What's Happening at Hallmark, Week by Week

Every week brings something new in Hallmark's intensive 10-month program. Follow along with our 2010 class on their journey to graduation day and their future careers.

To find out what the coming weeks and months have in store -- classes, guest lectures, field trips -- see our "Year at Hallmark" pages as well as our schedule of upcoming events.

Gregory Heisler photo

Week Twenty-Two — The studios are bustling with babies and puppies, models with makeup and men in uniform, as shooting for the Phase III body of work ramps up for our June 2010 graduates. The Critique class returns as a forum for students to share the images they are working on with instructors, and receive helpful hints and feedback on producing the best photographs possible for that body of work. They also continue to research for and work on their Career Business Plans in classes such as Marketing Analysis, Design, and Business Control. Our October 2010 graduates continue learning different lighting techniques for outdoor portraiture. They also start attending Critique classes as a means to pinpoint technical difficulties they might encounter early in their careers, and to also showcase what they have learned in just a few short weeks. The end of the week finds them shooting in the quaint village of Shelburne Falls, MA. Pictured: Following up on his classes showing uses for one- and two-light setups, Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler instructs the class on adding a number of lights to a set, in an effort to wrap the light around the subject. Current student Andrea models, as current students Jon and Andrei set up the shot.

John Nordell Photo

Week Twenty-One — This week starts out for both our June and October 2010 graduates with two fantastic Guest Lecturers. Monday morning, Andy Marcus shares his story of how he turned a small studio, started by his father 62 years ago, into a multi-million dollar wedding and portrait business in New York, serving such clients as Eddie Murphy, William Baldwin and Mary Tyler Moore. The afternoon is no less eventful as students are treated to a presentation by documentary photographer, Steve Schapiro, who has documented much of recent history with his images of Robert Kennedy, Muhammad Ali, and Truman Capote, to name a few. The rest of the week finds our June 2010 graduates continuing their significant photographer research for Business Communications, studying the ins and outs of Wedding Photography, and fine-tuning their printing skills in Digital Imaging. Our October 2010 graduates learn about outdoor lighting in their Portrait Lecture and spend a half a day shooting outside with their newfound skills. Out-of-Studio Displays are discussed as a means of getting one's work in the public eye, and they begin their 5-minute speech about themselves in their Business Communications class. Pictured: Legendary photographer, artist, teacher, and visionary Sean Kernan kicks off our 2010 Guest Lecturer Series, sharing his insight and images with our students.

Gregory Heisler photo

Week Twenty — Phase III is in full swing as our June 2010 graduates waste no time beginning to create the body of work they will present at the end of the phase. While they are still attending classes -- Business Writing, where the focus is on creating a solid resume; Web Site Design, where they continue to build their own web site; Digital Imaging, where new tools are introduced to assist in printing -- the bulk of their time is now spent in the Portrait and Commercial Studios as well as on location shooting assignments for their Phase III Final Assignment. Meanwhile, our October 2010 graduates are introduced to the 5-minute speech about themselves they will have to present in Business Communications. They will attend classes on Lighting and Introductory Digital Imaging, and at the end of the week will travel to Clark Art Museum to shoot their Composition and Lighting assignment. Pictured: Current student Colin gets creative by using one softbox with a light in it, behind current student Bridget, while using a second softbox with his lens through it to capture the light and reflect it at her, so that she doesn't become a silhouette.

John Nordell photo (Click here to see Nordell's classroom rap)

Week Nineteen — This week marks the official start of Phase III for our June 2010 graduates, as well as the official start of Phase I for our October 2010 graduates. Phase III begins with Portfolio Preparation. Students are given a syllabus of assignments that highlight all the technical skills they have garnered throughout the first half of the Hallmark program. They will have a specified number of weeks to complete the group of assignments and then submit them as an entire body of work for review, critique and grading. In addition, classes this week will introduce our June 2010 graduates to their Career Business Plan assignment, which is an in-depth Statement of Goals and Plan of Action that becomes the cornerstone of the students' employment, whether it be self-employment or working for someone else, upon graduation. Simultaneously, our newly arrived October 2010 graduates start their first week off with a Photo Demonstration class, in which they are each issued a Canon 5D Mark II and instruction, with which to start shooting right away. Along with technical lectures, the end of the week finds the October graduates in the historic town of Old Deerfield where they begin work on their first shooting assignments. Pictured: Sitting amongst some of the newly arrived group of students that make up the October graduating class, President and Executive Director, George J. Rosa III, a 1980 Hallmark graduate himself, discusses his vision for the individualized, hands-on training that they will receive throughout their 10-month journey.

