My Teaching Philosophy

The single most important thing I want my students to gain is an awareness of how to see in a more conscious way. Having this skill can aid the student regardless if they continue with photography as their career. I believe this is an important skill to have because it helps students in their daily lives to become more observant of what is going on around them. It’s also a huge skill in today’s image-indulgent-world. As students start to look more carefully, they will begin to understand key concepts like the qualities of light, the relationship of light and color, subject vs. concept, and composition just to name a few.

While learning how to see more consciously, students will begin to improve their visual literacy as I present a diverse pool of imagery, weaving in and out of the typical icons of fine-art photography with additions of local and non-western photographers, and also adding in more women and LGBTQ peoples. In doing this, my hope is that students see a part of themselves in the images I show and inspire confidence to create their own work. I will also demonstrate that the photograph is malleable. A photograph can act as evidence, memory, a mirror, a window, a memorial, a diary, and so much more. Students need to know how images being produced today are used to serve different purposes, such as a selfie for Instagram, a photojournalist working on Capitol Hill, or an artist creating a site-specific work, and what exactly those contexts do for the images and for the viewer. 

From teaching at several colleges, I have seen there is often an imbalance of the technical vs conceptual side in what is being taught. Too often colleges will prioritize one or the other. From working in a lot of different photography fields over the years, I know from experience colleges are doing those students an injustice. It’s critical to give both technical and conceptual skills to students so that they are well prepared for their future.

I know from being a student myself how vital the way information is given is almost as important as the information itself. Having a multi-faceted learning approach with my students will get them thinking and learning in different ways that will ideally strengthen one another in their process of learning photography. Along with going over terminology, reviewing technical aspects, group discussions, and showing slides of artists works in the classroom, I think it is extremely important to show more hands on approaches in and outside of the classroom such as lighting demos, group outings to photograph, trips to museums and galleries, getting them to hang their work in a student show, and meeting with local or visiting photographers.

Teaching photography gives me joy and adds clarity and meaning to my life. I have such a passion for this medium that I have to share it with others and that is why I continue to be a teacher. Showing people about what art can do, how they can become better photographers, giving encouragement to students, and simplifying things that took me years to come to fruition are all things I know I succeed at. I deeply believe I can encourage and empower people through photography.