Syllabus: Digital Photography

Suzanne Morrissey

Nov 18 2022

On an unusually warm fall day recently, we joined Steve Burgess and his Digital Photography class on a shoot in Wolfeboro. “I like real-world projects like this because it gives the student a feel for what the process is,” Mr. Burgess said, “A lot of people think a photo is just a photo, they don't think about the process.” The off-campus excursion is meant to give students a chance to understand how professional photographers make a living. “If you're hired by Town and Country to do a piece on Wolfeboro, what would yours look like?” Mr. Burgess asks the group before they set out around the docks and Cate Park to follow their lenses and their visual instincts. “My goal today is for them to understand that anyone can get a shot of this leaf, the lake, or the Hunter’s parking lot. Don't just show me that—show me something that’s unique about this leaf, the lake, or the parking lot.”

In this year-long course, students are encouraged to find their voice behind the lens. In the fall, they worked to master the art of digital photography. Next they will tackle photo editing and become familiar with tools like Photoshop for manipulating and improving images. “Then this winter, we’ll switch gears and work in the dark room,” Mr. Burgess explains, noting that the recently opened lower level of the Grayson Student Center includes a dark room facility many professional photographers would be jealous of. Then the class turns its attention to film before doing some more work with Photoshop, applying all they have learned through the year, and even taking some steps into creating art pieces from digital photography.

As a teacher, Mr. Burgess says imparting knowledge to students brings joy, but he acknowledges not every student is “super into” the class at first. “Some kids get super into it, and others don't have that connection with art or photography,” he says, “but usually by the end of the year even students who didn't think it was for them seem to be enjoying themselves, and I really enjoy seeing that.”

As we spoke on the bench in Cate Park, students who had ventured down to the docks and up to the shops on Main Street came back to their teacher, showing their work and asking questions about lighting and angles. Every project teaches a skill that builds to the next project, and we hear students reminding each other about capturing the best composition and shouting “remember the Rule of Thirds!” showing that their command of their cameras and their unique individual voices behind the lens are growing.