John Nordell photo

Week Eighteen — This week is a momentous one as the resident class wraps up Phase II and our new group of students begin Orientation. The Portrait and Commercial studios buzz with activity day and night, as the resident class completes last minute shoots for their Phase II assignments. On the business side, they delve further into the concept of branding in Brand Management. In the competitive industry of photography and imaging arts, photographers must do all they can to set themselves apart from their competition. By synchronizing marketing, promotional and advertising materials to create a "brand" for oneself, it helps to get that step ahead. The Critique format is back, as well, creating an environment for constructive feedback to be discussed amongst students and their instructors. Simultaneously, the new group of students will be welcomed and oriented to the school, its staff, and facilities. They will also be treated to some insightful lectures by current instructors David Turner and Beth Reynolds, as well as Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler. Pictured: Current student Ricky uses his light meter to make sure the lighting is appropriate for his first food photography assignment. Instructor Dick D'Alessandro offers advice while current student Mandy looks on.

Peter Chilton photo

Week Seventeen — Students return from their Holiday Recess ready to take on the final weeks of Phase II. The Commercial Lecture this week will cover the art of food photography, thus students will spend their Commercial Studio time lighting and shooting some appetizing creations. In Portrait Studio, students learn to tether the Mamiya 645 AFD II with the LEAF Aptus Digital Back to a Mac Pro running LEAF Capture Software. This allows them to edit their images instantaneously in the studio, using the computer. Our business curriculum continues as maintaining business structure is discussed in Recordkeeping where students continue to learn about financial statements and recordkeeping practices that are crucial to owning a business. In Business Writing, students are instructed on the proper way to create a resume when seeking employment and/or internships. Purchasing a domain name and maintaining a website for one's business is the topic in Website Design, while unique ways to promote one's business are discussed in Advertising. Pictured: Current student Mitchell acts as the model while current student Kevin shoots him, using a "studio" set up created with everyday supplies one can find at their local home goods store. The exercise, part of Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler's Art & Technique class, gets students thinking about how to create a studio environment when a professional studio is not always available to them.

Melissa Camp photo

Happy Holidays — This week, Hallmark's Class of 2010 continues a well deserved two-week Holiday Recess. While many students have returned to their home towns, a number of them are using this time to shoot portrait assignments with family and friends, or to utilize the school's facilities to work on personal photography projects. With the end of Phase II only a couple weeks away, students will return with renewed energy and enthusiasm to complete their Phase II final assignments. Pictured: An image that evokes the spirit of the New Year by current student Melissa, from her Phase I Final Portfolio. The assignment called for a consumer product, shot on location, using a minimum depth of field.

John Nordell photo

Happy Holidays — The Class of 2010 breaks for the Holiday Recess during the next two weeks and for many this means driving or flying across the country or even across the globe, to spend time with friends and family. While students will be enjoying some much anticipated time to step away from their vigorous class schedule, they will also be using those same friends and family members as models for portrait assignments that are due upon their return to school. In addition to assignment work, many students take this opportunity to take on paying jobs in their hometowns, such as senior portraits or winter weddings. Pictured: Current students Chris, Hassan, Chris and Liz are headed to the parking lot to load up their vehicles with additional photo equipment that they checked out of the school's equipment room, for use over the Holiday Recess.

Peter Chilton photo

Week Fourteen — In this last week before the Holiday Recess, we are loading the students up with a number of fun, new assignments and information. In the Portrait Studio, they are charged with photographing couples, which allows them to use lighting and posing techniques they've recently learned. The Commercial assignment requires shooting an environmental still-life. The Design curriculum is emphasized this week as both InDesign and PhotoShop are utilized to create a CD cover for an assignment. Simultaneously, Identity Design will be introduced in the Typographic Design class as a preface to the stationery assignment due after the break. In Photojournalism, the Photostory is introduced and students are asked to find a story that interests them and then create a series of images depicting it. Types of businesses will be discussed in Business Organization and students will have a chance to begin what may become their Portrait/Wedding or Commercial/Advertising business upon graduation. Pictured: At the Opening of "MySight", the student exhibit at The Gallery at Hallmark, current students LeeAnn, Richard, and Julia admire Richard's image of a flower. Over 800 student submissions for this show were viewed by a panel of Hallmark Instructors who had the daunting task of narrowing down the hundreds of beautiful images to the final forty-two displayed in the exhibit.

