The One Week Photography Boot Camp is the perfect introduction to street and studio photography when precious summer time is limited. From day one, students will have a camera in hand, completing a variety of photography projects in the studio and on the street. Shortly thereafter, students will move either to the computer lab to learn the basics of photo retouching in Adobe Lightroom and to build a professional online portfolio of their work, or to the darkroom to learn the process of developing film and creating prints.
With a focus on digital photography, students begin their week with an in-depth lesson on the workings of their digital camera. From there, students move quickly out of the classroom and into the field on Photo Safaris. Instructors take the students on field trips to interesting areas of the city where they will complete a variety of photography assignments, including landscapes and street portraits. The program culminates in learning professional photo re-touching in Adobe Lightroom.
With a focus on 35mm photography, students begin their week with an in-depth lesson on the workings of their 35mm camera and how to expose for film. From there, students move quickly out of the classroom and into the field on Photo Safaris. Instructors take the students on field trips to interesting areas of the city where they will complete a variety of photography assignments, including landscapes and street portraits. Students will then move into the darkroom for a lesson in develping and printing their 35mm photographs. Throughout the week, students will continue to alternate between shooting and developing their photographs.
Students will learn basic studio photography techniques and studio lighting through workshops and open studio time when students have the opportunity to create interesting portraits of their classmates.
Guided by lessons on composition, street photography and techniques for safely and confidently approaching subjects, students will take to the streets, capturing candid portraits, human interactions, architectural street scenes, and urban details. This assignment takes its name from Henri Cartier-Bresson, an early 20th century master of street photography and father of photojournalism, who coined the expression the "decisive moment." Practice of the "decisive moment" encourages students to capture that fleeting creative instant in which everything in the frame comes together to create the best possible image. Through this exercise, students will build an awareness of framing, light, color, form, line, and pattern and will learn to make a multitude of aesthetic choices, to create technically strong compositions.
Students at our Los Angeles summer campus enjoy the advantages of being in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world. Chosen as home base by the film industry because of its nonstop sunshine and beautiful scenery, Hollywood, California, has become synonymous with making movies. SOCAPA's summer camps in LA are held at Occidental College, known as the Princeton of the West.
Los Angeles Campus Details
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.
