ARTS 1171: Photography for Non-Majors

This online photography course invites students to explore their environments, families and personal archives through the lens of storytelling. Using any camera (smartphone, film, or DSLR) students will learn foundational photography skills while developing short visual narratives rooted in memory, identity and place. The course is structured around weekly creative prompts and reflection activities, culminating in the creation of a final photo album composed of 5–15 images. Students will also revisit old personal photos (archival editing), reframe them with new insight and optionally share select images on a private class Instagram account for communal engagement. All work is asynchronous and accessible from any location, with an emphasis on flexibility, creativity and personal expression.

Learning Objectives

• Create original photographs using mobile, film or digital cameras;
• Apply principles of composition, framing and light to visual storytelling;
• Edit images using free or low-cost mobile editing tools such as Snapseed or Photoshop Express;
• Reflect on photography’s role in personal memory, identity and history;
• Construct a cohesive photo album (5–15 images) with a unifying theme or narrative arc;
• Revisit and re-edit personal or family archive images with new intention;
• Share visual work in a community setting through discussion boards and optional Instagram contributions.

Meet Your Instructor

J. Benjamin Burney

  burney@colorado.edu 

J. Benjamin is a storyteller. He uses the mediums of film, photography, poetry, music, graphic design and fashion to tell the stories of African Americans from three perspectives: the historical, spiritual and personal. His artwork works to dismantle the negative images construed by racism and attempts to develop a unifying national identity for African Americans. He uses multiple mediums to create mosaic collages, which pull from contrasting elements of our culture and create an inclusive depiction of African American life.