Welcome!
Welcome to Horace Mann Photography's website!

Photography is a multifaceted craft, a means for personal expression and a social phenomenon that is deeply embedded in the way we understand the world.

Five studio courses are offered as part of the Upper Division Photography program.

• Photo 1 is a beginning course that stresses visual expression, camera handling, film processing, darkroom printing, and an introduction to digital SLR photography and Adobe Photoshop.



• Photo 2 broadens the student's exploration of different materials and approaches while solidifying basic skills. Awareness of how photographers understand, describe and control lighting is one aspect of the course.



• Photo 3 (Advanced Photo 1) continues the exploration and skill building of the previous courses while helping students to deepen their understanding of photographic theory and criticism. Photo 3 also introduces students to the concept of a portfolio project that explores a subject in depth over a period of time.



• Photo 4 (Advanced Photo 2) and Honors in Photography are usually taken during the senior year, offer the self-motivated student the opportunity to explore self-defined projects. The Honors class meets every day, providing the rewards of sustained effort.

In addition to the studio classes in photography, the History of Photography is offered periodically. The History of Photography presents an overview of the major historical and critical issues in 19th, 20th and 21st century photography. Contemporary uses of photography are explored, including such recurring themes as the role of photography in constructing notions of reality, the status of photographs as fact or fiction, and the role of photography in the construction of racial, sexual and gender identity.

Students in photography gain a sense of themselves as creative individuals with unique ways of seeing the world and important observations to share with others. Students discover that the planning, organizational and problem solving skills that are necessary to being a good photographer are helpful throughout life.

"Ms. J, this isn't a course, it's a community." - a famous Photo 1 student