Studio Art B.F.A. - Photography
Undergraduate students can pursue photographic study at Lamar University through the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in studio art and declaring a concentration in photography.
Lamar University's photography program focuses on the development of the individual student's skill in the practice of the medium as a source for self-expression and cultural investigation. With the integration of the Macintosh digital photography lab, our photography majors remain at the forefront of the many changes that have occurred within the medium of photography.
Courses and Techniques
Courses include instruction in technical development, historical and contemporary issues, and the various possibilities of exploration, both chemically and digitally, within the medium. The student's visual voice is nurtured through a rigorous study of the traditions of the medium along with an exploration of the new possibilities and techniques offered by the advancements in technology.
This combination of chemical darkroom and digital curriculum prepares students for entry into the professional marketplace or further study in photography at the graduate level.
The photography program provides students with a strong foundation in the discipline by offering digital and chemical instruction in:
- Black and white
- Color
- Medium and large format
- Fine printing
- Toning
- Alternative processes
- Studio photography
- Commercial photography
Facilities
The photography facilities include three darkrooms, two studios and a Macintosh digital photography lab. Students have access to medium and large format cameras, studio lighting equipment and high-end digital scanning and printing equipment.
All studios are up to date, facilitating the photography student's creative explorations within the medium.
Senior Thesis Program
The undergraduate photography study experience culminates in Lamar’s unique senior thesis program involving a series of original works produced by each Bachelor of Fine Arts degree candidate, exhibited in the Dishman Art Museum, and defended by the student in a formal written thesis.
Walles Chair
The Walles Chair was created in 1984 through gifts from Homer L. Walles. This endowed fund may be used to support the teaching, research, service and professional development activities of the chair holder in accordance with the guidelines of Lamar University.
University Professor Keith Carter, professor of photography, has held the Walles Chair in Fine Arts since 1989.