The Grammar of Photography (Online)

Photographs tell stories. A writer might use cadence, sentence structure, or even the sound of words to convey meaning. In a similar way, photographers use light and shape; they make choices about where to stand and how to frame a scene in order to make meaning clear. Drawing on ideas from two seminal writings on photography—John Szarkowski’s The Photographer’s Eye and Stephen Shore’s The Nature of Photographs—this class serves as a primer in visual literacy for photographers. Through weekly shooting assignments, lectures, and critique, students will learn about balance, tempo, the significance of geometric structure, and why the edges of the frame matter. This is not a list of rules to memorize. Structure grows out of the way we see. If you’ve ever wondered why one picture succeeds while another falls flat—or how to reliably choose your best image from a group—this class will give you the tools and language you need. By the end of the term, you won’t just make better pictures; you’ll see differently. The habits of looking you develop here will carry into every photograph you make.

Course Level / Prerequisite: Open to all skill levels. Students ranging from beginner to experienced will be successful in classes that are Open to All Skill Levels.

Courses are subject to minimum enrollment. Please register early, within five days of the start-date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation and to ensure you receive all course-related materials in time to prepare for class.

Fee Breakdown