Photo Arts

 

The shutter is ready, awaiting the perfect lighting to reveal the subject. The keen eye of the photographer captures the moment in time, and silently speaks volumes of artistic expression.

 

Program Highlights

This 14-week, intensive program fills a distinct niche in the availability of provincial training. Students who wish to develop basic to intermediate skills in the photo arts, will focus their studies on arts photography, black and white and creative expression in both studio and darkroom facilities. Discover the great masters, technical developments, and theories during photographic history, and learn to assess how social and political issues shape and form creative ideas. Explore mixed media images, creative presentation, and the effects of light. Build an excellent foundation portfolio through quality studio time, exploration of historic techniques, as well as the analysis and interpretation of photo based images. Graduates will be able to use a variety of photographic tools, material, equipment and historic and contemporary techniques to interpret the world around them and to communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings through original photo images and constructions.

 

Why Choose Fleming?

Our Photo Arts Certificate program is taught by leading artists working in this medium. The program is held at Haliburton Campus, home of the Haliburton School of The Arts, which is highly respected in artistic circles. Instruction is a combination of lectures with a lot of hands-on practical exercises. In addition to being in the studio classes for 32.5 hours per week, the studio is open for five hours per week so you are able to work on independent projects.

 

What it Takes to Succeed

An interest in photography is essential to your success in this program. Other skills, abilities, and attributes that would be assets include:

• oral and written communication skills
• an open mind
• willingness to learn
• an interest in exploring the creative you
• ability to commit to intensive format
• previous photography or art experience

 

Career Opportunities

This program will appeal to the serious student who is seeking to build an excellent foundation portfolio of work before pursuing studies in a photography diploma program, to apply their learning to another medium, or to explore freelance career options.

 

Minimum Admission Requirements

OSSD with the majority of credits at the College (C) and Open (O) level, including:

• 2 College (C) English courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12) 

When (C) is the minimum course level for admission, (U) or (U/C) courses are also accepted.

Mature Students
If you are 19 years of age or older before classes start, and you do not possess an OSSD, you can write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test to assess your eligibility for admission.

 

Selection Process

 

Related Programs

The Fleming Visual and Creative Arts Diploma is a natural continuing education possibility, as you will have completed 14 of the 27 credits required for this diploma. You may also want to consider our other arts certificate programs.

 

Diploma Requirements

This certificate comprises 14 credits, which is more than one half of the credits required to complete the Visual and Creative Arts Diploma. Each credit consists of 32.5 hours of in-class instruction and 15 hours of independent work.

Course	Hours
Semester 1
Art History XI: Photography I (1800 - 1965)	47.50
Art History XII: Photography II (Historical Processes)	47.50
Colour - Photo Arts	47.50
Design - Photo Arts	47.50
Marketing/Portfolio Development	47.50
Photo Arts - Beyond the Borders	47.50
Photo Arts - Black & White I	47.50
Photo Arts - Black & White II	47.50
Photo Arts - Black & White III	47.50
Photo Arts - Contemporary Issues	47.50
Photo Arts - Image and Object	47.50
Photo Arts - Lighting	47.50
Photo Arts - Portfolio Development II	47.50
Photo Arts - The Trailing Edge	47.50

Semester 1

Art History XI: Photography I (1800 - 1965)

Course Number: ARTS633

This general survey of the history of photography provides an overview of the period from the early 19th century to the mid 1960's. The great masters, major movements, technical developments, theories, and art criticism of this period will be examined through slide lectures, group discussion, readings and personal research. The course will focus on the analysis and critical evaluation of significant works in terms of their artistic, aesthetic and social relevance and relationships, one to another. Students will be encouraged to draw on their learning to inform and stimulate their own work. A research paper will comprise a major part of the course evaluation.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Art History XII: Photography II (Historical Processes)

