In today’s world, photographs are all around us, including in advertisements, on websites, and hung on our walls as art. Many of the images that we see have been created by professional photographers. In this course, we will examine various aspects of professional photography, including the ethics of the profession, and examine some of the areas that professional photographers may choose to specialize in, such as wedding photography and product photography. We will also learn more about some of the most respected professional photographers in history and we will learn how to critique photographs in order to better understand what creates an eye catching photograph.
Unit 1: Photography as a Career
Taking photographs is a favorite hobby for many people, but some individuals choose to make a career out of taking photographs of people, places, and objects. Individuals who are thinking about a career as a professional photographer should keep in mind that the field offers both benefits and challenges. We will discuss what professional photographers do, the types of professional photographers, and the steps that many professional photographers take in reaching their goal of a career in photography.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 2: Legal and Ethical Concerns
Many people enjoy taking photographs, and professionals make their living doing this. If you decide to jump into the world of photography, either professionally or just for fun, it is important to know the legal and ethical issues to avoid problems. This is particularly true for professionals, who could face lawsuits and other issues for violating privacy or copyright laws. Knowing more about the legal and ethical issues in the area of photography is vitally important to any photographer, but it is especially important for professional photographers.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 3: Photographers and Critiques
Since the beginning of photography, individuals have shaped the technology, images, and inspiration involved in photographing people, places, and events. Through their innovation and creativity, the photographers of today have works to model, emulate, and build from. Individuals such as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, and Alfred Eisenstaedt helped to develop the field of professional photography and gave us some of the most iconic images ever taken, such as photographs of World War II and the Great Depression, that still help modern viewers understand those events.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 4: Photography Software
We’re now going to dive head first into the area of photography software and, in particular, photo editing software. We’ll discuss what some of the more common software choices are for editing digital photographs and look at the basic guidelines for editing images. We will learn more about the common features and tools that are found in photo editing software and how these tools can change and improve images. Finally, we will discuss hardware options and capabilities, finding which one will best fit your needs.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 5: The Darkroom
It’s time to consider the film developing process that takes place within the darkroom. In doing so, we’ll discuss the history of film development and the safety measures that photographers should keep in mind when developing film. In addition, we will examine how photographers can turn film into negatives within the darkroom and then turn those negatives into actual photographic prints.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 6: Art, Product, and Stock Photography
Get ready to discover the areas of fine art, product, and stock photography. Fine art photography involves photography that is created for art’s sake and includes those photographs that we see in museums and galleries. Over the last several decades, product and stock photography have increased in popularity as businesses need photographs of their products for advertising and websites need stock photographs to illustrate articles and other online content. We will discuss these three areas and examine professional tips and techniques for each type of photography.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 7: Photojournalism
Photojournalists document many of the events and important situations in our world today. Their work is often featured in newspapers, magazines, and online news sites. We’ll examine some of the challenges to photojournalism today and the responsibilities that photojournalists have. We’ll also examine some of the different types of shots that photojournalists use to tell a story and how photojournalists increase their chances of capturing that perfect shot.
What will you learn in this unit?
Unit 8: Wedding Photography
Wedding photography is a popular area for professional photographers, although it is also a challenging one. We’ll discuss the business of wedding photography, the characteristics of a good wedding photographer, and several different types of wedding photography. We’ll also discuss the preparation that goes into photographing a wedding and some of the considerations for the wedding itself.
What will you learn in this unit?