Tony Downer photo

Week Thirteen — Students continue to sharpen their skills in both the Portrait and Commercial Studios this week. The Commercial Lecture instructs on shooting a still-life using props, while a Portrait assignment adds variety to the standard head and shoulders business portrait by challenging the student photographer to also create a totally different alternative portrait of that same client. In Business Communications, students begin to present their 10-minute speeches about the various careers they have researched in the imaging industry. Capturing wedding clients is the topic of Marketing Analysis this week; developing one's senses is the focus in this week's Career Development class. During the Aerial Photography assignment, in addition to flying in a fixed, high-wing aircraft and shooting a target building from the sky, students spent the remainder of the day working with Hallmark Instructor David Turner and Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler as they turned one of the airport's hangars into an on-location photo studio. Pictured: Current student Eric poses while Instructor David Turner explains how to balance flash with ambient lighting for an environmental portrait, such as one might take of a pilot with his aircraft. Getting the lighting just right helps add richness and depth to the image.

John Nordell photo

Week Twelve — After spending Thanksgiving Recess at home with family or in the local area honing their photographic skills, students jump right back into a full and busy week. In Portrait Studio, students add even more lighting to their regime as they learn about light modifiers and separation lights. Additionally, the posing and lighting of families is discussed as the first family portrait assignment is handed out. In Commercial Studio, the challenging task of photographing glassware is assigned. In Digital Foundations, PowerPoint is introduced for use in the upcoming 10-minute Business Communications speeches on careers in the imaging industry. The highlight of the week will take place during a field trip to Northampton, Massachusetts. There, students will climb aboard a fixed, high-wing aircraft in pursuit of capturing various landscape and architecture targets from the air for their aerial assignment. While waiting for their turn to take to the skies, students will be treated to an on-location shoot by Instructor David Turner and Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler as they seamlessly turn an airport hanger into a working photo studio. Pictured: Graduates from years past share their wealth of industry knowledge as well as their work with the current class during the Alumni Roundtable Discussion. Seated from left to right are Kevin Bacon '99, Wendy Maybury '00, Patrick Collins '06, Katie Lewis '06, Jorge Rivas '07, Amy Choate '08, Chat Sirichanvimol '04 and Helena Sullivan '01.

Week Eleven — Before students head home for the Thanksgiving Recess mid-week, they will take in some new classes. These include Pricing, in which they begin to learn how to price their own work, and Self Promotion, which introduces students to the importance of promoting their work and their business. There is also an Art History class on the relevance of art and its use in the photography industry. The day before recess begins, the student body is treated to a day-long event like no other at Hallmark: the Alumni Roundtable Discussion. During this presentation, graduates from years past share their insight into the industry, including how Hallmark prepared them for their respective careers, and tips about what they have learned since graduating one, three, five or more years ago. After a shared pizza lunch, there is a question and answer session and some time for one-on-one conversations between today's photographers and tomorrow's competitors. Pictured: Current student Neesa experiments with different gels on her background lighting in the Portrait Studio.

John Nordell photo

Week Ten — This week a number of new and exciting concepts are introduced as students fully embrace Phase Two of our 10-month program. In the Portrait Studio, the students get an Introduction to Background Light, which becomes very important as they begin to do more studio work during the winter months. In the Commercial Studio, the assignment is to photograph a Small Product with a Prop. The Business Communications class is back, this time asking students to do a 10-minute presentation about a specific job within the imaging industry. Students may choose to research and present on photographic assisting, art direction, studio management, or one of the many other career fields. There will also be a lecture about aerial photography, in preparation for flights the students will take in a couple weeks to photograph the local area from 1500 feet. Pictured: Instructor David Turner shares his feedback with the entire student body as he critiques a portrait assignment during the Phase I Review.

