Art, Design & Media
Photography
Program Summary
Photographers produce and preserve images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event. To create commercial-quality photographs, photographers need technical expertise, creativity, and the appropriate professional equipment. Producing a successful picture requires choosing and presenting a subject to achieve a particular effect, and selecting the right cameras and other photographic enhancing tools. Today, most photographers use digital cameras instead of traditional film cameras, although some photographers use both. Photographers using silver-halide film cameras, particularly for black and white, often develop and print their own photographs using specially equipped darkrooms. This requires additional investment in equipment and the technical skills to operate it. Regardless of the camera used, photographers also employ an array of other equipment — lenses, filters, and specially constructed lighting equipment – as well as the computers and special software to manipulate and enhance their photographs.
Today, most photographers specialize in areas such as portrait, commercial and industrial, scientific, or news photography. Portrait photographers take pictures of people and often work in their own studios. Some specialize in weddings, religious ceremonies, or school photographs and may work on location. Commercial and industrial photographers take pictures of subjects, such as buildings, models, merchandise, and landscapes. These photographs are used in a variety of media, including books, advertisements, and catalogs. Industrial photographers often take pictures of equipment, machinery, and manufacturing processes for various purposes, such as analysis of engineering, publicity, or records of equipment deployment. Scientific photographers take images to illustrate or record scientific or medical phenomena and typically possess knowledge of scientific procedures in areas such as engineering, medicine, biology, or chemistry. News photographers, photojournalists, work for newspapers, magazines, and television to photograph newsworthy people and places during sporting, political, and community events.
Most photographers, however, spend only a small portion of their time actually taking photographs. The majority of their workload involves editing images on a computer and looking for new business. For example, photographers who own and operate their own business must arrange for advertising, schedule appointments, keep records, and work with customers. In addition to the technical and creative skills required by photographers, they are most successful when they have strong business skills as well.
Employment Trends
- Photographers can expect keen competition for job openings because the work is attractive to many people. However, those with strong technical expertise, a good eye, imagination, and the right contacts can be extremely successful.
- More than half of all photographers are self-employed. Some have contracts with advertising agencies, magazine publishers, or other businesses on a fee basis.
- Most salaried photographers work in portrait or commercial photography studios. Others work for newspapers, magazines, and advertising agencies.
- Entry-level photographers need technical proficiency as well as a natural aptitude. Photographers in specialized fields typically need some college or vocational training in that field.
Program Objectives
While these courses are offered as an introduction to or skills enhancement for a career as a professional photographer, they are also often taken for enjoyment and personal enrichment.
They provide the technical training needed to produce photographs and to recognize good photography.
- Successful completion of each course earns a Certificate of Completion
- Coursework leading to award of a Continuing Education Certificate
Three certificate programs are offered – Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced – each with increasing level of skill.
In the highly competitive Washington job market, people with specific technical training and professional skills have the advantage. The courses in PGCC’s Continuing Education Certificate are designed to provide the most marketable skills.
Program Curriculum
Designed to build technical and creative proficiency, PGCC offers well-equipped studios and darkrooms in a program designed to enhance the skills of both the beginner and professional. Darkroom experience, out-of-class assignments, and group and individual critiques contribute to an atmosphere of excitement and challenge for students searching for creative direction. Workshops focus on specialized photographic techniques and provide technical and professional updates benefiting even the accomplished photographer.
| Crs # |
Crs Name |
Hrs |
| |
Basic Photography |
|
| CRE301 |
Photography: The Basics (or consent of the program coordinator) |
15 |
| CRE345 |
Black-and-White Photography 1* |
18 |
|
or Introduction to Photoshop, Elements 6.0 or Version CS3/4 |
12 |
| CRE346 |
Black-and-White Photography 2* |
18 |
|
or Intermediate Photoshop, Elements 6.0 or Version CS3/4 |
12 |
| CRE356 |
Lighting Made Simple |
12 |
|
Plus 12 hours of additional coursework (may include courses that meet the intermediate and advanced requirements)
|
12 |
|
|
|
| |
Intermediate Photography |
|
|
Prerequisite:
|
|
|
Basic Photography Continuing Education Certificate or consent of the program coordinator |
|
| CRE331 |
Portrait Lighting |
12 |
| CRE323 |
Display Techniques for Photographs |
6 |
| DPR580 |
Color Photography* |
9 |
|
Plus 18 hours of additional coursework
(may include courses that meet the Advanced requirements)
|
18 |
| |
|
|
| |
Advanced Photography |
|
|
Prerequisite:
|
|
|
Intermediate Photography Continuing Education Certificate or
consent of the program coordinator |
|
| OCU344 |
Make-up Techniques for Photographers, Part 1 |
9 |
| OCU345 |
Make-up Techniques for Photographers, Part 2 |
9 |
|
Plus 30 hours of additional coursework
|
|
* Note: Black-and-White Photography 1 & 2, Color Photography, and Photoshop (any version), once successfully completed, may be repeated for additional credit toward the additional coursework required for the Intermediate and Advanced Photography Continuing Education Certificates.
Please check the
Schedule of Courses for courses currently offered.
For additional information, contact:
Karen Kallish, PGCC Program Coordinator
301-322-0873,
kkallish@pgcc.edu