Students are ditching their phones for the heavy tactile feel of cameras. As camera photography makes a major comeback, Hackley classes are seeing a parallel explosion in interest. For students who want to push beyond the basics, the real challenge begins in AP Photography.
To take this class, a student must first take Intro to Photography and then Intermediate Photography or Advanced Photography. The number of prerequisites makes it very difficult for students to join, creating an exclusive atmosphere. In fact, the class is only available some years, depending on interest.
The reason for all these prerequisites is that students are expected to have a complete understanding of how to use their cameras as well as Adobe Photoshop. This way, students can spend most of the year working on their portfolios, which they will eventually submit to the College Board. In addition to learning how to take better photos, students engage in a custom theme. They then work to take photos that align with their theme. Often, students’ themes tell stories about their lives.
“There’s one person who is working on images that tell a story about their experience having ADHD. There is another student who is trying to talk about the stresses students face in school,” said AP Photography teacher, Ms. Bottalico, citing some recent examples.
Because of the individual themes chosen by students, this class is not as structured as other photography classes. This freedom excites many students, because it allows them to pursue what actually interests them. Intro to Photography student, sophomore Jayden Nandi, is excited about the possibility of taking AP photography in the future.
“I find the individuality of the class to be a great thing. It allows me to compete with myself and constantly improve upon my work,” Jayden said.
Students also have the opportunity to choose their artistic style. While some choose to focus more on editing, others concentrate on the photography itself. What makes this class so special is just how self-directed it is.
AP Photography student Riyaan Ratliff says the part of the class he enjoys most is “the freedom to explore and apply techniques [he has] learned over the years as a photographer.”
Still, this comes with some downsides. Because the course is so independent, a lot of the work students are expected to do is done outside of class. Riyaan notes spending more than two hours of work a week outside of class.
For this reason, Ms. Bottalico insists that “AP Photography is for students who love photography and who have an idea that they want to explore. It’s for students who are really dedicated, self-motivated, and open-minded.” Even for students who are a good fit for the class, there can be many challenges. Riyaan is no stranger to the difficulties of the class.
Riyaan said, “bringing reason and meaning to my work via written descriptions.”
While this class offers students an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills and artistic creativity, its workload and difficulty make it a poor fit for most. Even for students interested in pursuing photography in college, Ms. Bottalico maintains that it isn’t necessary. While it is definitely helpful, other classes like Advanced Photography provide a lot of value, exposing students to many different kinds of photography, while the AP course focuses on a single theme.
AP Photography is an exciting course that allows students to express themselves through their creative freedom. The autonomy of the course sets no bounds and enables students to explore their passions while connecting to their themes.