In the summer of 2023, nine photography students gathered in a room at the Academy of Art University for a class entitled “Open Studio.” Each student was instructed to spend the next eight weeks creating a new body of work.
Over the course of the class, some students chose to finish projects they had already begun, with an eye on graduation. Others started from nothing, deciding within days what kind of photography they wanted to pursue. By the end of the session, incredible photography work had been coaxed out of these talented students.
A first-year student, a military veteran, chose to start a portfolio of sports photography. Within weeks, he had turned his love of sports into a promising new body of imagery. Another student, almost ready to graduate, decided to try out a new style of photography while on family vacation in Italy. Inspired by the films of Italian director Federico Fellini, he created a beautiful new collection of work: all centered on his family’s travels within Italy.
The Art University Photography Department is presenting a selection of the work produced over this eight-week period by the Open Studio summer students. The work ranges from colorful fashion imagery to evocative portraiture.
