Junior Seminar - Winter 2027

This course is for advanced students developing a career in photography or captured-image based art. Emphasizing independent work, the course supports students in their ability to edit and revise their work, discern connections and parallels in contemporary practice, and confront artistic challenges. Aspects of professional artistic practice and conceptual project development are key components of this course, which meets weekly to discuss the evolution of ideas, explore the “case study” artists, and discuss potential new directions for new work.

Students should be prepared to spend a minimum of 8-10 hours per week on assignments for this course: developing their own work, as well as viewing, researching, and analyzing the work of other artists.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Develop a comprehension of contemporary captured-image art practice in all its complexity:

• Build a critical vocabulary
• Develop confidence in confronting unknown and unfamiliar art experiences
• Refine a meaningful working process
• Learn research strategies to sample a wide range of theoretical studies

COURSE OUTCOMES

• Basic understanding of the work of six major contemporary artists whose work revolves around photography and its history through investigating "case studies"
• Develop sense of the wide range of current practice understood under the rubric of photography
• Clarify the goals of your own photographic practice as you begin to plan for your Thesis

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR STUDENTS

• Weekly attendance is vital to student success in PCNW courses. We require that students attend the first meeting in order to retain their spot in the class. A waiver may be granted if permission is given by, and subsequent arrangements made with, both the PCNW Registrar and Faculty. Please see our Education Policies for details about attendance policies and academic expectations.
• PCNW adheres to a strict payment, cancellation and refund policy. Please review our Payment & Refund Policies prior to registration.
• Intermediate and advanced courses have prerequisites which students must satisfy prior to enrollment. Prerequisites may be waived based on experience or prior courses taken through other institutions. To verify that you meet the prerequisite(s) for a course, contact Jennifer Brendicke, Registrar at jbrendicke@pcnw.org.
• Students are required to provide their own camera, unless otherwise noted in the course description. If you have questions about camera equipment or resources, contact us at pcnw@pcnw.org.
• Additional materials and supplies, not covered by a materials fee for a course, are the responsibility of the student. Detailed information about course expectations, required texts and materials will be provided at the start of the quarter.
• Students should prepare to spend several hours per week completing assignments outside of class, which may require use of the PCNW facilities; view our Rental Rates for details about additional fees. Rental fees for use of PCNW Facilities are a separate cost from tuition.

Image © Aaron Wheetman, PCNW Certificate Program Graduate