Digital Technician

The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.

The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in the order in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in a semester, you should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below. Some courses have been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” . Should you need (or want) to take classes in the summer and/or winter intersessions, the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed schedule of the intersessions.

Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate Degree”. If you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only required to take the courses marked “Program Requirement” .

All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.

Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer) require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” , be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.

This certificate prepares students for entry-level employment as a Digital Technician in photography. Coursework provides training in photo editing using industry standard software on macOS as well as tethered shooting in both a studio environment and on location. This includes retouching for beauty and commercial photography applications, image compositing, thorough color management, on-set asset management, and an overview of studio lighting. Students will also gain an understanding of industry trends, workplace demands, studio safety protocols, software troubleshooting, and expected professional etiquette. 

Upon completion of the program, students will:

1. Upon completion of the program, students will demonstrate a high level of proficiency in a color-managed tethered capture workflow using digital asset management software. Students will also demonstrate advanced compositing and retouching techniques using industry standard software. Students completing the program will gain confidence in using the DSLR camera, using strobe and continuous lighting, studio safety, and working in a fast-paced collaborative environment.