What's Happening at Hallmark, Week by Week

Every week brings something new in Hallmark's intensive 10-month program. Follow along with our 2008 class on their journey to graduation day and their future careers.

To find out what the coming weeks and months have in store -- classes, guest lectures, field trips -- see our "Year at Hallmark" pages as well as our schedule of upcoming events.

Week Twelve — Before departing for their Thanksgiving Recess at the conclusion of classes on Tuesday, students were treated to an Alumni Roundtable event featuring eight Hallmark alumni who returned to Turners Falls for a day-long panel discussion. The alumni, representing graduates from the past ten years, shared their broad experiences in the photography industry ranging from working in the wedding and portrait business to advertising and fashion, fine art and documentary, to working as a digital technician. In many cases the Alumni Roundtable Discussion is the first introduction that current students have with graduates. The networking opportunities that become instantly available on this day, as well as the bond created between current students and graduates within the Hallmark family, are of immeasurable value to them and their future pursuits. Alumni participants include Tim Briner '00, Faith Dugan '05, Lara Kimmerer '03, Wendy Maybury '00, Gary Noel '97, Kris Payne '06, Melissa Robin '08 and Chat Sirichanvimol '04. Pictured: Panelists look on as Melissa Robin '08 responds to a current student's question.
Week Eleven — Now that students have a command of using the large-format 4x5 view camera with film, they will incorporate digital capture, which they have already been using with medium-format, into their 4x5 commercial shoots. Portraiture can involve as little as one person, up to large families or corporate groups; because of this, posing people correctly is crucial to the outcome of an image. With technical skills soundly in place, students will now focus more time on learning to pose people in a manner that depicts them in the most flattering way. The pose of an individual brings out his/her personality, while showing interaction amongst two or more people tells a story about their relationship. Also this week, students have a lecture in aerial photography, in preparation for their flights to photograph an aerial assignment after the Thanksgiving Holiday. Pictured: Instructor Rich Barnes offers feedback to current student, Jan, on her recent portrait assignment, "Introduction to Fill Light". By reviewing each student's assignment with him/her individually and in-person, there is opportunity for the instructor to advise the student on what is successful, as well as areas that may be in need of improvement. This unique one-on-one grading format allows for a meaningful environment that promotes a clear and concise exchange between student and instructor.
Week Ten — Students are off and running as Phase II begins. With their current technical and artistic skills, as well as a strong command of their equipment, students begin to spend more time in open studios and labs where they start to incorporate their own creativity into their portrait and product shoots. This week marks the beginning of Website Design classes, where students will learn the process of creating pages for their own website to be used as a marketing and promotional tool upon beginning their careers in professional photography. Also this week, a group of Hallmark students and instructors will take advantage of the Veterans Day holiday to volunteer their time to a United Way project at the local hospital. Hospital employees will be able to have family photographs taken by Hallmark students with all proceeds from the print sales going to the United Way. Pictured: With the entire student body and faculty coming together in the Auditorium to review the results of the students' final Phase I assignment, Instructor David Frazier expresses constructive criticism and accolades for one of the specific requirements: warm and cool colors.
Week Nine — Phase 1, the first of four phases in Hallmark's 10-month curriculum, concludes this week with the formal Final Phase 1 Review. The entire student body, as well as faculty and staff will be on hand in the school's auditorium to witness the critique of students' work from the first eight weeks of the program. In addition to showcasing the technical and artistic skills that students have learned up to this point, the mini-portfolio that each student submits, also represents lessons learned in multi-tasking and time management. It is the first time students must present a body of work, including ten different photographic procedures, rather than a single assignment. Pictured: Current student, Megan, sets up a shot of current students Amy and Kirt (Catwoman and Spider-Man) to document Halloween Day, 2008, while current students, Jacquie and Jess assist with the reflector and light meter.
