Hone technical skills, develop personal style, and create a new body of work

There are no available registration dates at this time.

This workshop is a part of the 2023 Summer Academy program

Filmmaking

Film School (Jun 26 - Jul 7, 2023)

Photography

Digital Photography (June 26 - July 7, 2023)

Young Artists Academy student photographing the rocky Maine coast
Advanced Digital Photography student working on the rocky coast of Maine

This workshop embraces photographic vision while addressing the multitude of technical digital approaches. Students work on location and embark upon field trips to fishing villages, lakes, mountains, forests and the islands in the Bay. They also take advantage of these environments for hikes and swimming.

In the digital darkroom, students learn Advanced Lightroom and Photoshop techniques such as layering, color and collage, along with techniques for controlling contrast, image manipulation, retouching and the use of various papers for printing.

To prepare students for college or other photographic work, the focus of the second week is to create a body of images in a portfolio form.  There are evening shooting assignments, lectures, demonstrations, and assigned lab time where students process digital files and prepare images for this completed body of work.

Prerequisite:

This two-week program is designed for high school students between the ages of 14 and 18. Students must have the core foundation of photography concepts and techniques, or have completed the Digital Photography workshop. Admission is by portfolio or the instructor’s permission.

What you will learn:

Students leave this workshop with a complete single portfolio of work for college preparation or future photography work. Become proficient with the tools, technique, and experimentation which enables students to explore other level 2+3 workshops.

What you will need:

Students should bring a small body of prior work, DSLR camera, lens, memory card and a minimum of 120GB Hard Drive. We have cameras and accessories available for loan for the duration of the workshop if needed.

Header Image: Amanda Piela

Past student work

Left to right: Abby Necrason, Dylan Duhamel, Jenna Ball, Zach Thomas Kucerak

About the Maine Media Summer Academy

The Summer Academy at Maine Media cultivates the next generation of photographers, filmmakers, and book artists through expert learning opportunities. Students will be surrounded by peers who share their passions and are guided by working artists who encourage creativity as they instruct them in the latest skills and techniques and help create portfolio-level work.

Brief Academy Overview:

  • All Academy students must be fully vaccinated for COVID at least 14 days prior to arrival. A copy of the vaccine card must be submitted to registrar@mainemedia.edu.
  • Student days are comprised of both classroom and field/location work: lectures and critiques, demonstrations, shooting, editing, writing, computer workflow and/or digital lab work, depending on the workshop. All instructors are talented industry professionals as well as experienced educators, and each works with a teaching assistant, providing additional support for their class. The students are busy all day and into the mid-evening hours.
  • All students reside in our campus residence, occupying the lower floor. Rooms are all private baths with a maximum of three students per room (most will be doubles). Resident Advisors (RAs) also reside on the same floor to monitor and supervise.   The upper floor is occupied by non-Academy adult workshop attendees who will have little exposure or direct interaction with the Academy students.
  • During the week, all meals are taken together in the dining facilities directly across the street. Weekend meals are taken in the local economy and transported by the RA’s – or sometimes do cookouts. This cost is included in the tuition package. Parents may indicate any special dietary needs upon registration.
  • RAs supervise the students when not in class and help make group decisions about weekend activities which may include swimming, bowling, movies, and hiking. Coin laundry facilities are available on campus.
  • A lobster dinner is served (there are other choices) on the last Friday night of each workshop, and all Maine Media students gather for an evening presentation of highlights from the week’s work. Parents are welcome to attend, and meal tickets may be purchased in the Registration Office.
  • We recommend students have access to $150 over the two-week period for incidentals, snacks, movies, field trips, etc.
  • Check-in is on Sunday, between 3 and 6 and departure is on Saturday morning.
  • Tuition includes accommodation, access to campus amenities, transportation once the workshop has begun, meals (including a lobster dinner!), Resident Advisors, and Teacher’s Assistants.
  • Students may request a transcript be sent to their high school for possible credit.

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Instructor: Daniel Kraus

Daniel Seth Kraus‘s work blends historical research with photographic practice to deepen our understanding of people and places. Currently his research investigates the intersection of faith and work in the American South. He earned a MFA in photography at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University and also holds a BFA and BA from the University of North Florida. His work has been featured in numerous print and online publications, including Fraction, SeeSaw, Oxford American, and Aint-Bad.

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