Studio Lighting for Photography

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

Course Goals

• Observe and analyze how light and shadow shape form, mood, and visual meaning in photographic images.
• Identify and effectively use professional studio lighting equipment, including continuous lights, strobes, light modifiers, handheld light meters, and related accessories.
• Recreate and manipulate qualities of natural light using studio lighting equipment to communicate emotion, content, and ideas.
• Produce a range of lighting qualities and lighting ratios through intentional control of light direction, intensity, contrast, and modification.
• Balance natural/ambient light with artificial strobe lighting in both studio and photographic applications.
• Establish an effective digital workflow and apply appropriate color-management practices from image capture through editing and output.
• Use digital capture and editing software to capture, organize, edit, and enhance photographic images.
• Apply studio lighting techniques to portraiture, still life, commercial, editorial, and other photographic situations.
• Work collaboratively and safely in a professional studio environment, including assisting peers with lighting setups and photographic production.

Learning Objectives / Student Learning Outcomes

• Evaluate existing lighting conditions and make intentional technical and aesthetic decisions about how a subject should be lit.
• Construct and modify studio lighting setups to achieve specific visual effects and communicate photographic ideas.
• Measure and control light using appropriate metering techniques and demonstrate an understanding of lighting ratios.
• Apply principles of light quality, direction, intensity, color, and the relationship between light and shadow when producing photographs.
• Demonstrate technical competency with studio equipment and professional photographic workflow.
• Create and present photographic projects that integrate technical lighting proficiency with composition, concept, and visual communication.
• Critically evaluate their own work and the work of others through critique, discussion, and written reflection.
• Demonstrate collaborative problem-solving and appropriate professional practices while working with studio equipment and other photographers.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Reading Responses (4 total – 5 points each)	20 points
Projects	66 points
Class Participation, In-Class Exercises, Classroom Engagement, and Peer Feedback	14 points
Total	100 points

Students will turn in major projects, reading responses, and in-class exercises. Some projects are shorter and more technical, while others are more involved and conceptual. Each major project ends in a critique with final prints. Attendance and participation in critique is required; missing a critique limits a major project to half credit. Failure to complete in-class assignments results in an unexcused absence for the day. Late assignments and projects are penalized half a letter grade for every day they are late.

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
100–94 points	A
93–90 points	A-
89–87 points	B+
86–83 points	B
82–80 points	B-
79–77 points	C+
76–73 points	C
72–70 points	C-
69–65 points	D+
64–60 points	D
59–90 points	F

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance and participation in critiques are required. Failure to complete in-class assignments results in an unexcused absence for the day.

Class participation is a vital aspect of success in the course and includes thoughtful contributions during critiques and discussions, approaching assignments and projects with a positive, experimental, and inquisitive attitude, contributing to discussions on the class website, taking notes during lectures, demonstrations, and video screenings, and showing up on time and prepared for class. Participation is different from attendance.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

• Optional: Digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless; ideally at least 16 megapixels, manual shooting mode, RAW capability, and removable/interchangeable lens). The school has some available for checkout but cannot be guaranteed.
• 8.5 × 11-inch portfolio
• REQUIRED: SD card (at least 8–32 GB)
• REQUIRED: external hard drive (500 GB+ recommended)
• REQUIRED: 8.5 × 11-inch archival photo paper