Photography 161 Wraps Up First Art at CPBS Course

By Johnica Morrow

CPBS's First Photography Class

Last Friday concluded the first of what will hopefully be many art courses offered here at Cedar Point. This was a photography class open to majors and non-majors alike. The class was taught by Allen Morris and was two weeks long during our second session. Students learned all about technical aspects of photography, but were also challenged to explore their creative side with assignments to create images with deeper meaning and messages through their captured shots.

The class was well-received by students and gave them a chance to see CPBS through different lenses, both literally and figuratively. A simple drain or faucet became a statement into water issues in Nebraska. A long dirt road became a metaphor for life through the use of differential focus and a self-timer. Everyday objects became powerful symbols with insights into the human soul.

It was common place during those two weeks to see students throwing playing cards around a lab hoping for the right shutter speed to capture the shot, or to see people with cameras walking along the shoreline of Lake Ogalalla looking for inspiration. Each day brought new challenges in the use of lighting, shadows, and lines, but these challenges quickly transformed into adventures for our amateur photographers as they honed their skills behind their cameras.

In the final week, students took a trip to the Petrified Wood Gallery in Ogalalla and met some of the brothers that own the gallery. Students were able to see the breathtaking works of art created both by humans and by mother nature alike. The class was even able to score themselves some wall space in the gallery for displaying some of their work! This was a great opportunity for the students and was a wonderful way for CPBS to connect with the local community!

Students talk with one of the gallery's owners.

The library was abuzz with excitement on Friday morning as students made last minute preparations for their final projects. Beginning around 9:30am, students presented a photo series intended to convey a particular message to their audience. The projects were varied and excellent, especially for people who had only just begun to learn the intricacies of this art form. Some of the projects made us smile, some made us cry, some sent us into deep thought, and some pulled us into a world of dreams and fantasy even though the subjects were real. I was amazed at the abilities of these young photographers and at the depth of the imagery before me. It was wonderful to be able to sit in on these presentations and to contribute to the critiques! We anxiously wait to see what sort of art class(es?) will be offered here next summer!