Photography: People as Subject is a term-long exploration of the art of photographing people as subjects. Students will be introduced to digital photography through a variety of assignments that range from pinhole photography to complex digital composites. Students will utilize a variety of digital tools as they learn to control composition, exposure, motion, and depth of field. Students will examine storytelling, subject lighting, self portraits and work with expressing emotions in people to complete the coursework. Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop will help students develop digital post-processing techniques, and critique and course discussions will allow students to discover and apply critical principles of art. This photography course is taught through a series of lectures, discussions, critiques, and hands-on assignments. Completion of this art course will fulfill one Arts graduation requirement.

Honors Photography: Portfolio Build, is a term-long course dedicated to building a personal photographic portfolio. Over the course of the term, students will capture, process, and assemble a dedicated body of work linked to their personal interests. Using advanced camera controls, students will develop, critique, reiterate and refine their story through the photographic medium of their choice. Whether they want to explore 35mm film, digital composites, or a combination of both, students will determine their personal course of study. Students will complete group assignments alongside the Advanced Photography students, which will strengthen and extend their knowledge of how to build a photographic series, collaborate within a team and as artists, and the power of peer teaching. Students will be expected to submit a portfolio of their final series at the end of the term. This photography course is taught through a series of lectures, discussions, critiques, and hands-on assignments. Completion of this art course can be applied to either the digital arts or fine arts graduation requirement. Students must have completed a full term of photography and have permission of the instructor prior to enrollment in Honors Photography.

Advanced Photography: Master Portfolio is a year-long course designed for the dedicated photography student who seeks to explore and build a personal series over the course of the entire school year. Throughout the year, advanced students will return often to the subject of their dedicated focus; periodically, advanced students will team with Honors level students to complete group assignments, strengthening and extending their knowledge of how to build a photographic series, collaborate within a team and as artists, and the power of peer teaching.. Using advanced camera controls, students will develop, critique, reiterate and refine their story through the photographic medium of their choice. Whether they want to explore 35mm film, digital composites, or a combination of both, students will determine their personal course of study. Advanced photography students will be expected to submit a portfolio of their final series by the end of each term. This photography course is taught through a series of lectures, discussions, critiques, and hands-on assignments. Students must have completed Honors Photography, or equivalent, with instructor permission prior to enrolling in Advanced Photography.

Take a step backward in technology to explore and learn photography through the classics of black-and-white darkroom photography. We will photograph our subjects with varying types of 35mm cameras, Pinhole, and Holga cameras. We will learn to develop your film, one roll at a time, and learn the basics of printing. We will also examine how scanning our negatives can deliver that beautiful vintage film aesthetic while providing capabilities to share your photos online through your socials. This Photography course is open to students with varying levels of experience. This course will earn one credit in the art department.

Photography: Elements of Nature, is a term long exploration of the art of photographing nature. Students will be introduced to digital photography through a variety of assignments exploring the outdoors. Students will head outside with their cameras and, using their advanced camera controls, learn to effectively capture Pomfret’s spring sunsets, April showers, and budding trees. Additionally, students will utilize a variety of digital tools as they learn to control composition, exposure, motion, and depth of field. Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop will help students develop digital post-processing techniques, and critique and course discussions will allow students to discover and apply critical principles of art. This photography course is taught through a series of lectures, discussions, critiques, and hands-on assignments. Completion of this art course will fulfill one Arts graduation requirement.

Take the term to explore narratives through the lens of your camera. Through written prompts and photographic cues you will explore connections to your personal life, landscape and the natural world. Using the tools we have as photographers and your imagination, we will work to create lyrical images, illustrate stories and use the language of poetry, so you will learn to recognize motifs in your own work and create images rich in symbolism.

This astronomy course is the second in a series of three, any of which can be taken individually. This term, the class will investigate the beautiful and bizarre objects that exist in the Universe. If you've seen the amazing images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, you know how strange and mysterious these objects can look. In this course, you'll join in an examination of these nebulae, pulsars, globular clusters, black holes, supernovae, and other types of exotic objects. You'll learn about their origins, the ways that astronomers have decoded the light coming from them, and their importance in the continuing evolution of the Universe. During the day, you'll do lab activities using a computer-based virtual observatory, but the true highlight of the class will take place at night. You'll learn how to operate Pomfret's observatory to see these unusual objects firsthand through a variety of instruments. In the end, you'll have a clear picture of these 'stranger than fiction' components of the Universe and the science behind their beauty. Each astronomy elective is a distinct course and can be taken as a one-time experience or as a series of connected classes. Students currently enrolled in the Astronomy I elective will be given enrollment priority when new courses are selected each term.