How do photographs transform the ordinary world into art? Emerging fine-art photographers find answers to this question as they explore essential qualities of the medium—flatness, focus, time, and framing—and learn to express themselves in a more sophisticated way.

The instructor exposes students to hundreds of images from fine-art photographers whose work emphasizes one of the four essential qualities: Lee Friedlander’s use of flatness, Sally Mann’s use of focus, Atta Kim’s use of time, and William Eggleston’s use of framing. Weekly assignments encourage students to break out of conventional and formulaic ways of shooting and develop a deeper knowledge of the medium’s full expressive potential. Students benefit from classroom critiques of their work.

Both digital and film-based photographers are welcome. All work is processed outside of class time. Students should have good working knowledge of their cameras (including digital procedures if applicable) and know the basics of exposure, especially how to modify shutter speed and aperture settings.

Instructor Shannon Ayres is a Northern Virginia-based fine-art photographer.

8 sessions, 2 1/2 hours each