Frank Hamrick, Associate Professor & Photography Area Coordinator, School of Art, College of Liberal Arts F.J. Taylor Award Nominee Information Undergraduate Courses Course Course Title Sections Enrolled Remained Retention Art 170 Introduction to Photography 4 59 49 83% Art 171 Intro to Digital Photography 2 28 20 71% Art 173 Intermediate Photography 2 13 13 100% Art 205 Digital Photography 1 7 7 100% Art 210 Medium Format Photography 2 13 11 85% Art 270 Large Format Photography 8 66 62 94% Art 371 Advanced Photography Projects 7 63 57 90% Art 378 History of Photography 6 114 101 89% Art 415 Directed Study 2 8 8 100% Art 452 Photography Internship 15 37 37 100% Art 474 Senior Photography Exhibition 6 53 52 98% Undergraduate Student Evaluations 2012-2013 School Year Course Art 171 3.5 Art 210 4.0 Art 270 3.8 Art 378 4.0 Art 452 4.0 Rating of Instructor The significance of undergraduate teaching at Louisiana Tech University I have heard a few key comments while teaching here at Louisiana Tech University that address the goal of undergraduate teaching. One phrase is learning how to learn. Another statement I have heard by a couple of other professors is that many of the techniques and technologies our society presently uses will be replaced in the near future. This is nothing specific to our time. It is constantly occurring and will only happen at a faster rate as new processes, materials and tools are developed at an ever-increasing pace. Perhaps you are familiar with the saying, Change is the only constant. Our goal as teachers is not teach students how to do a specific task, but rather teach them how to translate what they have learned from a particular task and adapt it to solving future problems they encounter. Because of this truth it is essential for students to not simply memorize and regurgitate facts and figures. It is more important for students to understand the significance of what they are studying and how a fact or figure actually connects with other issues in time and place. Students might memorize that Dorothea Lange made the photograph Migrant Mother in 1936. However it would be better for students to realize this image was made during the Great Depression and shows one of the families who left the great plains because of the Dust Bowl hoping to find work in California. Furthermore, the photograph is significant because a woman made it when men dominated the field of photography, just like many other careers during that time.
It should be understood that a person is stating they want to improve themselves when they enroll in college. I am often surprised at what students do not know when they enter the classroom. I sometimes think to myself, Someone should teach them about that. Then I remember I am the teacher and even though photography is the subject of the course, it does not mean that what I teach them cannot be applied to other areas of life. I have to keep in mind the things I now know are not common knowledge. They are lessons I learned. They are lessons that were taught to me. Some lessons were taught overtly, This is how you do it. In other situations I learned by the example the mentor set. I had a mentor guide me when I was in college. I thanked him because I was aware it was not his obligation to teach me everything. He was going beyond the call of duty. He said there were people that helped him when he was young and you pay those people back by helping someone else. Now I am the old man. Now it is my turn to guide some nineteen-year-old kid who is not sure what to do. We are not forgetting our original teachers by going off and helping someone else. In the end we are all in the same boat. Our society benefits as a whole when everyone is educated. There is less crime. Our world functions better because we understand what has come before us. It gives us a better understanding of what will happen next and even though we cannot know for sure what the future holds, having an education will prepare us to take what we already know and apply it to new problems as they are presented to us. Innovation made in undergraduate teaching The photography curriculum has been revised regularly since I joined the School of Art faculty in the fall of 2006. Originally the 200, 300 and 400 level classes were open to any photography student who had completed the first two 100 level photography courses. It was challenging to teach lessons applicable to sophomore; junior and senior students all in the same photography class without discussing techniques or theories too complex for some students, yet redundant for others. In the end, there were gaps as well as overlapping lessons from one course to the next. Former photography professor, Kevin Kennedy and I discussed switching to a linear curriculum. We both felt it would eliminate existing weaknesses and improve the level of education students receive. Therefore in 2007 the photography program was revised to become a linear curriculum where each photography course serves as the foundation and prerequisite for the following photography class. In most cases an undergraduate photography major takes one photography course each quarter, while supplementing their schedule with art foundation courses, art electives and general education requirement courses. The photography faculty and students have found this to be a much more manageable and productive way of structuring the curriculum. Courses have also evolved over time as new materials, techniques, tools and technology have become available. Course titles and descriptions in the catalog have been updated as necessary. The photography curriculum now includes a Photography Elective, which may be fulfilled by taking an additional photography related course in the School of Art or by completing a photography related internship. Starting in the 2008-2009 school year, Art 371 Advanced Problems in Photography and Art 452 Photography Internship were first offered. The course content of Art 371 varies depending on which photography faculty member teaches the course, such as book arts, art in public spaces, and multi-media. Book arts have been my focus when teaching Art 371. The class meets the needs of photography majors and minors, but also welcomes students from Communication Design, Studio Art, Architecture and Interior Design. The course is broad enough for students from these disciplines to learn concepts and techniques they can apply to their respective majors The book arts course introduces students to various materials, tools and techniques used to make a variety of book structures. Attention is simultaneously given to content and concept while learning the technical aspects of bookmaking. Students learn to consider how these three areas: content, concept and technique work together to create a small edition of a book addressing a subject of their own choosing. Students consider how text and images are sequenced to create a logical flow throughout the book. Thought is given to size, structure, typeface, materials and color choices. In the end, students learn to examine each element of a book to see if it supports or hinders the book s purpose. Students learn to notice the things most viewers pay little attention, yet are important to the impression and feeling a book exudes to a viewer.
