Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College · Courses
PHOTO
29 courses with the subject PHOTO, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PHOTO 100Introduction to Photography3
An introduction to the aesthetics, history, and science of photography including practical and critical approaches to the art of photography. PHOTO 100 Introduction to Photography (3) (GA) PHOTO 100 is an introduction to the aesthetics, history, and science of photography including practical and critical approaches to the art of photography for beginning students. The course will introduce students to photography as an art form and as an important medium in commercial applications, news and journalism, science, and industry. The course will look at photography in a social/historical context and showcase the work of important photographers. The course will examine the impact of technological, economic, and cultural forces on photography and, in turn, the role that it plays in our daily life, culture, and society. The cou will also expose students to the various styles and techniques used in making photographs and give them the opportunity to gain experience and practical know-how in creating their own photographs. Through the process of assembling and critically examining their own work and the work of others, they will be encouraged to develop a more informed critical point of view about photography as an art and important form of human expression. Students will be required to have access to a digital camera and the internet. Bachelor of Arts: Arts General Education: Arts (GA) GenEd Learning Objective: Creative Thinking GenEd Learning Objective: Key Literacies
This is a non-technical introductory photography course where students photographically and intellectually examine the role of photography in modern culture. PHOTO 101 expands students' depth of appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of the medium by providing them with a creative and intellectual background to realize its broad cultural scope. The course accomplishes this through photographic and written explorations of social, political and ethical issues relevant to photography. Photography wields unprecedented influence as a primary visual medium and students constantly use photography in their personal lives as both a communications tool and as a creative outlet. The ubiquitous smart phones with built in cameras are responsible for much of this explosive popularity with social media providing appealing venues for publicly displaying photography. Over the first decade of the new millennium, social media sites saw the volume of photo uploads increase dramatically, eventually exceeding 10 billion per month. In light of photography being a key medium students use to share and communicate information about themselves to the world at large, the course is designed to help them to think critically and ethically about the photographs they take, share, view and use. The major course teaching topics will address a broad range of contemporary issues relevant to how photography and culture affect one another. Students will become aware of photography as a constantly evolving medium, whose relatively short historical trajectory has culminated in the development of an easily accessible egalitarian art form that bridged the digital divide to interact intimately with personal computing, cell phone communications, the Internet, and social media. In the course, students will take photographs to fulfill photographic assignments, share them with peer audiences, and then engage in critical conversations regarding the aesthetic and communicative meaning and effectiveness of the photos. They will also engage in written assignments where the course presents them with case studies regarding current issues in photography such as, the impact of technological developments in the medium, ethical uses of photography, photography as free speech, and photography as social media. Students will conduct research on the topics and develop informed written position statements, which they will share with their classmates for peer evaluation and feedback. In addition, students will engage with selected readings regarding aspects of photography addressed in the major teaching topics. General Education: Arts (GA) GenEd Learning Objective: Effective Communication GenEd Learning Objective: Creative Thinking GenEd Learning Objective: Soc Resp and Ethic Reason rse
A beginning level course that explores the fundamentals of photography. PHOTO 200 Photo Studio I (3) PHOTO 200 is a beginning level course focused on the aesthetics and practical application of photography. Employing lectures, demonstrations and hands-on photographic assignments, it concentrates on teaching basic photographic techniques. Digital and film camera use, imaging software, basic digital scanning, digital printing methods, and basic darkroom practice are covered. A digital camera and access to a 35mm film camera is required.Grading is based on the quality of work in required creative projects (70%) and tests/quizzes (30%).PHOTO 200 will be offered fall and spring semesters.PHOTO 100 is the prerequisite for PHOTO 200. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 100
Supporting Courses and Related Areas Select 6 credits in art history 6 Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better Select 15 credits from one of the following areas of concentration: 15 ceramics, drawing and painting, new media, photography, printmaking, and sculpture These credits may also be counted toward the General Education Arts requirement. Include at least 15 credits at the 300 or 400 level.