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Week Nine — This week begins with the highly anticipated Phase I Final Review. During this all-day event, the student body gathers in the Auditorium for a formal review, by Hallmark's instructional staff, of their Phase I Final Assignment. This body of work consists of ten (10) assignments that review all the photographic and artistic techniques students have learned thus far. The remainder of the week is an introduction to Phase II, in which new information is shared and students begin to expand upon the knowledge they've gained in the first eight weeks of the program. In Design, students are introduced to Promotional Pieces, and asked to start thinking about how they would visually promote themselves and their businesses. The lucrative world of wedding photography is presented by an on-staff wedding photographer; in Introduction to Web Site Design, students begin the process of designing and building their own web site. Pictured: Instructor Joan Terry assists current student Jon in the Commercial Studio as he prepares his shoot for the Composition and Basic Lighting assignment.

Peter Chilton photo

Week Eight — This week finds students calling upon their time management skills as they wrap up their Phase I Final Assignment while continuing to receive new technical and artistic information to apply in this week's Portrait and Commercial Studio classes. Additionally, students will be introduced to the concept of shooting for magazines in an Editorial Photography class, as well as learning how typography is used in design work during their Visual Arts class. Business Writing highlights the commerce portion of this week's curriculum as students learn how to write an appropriate cover letter. Pictured: Now that students are feeling confident about their skills with the Canon 5D Mark II DSLRs, it is time for them to add a medium format camera system with a digital back to their equipment toolbox. Here, Instructor Gabriel Hmieleski hands over a Mamiya 645AFD II and a Leaf Aptus 22 digital back to current student Julia, while her classmate Hilary looks on.

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Week Seven — While it's hard to believe, students will be presented with their Phase I Final Assignment this week. This inclusive assignment will mark the first time this year that students are asked to submit a "body of work" consisting of multiple assignments, rather than just a single assignment on a given day. This mini-portfolio, to be submitted in two weeks at the Phase I Review, will consist of a group of assignments that test their technical skills and artistic talents by measuring what they have learned thus far. Creating this body of work also necessitates planning and time management skills, which will be crucial as we move forward throughout the program and ultimately towards the presentation of the Final Year-end Portfolio. Pictured: Current student Mandy tries out one of many professional, high-end lenses on display at the recent PhotoPlus Expo in New York.

Week Six — The fast pace continues at Hallmark this week, as Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler continues his series of photo lectures. Students hone their skills using the Q-flash; assignments require them to use this portable electronic strobe both indoors and out. New equipment for the Commercial Studio will be introduced this week and Street Photography is discussed and researched in Professional Development. Each year, Hallmark students get involved in a number of community based projects within Turners Falls and the surrounding towns. As some of these events begin as early as November, this concept will be presented and a call for volunteers will go out in Documentary Photography. The week wraps up with an exciting journey to the big city, New York, where the annual PhotoPlus Expo takes place. Buses will leave Hallmark's campus bright and early Friday morning, so that our student body can take advantage of one of the largest photographic expositions in the country. Sponsored by Mamiya, students gain entrance to the Jacob Javitz Convention Center to mix and mingle with other photographers, software companies, camera vendors and Hallmark graduates. It's an extremely educational day that is also a lot of fun. Pictured: The early morning autumn light creates a stunning backdrop for students as they take full advantage of the timing for their outdoor studio.

Week Five — Students still manage to pack a lot into a short week, as we observe the Columbus Day holiday this week. In Digital Imaging, students begin to fine-tune their Lightroom skills and continue increasing their knowledge of Photoshop and its many features. The 5-minute autobiographical speeches wrap up in Business Communications and the ethics of photography are discussed in Professional Development. Mid-week, the class will travel to the small, eclectic city of Northampton to shoot an assignment incorporating focal points and viewpoints, which were presented in an earlier Visual Arts class. Rounding out the week, an introduction to the studios and yet more equipment takes place during the Commercial Lecture class. Pictured: Current student Chelsea shoots her Color Awareness assignment at the trolley yard in Shelburne Falls, using her classmate Andrew as the subject.

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Week Four — A big part of this week's technical training involves color awareness and line forms and how to use these concepts to make a more dynamic image. The student body will take a field trip to the quaint village of Shelburne Falls, home to a Trolley Museum and the famed Bridge of Flowers, to practice using lines and colors to impact their work. Students get introduced to Speedlights, a type of flash used with the Canon 5D Mark II and other DSLR cameras, during their Basic Photo Lecture. Critique classes continue this week, in which students receive feedback on their assignments from the previous week, and in a special Assisting class, students are introduced to the exciting and fast-paced world of photographic assisting. Pictured: Current student Jessica focuses on a sculpture at Clark Art Museum, shooting images for her Basic Composition and Lighting assignment, while a classmate holds a reflector for her.

