By their Senior year, many photography students have moved beyond simply taking visually appealing images. Through experimentation, critique, and practice, Seniors in photography focus on storytelling and expressing meaning in their work.
The work of Charlie Collins ’26 blends traditional photography and digital editing. One of Collin’s favorite pieces features a 70’s-style gas station near Photography Instructor Greg Lock’s home in Gallatin, NY. “I think the contrast shows this idea of perspective in life, and taking life one step at a time and living in the moment,” Collins said.
Over four years in the photography program, Collins said he worked to manipulate and enhance raw photography. “My biggest strength is using digital sources, like 3D Max Pro,” Collins said. “I think I’ve really developed my competence there.”
Evelyn Anderson ’26 emphasizes experimentation in her photography. Anderson’s portfolio earned a Gold Key award from the Scholastic Art Awards. The portfolio features altered images created using an emulsion lifting process.
Anderson’s project focused on the theme of “decay.” All of the original photographs featured subjects that were old or deteriorating in some way. She said, “The emulsion lifting process exaggerated that effect, so the photograph itself also looked like it was decaying. I thought a lot about obstacles in life and how getting worn down doesn’t necessarily have to be an obstacle.”
Anderson’s perspective on photography has changed during her time at the school. Anderson said, “When I first got here, photography was mostly about taking pictures of things. This year, Mr. Locke has helped me think more deeply about my work. He’ll ask questions like, ‘You took this picture; it’s pretty; so what?’ I’ve been working on composition for four years now, so I know how to make a well composed image, but it doesn’t matter if there’s nothing behind it.”
Kailyn Chen’s ’26 portfolio pieces explore on how light can be captured through low exposure. Earlier in her time at the school, Chen often took photographs simply to complete assignments. She said, “Over the years, that slowly changed, and with the guidance of my teachers, I now take pictures with a lot more intention. I take into account the composition, exposure, and more, with a huge emphasis on lighting before I take every photo.”
Seniors in the photography program master the technical elements of photography while also exploring what it means to produce not just pictures but art. Mr. Lock said, “By the time you get to your Senior year, there needs to be some kind of intention behind a photograph if you want to call it a work of art. My goal is to get students to be able to do that by the time they leave. It takes self-awareness and many students are able to connect their work to what they are genuinely investigating in life.”
