High school photography curriculum debate

[Neanderman]

Originally Posted by Cara

I do have to defend the analog portion of the curriculum, especially to parents who are paying a lot of money for a college preparatory school. They want the latest, greatest, and most advanced of everything!

I would point out to them that artists in other mediums continue to use processes and techniques that date back to antiquity. For example, today it is possible to do sculpture using 3 dimensional printers, yet people continue to hack away at chunks of rock to "reveal what is in there."

I can't imagine teaching digital with no analog background. How else can you explain in an understandable way why on earth a digital camera has an ISO setting?

I think your approach is as near to ideal as one could hope to get in today's mixed media world. Keep it up and good luck!

Ed

[davetravis]

Hi Cara, welcome to apug.
I did a show last year at a private liberal arts college here in Colorado, and had conversations with many photography students. Most had some exposure to traditional b&w methods at their prep schools, but none had ever heard of Ilfochrome. I realize an Ilfochrome darkroom would be a tough sell to the school, but at the very least make the students aware of classic color processes, and if possible find some local artists that they could view and see the possibilities of them. Sadly to say, but nearly all of them considered photoshop to be the color standard for printing...
DT

[Christopher Walrath]

Also, before darkroom days, dig around in your phonebook and find photographers that have an analog process and perhaps on occasion have 'Guest Processors', if you will. You might even find some APUGers in your area who might be willing to drop by for a visit from time to time. You could take advantage of the regional forums for that.