Arts, Etc.Fine Art

Photography class boosts creativity

Displaying her work for critique, senior Kathryn Koon's disproportional mixed-gender figure is one of five projects on which students have worked during the semester. Gary Colby (left), associate professor of photography, leads the class in which students are encouraged to explore personal projects in photography. The students are junior Darcee Golden, Koon, senior Ivan Matsumoto, junior Jamie Bigornia and senior Brian Murphy. / photo by Rhidian Maehl
Displaying her work for critique, senior Kathryn Koon’s disproportional mixed-gender figure is one of five projects on which students have worked during the semester. Gary Colby (left), associate professor of photography, leads the class in which students are encouraged to explore personal projects in photography. The students are junior Darcee Golden, Koon, senior Ivan Matsumoto, junior Jamie Bigornia and senior Brian Murphy. / photo by Rhidian Maehl

by Salina Ronderos
Staff Writer

Most students would jump at the opportunity to attend a self-governed class where the teacher was the facilitator and the student was the sabio catedrático, the wise professor. With elementary photography as a prerequisite, the special projects class offered through the Photography Department invites students who have an interest in photography to explore and decide for themselves which angle they would like to take in the photography world.

According to Gary Colby, associate professor of photography, in the special projects class, which meets every Tuesday and has lab every Friday, there are a variety of students with different ideas.

Colby said that every week the students are to turn in a statement which consists of three components. First, the students must research art history relevant to their topic. Second, the students need to write what they want to do with what they have researched. And third, the students need to explain the technique they are going to use in creating their projects. Meanwhile, the students are photographing throughout the week.

“Basically, the students have to do their own research and development. I’m just there to guide them,” said Colby.

Each week after the photographs have been completed and the statements revised, the students present their projects to the five-member class for critique.

“This group is quite mutually supportive. They are a sophisticated group with respect to the craft,” said Colby.

Senior Brian Murphy said the weekly critique is beneficial and aids the students for further improvement.

“We don’t offend each other. It gives us a good chance to dig deep into ourselves. Being a small group, we are kind of like a family,” Murphy said.

According to Colby, the purpose of the special projects class is “for the students to produce reasonably good portfolios to be suitable as evidence of their skill for application of admission to graduate school.”

Although the students have the privilege of choosing their own field of photography, Colby said that four of the five projects are self-portraits in some fashion or another.

“Nobody is really a stickler to a certain kind of photography, so it works out good because we all get excited for each other,” said Murphy.

Colby said the students have done well this year and have met his expectations.

“The students come into this project with a good background in basic photography. If there is any flaw it is that we don’t look at enough art, so I encourage them to go to to the library to research their field,” said Colby.

Salina Ronderos
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