Art 452 Photography Internship has allowed our students to take what they have learned and apply it in situations beyond the classroom setting. It also exposes students to professional situations that cannot be fully experienced in the classroom environment. Students have completed internships locally during the regular school year by interning with professional photographers, newspapers, as well as museums and galleries in the north Louisiana region. Some of our photography majors have performed internships during the summers in locations including Tennessee, Colorado, Maine and Alaska. These summer internships have immersed students in environments such as print shops, newspapers, summer camps and television stations. Some of the internships have led to employment at the same business or provided the experience necessary to gain employment at related businesses. In the spring of 2010 the Photography Program started offering Digital Photography for Communication Design Majors Art 265. This course was designed to provide design majors with introductory skills in digital photography while also utilizing their layout and typography skills. Projects in this course often incorporate photography in the context of designing layouts for print and digital media. In the fall of 2011 the Photography Program restructured its 100 and 200 level courses so that the freshman level photography courses are digital. Art 171 Foundation in Digital Photography and Art 172 Intermediate Digital Photography teach students how to use DSLR cameras, digital image manipulation programs including Photoshop and digital inkjet printing. Switching the 100 level courses to a digital format has increased interest in the Photography Program. Art 171 is special in that it is one of only three School of Art courses that have no prerequisite and any student on campus can enroll in the course regardless of their major. Art 205 Medium Format Photography - Digital photography is the most popular form of photography. However film based photography remains relevant in the fields of professional and fine art photography. Photography majors learn film photography practices in this class to gain a comprehensive education about their medium. The courses uses professional grade medium format cameras instead of using consumer level 35mm cameras. The course also teaches hybrid techniques that combine film and digital photography to give students a greater number of avenues to reach their goals. The Photography Program s 300 level studio courses teach photography majors and minors studio and location lighting focusing on models and product photography. Students also learn valuable professional practices including making their own websites to promote their work. Art 378 History of Photography focuses on teaching students what has come before them so they can better understand where their work stands in the canon of photography so they can add to visual discussion rather than repeat what already exists. The 400 level senior photography courses: Art 450 - Senior Photography Portfolio, Art 451 - Advanced Senior Photography Portfolio and Art 474 - Senior Photography Exhibition have been updated as well. Students in these courses work the entire year to create a cohesive body of personal, photography based work. Senior photography majors show their work at the end of the spring term in a group exhibition. Through this series of classes students are given the freedom to choose their subject matter and which photographic tools and methods they will use to convey their ideas. Additional professional practices are incorporated in these classes. By the end of the senior year each student has a body of photographic work and support materials necessary to pursue a job in the photography field or apply for admission to a graduate photography program. Along with the numerous course additions and modifications listed above, the photography program has developed relationships to bring visiting artists to the School of Art to give lectures, critiques and workshops. Field trips are made locally, regionally and nationally. Classes regularly visit the Masur Museum and bimonthly Art Crawl in Monroe. For the past three years students and professors have traveled to New Orleans to participate in the Photo NOLA photography festival. In 2010 photography students spent spring break in New York City making photographs while also visiting galleries and museums. Students are encouraged to be active members of the Society for Photographic Education, which is a great way for our students to connect with students and instructors from other programs, as well as meet editors, publishers, curators and other industry professionals. Developing this community better prepares students for life after college.