Week Eight — With the first of four phases from the 2008/2009 school year coming to a close, students are anxiously giving it their all as they continue working on their Phase I Final Assignment. This assignment encompasses all the technical and artistic skills that students have been introduced to thus far. Included in this mini-portfolio will be foundational requirements such as a portrait of a person in an outdoor location, an indoor portrait of two or more people, a consumer product photographed on location using minimum depth of field, the always-expressive self-portrait, and many more. In addition, students will wrap up their five-minute auto-biographical speeches in Business Communications, and in Business Writing they'll be introduced to resumes and business letters as they pertain to the photographic marketplace. Pictured: Hallmark Instructor Michael Zide speaks animatedly in front of a number of Hallmark students and other guests at the Bogen Imaging booth at PhotoPlus Expo in New York City as he discusses his career as a fine art landscape photographer. Michael credits the Bogen tripod seen behind him with saving his life some thirty years ago: after shooting all day in the desert of White Sands, NM, a cold winter night set in quickly leaving Michael stranded. He began dragging the tripod through the snow, leaving a trail which eventually led rescuers to find him.
Week Seven — Phase I intensifies as students are introduced to their Phase I final assignment. This represents the first time students will take all the technical and artistic skills they've learned in the first seven weeks, and use them to create and present an entire body of work. The instructional staff will then critique the work in a formal portfolio review during Week Nine. Also this week, the student body travels via motor coach to New York City to attend the PhotoPlus Expo, the largest photography expo in the United States. Pictured: Jan Lederman, President of MAC Group, on stage in the Auditorium in front of an image of 50 Cent that was used in an ad by Profoto. The image was created by photographer Gary Land. Mr. Lederman was on-hand to welcome Hallmark's Class of 2009 to the imaging industry, while previewing their upcoming visit to the PhotoPlus Expo.
Week Six — Students continue to become acclimated to the large format, 4x5 view cameras as their commercial assignment this week focuses on lighting round and rectangular objects. The purpose of this shoot is to begin to understand the difference between hard light and soft light and how the distance of light to a subject can affect the outcome of the image. Additionally, as part of their personality development course, students will hone their creative skills as they explore creating composition using shapes. Students also delve into the history of photography this week in an effort to understand the importance of imagery in our culture as it has evolved over the years. Pictured: Current students Carol and Katy go over some lighting requirements with instructor Dick D'Alessandro, as they prepare to shoot with the 4x5 view camera in the commercial studio.
Week Five — There is a feeling of confidence in the air as students are feeling comfortable with their now sound technical skills. They continue to shoot with the Leaf Aptus 22 digital back incorporating the use of portable strobe indoors to balance existing light. In addition, students are introduced to the Large Format 4x5 View Cameras in the commercial studio where they will shoot film as a means to learn the camera system and perspective controls. Stock photography is discussed in Current Studio Operations as a viable product line for professionals as well as students. Pictured: Current student, Christina, models while current student, Monika sets up the shot in downtown Northampton, MA. This assignment requires students to create a focal point for their images. Students learn to use leading lines, angle and perspective to bring attention to what's important in an image. Focal points are the basis of any successful image and eclectic Northampton provides an array of promising subjects for this assignment.
Week Four — Basic technical skills are beginning to take hold and become second nature as students continue to take advantage of shooting in the outdoor environment. The warm, early fall weather this week is ideal as students practice creating depth of field while shooting with his/her very own LEAF Aptus 22 digital back, issued at the conclusion of Week 3 for the student's exclusive use throughout the remainder of our 10-month program. In addition, students travel to nearby Northampton, MA on a field trip where the assignment requires they create a focal point for their images. Students learn to use leading lines, angle and perspective to bring attention to what's important in an image. Focal points are the basis of any successful image and eclectic Northampton provides an array of promising subjects for this assignment. Pictured: In a demonstration to show the concept of viewpoint, students mug for the camera for instructor Paul Teeling. Learning how to look at the world from a different point of view is one of the ways successful photographers bring attention to their work and bring in business.
Week Three — This week students continue to explore lighting and its immense impact on the outcome of an image while at the same time they are encouraged to implement some basic design elements into their photographs. The crisp, late summer days have provided a number of opportunities for students to photograph people in an outdoor environment and a field trip to picturesque Shelburne Falls, MA, allowed them the backdrop for integrating color and line forms into their images. Also this week, in recognition of Constitution Day, students learned about key Constitutional provisions, such as freedom of the press, right to privacy and copyright. They took this one step further with an assignment requiring them to photographically illustrate freedom; one of the core concepts of the Constitution. Pictured: Current students, Kylene, Sara-Renee and Shannon, use a reflector to raise the illumination of the shadows in this outdoor portrait.
