Photography
Focus your vision on the visual language of photography. Discover and construct aesthetic and conceptual perspectives. See how an image serves as a delivery system for content, ideas, and cultural implications. And prepare for a career as a professional photographer.
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Photography
Capture the Moment
Discover the ways of fine art and commercial photographers around the world.
Learn traditional materials, digital production, and emerging technology.
Obtain a strong understanding of camera controls, lighting, and fine-tuning digital workflow, along with installation and fine print for the exhibition.
Get exposed to all modes of contemporary fine art photography, photographic theory, and practice, including expanded works such as installations, performances, and emerging relationships between still and moving images.
Your future awaits. Come and see what develops.
Students in the photography program can attend exhibitions at the Hallmark Photography Collection, one of the largest and highest-quality photographic collections in the country, located next door at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
Classes + Course Requirements
History of photography + contemporary practice, photographic imaging, photographer as explorer, the impossible photograph, lighting, and full access to Filmmaking electives.
1st year
Your journey starts in the Foundation program where you will explore new techniques and find passions that you never knew you had.
2nd year
- Intro to Photography
- History of Photography & Contemporary Practice
- Applied Photographic Imaging
- Intermediate Photography
3rd year
- Photography & Contemporary Art I
- Photography & Contemporary Art II
4th year
- Photography & Contemporary Art I
- Photography & Contemporary Art II
Student Work
Photography Faculty
KCAI faculty are artists, designers and scholars in their fields.
Lecturers
East Building
Our gallery and installation spaces allow student curators to coordinate exhibitions.
Studios and facilities in the photography school are fully equipped with
- Darkroom photography supplies, studio lighting, film cameras, and DSLRs
- Tripods, monopods, lenses, bounce boards, diffusers, gels, and grip equipment
- Printing, matting, and framing tools
- Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop and Lightroom
- Small, medium, and large format cameras
- Process color negative and E6 slides on the premise.
- Support for alternative process photography
- Small and large format printers
- Seamless photo shooting studio
- Green screen studio
Career Paths + Career Outcomes
Commercial Photographer, Fine Artist, Photo Editor, Photojournalist, Art Director, Fine Art Professor, Videographer, Entrepreneurs, Curators, and Educators. Photography graduates work as professors, educators, and artists across the country. Recent photography school graduates have become professional photographers and started galleries, such as the Trapp Gallery and the Red Lady in Kansas City.
KCAI photography majors have worked or interned for the following studios and companies: The Guggenheim, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Columbia College of Art in Chicago, and IsArt in New York.
KCAI's Professional Practice Center will help you prepare for your career.
Access to The Greats
Walk to the neighboring Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art or Nelson-Atkins Museum (which has the Hallmark Photography Collection — one of the largest and highest-quality collections in the country) to see historical and contemporary collections and exhibitions, meet with curators, and attend gallery talks.
Jump start your future with internships and exhibitions
Gain hands on professional experience through a required photography internship or practicum. Exhibit your work at End of Semester Shows and the Spring Thesis Exhibition.
