awards, The marketing magazine Awards, Applied Arts magazine
Awards, The One Show Awards, and Cannes.
roSS durAnt (Food & beVerAge PhotogrAPhy)
ross is one of Vancouver’s most recognized food photographers. He received his
diploma in photography from Langara College over 20 years ago and has owned and
operated a successful commercial photography business since the early 1980s. He works
with graphic designers, advertising agencies, and has established clientele both local
and international. “Still-life and food photography are genres I enjoy immensely. The
studio allows me the freedom to concentrate on lighting and composition to create an
environment for each photograph. Lighting evokes an emotional response and enhances
the appeal of the image created. It is the essential element of image making and it never
loses its attraction for me. each assignment brings interesting and unique challenges
that are always rewarding and stimulating”.
lurendA gilder (bASiC PeoPle PhotogrAPhy)
Lurenda is a veteran commercial photographer who has
extensive experience shooting for model testing, editorial,
advertising and in the music industry. She has studied under
some of the top commercial photographers in Canada and has
helped many models enter successfully into the fashion world.
Lurenda brings a passion for people photography and a quirky
sense of humour to her classes!
JAmie griFFithS (bASiC dArkroom / ComPoSition & deSign / the
PhotogrAPhiC ConCePt / the CreAtiVe dArkroom)
Jamie has been creating innovative photographic content for commercial clients,
including record labels, international artist management, fashion designers, magazines,
film production companies, theater companies, dance companies, and corporate clients.
For Jamie the photograph doesn’t stop with the shoot, it continues into the darkroom.
using photographic chemicals and multiple manipulation techniques, she stretches
the materials to their limits, working with brushes, toners and refracted light to create
an evocative, painterly interpretation of the original studio image. Personal art projects
have exhibited in galleries in Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, new York,
and Paris. SoHo galleries in San Francisco has published and distributed her images
worldwide as posters and postcards. Jamie’s work has been profiled on much music and 41
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City TV’s Fashion TV in Toronto. Bringing a classic lighting style to a raw, edgy sensuality
and sometimes disturbing sense of the erotic, has led her work to be compared to both
robert mapplethorpe and Joel Peter-Witkin.
mAriA hArPer (PhotogrAPhiC Art hiStory / the ContemPorAry imAge /
AlternAtiVe PhotogrAPhiC ProCeSSeS)
maria Harper earned her mFA in photography in 2000 from the university of Arizona
in Tucson, Arizona. She was awarded the medici Scholar Award, the george grant
Award, and the mistro-ertz Award. Her BA in studio arts was received from georgia
State university in Atlanta, georgia. In addition to her applied arts training, she has
studied art history extensively with an emphasis on contemporary art theory and
criticism. As a photo-based artist, maria works with traditional and alternative processes
in photography as well as digital imaging, video, and book art. She currently creates
installations with large-scale color images and explores the intimate relationships
between surroundings and self. Situated between cultural constructs that inform
identity and formal issues of aesthetics, maria’s art retells her experiences and records
her presence in the world. Her work has been exhibited throughout the u.S, including
the museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson, Arizona.
SteVe JACkSon (bASiC digitAl PhotogrAPhy)
Steve studied and graduated from the Langara
Photography Certificate Program 10 years ago. He has
since worked as one of Vancouver’s top first assistants,
as well as shooting commercially in the product and
food photography fields. Steve brings an easygoing
outlook and passion for photography to his classes,
while enjoying a great rapport with his students.
Previous to pursuing photography, Steve worked in
both the journalism industry and culinary arts.
liSA kAulbACk (CommerCiAl ProduCtion)
Lisa is one of Vancouver’s top commercial photographic producers (this role that is
common in most cities where commercial photographers use their services on high-
end and large production photo assignments). Lisa plays a key role in bringing together
the talent and expert stylists to build a top of the line photoshoot: need a bizarre prop
or location? Lisa will pull it off. She helps photographers quote and price a production 42
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and will typically be on set to ensure that the photographer and client have everything
they need and makes sure that the shoot proceeds according to schedule. Lisa studied
photography at Langara College’s Professional Photo-Imaging Program and worked
as a producer for robert Kent Photography before offering her services as a freelance
producer. She has worked on numerous award winning projects.
PAtriCk koSlo (CreAtiVe light PAinting teChniQueS)
Patrick’s style of photography uses gels, flashlights, and other light sources to illuminate
objects found in a darkened room or the darkened backstreets and docks of Vancouver.
