A continuation of advanced black and white photography with an introduction to the zone system and a variety of professional techniques. Emphasis will be on the development of a professional portfolio, classical black and white photographic history, and focused development of personal vision. Digital photographic techniques may also be included.

The Advanced Photography Workshop focuses on analog tools and techniques. We move from a competence in film processing and black and white darkroom printing towards historic, alternative, and experimental photographic techniques. Starting from the basic pinhole camera, students are guided through the various methods of “drawing with light” to explore more sophisticated, hands-on printing techniques and image-making devices. Using both analog and digital tools, simple chemistry, and experimentation, we explore artistic solutions to contemporary image making ideas. With the eternal city as our backdrop, we explore the history of photographic imaging and the way we see ourselves in the past and the future. In an advanced course, students are expected to show competency in various techniques, courage to work independently, and an ability to create a final project portfolio. Weekly critiques and assigned readings encourage a contemporary, critical context for understanding photographic images. Material Covered: Advanced Film Processing: The use of various methods add control to the quality of the negative, pushing, pulling, use of warm and cold developers. Advanced Darkroom Printing: toning processes, solarizing, layering, sandwiching negatives, split filtering are applied. Historical Techniques: cyanotype, daguerreotype, salt and gum bichromate prints, wet collodion processes are explored Pinhole cameras: Use of large- and small-scale homemade cameras Film Format: Fil cameras, 35mm, medium (120) and large format 4 x 5 Lomography Digital post Product: work is canned and finished in Photoshop or Lightroom