Academy Overview – Why do this?


Students entering into AP or IB Photo have varying degrees of photographic and art experience.  Some may have taken Digital Photography, Photography One/Two or both of these classes.  Some students have very little experience with photography.  And then there are students who may or may not have taken a photo class, but have taught themselves and/or have had a mentor work with them.  To add to this, IB students are expected to be college level proficient in at least one other art form by the time they are done with the course, and those students come from varied art backgrounds as well.

Because of all this variance of experience, it is necessary to customize instruction for each student based on their background.  There may be a need for remediation.  Don’t feel bad about it at all.  You are where you are.  All these skills can be learned to get you to a level where you can create high caliber portfolios, as long as you are willing to work hard at it.

The skill base you need to achieve are in these areas:

For both AP and IB:

Skill: Basic Art Vocabulary Knowledge

How this is assessed: completion of projects where students demonstrate vocabulary knowledge via their own photos and/or professionals’ photos

Skill: Ideation (Developing a Concept for your Sustained Investigation/Theme)

How this is assessed: completion of summer project and conferences with peers and teacher throughout the school year.

Skill: Basic Camera Functions Knowledge

(aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, exposure control, etc.)

How this is assessed: multiple choice test and Camera Functions Academy assignments

Skill: Digital Editing

(Photoshop and Lightroom)

How this is assessed: completion of projects

Skill: Film Shooting & Darkroom

(both straight photography and special effects)

How this is assessed: completion of projects

For IB only:

Skill: College level work in at least one other art media for SL, two other art media for HL

How this is assessed: completion of projects (students must seek out their own means to complete this work – more on that in the IB Fine Art Academy)

These skills will be achieved via a summer assignment and within the first part of the course starting in the fall.  Since IB students are in the program for two years and have much more to accomplish for their IB assessment, much of their junior year is spent in remediation.