Photography Facilities

Photography equipment

Faculty & Staff

We have a roster of Adjunct Assistant Professors who teach a photography class each semester and over the summer. This list of teachers  always evolves to give students exposure to a wide variety of technical skills and diversity of experiences.

Adjunct Assistant Professors (2026-27)

Facilities

The Photography Area is located in 212 Dodge Hall and can be reached through the doorway off College Walk or by the stairs at the back of the LeRoy Neiman Gallery (310 Dodge Hall). The facilities include a gang black and white darkroom with 15 enlargers, black and white film processing area, and a photo finishing area. The Photography Classrooms are located on the first floor of Watson Hall (612 W.115th Street). Darkroom Lab Fees cover the cost of all chemistry and darkroom facilities. Digital Lab Fees cover the cost of ink and maintenance of digital facilities.

Classes

A full list of classes with course descriptions can be found on the Visual Arts Bulletin.

If a class is listed as full, please put your name on the Waitlist for that class via CourseWorks. You must attend the first two class sessions or you will automatically be dropped from the class. Those not enrolled must also attend the first two class sessions or they will not be eligible to be added from the Waitlist. 

Darkroom Access

  • All MFA students who enter through the Photography Concentration have full access to the Darkroom after completing on-boarding training.

  • Students taking Introductory Darkroom Photography or Advanced Darkroom Photography will use the Darkroom during class hours and complete their projects during Lab Hours.

  • During Lab Hours, the darkroom is kept open by trained student monitors who mix chemistry, answer student questions, and keep the facility clean and safe. Taking Introductory Darkroom Photography is the best way to gain access to the Darkroom during semesters.

Digital Lab Access

  • MFA students have access to the Grad Digital Print Room and Film Scanning Room after completing the required training.
     
  • Ink is provided, and students are responsible for supplying their own paper.
     
  • Students enrolled in digital photography courses use the undergraduate digital labs during scheduled class time and may return during open lab hours to continue working on projects.
     
  • During open lab hours, students are expected to maintain a clean and safe working environment. On select days, the undergrad digital labs are staffed by graduate photo assistants who are available to support printing and editing needs.

Large Format Print Service

  • All MFA and undergraduate students may use the Large Format Print Service during the Fall and Spring semesters.
     
  • Information on file preparation, submission procedures, turnaround times, and costs is available here.

Social Media

Updates and photography related news on the Visual Arts Facebook and Instagram.

Additional Information

Darkroom Sequence

For undergraduates, our classes are designed to be specific to our facilities and pedagogical path. Therefore we ask you to take Intro Darkroom to understand our processes over a semester. For MFAs who have entered through another Concentration (Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Expanded Media), we also similarly ask you to take the Intro Darkroom class to go through a semester-long process.

Camera Checkout

Introduction to Darkroom and Advanced Darkroom Photography classes use film cameras exclusively and we make black and white prints in the Darkroom. You can check out an analog camera from the Production Center. You may use DSLR Camera for Photobook, Archive Photography, AI & Photography, and Photo Graduate Seminar. For all of these classes, except Graduate Seminar, DSLR cameras can be checked out from the Production Center while taking these classes.

Photography Concentration

MFA candidates can enter through the Photography Concentration, but are free to take classes in all mediums (Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Moving Image, Sound, etc.) and usually do. BA Students can choose a Visual Arts Major or Minor. For both BA and MFA students, we believe exposure to a wide variety of mediums is essential. Many Photo Concentration students do choose to focus their coursework on Photography-related courses, and take Independent Study with Photography Professors, as well as design Thesis projects that have the photographic medium at its core. 

For questions related to Facilities & Equipment, email Dana Buhl. For questions about curriculum and the overall program, email Delphine Fawundu.