PHOTO 202Fundamentals of Professional Photography3
This professionally oriented photography course gives students a foundation in the techniques and other competencies relevant to professional photography. PHOTO 202 Fundamentals of Professional Photography is a professionally oriented problem based learning class where students are introduced to the fundamental technical and creative aspects of client centered photography relevant to careers in photography and photography related or dependent fields. Students will be introduced to the photographic techniques; professional practices; creative sensibilities; and cultural knowledge significant to the work of a professional photographer and fields reliant on or related to professional Undergraduate - The Pennsylvania State University 2026-2027 4695 photography. The course content focuses student attention on mastering the technical fundamentals of professional photography in the context of the photographer/client relationship. The learning problems place emphasis on the communication, collaboration, and cooperation necessary to solve visual photographic problems in a professionally oriented setting. Under these conditions, students must collaborate with their clients to foster creatively productive relationships and meet their photographic needs. This problem requires developing communication and interpersonal relation skills, which require clearly understanding the clients' needs and educating them about the creative possibilities and limitations. Under this teaching and learning model, students must learn to merge their own creative vision with the needs and desires of their professional clients. These skills are directly applicable to the real world problems students will encounter in professionally oriented circumstances after they graduate. In the learning problems student peers, with the instructor's guidance, will play dual roles of clients and photographers with the goal of concentrating the photographers' attentions on communicating with their clients to create effective and creative purpose-driven images. Consequently, the course places a greater emphasis on communication, collaboration, and cooperation than it does on personally and individually motivated expression. l Since the advent of digital photography, the medium has undergone , an unprecedented period of technological, creative, and cultural flux. Digital photography, computer technology, and social media have had dramatic impact on the medium, which we expect will continue into the future. Consequently, we have used a problem based learning approach to ensure we can continuously address the most relevant and current topics and information. We have also chosen major teaching and learning topics, which will continue to meet the fundamental needs of the students even as technology continues to shift. At the beginning of each semester, students and the instructors will work collaboratively to develop five student learning-problems. These problems or projects will address the major teaching and learning topics under a variety of conditions designed to reinforce the subject matter, encourage flexibly creative thinking, and allow students to pursue the subject with greater critical depth and awareness. Bachelor of Arts: Arts General Education: Arts (GA) GenEd Learning Objective: Effective Communication GenEd Learning Objective: Creative Thinking
PHOTO 210Introduction to Architectural Photography2
Exploration of approaches to photographing architectural interiors, exteriors, and architectural models. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: Students in ARCBS_BS or BARCH majors or by permission of the program.
/Maximum of 18 Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.
/Maximum of 18 Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.
An intermediate course that explores advanced processes and applications in digital photography, digital image processing, and photographic inkjet printing. PHOTO 300 Photo Studio II (4) PHOTO 300 is an intermediate course in the aesthetics, processes, and practical applications of digital photography, digital image processing, and photographic inkjet printing.A digital camera is required.Students will employ digital photographic applications and techniques to create images and expand their personal photographic vision. The course will help students to: 1. Gain a deeper understanding of the medium of digital photography artistically, critically, and as a technical process. 2. Explor the potential of the medium's ability to express ideas in new ways. 3. Understand advanced digital camera methods. 4. Learn advanced skills in the use and application of Adobe Photoshop. 5. Learn high quality film and object scanning procedures. 6. Learn to make photographic quality color archival inkjet prints and develop critical color awareness.Grading is based on the quality of work in required creative projects (80%) and presentations / participation in formal critique sessions / tests-quizzes (20%).The final course grade will be dropped one full grade for each absence or late submission beginning with the second late submission or absence.The prerequisite for PHOTO 300 is PHOTO 200.PHOTO 300 will be offered fall and spring semesters. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 200
PHOTO 303Professional Photography: Studio Technique and
Photocomposition is an intermediate-level problem-based learning class where students acquire practical skills, and learn creative techniques relevant to professional photographic image making. The course focuses on building and synthesizing career oriented competencies in the areas of intermediate to advanced digital photography, photocomposition, studio lighting, and image processing related to professional photography. This is a technically oriented course, which emphasizes image making for professional purposes such as for e clients or specific audiences. Using this approach, students will practice methods to tailor their own creative vision to the needs of collaborators such as art directors or other professionals. Students will focus on using lighting, cameras & lenses, and creative design techniques as tools to achieve professional quality photographs appropriate for creative artist portfolios used for photography and related careers. Students will develop the skills necessary to recognize and deconstruct lighting, camera, and design techniques in professional photography they may encounter in advertising, magazines, websites and other places where professional photography is used. After they graduate, students will be able to continue using these critical skills to learn and experiment with new techniques, which drive the constantly changing styles in photographic design and thus keep their work looking fresh and current. They will additionally develop and hone visual and verbal skills necessary to critically analyze their own photos and the photos of their peers. The course will culminate with students producing professional portfolios of their work suitable for career purposes. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 200 or PHOTO 202
PHOTO 321NFlow Visualization: The Art and Physics of Fluid Motion3
/Maximum of 3 In this course, student will explore techniques for the visualization of the physics of fluid flows including seeding with dyes and particles. Students will also gain technical expertise in a range of flow visualization and photographic techniques drawn from the course topics, such as photographing atmospheric clouds. Assignments are student-driven, to individuals and mixed teams of undergrad students from different majors.
