Photography program

Find your creative voice

In today’s world, photography is everywhere. Social media, websites, billboards and magazines on the grocery store racks are filled with images. Photography is a growing part of our global language.

Students in a variety of disciplines choose a photography minor because the creative expression and problem solving they gain to advance their career goals.

UWL’s Photography Minor takes a hands-on approach to teaching photography in a communal and creative setting.

Undergrad minor

A program within the Art Department

Careers that benefit from a photography minor

Visual literacy and creative thinking gained in photography classes apply to almost any discipline or career. An understanding of photography also enriches diverse fields such as marketing, anthropology, design, literature, environmental studies and more. Some graduates have pursued their own photography business while others have gone on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree.

Photography alumni careers

Studio photography
Portraiture
Marketing
Visual, digital communication
Teaching
Photo editing
Art direction
Photo journalism

What distinguishes UWL's Photography Minor?

Learn to focus

Students learn deep focus and concentration in the study of photography. They work extensively on reworking, editing, and sequencing their photos into a developed and meaningful project.

Visual analysis

Students learn to objectively identify critical visual elements of photography. They also learn to critically analyze photographs in relation to the fields of art history and photography.

State-of-the-art facilities

Students have access to a photography lighting studio, digital photography studio and wet dark room that mirrors what students will encounter in the professional setting. The communal studio space includes access to large scale printing and professional scanning.

Small class sizes and a collective experience

UWL’s photography minor is a collective, communal experience where students are encouraged to interact and learn from one another. Students learn how to receive feedback and critique others. Class sizes are capped at 15 students.

Skills and techniques

Students will learn camera operation; digital printing; digital image manipulation; studio lighting; early historical photo processes; black and white film processing and dark room printing; print finishing and mounting; curating and exhibiting photographs; visual analysis, group critique and communicating visually.

Student-driven

Student’s ideas drive the techniques they use. Students gain full comprehension of materials so that they can make informed choices as to what they want to use. Idea, technique and materials work together.

Self-discovery

Through assignments students learn self discovery. They become equipped with the confidence and the ability to generate their own self-realized photographic projects that are visually and intellectually engaging.

Create a body of work

Students will complete the minor with a portfolio or photographic works. The aim is for students to be active contributors to visual content within art and culture.

Hands-on training

The minor takes a hands-on approach to photography. Through practice, students learn to understand the camera in and out and take photos with intention.

Sample courses

ART 378 Advanced Digital Photography and Imaging This class uses photographic software to explore the conceptual and practical fundamentals of photography in the digital era. Studio projects explore creative possibilities of composited photographs and the impact of digital technology on contemporary photographic practice. The coursework comprises hands-on studio time, lectures, readings, discussion, technical demonstrations, and group critiques. To complete the assignments for this course, each student must have access to an external hard drive and a digital camera with manual exposure control and the ability to capture RAW files. A limited number of cameras are available for rent through the UWL Photography Lab. Lect. 2, Studio 4. Prerequisite: ART 372. Offered Spring - Even Numbered Years.

ART 475 Perspectives in Art: Photography This course allows students to further explore photography on campus or in an international environment. This course promotes intensive research/creative endeavor, independent project design, and development of long-term projects. Repeatable for credit - maximum eight. Prerequisite: ART 372. Consent of instructor. Offered Occasionally.

ART 476 Experimental Photography and Imaging This course encourages advanced students to experiment with image making techniques. These include image-capture, traditional darkroom methods, non-narrative sequencing, non-silver processes, surface manipulation, the photograph as a sculptural object, photo-collage, and many other possibilities beyond the conventional representational photograph. The "camera" itself is reexamined by exploring the camera obscura, pinhole photography, cell phones, the scanner and video as legitimate tools for creating photographic works. Lectures and films will acquaint students with the history of experimental photography. Lect. 2, Studio 4. Prerequisite: ART 372. Offered Fall - Even Numbered Years.