Course Number: ARTS634

This hands-on course provides students with the opportunity to use the knowledge gained in History of Photography I. Students will work with the historical processes that parallel developments in black and white photography. The creative vitality of the great masters and major movements will be the stimulus for the development of the necessary technical skills required to experiment with a range of historical processes. These include photogenetic drawing, cyanotype, Van Dyke, sabattier, cliché verre, photomontage, etc. Most are black and white processes although some colour techniques will also be examined, as will the ways in which various contemporary art movements such as the Dadaists have incorporated photo techniques in their oeuvre. In-class discussion will focus on the general art trends and issues of the period. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the difference between historical working conditions and the current health and safety controls and regulations that must be implemented today when handling, storing and disposing of chemicals. In addition to the studio exploration, students will be expected to develop a small portfolio of historical processes, using a suitable presentation format.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Colour - Photo Arts

Course Number: ARTS981

In this in depth colour study, students will examine the structures of colour theory and perceptual mechanisms of the additive and subtractive colour wheels, as well as the `printer's' colour wheel. Colour properties and colour systems will be applied to the visual design within a series of exercises in the photography studio. Particular emphasis will be given to the property of value, both in black and white, as well as in full colour. Colour contrasts as they apply to the creation of focal point, mood and story will be examined in samples of photography of different styles and eras, as well as in students work. Research, presentations and in class discussions will be used to develop stronger perceptual and critical skills.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Design - Photo Arts

Course Number: ARTS982

The content of the space within the image area can be determined by random accident or with completely designed choices. In this course, the student will be introduced to the principles and elements of design as they apply to the art of photography. Focal point captures the viewer¿s attention, while visual pathways reveal the story of a photograph to the viewer over a period of time. Examples of photographers and their work from different periods will be discussed with relation to their design choices and styles of expression. Students will experiment with various possibilities for design solutions by manipulating the elements of their content, as well as the organization within the frame. Particular attention will be given to aerial perspective and the perception of three-dimensional space along with the impact of colour as an element of design. Research, presentations, and in class discussions will be used to develop perceptions and critical thinking.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Marketing/Portfolio Development

Course Number: MKTG053

This course is about doing in the world of art, craft and design. Practicing artists can choose from many different paths to advance their personal and artistic goals. This course examines the ways in which artists can assess choices in further education, financing and operating their own studio, presenting themselves, and promoting and marketing their work. Students will analyze the various aspects of developing a portfolio, photographing and editing quality images for promotion and documentation, and writing an artist¿s statement, cv, cover letters, and promotional materials. They will research and evaluate the services of trade/support organizations, marketing venues, the process for grant applications, artists residencies and internships. Resources for learning the issues in successfully operating a studio, along with the business practices and legal implications of these operations will also be investigated. Students will summarize their personal goals to establish their own specific set of options for continuing their artist's practices. In class sessions will involve research, writing, presentation, and critical discussion.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Beyond the Borders

Course Number: ARTS642

In photography, the expression of ideas, thoughts and feelings are not always best expressed in a conventional framed format. This studio course will provide students with the opportunity to explore and create in a manner that pushes the normal borders and boundaries of a predictable photographic arrangement. Students will work with projections, altered scale, photographic manipulation, site-specific installations, inclusion of sound and / or voice and aspects of audience participation. Development of technical skills and personal expression will be facilitated by individual and group critiques, studio time and slide lectures.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Black & White I

Course Number: ARTS635

Black and White I introduces students to darkroom procedures and protocol and the use and care of darkroom equipment. Health and safety issues, as well as the environmental impact of photo chemicals will be examined in-depth, as well as ways to reduce or eliminate that impact. This course introduces students to image making and the photogram process. The photogram is an image-making process that does not require a camera. Working with a range of found objects, students will explore this unique 'silhouette' photo paper process. The simple homemade pinhole camera, a direct descendent of the historical Camera Obscura, will be discussed, and students will be introduced students to the very basics of exposure control and image development. Personal expression and technical competence will be addressed through studio time, slide lectures, discussion and critiques.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Black & White II

