A new camera system at the School of Art is exposing students to the high-tech future of photography.
The state-of-the-art digital-imaging technology, acquired last semester, has put Washington University on the leading edge of photography education, said Stan J. Strembicki, art professor and head of the photography program. The University is one of the few sites in the country to have this digital system, he noted.
"Everyone is talking about digital technology. Digital is here, and we are going to have to be prepared for it one way or another," he said.
Washington University students preparing for photography careers will enter the profession at a distinct advantage, Strembicki noted.
"Almost all of the major professional studios are using this digital system," Strembicki said as he maneuvered the camera into position for a recent demonstration at the Lewis Center. "When our students go out to get gainful employment at studios that are just learning this technique, they can say, 'Oh, I already know that.' They are going to be instantly more employable than someone who has to learn the system from scratch."
The system -- made by a U.S. company called Leaf -- consists of an image-capturing device attached to the back of a high-quality Hasselblad camera. A cable running from the device to a computer transmits the image digitally to the computer's monitor. Once the photo is taken, the image appears moments later on the screen, where it can be altered in an infinite number of ways.
Strembicki demonstrated the system recently by taking photographs of second-year graduate student Jamie Morehead. After Morehead's image appeared on the screen, Strembicki moved to the monitor and started to alter the image. He clicked on a window containing a grid and a moveable bandwidth curve used to determine the light and tone of the image. As the curve changed, so did the color and contrast of Morehead's face and the background of the image.
The ability to determine the exact lighting and tonal values of an image is where the true advantage of the new technology lies, Strembicki explained, especially when it involves the commercial printing world. During a crucial process known as "pre-press," photographers create the image they hope -- and expect -- will appear on the final printed product.
"Without digital, one has to wonder what the print will look like once it is sent to the print shop," Strembicki said.
The printed image can change dramatically from the original photo depending on the quality of the print shop, he noted. "There was always a lot of guesswork and speculation -- 'Should I print it a little bit lighter or a little bit darker?' You don't really know," Strembicki said.
"What makes this digital system very different -- and state-of-the-art -- is that it prepares the image to go right to print," he explained. "You can adjust the curve and adjust the lighting and exposure so it will come out exactly the way you want it. There is no guesswork."
Precision is guaranteed from the most expensive glossy publication to a throwaway postcard.
Photography students have the chance to learn the system's many commercial applications by doing design projects for local businesses and organizations, including an upcoming promotion for the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Strembicki said the training is part of what he calls "photo-survival."
"We're teaching them to be artists, but we're also giving them really strong survival skills so, when they leave here, they can support themselves with their art," Strembicki said.
Professional photographers in the area also may learn to use the system at a number of workshops this semester. "It has very definite commercial applications," Strembicki said. "But it also has applications for contemporary fine-art photography."
Morehead used the camera this way for a body of work he will display in an exhibit in his home state of Ohio. "I do a lot of manipulation work with it," he said. "It is very good for what I'm trying to do with my art. We're lucky to have it."
The University came to have the camera after an informal chat Strembicki had with a representative of the camera's distributor, Sinar Bron Imaging, at a trade show in Boston. The representative was aware of the school's reputation in photography and said he'd like to make the University a training site for the camera, Strembicki recalled. He offered the camera at an educational discount.
"And so I made a proposal to the dean," Strembicki said.
Joe Deal, dean of the art school, was enthusiastic. "For years we've been hearing that the future of photography is digital," Deal said. "That time is upon us, and it's our responsibility to prepare students to enter a professional world that is rapidly changing. Becoming a Sinar Bron educational-training site for our region puts us ahead of the curve, giving our students access to the most advanced system currently in use in the field."
Strembicki said he believes the new digital system dovetails nicely with traditional photography techniques the students also are learning. While it never will replace the time-honored practice of developing photos with chemicals in a darkroom, the new system allows a photographer to streamline the mechanical process, he added.
"What this does is make it easier to realize your vision a lot sooner," Strembicki said. "I think it is really an aid in the creative process. It allows you to focus more on the ideas and concentrate more on just what you're trying to say with your art."
-- Neal Learner
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