Concepts and technology of the digital photography studio; large format digital cameras, electronic studio lighting and digital printing. PHOTO 400 Digital Photography in the Studio (4) PHOTO 400 is a wholly digital, in- depth course in photography that explores the visual, technical, and creative application of digital photographic technologies in a studio setting.Students will employ digital photographic applications and techniques to create images and expand their personal photographic vision. The course will help students to:1. Gain a deeper understanding of the medium of digital photography artistically, critically, and as a technical process. 2. Explore the potential of the medium's ability to express ideas in new ways 3. Master the fundamental studio practices and technologies of digital photography o Professional large format digital view cameras o Professional electronic studio lighting o Adobe Photoshop o Digital printing o DVD-CD-Rom storage o Presentation and distribution utilizing the World Wide WebPHOTO 400 follows a workshop/critique format. A collaborative team approach is utilized to enhance students' abilities in working together to solve creative problems. Students will have to think critically, develop strategies to solve problems, and engage in class critiques as a normal expectation of the course.Grading is based on the quality of work in required creative projects (80%) and participation in formal critique sessions (20%). The final course grade will be dropped one full grade for each absence or late submission beginning with the second late submission or absence.PHOTO 400 will be offered spring semesters. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 200 Bachelor of Arts: Arts
/Maximum of 6 Students will learn the primary technical, aesthetic, and stylistic photographic techniques and knowledge required for the creation, Undergraduate - The Pennsylvania State University 2026-2027 4697 presentation, and marketing of professional fashion photographs. l The course will additionally address the relevant business practices associated with the field. Other essential material covered in the course will involve student research culminating in presentation projects relating to the history, aesthetics, and ethics of fashion photography. The course features a problem based learning approach where students and instructors work collaboratively to develop five student learning- problems. These problems or projects will address the major teaching and learning topics under a variety of conditions designed to reinforce the subject matter, encourage flexibly creative thinking, and allow students to pursue the subject with greater critical depth and awareness. Like fashion itself, fashion photography is subject to constant aesthetic, stylistic, and cultural change. To address these problems practitioners need to develop an awareness of style and trends in both the fashion industry and the fashion publishing industry, which are dependent on photography for marketing and advertising. Photography additionally adds historic value as a stylistic and creative archive for these industries. Fashion photographers must have the skills and mindset necessary to constantly learn and experiment with new techniques, which keep their work technically proficient and stylistically innovative and fresh. This problem based learning approach will allow the course to remain dynamic and address, in real-time, changing issues relevant to the industry and our students. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 200 or PHOTO 202
/Maximum of 8 The development of a photographic project that leads to the creation of narrative visual stories. PHOTO 402 Photographic Narratives (4) PHOTO 402 is a project course in photography focused on the construction of visual narratives that feature a student's photographs as the central content. The course gives the student the opportunity to choose a subject and explore it through photographic means over an extended period of time, in this case, an entire semester. Emphasis is placed on the quality of photography and the organization of those photographs into print and digital forms of display. Students will be evaluated on their abilities to understand the medium through classroom instruction. Evaluation will also be determined by a student's imaginative capabilities through visualization and through the completion of a series of finished pieces. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 200 or PHOTO 202 Bachelor of Arts: Arts
/Maximum of 8 Special individual problems related to photographic vision. PHOTO 405 Creative Projects in Photography (4 per semester/maximum of 8) PHOTO 405 is a project course in photography designed to challenge students and engage them in photographic assignments that expand their personal and individual vision.Projects may be developed using either digital or photochemical process (or a combination of the two) and may be organized as either group or individual assignments.PHOTO 405 will be offered fall and spring semesters. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 202 Bachelor of Arts: Arts
/Maximum of 4 This advanced level course will explore the practices of photographing products for print and product advertising. PHOTO 406 Product Photography (2) This advanced level course will introduce the practice of photographing products with a focus on advertising. The development of the photographers' problem solving abilities, when lighting varied surfaces, will be considered. The importance of lighting for scale will be examined along with how or when to contribute to the context of a product by introducing appropriate set propping. Aesthetic and intellectual concepts of rendering of products for specific end uses will be explored. Theory will be applied and practiced by the student in a studio environment. As a practical course, lectures and studio demonstrations are major elements of the instruction. The lecture time will modify throughout the course to allow each student the flexibility to practice learned skills. Students will be responsible for scheduling individual studio time with the Integrative Arts Photo Services unit. A digital camera and a laptop computer with a copy of Adobe Photoshop installed are required. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: PHOTO 200 or PHOTO 202
/Maximum of 18 Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.
/Maximum of 18 Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.