His favourite subjects are those with “lots of character, like an antique chair or a funky
old stove.” using no light meter, Patrick’s experimentation with lengthy photographic
exposures range from a few minutes up to three-hour exposures. Patrick took up
photography in 1985, when he was working as a graphic designer. Awed by the industrial
docks of Vancouver at sunset, he began doing industrial photography work. Patrick now
works predominantly in editorial and advertising photography, and shoots stills for the
movie industry.
SAndrA leung (Wedding
PhotogrAPhy)
Sandra is one of Vancouver top wedding
photographers. She has worked as a
professional photographer for over nine
years and specializes in lifestyle portraiture
and wedding photography. Sandra loves
capturing the true essence of people in every
image she creates and brings a unique fashion-photojournalistic style to her work. Her
studio, Yaletown Photography is located in the heart of Yaletown (Vancouver’s trendy
warehouse district).
PAtriCk mCkAy (AdVAnCed blACk & White PhotogrAPhy)
Patrick has been a photography addict for as long as his memory allows: “my educational
background is in the visual arts, with studies in drawing, painting, electronic art,
photography and film. Photography though, was always my first love, and its something
I’ve been hooked on since childhood. For someone like myself who is naturally
introspective, it’s always been intriguing that making images is as much about looking
out (at external reality) as it is about inner-revelation and looking within. my personal 43
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work has mostly followed two main streams, and in either case I take a more general
approach to content, allowing the concept or situation to dictate the final image. The
first is traditional black & white wet darkroom based photography, using anything from
a pinhole camera, through to a Holga or view camera. At the other end of the spectrum
are my colour Polaroid images, especially the SX-70 manipulations, which embody a
quality reminiscent of impressionistic paintings. I enjoy the challenge of placing myself
into new situations, where I have to learn new ways of understanding and doing things.
For photography as a science, I’m committed to inspiring excellence in the craft of image
making. As an artist I bring passion, enthusiasm, and humour to the education process.”
ChriStoPher morriS (intermediAte
PhotogrAPhy / digitAl intermediAte
PhotogrAPhy / PhotoJournAliSm /
PrACtiCAl lighting)
Christopher was born in Ottawa, grew up
in montreal, and now lives in Vancouver. He
got his start in photography seventeen years
ago shooting news and sports events in montreal for Canadian Press and reuters. He
works for editorial clients such as macLean’s, der Spiegel, newsweek, Stern, L’express,
and Time magazine doing documentary photojournalism and portraits. His corporate
and commercial work includes annual reports and advertising. Christopher’s ability
to connect with people and put them at ease can be seen in all his work: authors,
politicians, the homeless, CeOs, Olympic athletes, divas, and assorted celebrities are all
regular subjects of his work. On location, in studio, or on the fly, it’s all about creating
great photographs that tell the story.
JoAQuin Pedrero (the PhotogrAPhiC nude)
Originally from mexico City, Joaquin Pedrero brings a reverence for tradition, a keen
eye for detail, and an appreciation for beauty to his photography. Originally involved in
study of medicine, his life and career aspirations changed with a ‘click’ from a camera
he purchased for his mother. Joaquin began an apprenticeship period, working with
commercial photographers in mexico City and new York City, and went on to establish
a successful photographic studio primarily creating images for advertising agencies
in mexico and the uS. Along the way, he developed his unique, hand-built fine art
compositions that have been widely exhibited and critically acclaimed. For the past 20
years he has managed Fotografica Studios, based in north Vancouver, British Columbia
and works internationally.44
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AndreA SiroiS (botAniCAl PhotogrAPhy / mACro PhotogrAPhy)
Andrea is a commercial & fine art photographer who studied photography in the
mid 1980s at Algonquin College. Her specialty is nature, scenic, botanical, and macro
photography. On a commercial basis, she shoots editorial photography for a number of
publications and has had numerous gallery showings of her personal work. Andrea is
an experienced teacher who has worked with a number of schools for photography in
Vancouver and abroad.
JohnAthon Strebly (PhotoShoP leVel 1 / PhotoShoP leVel 2 / AlternAtiVe
Colour teChniQueS / FAShion PhotogrAPhy)
John Strebly draws upon the grittiness of urban textures and attitudes to help convey
a sense of difference. An image can affect more than just the sense of sight, it can make
you look or think deeper into the emergent meaning of its origin. By staying true to
the ideal of creating new meaning, John searches to create a rupture in the discourse,
challenging the authority of traditional ways of making photographic meaning. By
incorporating pensive moods of mystery, John brings to life the characters we only
see in our imaginations. no stranger to the discipline of visual arts, John has actively
experimented with drawing and painting before turning his focus to photography more
than a decade ago. during that time his portfolio has grown to include commercial
advertising for a number of local fashion and retail clients. Internationally, his work has
appeared in Smoke and Impact magazines, for which he has shot such notable bands as
moist and The Tragically Hip. John has also participated in group and solo exhibitions at
local galleries.
