Photography Department

Welcome!

The Santa Monica College Photography Program is a hands-on, intensive program that prepares students for a broad range of careers in photography and image-related fields. Classes are taught by working professionals with industry experience and in-depth knowledge of the comprehensive resources and job opportunities available in the Los Angeles area and beyond. Students in the SMC Photo program have an immersive experience using commercial photography studios and professional lighting equipment, and learning about printing in a B&W and color film darkroom, advanced computer image editing, video production, fine art quality ink jet printing, business practices of photography, and exhibitions.

SMC Photo Program graduates enter fields that include commercial photography, editorial and fashion photography, retail photography, e-commerce, publishing, commercial retouching, digital technician, studio management, commercial and fine art printing, and advertising art producers.

Students also use the SMC Photo Program to build a foundation to transfer to some of the nation's top four-year art schools, or simply to brush up on their skills within the Los Angeles photography community.

What the SMC Photography Program offers:

Introduction to Photography
Studio Photography Lighting Techniques for Product and Portrait Photography
Basic Photography Darkroom Lab Techniques
Beginning and Advanced Computer Techniques in Lightroom, Photoshop and Capture One
Advanced Black & White and Color Darkroom Printing
Video Production for Still Photographers
Portfolio Development
and more!

What You'll Learn

With our courses, you will learn skills to help you develop a portfolio for your next academic or professional endeavor!

Commercial Studio Photography

Our commercial photography degree and certificate programs are designed to help you develop command over the camera equipment and studio lighting as you work with the latest in camera, lighting, and software technology within our product photography classes.

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People & Portrait Photography

Our People & Portraiture curriculum emphasizes the skills necessary for creating dynamic and compelling images of people. Whether you’re photographing professional models or everyday people, you’ll learn to communicate and narrate stories using the visual language of light and composition.

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Digital Retouching

Digital retouching in the field of photography applies to nearly every sector of the job market, with opportunities across entertainment, fashion and beauty, technology, digital marketing, advertising, graphic design, art, and more. Classes in beginning, and advanced Photoshop are available.

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Analog Photography

Our curriculum in analog and non-silver processes is some of the most comprehensive in the country. Our well-equipped traditional B&W and color darkrooms play host to learning B&W film processing/printing, color (RA-4) printing, Lithe printing, Platinum/Palladium printing, Cyanotype printing, large format photography, and more.

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