The world needs creative people,\u201d says Janelle Brooke of Janelle Brooke Photography. Based in Northport, N.Y., Ms. Brooke\u2019s company includes a business partner and a collaborative team of associate photographers who specialize in custom wedding and portrait photography. While growing up, Ms. Brooke always had a creative impulse but found a way to apply her talent toward a career in photography while enrolled in Suffolk County Community College\u2019s Photographic Imaging Program.<\/p>\n
Since graduating from Suffolk and starting her business just over 12 years ago, Janelle Brooke Photography has been recognized as one of the best wedding photography companies in the region by theknot.com, the nation\u2019s largest source for wedding resources. Additionally, some of her work has been featured in People <\/i>magazine and on ABC\u2019s Good Morning America<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cClasses were challenging, but the professors were attentive and personable. The program taught me how to be an artist while also preparing me for the real world,\u201d she says. \u201cSuffolk\u2019s program is like a hidden gem with a wonderful sense of community that allows students to grow in an incredibly supportive environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to study photography and seriously pursue it as a career, there\u2019s nothing comparable on Long Island,\u201d says John Cyr, Assistant Professor and College Coordinator of Photographic Imaging at Suffolk County Community College. His conviction is understandable. The College\u2019s associate degree in Photographic Imaging provides in-depth study of professional photographic practices anchored by a two-year sequence in digital photography. It is offered on both the Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood, N.Y., and the Eastern Campus in Riverhead, N.Y. Emphasis is placed on individual creative growth in small classes that average only 16 students.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work to develop each student\u2019s personal style,\u201d says Allen Keener, Professor of Photographic Imaging. \u201cThese are not transactional relationships. We foster an environment where we can truly mentor our students.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe offer a truly unique opportunity for students,\u201d says Ralph Masullo, Assistant Professor of Photographic Imaging. \u201cWhile there is a strong emphasis on being creative and developing a portfolio that expresses personal style, students also learn marketable skills on the technical side of digital photography.\u201d<\/p>\n
High-End Equipment, Real-World Learning<\/strong><\/p>\n Suffolk\u2019s Photographic Imaging students receive unique access to professional, high-end equipment that they may encounter if working at a national magazine, including medium-format digital Hasselblad cameras and the ability for students to enjoy unlimited in-house printing. Although the program\u2019s emphasis is digital photography, the professors still teach traditional photography and darkroom techniques with film. Students become proficient in a wide range of techniques and are skilled in today\u2019s leading image manipulation software, including Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.<\/p>\n Cultivating Careers<\/strong><\/p>\n Suffolk students benefit from hands-on education from experienced photographers and artists. \u201cMost of our faculty are working professionals with MFA degrees,\u201d says Professor Keener. \u201cWe balance the program with both commercial understanding and fine art appreciation.\u201d In addition to photography courses, the curriculum includes courses in fine arts, business, journalism and more so that students receive a broad understanding of the fields related to their major. \u201cPhotography opens pathways to other careers in the arts, including graphic design, art education and more,\u201d says Professor Cyr.<\/p>\n Many of Suffolk\u2019s alumni are running their own wedding and commercial photography businesses, teaching, and exhibiting. \u201cThere are so many facets to art and photography,\u201d says Ms. Brooke. \u201cFor me, I absolutely love photographing weddings. I get to be a part of a couple\u2019s journey and provide them with a memory that will bring them joy forever.\u201d<\/p>\n Suffolk\u2019s program has an articulation agreement with the Fashion Institute of Technology, and many graduates also transfer to baccalaureate programs at SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Purchase, the School of Visual Arts, Hunter College, California Institute of the Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, and the Art Institute of San Francisco, to name a few.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"