Photography/Computer Imagery
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Photography/Computer Imagery Faculty
Ally Christmas, MFA • achristm@shepherd.edu • www.allychristmas.com
Assistant Professor of Art, Coordinator of Photography/Computer Imagery Program
Photography/Computer Imagery Program Info
The B.F.A. Photography/Computer Imagery program offers students a professional degree with an emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, and practical application in both digital and traditional photographic processes. For every student, the Photography/Computer Imagery program fosters the development of a personal style that is informed by the study of photography as an art form, the historical context from which it emerged, and its role within contemporary art and culture.
The first two years of courses have been designed to provide a strong foundation for technique and professional application while encouraging an exploration of a variety of media, processes, and visual approaches. The last two years of courses have been designed to emphasize an individual direction, culminating with an exhibition that the student creates, organizes, and promotes. To prepare for a career in the field of photography, a series of Professional Practice courses have been designed to teach students how to prepare a portfolio, which includes a résumé, artist statement, and samples of work. Graduates of the Photography/Computer Imagery program consistently demonstrate a wide variety of accomplishments and successful careers, including: freelance commercial photography and videography, teaching photography from the primary level up to the collegiate level, photojournalists for local and national news outlets, starting their own photography/media companies, product photography, community outreach work at museums/galleries/art non-profits, in-house photography for larger companies, editorial photography, and fashion photography, among many other positions!
In addition to regular coursework, the Photography/Computer Imagery program offers related internships for academic credit, as well as the opportunity to produce highly visible work for local and regional clients.
Our facilities include: a computer lab with 16 Mac workstations (all of which have the entire Adobe Creative Cloud suite installed) and 4 professional quality scanners; an advanced printing lab with two large format printers and two desktop printers; a fully equipped darkroom for analog practices (35mm black and white film, alternative processes like cyanotype and palladium printing, etc.); a lighting studio with a wide variety of professional equipment; an arsenal of cameras and other portable equipment (e.g. studio lights, flashes, reflectors, tripods, etc.) that can be checked out by students for free; a critique space that can double as more lighting studio space; and lockers and flat file drawers that are available for free student use.
Juniors & seniors celebrating the end of the Spring 2023 semester with Professor Ally Christmas