Composition

©Mari Howells

Our eyes see the world one way; how the world is shown in a photograph is completely different. In order to make pictures that say something, a photographer needs to understand this key difference. This is the essential point of John Szarkowski’s The Photographer’s Eye. Through class lectures, weekly shooting assignments, and inclass exercises based on the ideas in Szarkowski’s book, students will dissect the elements of photographic grammar. The problem of communicating through a photograph is solved through the photographer’s decisions about where to stand, when to press the shutter, what to include and exclude, and what part of the subject best speaks to a larger whole. Class exercises will refine the way students observe, take, and read images. The process results in photographs that are more personal and expressive, clearer, and made with a point of view. Mari Howells (www.www.marihowells.com) is a visual artist and teacher based in New York. She is an adjunct professor at Pratt SCPS, NY where she teaches a class in visual literacy. She received a Master of Fine Art in photography from The Royal college of Art, London, with a distinction in research, and a Masters of Fine Art in Theatre, from Columbia University. She is a classically trained cellist, pianist and guitarist and worked with the renowned composer Rahayu Supanggah in Indonesia.

Ten Sessions Date: Mondays, April 18-June 27, 9 am-12 pm PST (no mtg. 5/30) Enrollment limit: 12 students Skill/Experience level: Open to all levels Tuition: $675 Location: Online

©Kevin Weinstein

A course in photographic design. Ever wonder how two people can stand in the same spot, point their camera at the same subject but return with completely different ways of interpreting the identical scene? Building and making a photograph is like piecing together a puzzle. Creating an image in-camera is making a series of decisions and choices. The goal is to build a strong enough composition to guide the viewer’s eye to the most important elements of your image. This course, devoted entirely to composition and photographic design, is intended to help you develop the way you see and pre-visualize your images so the tools and ingredients can help you achieve more compelling, meaningful images. We will focus on dissecting topics such as how to arrange images vertically and horizontally, color vs. black and white, color theory and how color adds emotion to an image, and how to arrange an image within the rule of thirds. We will discuss important composition topics such as unity, balance, movement, rhythm, focus, contrast, pattern, proportion, color and light. Further, we will study and compare the compositional elements of different styles of photography from documentary to still life. Kevin Weinstein (www.kevinweinstein.com) combines the worlds of photojournalism and artistic photography to capture memories, moods, split-second moments, and momentous events. Before founding Kevin Weinstein Photography in 2001, Kevin spent 12 years in newspaper and magazine journalism. His magazine credits include US Weekly, People, Hollywood Reporter and Mother Jones. He has photographed high-profile private parties and special events in Los Angeles, New York, and exotic and cosmopolitan destinations around the globe.

Six Sessions Date: Wednesdays, May 11-June 22, 9 am-12 pm PST (no mtg. 6/15) Enrollment limit: 15 students Skill/Experience level: Students should have a working knowledge of their camera. Tuition: $415 Location: Online