DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, "The Art of Faces & Places"
Beginner to Intermediate
Offered in New York City & Los Angeles, CA
SOCAPA’s Digital Photography Programs in New York and Los Angeles focus on digital SLR cameras, Photoshop and Lightroom. Students are introduced to an array of digital photographic techniques used in the studio, on location and in post-production. The “Faces” component of the program emphasizes the art of capturing the human condition on camera. Students learn what makes a good photograph by studying the aesthetics of master photographers like Dorthea Lange, Sally Mann, Walker Evans, Diane Arbus and Robert Frank. Students learn the fundamentals of composition and natural lighting as well as studio portrait techniques.

The “Places” component of the program reminds students to never forget where they are. Photography, even in the studio, does not take place in a vacuum. New York City and Los Angeles offer a wealth of photographic opportunities as well as some of the world’s most exciting collections of visual art. Field trips throughout the city are planned on an almost-daily basis. Students spend more time at the parks, boardwalks, streets and museums, learning and practicing photographic techniques and theory than they do in the traditional classroom. Formal classes in the history of photography, aesthetics, photo theory, Photoshop and studio lighting complement the work they do out in the field. In a final class on web design and publishing, students learn to create an online portfolio of their summer work, which is posted on the SOCAPA server at the end of the program.

THIS COURSE IS GOOD FOR: Students without a lot of formal training who are more interested in exploring the museums and photographing the sites of New York City or Los Angeles than they are in learning traditional 35mm darkroom photography. Students should be passionate about the arts in general and photography specifically, and should adore walking and seeing.

- Photography Students at Coney Island

35MM DARKROOM & DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, "D&D Art Workshop"
Advanced Beginner to Intermediate
Offered in New York City & Burlington, VT
SOCAPA’s “D&D Art Workshops” in New York City and Burlington, Vermont expose students to both 35mm black & white darkroom photography and color digital photography. Students learn to shoot and develop 35mm film and spend an average of twelve hours per week in our gang teaching darkrooms (2 darkrooms with 12 enlargers each). Students also learn color digital photography, and on most photo safaris (city excursions to Coney Island, East Village, Times Square, etc.) students will shoot with two different cameras, capturing a mix of both 35mm black & white negative film and color digital files. Students also learn Photoshop editing techniques and portrait studio photography using strobes, flashes and seamlesses. During the final week, students are introduced to web publishing and learn to create an online portfolio of their summer work, which is posted on the SOCAPA server at the end of the program.

Our “D&D Art Workshops” move at a faster pace and are technically more intense than our Digital Only “Art of Faces and Places” workshop. It is recommended that incoming students have basic photography experience and an understanding of key concepts and terms like depth of field, aperture, shutter speed and f-stops. That said, SOCAPA will accept beginning students with a passion to learn darkroom photography into the program with an understanding that the student will read at least one book on basic photography before the program starts, hence the “Advanced Beginner” label. Most introductory photography books are more than adequate but for those seeking a recommendation, we suggest the aptly named “Basic Book of Photography” by Tom and Michele Grimm.

THIS COURSE IS GOOD FOR: Students who have basic photography experience and are passionate about learning traditional 35mm film and darkroom techniques in addition to emerging digital technologies. Although students will not go on as many field trips as the Digital Only program due to the extensive time spent in the darkroom and digital labs, students in the D & D workshop will have ample time out on location so should be quite content walking throughout the city.

- Sample Headshots by Photography Students

ADVANCED DARKROOM & DIGITAL, "Advanced D&D Workshop"
Level: Advanced
Offered in New York City Only
SOCAPA’s "Advanced D&D Art Workshop" in New York City is for our return photography students and students who have extensive experience with digital and traditional 35mm black and white darkroom photography. Advanced Photography students will have the opportunity to work in medium format. In addition, students learn to use the myriad tools Photoshop has to offer in order to create exciting images. A strong emphasis will be placed on portfolio development and each student will be encouraged to create a body of work that showcases his or her own unique creative vision through thematic and stylistic choices.

- Advanced Photo Students shoot with strobes on the streets of central London

College Credit Option:
College Credit Option: High School students in the three-week Filmmaking, Photography, Acting for Film and Dance Programs may opt to take the course for three AP College Credits issued by Long Island University. [ More Info on College Credit ]

Tom LeGoff, Program Director:
SOCAPA’s Summer Photography Workshops for high school students are directed by professional photographer Tom LeGoff. Students in the NY Program get individualized, hands-on instruction with Mr. LeGoff in the studio, the darkroom and out in the field. Tom has photographed countless celebrities such as Spike Lee, Nick Nolte, Deborah Harry, John Waters, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jean-Luc Godard, Christina Ricci, Martin Short, Ang Lee and most recently our President-elect Barack Obama. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Elle, Entertainment Weekly, Interview, and IFC/Rant to name a few. For more about Tom LeGoff and his work, please visit www.tomlegoff.com.