Course Number: ARTS636

This course explores the essential tools of black and white photography and the theory and practice of creating a basic black and white print. Students will be introduced to the types, and selection of film and paper and the use of darkroom equipment, chemicals, and darkroom procedures. Special attention will be paid to health and safety issues and managing the environmental impact of photo chemicals. Student projects will progress to use of the 35 mm camera where proper exposure techniques, (aperture, shutter and depth of field relationships), and the basics of photographic composition will be explored. Course work includes an introductory examination of the work of the great masters of photography. Course delivery includes demonstrations, slide lectures, studio time, field trips and daily critiques.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Black & White III

Course Number: ARTS637

This course is an extension and elaboration of Black and White II. It enables students to expand upon, and refine, the repertoire of methods and techniques that the photographer can employ. Here, the emphasis is on the development of a personal style, the communication value of the print, and understanding of critical theory and practice at an introductory level. Reference to the work of the masters in photo arts will help to inform and stimulate thinking. Development of technique, personal style and expression will be facilitated through demonstrations, slide lectures, practice, individual and group critiques and maintaining a personal studio journal.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Contemporary Issues

Course Number: ARTS639

Using knowledge of the history of photography, students will examine contemporary issues in this art form in a more informed and focused way. Developments in photography since the early 1970s, and the leading edge photographers who were challenging the established norms will be examined against the social and political context of the day, as well as the artistic climate in which photo images were created. The course will help students to develop an appreciation of the issues that drive the art form and which will ultimately influence their own practice as an artist. Slide lectures, critical analysis, group discussion, gallery visits, artist talks, selected readings and personal research will facilitate this process.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Image and Object

Course Number: ARTS641

This course examines the inter-relationships between photography and other media. Artists, past and present, have explored the strong affinity between photography and painting, printmaking, bookmaking, and video, as well as other mediums. Image and Object creates an environment in which students can explore the effects of altering, or transforming, a single still image into a new expressive art object. Whether it is through computer manipulation, sequencing, incorporating text or using a different surface / medium, there are an infinite number of ways to broaden the scope and application of a single photograph. Students will be encouraged to pursue a variety of explorations based on their interests and previous experience. Slide lectures and visiting artists¿ demonstrations will complement the studio objectives.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Lighting

Course Number: ARTS638

Light is the heart of photography. Understanding light and its properties and qualities, is paramount to the success of any photographic process. In this studio course, students will begin an exploration of the properties of light, the types of light available to the photographer (natural, available, incandescent, studio strobe, etc.) and the diversity of its application. Course activities include safe handling of equipment and management of electrical hazards, demonstrations of a wide range of lighting scenarios and environments, group work, slide lectures, studio projects, site photography, daily critiques and the keeping of a studio journal.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - Portfolio Development II

Course Number: ARTS644

The artist's portfolio is a key tool for self-promotion, whether it be work related, or for continuing education. The portfolio provides tangible and portable evidence of an artist's growth, interests, and capabilities. In order to develop an effective portfolio, artists need to be able to make a selection from the body of their work that epitomizes their creative talents, diverse interests and technical skills. This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of creating a strong photographer's portfolio and artist's statement. Editing, printing, matting, continuity and presentation formats will all be covered in detail. Group critiques will be used to provide feedback on portfolio concept and development. Continued maintenance of a studio journal, extensive time in both the studio and computer lab, and participation in group discussions and critiques are important elements in this course.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50

Photo Arts - The Trailing Edge

Course Number: ARTS640

In the last fifty years, there have been a significant number of technological changes in camera design, standards of developing and presentation formats. Demonstrating the adage that, "what's old is new again", this studio course introduces students to the creative possibilities of tools and materials that others may consider dated or unusable. However, when put in the hands of artists, these techniques have taken on a new meaning of creative expression in contemporary photographic vernacular. Students will build on the historic and alternative processes explored in the History of Photography II, with the creative use of toy cameras, hand colouring, transfer processes, enlargement emulsions, instant photography, found negatives and more. This will be accomplished through studio time, slide lectures, classroom demonstrations, group discussions, daily critiques and keeping of a studio journal.

Units: 47.50
Hours: 47.50