Photography
Tell stories with photography, digital imaging, and illustration.
The Photography Concentration encourages you to see photographic image-making in its broadest context. You will explore historic and contemporary photo-based processes (still and motion), from image capture and concept formation to completed artworks and visual communications.
Students are also able to take advantage of all the "Photo City" of Rochester has to offer, including the George Eastman Museum, Visual Studies Workshop, Flower City Arts Center, and a rich variety of other opportunities.
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4 Year Promise
At Roberts, we are committed to giving you a head start in earning income and achieving your personal goals by helping you graduate in four years. In fact, we guarantee it.
Program Highlights
PREPARE FOR YOUR CAREER
Choose from a wide variety of internships and studio apprenticeships in the Rochester area to gain experience.
STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES
Hone your digital media art skills using our advanced media labs.
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Use the strengths of multiple programs to develop a strong and skilled visual voice.
Greater Stories
Romy Hosford, M.F.A., is a multimedia artist and educator and has taught at Roberts since 2011. Her photo/video-based installation work can be described as storytelling through an object, material, and historical context, often dealing with perception, definition, and expectation. In addition, it investigates the concept of memory - personal and cultural, remembering and forgetting.
Romy Hosford, M.F.A.
What Will I Learn
The sequence of courses exposes you to studio/commercial, documentary, and conceptual fine-art methods and practices to refine your photographic eye as well as develop your work and portfolio.
Courses Include:
- Introduction to B&W Photo Processes
- Introduction to Digital Imaging/Photography
- Intermediate Digital Photography
- Time, Motion & Communication
- Advanced Projects in Studio
- Introduction to Digital Video
- Introduction to Graphic Design
- Typography
- Senior Capstone
Career Outlook
Preparing you for the contemporary image-driven world is an essential consideration of the Visual Art Program, and students in photography are encouraged to complete a professional internship.
Whether you decide to work as a commercial and lifestyle photographer, photojournalist, photo editor, or studio artist - or pursue a career in advertising, media design, or related fields - the conceptual understanding and technical development you gain at Roberts will benefit you on your chosen path.
While many of you will choose to go right to work after graduation, others decide to build on the theoretical and practical background of the program through graduate study in photography, design, or related media.
Frequently Asked Questions
In digital imaging, printed text, artwork, and photographs are converted into digital images via digital scanners or other imaging devices.
Using a grid, pixels are mapped on a computer and saved. The tone value of each pixel determines the color or hue of an image. Binary code encodes the value as “bits”.
Computers read these "bits" of information and convert them into analog representations of images. Pixels per inch determine the resolution of an image. The following are different for each digital image:
- Dynamic range
- Bit depth
- File format
- File size
- Compression
Web pages, multimedia, booklets, graphic presentations, and more are all created with digital imagery.
Yes, photography is a good career, but can completely depend on your set of skills, creativity, the type of photography you opt for as a photographer, and how smartly you work.
As a photography student, you’ll have access to in-depth lessons and hours of photography knowledge.
Many photography universities offer weekly constructive critiques where you can get helpful feedback from fellow students and professors.
Another benefit of a photography major is being exposed to many photography techniques. Many colleges will teach you about analog and digital photography. And they will also encourage you to try out and study unconventional photography techniques.
You might not end up using all the photography lessons you learn in the long run. But you’ll learn how to get out of your comfort zone and get creative with all kinds of mediums.
A degree in photography might improve your chances of getting a photography job in the following industries:
- Photo editor: You’ll have key knowledge of photography and editing. This could make you the perfect fit for editing and retouching work. This job requires extensive knowledge of Photoshop or Lightroom. Keep in mind that you’ll probably spend more time in front of the computer than behind your camera.
- Photography archivist: This is a history-oriented job that involves archiving and preserving photographs. Perfect for anyone who’s obsessed with art history.
- Advertising art director: If you’re a fan of graphic design and teamwork, you’ll find this position very fulfilling. Advertising art directors are usually in charge of making advertisements look good. They might also be in charge of a team of designers, photographers, etc.
These are only a few of the many unique jobs you can pursue with a photography degree. You can also take the traditional approach and start a photography business.
A photography degree might give you more credibility as a professional photographer in the long run.