Image.

The image program is focused on providing balanced and versatile training in the art, craft and technology necessary for creating a wide variety of still and video communications. Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Pretty smart guy, that Einstein. The beauty of imagination is that it can take us anywhere we would like to be. And it’s a photographer or videographer who captures that imagination for everyone to see.

The image program offers two concentrations for students – photography and content creation. Photography is for students who want to become commercial photographers. Content Creation is for students who want to focus on building content for social networks via videography, photography and motion graphics. The two concentrations aren’t exclusive and the portfolios show bits from both concentrations – it’s just the proportions of digital vs traditional projects that are different.

Creative Circus photographers & content creators bring a lot more to the creative table than their DSLR cameras. To succeed creatively you must seek passionately, measure accurately, engage completely and practice daily. Today’s commercial photographer is actually more producer than shooter. They plan, gather and direct the process of making images, either working alone or with others. Content Creators produce compelling content that takes viewers on a journey. Content Creation requires a mixture of right-brained and left-brained activities — in other words, you’ll need to be organized and creative, analytical and associative, disciplined and diverse.

At The Circus you can expect to creatively explore your vision, master digital production and work alongside like-minded creatives. You’ll also become well-versed in other important aspects such as capture and file management to enhancement and delivery. All this might sound like a crazy busy two years. The question begs, are you crazy enough?

Program Description

Conceptual thinking is stressed throughout the curriculum. Some courses enable the student to work individually while others require collaborative problem solving with students from other disciplines. It’s a creative marriage that has real-world challenges but, ultimately, produces finished professional samples. Additionally, a good working relationship here can and will, carry over into the professional arena.

Technically, there is much an image student must learn. Basics in small, medium and large format camera options will be explored in the studio.  Classes in studio and location lighting expose the student to daylight, tungsten, quartz and electronic flash options, in addition to understanding additive and subtractive lighting tools, light modifiers, and grip gear.  Today more image making requires comfort and fluency on the computer. By using lighting and studio techniques from other classes, students capture images either as an original digital file or scan film which then allows them to work in Photoshop, the industry standard, to craft a finished image.

Classes

Here’s a small sample of the classes you’ll take as an Image student.

Lighting
Light is one half of photography. To control the light one must be exposed to its properties and its variations. Daylight and tungsten light will be discussed and practiced through class assignments and demonstrations.
Placement, intensity, metering and exposing of light are the basic controls a photographer must master.

Portraiture
At some point in every photographer’s career it is necessary to photograph people. This course provides the technical information needed to become proficient in a variety of fields where the subjects are people. Broad, short, Rembrandt, split, beauty and butterfly lighting are some of the basics covered here. Posing and body language will also be discussed.

Fashion & Beauty
Clothing, accessories, model portfolios and performers are a few of the subjects in the fashion and glamour field. This course covers finding and working with models, lighting and posing techniques, film/digital equipment, model releases and other information required to work successfully in this fast paced and competitive field.

Interiors & Exteriors
Styling, composition, and lighting are important factors in showcasing living and working spaces. Balancing mixed light, choosing appropriate props, and determining the ideal camera location can define the vision of an architect, interior designer or space planner. This type of photography can be used in editorial magazines or commercial brochures.

Film/Video/TV Production
This course will allow Image students to learn to concept and execute for motion photography.

Tabletop/Still Life Photography
Students will continue studies in lighting principles. Topics include lighting ratios, characteristics, additive and subtractive methods, color balancing and mixed lighting.

Intro to Video Editing
Video content for the web will be created using linear and compositing editing software.

Styling
Styling improves the level of visual taste and sophistication through coordinating the various elements (people, clothing, food, objects, background, etc.) and designing them for photographic production. Introduction to prop houses and various sources necessary to produce styled photographs will be covered. Image research from publications illustrating current photographic styles is also emphasized. Group critiques will allow evaluation of how well student knowledge and skills have been demonstrated.SEVENTH QUARTER

Weddings
Wedding photography is part portraiture and part photojournalism. This course covers the basics from scheduling the event to the final portfolio presentation and will include posing, lighting basics, the use of filters, and the importance of storytelling.

Individual Projects
Established for the focused student to further expand his/her final graduate portfolio. The student must provide a pre-determined number of concepts and present these ideas to the department head for approval. Once approved, the student must meet and maintain a production schedule for the balance of the quarter.

Directed Studies
This class is designed for the ever changing needs and opportunities for the Creative Circus student. This class will enable The Circus to address needs outside the normal curriculum and be adaptive to special situations for its students. These situations may include a special guest instructor from the creative industry, a special project, large or small in scope, submitted to The Circus for student participation, and/or working.

Graduation Requirements

In preparing an Image student’s final portfolio, we look at the conceptual and technical successes of the student’s work to establish a personal point of view. General or specialized, still life, product, portraiture or fashion can define one’s presence in the marketplace. Plans are also made to build, market and manage each of our alumni’s businesses in commercial photography.

Career Services

During the final quarter, students meet with the Director of Career Services to discuss career goals and objectives. Graduating Photographers also work with an industry professional on personal presentation skills that will benefit them during interviews or presentations to a client. Graduates have access to our alumni listings, agency contacts, portfolio reviews and direct personal assistance from the Director of Career Services, whose services alumni can continue to use the throughout their career. *Department of Education Program Disclosure

Resources

• Student Portfolios
• Placement Statistics
• Student Handbook

Department Head

• 

  Greg Strelecki

  Department Head, Image

  Greg became Image Department Head at The Creative Circus in 1995.
  He has produced images professionally for advertising, design and corporate and editorial clients. Greg enjoys excellent, intelligent, and memorable commercial photography.More amazing facts:
  -Enjoys being surrounded by creative people
  -Works hard to make “it” better
  -Takes him his Image grads bowling, and he recently bowled a 201
  -As a Valentine’s birthday gift, he’d been described by his friends using words like: generous, talented, sensei, patient, respected, caring, tall, Hawaiian-shirted with crazy hair. Yep. True dat.
  -Lives with his wife, Karen, and four rescued cats in the Historic District of Madison, Georgia.

  greg.strelecki@creativecircus.edu

  404.477.6718