SOCAPA's Advanced Photography intensive is for our return photography students and students who have extensive experience with digital photography. A strong emphasis is 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.
Throughout this intensive, students learn advanced Photoshop and Lightroom techniques as well as advanced studio lighting, structured around assignments such as group portraits. They also begin to develop their ideas for their themed independent project, and are given the structure to develop their artistic choices, plan their shoot, and edit their photographs into a cohesive portfolio. Students are also challenged to push their creative and professional boundaries by participating in thoughtful, constructive, in-class critiques on a regular basis.
Advanced Photo students are given the time and structure to create a body of work that demonstrates their unique artistic vision and aesthetic style. This project is open to many interpretations, and students are challenged to plan and execute a shoot that speaks to their particular interests.
Students create a body of work cohesive in concept and aesthetic style. Lessons and field trips will help students place projects in the context of contemporary photography, and supportive classroom critiques will assist students in editing and refining their visions. Instructors will guide students through their projects with individualized technical help and photographic references tailored to each students’ interest. This assignment will help students create a portfolio with the artistic vision and technical strength sought by college arts programs. To make the most of their time, it is suggested that students begin brainstorming project ideas before SOCAPA.
Students will learn advanced Lightroom and Photoshop techniques like compositing, split-toning, and mattes. Additional advanced techniques are based on the direction and needs of student led independent projects. Your imagination is the limit in a digital workspace.
At SOCAPA's Burlington Vermont campus you can learn to operate a 35mm camera and to develop and print in the darkroom. If a student is not familiar with darkroom developing, we'll start with the basics! If you choose to use film photography in your independent project, or if you just want to experiment, there will be ample time provided to do so.
The art of photographing groups. Students will have the opportunity to work with the actors and dancers in the program to create exciting group portraits. Through this exercise, students will learn to refine their directorial abilities and enhance their knowledge of location shooting. Creating group portraits will enable students to further understand the properties of natural and artificial lighting.
Students will have the opportunity to create a staged, cinematic portrait. Through this exercise, students will learn what it is like to carry out a professional editorial assignment, from detailed planning and location scouting to assigning the roles of stylists, art directors and photo assistants. They will plan the project thoroughly from layout to finish, sketching and refining ideas, casting characters and gathering props and costumes. Students will learn how to shoot on location, mixing different types of ambient and strobe lighting. This project takes its name from Gregory Crewdson, master of the highly stylized cinematic photograph.
SOCAPA has two campuses in New York City. Our pre-college campus for ages 15-18 is located in the East Village of Manhattan at Astor Place where we use NYU facilities (classrooms, studios, theaters) and the New School's Residence Hall. Our shorter boot camp programs for younger high school students are hosted at Pratt University and FGSC on the Steiner Studios Film Lot in Brooklyn. Our Brooklyn Campus is temporarily closed.
New York City Campus Details
SOCAPA has two summer camp locations in Vermont: one at Champlain College, situated in the picturesque city of Burlington, and the other at the Burke Mountain Hotel in East Burke, a summer haven for mountain biking and other outdoor sports.
Vermont Campuses DetailsIf you have any questions, please send us a message. We will contact you ASAP.
Manhattan Campus
Burlington, VT
