MFA Program Learning Outcomes at Academy of Art College California
MFA Program Learning Outcomes
School of Photography
MFA Graduates of the School of Photography will meet the following student performance criteria:
Conceptual and Analytic Skills
Make creative decisions that optimize conceptual impact, cohesiveness, and memorability of created images.
Integrate key conceptual elements (such as mood, narrative, and introducing the unexpected) with technical elements (such as composition, lighting, and point of view) to suggest a story and elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Understand and create visual metaphors and symbols.
Demonstrate familiarity with various conceptual approaches to photography.
Critically assess the differences between straight and conceptual photography.
Competently critique photographs both verbally and in writing, including understanding technical, aesthetic and historical context.
Professional Readiness
Present and promote their portfolio to acquire jobs within the industry.
Solve creative and technical problems.
Set priorities and meet deadlines. Show accountability and attention to detail.
Understand project parameters and client expectations.
Understand photographic terminology.
Demonstrate sensitivity to styles and directions in their field.
Facility with relevant technology and software.
Understand industry business practices, including copyright law, as it relates to running and maintaining a successful business.
Ability to accurately communicate ideas, thoughts and proposals to potential clients.
Lighting and Camera Capture Skills
Select effective lighting techniques and equipment for portraiture and still life and fine art.
Use point source, flood, spot, diffused and reflected light.
Recognize the signature effects of each type of lighting.
Use metering and exposure calculation, and have a full knowledge of 35mm and medium format cameras.
Master indoor and outdoor ambient lighting, strobe-hand held flash, lighting with constant light sources, day light VS. tungsten chrome, mixed lighting with constant light sources.
Understand the relationship between time of day/type of light.
Depending on the area of specialization, students will also demonstrate the ability to:
Traditional
Understand the properties and uses of different film types.
Understand of principles of film contrast control (zone system).
Perform advanced exposure calculations.
Effectively use a light meter.
Design lighting concepts and effectively use filters for print shooting.
Effectively develop film.
Exercise a clear knowledge of testing all formats of film.
Digital
Apply advanced Photoshop photography techniques, tool sets, layers, curves, and selections to digital media.
Scan film and prints using advanced techniques.
Navigate the Macintosh operating system including networking and digital file organization.
Successfully download files and manage digital data.
Select film and digital media based on archival qualities and understanding of ink and paper stability.
Correctly expose color transparency film and capture digital files correctly.
Recognize different types of light sources, their features and their color temperatures.
Control and manipulate color temperature.
Familiarity with optical color wheel.
Retouch images using color and tonal correction tools.
Understand color management and device profiles including color space and gamut.
Understand and develop a personal workflow system.
Understand file capture size and resolution as it pertains to final output requirements.
Tags: ambient lighting, client expectations, cohesiveness, conceptual photography, exposure calculation, lighting techniques, medium format cameras, professional readiness, relevant technology, school of photography, technical elements