Mentoring Undergraduate Students My goal as a photography professor is to teach students to use what they have learned in class and apply it to their own circumstances, instead of simply echoing the facts and ideas I have taught them. I find myself teaching lessons not limited to photography. It might be how to read a ruler, write a lean and cohesive paper or how to professionally interact with others. If a photography professor can teach lessons beyond photography, then ideally students should be able to take what they know from photography and apply it to other tasks. Photography students learn digital and film processes, color and monochrome, fine art and commercial styles, as well as professional practices necessary in any creative career. I tell my students having a one line resume that states, BFA Photography, Louisiana Tech University is not enough to exit college and immediately enter a full time job with benefits. Upon finishing the program, a student s resume should also include a number of other accomplishments such as, publications, exhibitions, work experience and numerous skills. All my students are encouraged to pursue internships and/or jobs relating to their fields of study while in college. Each photography class I teach involves submitting work to an exhibition or publishing opportunity. Some of my freshmen students have been paid for having images from their introductory photography class published in nationally distributed magazines. Many of these students later thank me for making them submit their work even when they doubted themselves. This also puts parents at ease who are wary of their children pursuing careers in the arts. Students are exposed to work by numerous historical and contemporary photographers. It is essential for students to know what already exists so they do not blindly repeat it. I encourage students to make work that adds to the visual conversation. Considerable attention is also given to content. The subject of a photograph is rarely photography. Photographs are about other issues. Students are made aware of this and then work to successfully convey their own story to viewers. The photography program balances discipline and freedom. Students must adhere to learning various techniques and tools, but are free to pursue subject matter important to them. This approach is most evident in the upper level photography courses where students are allowed to choose from the tools and materials they have learned to address their own subject matter over the course of an entire year that culminates in an exhibition of that body of work. Students leave the program not only with photography skills, but also the skills necessary to promote their artwork and pursue future opportunities, whether it is employment or a master s degree. My teaching philosophy is similar to showing someone how to ride a bike. I can demonstrate how a bike operates and how to ride it. I will help the person get started, but in the end I release them. It is their responsibility to keep going, but they are prepared and have the freedom to go wherever they want. Publications, papers and presentations relating to undergraduate teaching Visiting Lectures I have lectured at several universities about college, photography and book arts 03/28/2013 Department of Art, University of South Carolina, Columbia 02/28/2013 Department of Art & Art History, University of Texas at San Antonio 02/21/2013 Online Skype Lecture, Art Department, West Virginia Wesleyan College 11/30/2012 New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, New Orleans, LA 03/16/2012 Lecture & Workshop, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 09/15/2011 Photography Book Seminar, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 04/07/2011 Liberal Arts Symposium, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 10/08/2010 SPE Regional Conference, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
09/30/2010 Hendrix College, Conway, AR 09/22/2010 University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 09/09/2010 Online Skype Lecture, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH 07/10/2010 Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX 10/16/2009 Panel Discussion, SPE Regional Conference, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 10/12/2009 Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 10/31/2008 SPE Regional Conference, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN 05/22/2008 Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA 10/13/2007 SPE Regional Conference, Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah, GA Professional Experience - I have served as a consultant and technical editor for several textbooks. 2012 Consultant Holga Handbook, book proposal by Michelle Bates, Focal Press 2012 Consultant No Plastic Sleeves, by Danielle Currier, Focal Press 2010 Consultant Reviewed book proposals for Tablet and Smartphone Apps for Photographers, Focal Press 2010 Technical Editor Photography-10 th Edition, by London, Stone & Upton, Pearson/Prentice Hall 2010 Technical Editor Plastic Cameras: Toying With Creativity, 2nd Ed, by Michelle Bates, Focal Press Grants, Awards & Scholarships 2012 Louisiana Division of the Arts Career Advancement Grant Attended an educational photography conference in Chicago where I reviewed work from several undergraduate students. 2008 Louisiana Tech University Summer Research Grant Developed book arts course 2007 Louisiana Tech University Summer Research Grant Developed internship opportunities for students. Publications Here are a few select publications that expose my artwork and philosophy to students. Artist Portfolio, 500 Handmade Books Volume 2, by Linda Kopp, Lark Crafts Sterling Publishing Co, 2013 Artist Portfolio, 1000 Artists Books by Sandra Salamony, Rockport Publishers Quarry Books, 2012 Artist Portfolio and Writing, The Elements of Photography: 2nd Edition by Angela Faris Belt, Focal Press, 2011 National Conferences For the past six years I have attended the Society for Photographic Education s national conferences. These conferences have been held in Denver, Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Francisco and Chicago. I review portfolios by undergraduate students at each of these conferences, providing each student with feedback as to how they can improve their work while in college and what to consider when applying to graduate school. Thanks for your time. Frank Hamrick Associate Professor Photography Area Coordinator College of Liberal Arts Louisiana Tech University