AndreW triPP (ASSiStAnt ProgrAm
CoordinAtor / bASiC PhotogrAPhy /
bASiC dArkroom / PrACtiCAl dArkroom /
PhotogrAPhiC Style / the PhotogrAPhiC
PortrAit)
Andrew has been enjoying photography since his
mid-teens, and continues to use the medium to explore
the world within and around him. “Photography, for
me, has always been a means of self-discovery and self-expression, as well as a basic
appreciation of the visual world and the quality of light. As a commercial photographer,
I favour editorial-style portraiture and illustrative photography, which allow me a degree
of personal interpretation within an otherwise sales-driven field. In my personal work, I 45
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strive for much the same qualities, leaving as much open to the viewer’s interpretation as
possible, while still communicating a strong message. I am drawn, often, to life’s darker
side, to those aspects of our existence which both alarm and fascinate me; alienation,
addiction, persecution, destruction, and all those other marvelous human conditions and
which make it so wonderful to be alive!”
JeFF Weddell (intermediAte PhotogrAPhy /
PrACtiCAl lighting)
“Photography, for me, is freezing a moment in time.
That moment is recorded in a way that represents the
emotions of the photographer and the scene for a
viewer to interpret. It is a technical exercise that must
be combined with artistic integrity. my photographic
journey began on a field trip in grade 6, at which time I assumed I had captured an eagle
landing in a tree. I remember the physical feeling of releasing the shutter, on a now
antiquated Kodak Brownie camera. The results, needless to say, did not carry the same
emotions. Although photography was not a constant companion until a few years later,
it was the beginning of interpreting 3 dimensional scenes in a 2 dimensional medium.
The struggle for a photographer is how the scientific properties are used in an artistic
way. How the light responds to the glass of the lens and then to the emulsions of the
film and paper, which can make or break the final results. Learning how these principles
affect your image is vital to the end result. Be it for a class assignment or the cover of a
magazine, you must understand the basics before you can begin to manipulate them”.
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FAQ’s
CAn i ChooSe betWeen digitAl And/or Film CAmerAS For the ProgrAm?
Yes, the only courses where digital cameras do not work are the darkroom courses and
the Alternative Photographic Processes course. While digital photography is really the
norm both in this program and the outside world, we still recommend that students also
consider film photography. One major advantage of film is that each brand has a distinct
personality, where image quality is quite standardized and grainless with digital. The
commercial world still uses film for very high-end assignments. Top of the line digital
backs for medium and large format cameras cost around $30,000 and dSLr cameras are
not appropriate for all shooting circumstances.
hoW CAn i ChAllenge CourSeS iF i hAVe PreViouS exPerienCe?
How you challenge a course depends on which course you want to challenge. many
students come to us with some level of training already. If you want to challenge a
beginning level course such as Basic digital Photography or Basic digital Workflow, then
this can quite often be done over the phone by calling the Program Coordinator (Andrew
Tripp) at 604-644-7991. If a student wants to challenge a more advanced level course,
then that will mean the student must show their work to the Program Coordinator.
This can be done through a portfolio, but can also be done via e-mail or a website.
Only required level courses can be challenged, a student cannot challenge an elective
course (although they can challenge a course’s prerequisite). If a student successfully
challenges a course, they must replace that course with an extra elective if they plan on
pursuing certification. In order to qualify to apply for certification, the student must have
successfully completed 16 courses.47
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WhAt iF i only WAnt to tAke one or A FeW CourSeS?
Students are welcome to take as many or as few courses in the
program as they wish. There is no obligation to fi nish through to
certifi cation. Students do not have to state whether or not they
want to pursue certifi cation when they start taking courses in
the program. If a student wants to apply for certifi cation, that is
something they do closer towards the end of the program. A student
has the full length of the program to decide whether or not they
would like to pursue certifi cation.
iS thiS ProgrAm oPen to AmAteur PhotogrAPherS?
Absolutely! Amateur and hobbyist photographers are welcomed
with open arms in this program. Students will typically fi nd that the
basic level courses are made up largely of amateur and hobbyist
photographer. As the courses progress to the advanced level,
the balance changes to mostly students pursuing photography
as a profession, but even at this stage it is not uncommon to fi nd
passionate and highly devoted amateur and hobbyist photographers
who wish to take their craft to a level far beyond the typical amateur.
iS thiS ProgrAm APPliCAble to Wedding & PortrAiture
PhotogrAPherS?
