Carlos Diaz, Chair B.F.A., Center for Creative StudiesÐCollege of Art and Design; M.F.A., University of Michigan

Photography is both an art and a science, and at CCS you’ll spend four years immersed in both aspects of the field. Whether you’re ultimately interested in fine art or commercial photography, you’ll develop the technical ability, creative awareness and conceptual depth that will help you reach your goals.

All through your four years here, you’ll use professionally equipped studios with both electronic strobe and hot lights, darkrooms with multiple enlargers, a mounting/matting print-finishing area, a separate color printing and processing facility, a separate non-silver process room, an analog/digital video facility, a self-contained 8 X 10 darkroom and extensive computer resources.

During your first three semesters, you’ll learn the fundamentals of black-and-white and color photography and computer imaging. At the same time, you’ll gain expertise in critical, conceptual and theoretical thinking, and become highly proficient in using both studio and natural lighting, as well as a wide range of equipment Ñ from point-and-shoot models to large-format cameras. In your senior year, you’ll declare a major area of concentration Ñ fine art, applied art or biomedical photography Ñ and begin work on a thesis paper and portfolio. At this time, with the guidance of a faculty mentor, you’ll generate projects that reflect your individual vision and perspective. In your third and fourth years, you’ll have round-the-clock access to fully equipped, semiprivate darkrooms.

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY
In the study of fine art photography at CCS, you’ll cultivate your unique qualities of self-expression. You’ll master the fundamentals of this rigorous technical medium while gaining critical, conceptual and theoretical skills, as well as an understanding of aesthetics and issues related to society, ethics and politics. You’ll learn to articulate and defend your ideas and place your work within a historical context.

APPLIED ART PHOTOGRAPHY
In this area, you’ll learn to devise imaginative solutions to commercial photographic problems. You’ll develop a sophisticated creative awareness, and develop a mastery of craftsmanship. Course work, field trips, class projects, and internships at studios, labs and advertising agencies give you first-hand exposure to the real world of commercial photography.

BIOMEDICAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Both location-oriented and studio-oriented, this is an increasingly important field. Biomedical photographers are called upon to document medical forensics procedures and conditions for health care organizations, medical publishers and law enforcement agencies. In your fourth year, a part-time internship/cooperative experience with a hospital will provide on-the-job training and real-world experience in medical photography.