Week Two — Working with a base of technical skills learned in Week One, students are primed for shooting assignments both on location and in the studio this week. Photography related business classes are an extremely important aspect of the Hallmark curriculum; therefore, shooting assignments are integrated with classes that deal with marketing and self-promotion. Many of the assignments that students will encounter during Hallmark's 10-month program encompass more than one objective. This week, students have a public relations assignment in which they will be photographed for an upcoming press release they will write. The obvious objective is to create a photograph that can accompany the student's press release. However, the secondary objective is just as important as it allows the future professional photographer to experience how it actually feels to be the portrait subject. Pictured: Current student, Marcus, poses for a public relations photograph, while another student is being prepped in the background.
Week One - Off and Shooting! — Armed with medium-format cameras and new concepts learned in technical lectures early in the week, students were anxious to put everything to use during their first field trip to nearby Historic Old Deerfield. The two assignments shot during the field trip focused on exposure control and direction of light. As you can see, students were eager to work with each other to begin building on their individual knowledge and increase their base of technical skills. Pictured: Students Michael and Kevin discuss the camera functions before setting up a shot in Old Deerfield.
Does It Get Any Better Than This on Day 1 of Photography School? — On Monday, September 8th, Hallmark's Class of 2009 officially began their 10-month educational journey into professional photography. One of the first orders of business is for students to receive instruction on their medium-format camera systems, issued to each student for their use throughout Hallmark's 10-month program as part of their "Tool Kit For Today's Professional Photographer". This versatile film and digital system is a staple for professional photographers and for today's photography student who wants to pursue their education at the highest level possible. Additional "Tools of the Photographer's Trade", such as a Leaf Aptus 22 Digital Back and a Canon DSLR will be issued in the coming days. After spending Day 1 in the classroom getting to know their gear and learning some of the basic concepts, students test out their knowledge this week on a field trip to nearby Historic Old Deerfield. Pictured: Current student Kristen, from Washington State, affectionately grasps her Mamiya 645AFD II camera with an 80mm lens.
Class of 2009 Arrives — On Wednesday, September 3rd, members of Hallmark's 34th class arrived to register for classes and begin their 3-day Orientation. This also marks the most culturally diverse class to ever enter Hallmark Institute of Photography. Students from forty-two (42) states and ten (10) different countries, including Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Dominica, Ecuador, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico and Singapore, will begin their professional photographic education at Hallmark this month. The 3-day Orientation is packed with information to help students prepare for the 10-month curriculum and begins with a presentation by legendary documentary portrait photographer, Mary Ellen Mark. Pictured: New Student Drew, from California registers while Mike, from New York and others wait patiently under the backdrop of international flags representing all the countries students have come from.
Opening Day Preparations — With only a week remaining prior to the Class of 2009 arriving on the Hallmark campus, faculty and staff are busy putting the finishing touches on their areas of expertise. During their summer hiatus, members of Hallmark's committed and talented faculty attended seminars and workshops to gain additional insight into new technologies and processes currently being used in the fields of photography, imaging and design. This allows Hallmark the opportunity to continually update and revise its curriculum to ensure that the most relevant methods and practices are presented. Pictured: Student Resource Manager, Brenda Codella, and Director of Academic Services, Shelley Nicholson, finalize the fresh new look in the School Store, where everything from Hallmark logo gear to photographic supplies are available.
Photography Around the World — In the spirit of embracing international culture and celebrating diversity, the lobby of our Educational Center displays flags of all of the countries of origin of Hallmark students, past and present. Our student body is comprised of people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, who are united in their love of photography. We are proud to attract such a diverse, global community and will continue to provide an outstanding photographic education to those around the world who are serious about taking their first step toward a career in professional photography. Pictured: Thom Burden, Director of Operations, adds the flag of Ireland to our growing international family.