Yes! The program was originally designed with a strong emphasis on
commercial photography; however, the stylistic diff erences between
commercial, fi ne art, and consumer photography are becoming
much less defi ned. As such, the curriculum of the program was
adopted a few years ago to accommodate portraiture, wedding, and
fi ne art photography as much as commercial photography and we
have not looked back since.
iS thiS ProgrAm APPliCAble to Fine Art PhotogrAPherS?
Yes, the program is highly applicable to fi ne art photographers. As
the commercial photographic industry became a more and more
popular career choice, it also became far more competitive for
photographers. A stylistically formulaic approach to photography
was no longer sustainable. This was the best thing that has ever 48
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Langara CoLLege | Continuing StudieS PhotograPhy CertifiCate Program
happened to this industry as photographic styles exploded into a variety of new
techniques. Advertising itself became an integral part of pop culture, blurring the lines
between commercial and fine art photography. Some schools have a reputation for
being wholly fine art oriented, while others have a reputation of being overly technical
– the Photography Certificate Program sits unashamedly in the middle. We firmly
believe that concept, style, visual execution, and technical problem solving are equally
important in the make-up of a photographer.
hoW Would you deSCribe your tyPiCAl Student?
Passionate: there are not many students who would choose to study to this degree
unless they were pretty committed to the craft. The program tends to attract a more
mature student with our average age range being from mid 20s to mid 30s (you must
be 19 years of age before you can take our courses). We regularly work with students
anywhere from 19 to 90 and, as far as we’re concerned, this just makes the program
stronger. There are a variety of goals and stylistic inclinations amongst our students,
and that is an undeniable strength of the program. Students feed off of each other’s
enthusiasm, they have a major influence on each others style and philosophy, they open
each others eyes to new ways of seeing things. This is something the instructors benefit
from as much as the students.
WhAt kind oF PhotogrAPhiC geAr Am i exPeCted to hAVe?
You do not need a huge amount of equipment to start this program. As a matter of fact,
we often recommend that students hold off from purchasing a lot of equipment until
they have spent more time in the program, and have a better idea of the direction they
are heading in and the type of equipment they’ll need to get there. Students must have
either a dSLr camera or a 35mm film camera (fully automated “point & shoot” cameras
will not work for this program). It is a good idea to have a good zoom lens in the range
of 18mm to 100mm. A small dedicated flash unit is also a good idea and you must
have a sturdy tripod and a cable release. As beautiful as the new dSLr systems are, be
forewarned that you will be turning off all of the automated features on the camera while
in class.
As for larger format camera systems, metering systems, lighting set-ups, high-end
digital systems and such, Langara College is well equipped, and as a student you have
full access to that equipment. Please do not spend a lot of money until you have had a
chance to work with our equipment and have a better feel for what will work best for
you. many commercial shooters rent expensive equipment as needed.49
FAQ
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Langara CoLLege | Continuing StudieS PhotograPhy CertifiCate Program
do i need to interVieW For ACCePtAnCe?
no, there is no application or interview process to access this program. entry is on a
fi rst come fi rst served basis. If that leaves anyone wondering if this is some elementary,
shallow program that will accept anyone, you could not be farther from reality: this
one of the most comprehensive and recognized programs for training commercial
photographers in Canada.
iS there A PrACtiCum?
There is no practicum in this program; however,
considering the program is taught by many of the
top commercial photographers in Vancouver you
will gain many valuable contacts that could lead to
assisting work. many instructors who teach in the
program will also keep an eye open for promising
students who will make capable assistants. I can
tell you that in the last 15 years, every single fi rst
assistant I have worked with has come from this
program: the program is also well-known amongst
commercial photographers in Western Canada,
considering most of them came from Langara. Better to be assisting and paid rather than
a non-paying practicum.
CAn i do thiS ProgrAm Full-time?
no, but Langara College has an excellent full-time 2-year photography program called
the Professional Photo-Imaging Program: www.langara.bc.ca/creative-arts/photo-
imaging/index.html
Who do i ContACt iF i hAVe Further QueStionS?
You can contact the Program Coordinator, Andrew Tripp, either by phone at 604-644-
7991 or via e-mail at [email protected] and he will be happy to discuss the program
with you.
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FAQ
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Langara CoLLege | Continuing StudieS PhotograPhy CertifiCate Program
Image Credits
1. Allen Ko
2. Ana Matovinovic
3. Dean Brown
4. Deb Reny
5. Dexter Quinto
6. Erich Saide
7. Gino Pezani
8. Group
9. Jeny Chen
10. Jesse Winter
11. Kent Wingerak
12. Kristy Ryan
13. Luc Ubaghs
14. Nicole Gurney
15. Rafal Gerszak
16. Ray Gonzals
17. Trevor Jansen
18. Winnie Lam
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