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Week Three — This week is filled with many new concepts: learning how to pan and how to show and stop motion, properly using outdoor light when shooting portraits, using leading lines and viewpoints to make visually stimulating photographs, and an introduction to the Lightroom software in Digital Imaging. The classic New England backdrop of fall colors and changing leaves allows for some quality image making outdoors. Five-minute autobiographical speeches continue in Business Communications this week, and an overview of photojournalism is presented in Career Development. Pictured: Current student Emily shoots an assignment in nearby Unity Park, while current student Andrei angles the reflector just right to use the available natural light. Meanwhile, current student Jay poses with her guitar, getting a feel for what it's like to be in front of the camera instead of behind it.

Week Two — This week there is a whirlwind of activity as students get feedback from their Week One assignments in Critique. A group of instructors will offer up their professional opinions to small groups of students, letting them know how they fared on the images they took in Old Deerfield last week. In Business Communications students are required to conduct a five-minute speech about themselves, as an introduction to public speaking. In addition to Lighting, Visual Arts, and Digital Imaging classes, students hit the road again at the end of the week as they head to Clark Art Museum to tackle their Composition and Lighting assignment. Pictured: Instructor David Turner checks out an image on the LCD Monitor of the Canon 5D Mark II, with current students Brandy and MacKenzie, while on the field trip in Old Deerfield.

Week One — Students waste no time in jumping into their new classes this week. The Technical Lecture will cover the basics of portraiture, while equipment is handed out in the Photo Demonstration class. This year, each student will be issued a Canon 5D Mark II, a Mamiya 645 AFD II, a Leaf Aptus digital back, a Sekonic light meter, and necessary lenses. This equipment is issued to the individual student for his/her use throughout Hallmark's 10-month program. Students also take their first field trip to Historic Old Deerfield, where they take their newfound knowledge from the Technical Lecture and put it to use with the Canon 5D Mark II in their first photographic assignments. Visual Arts, Recordkeeping, Digital Imaging, Advertising, Critical Theory, and Business Communications are all introduced this week as well, and after last week's 3-day Orientation the Class of 2010 is anxious to get started! Pictured: Guest Lecturer Clay Patrick McBride stands at the podium in Hallmark's auditorium during his inspiring 3-hour presentation to the class on the final day of Orientation; his image of Kid Rock, with dancers, is projected larger than life on the screen behind him.

Arrival: Class of 2010 — Hallmark Institute of Photography welcomed its 35th class on Wednesday, September 9th as students began their 3-day orientation by registering for classes. The orientation is an exciting mix of information about Hallmark's 10-month program, welcoming activities, tips about the local area, and guest lectures from highly acclaimed professional photographers. During these three days, new students will be lucky enough to hear from Hallmark's new Artist-in-Residence, Gregory Heisler; internationally renowned portrait and fashion photographer Barbara Bordnick; and the unconventional and exceptionally talented commercial photographer Clay Patrick McBride. This year, once again, attendees represent a diverse class made up of students from 33 U.S. states and 9 different countries, including Brazil, Canada, Columbia, El Salvador, France, India, Italy, the Philippines, and Romania. Pictured: Artist-in-Residence Gregory Heisler gets a standing ovation from the Class of 2010 as he addresses them on the first day of Hallmark's 3-day orientation.

Exclusive Opening: The Gallery at Hallmark — Hallmark Institute of Photography will offer its students and staff an exclusive look at its newest photographic exhibition venue, The Gallery at Hallmark, on Thursday evening, September 10th. The invitation-only event begins at 5:00 pm. Located in the Colle Opera House at 85 Avenue A in historic downtown Turners Falls, The Gallery at Hallmark's Inaugural Exhibition will feature a group exhibit by Hallmark Institute of Photography's resident faculty, entitled "Collected Visions." Highlighting the diversified talent and experience of the Hallmark faculty, "Collected Visions" presents a selection of favorite fine art imagery from each faculty member's personal archive. "What better way for us to kick off this new era of visual expression than with our very own talented and gifted faculty?" stated George J. Rosa III, President.

Award-Winning Documentary Photographer, Beth Reynolds, Joins Hallmark — Hallmark Institute of Photography is pleased to announce the addition of Beth Reynolds to its faculty of working, professional photographers, for the 2009/2010 school year.

Reynolds began her career more than 20 years ago as a news photographer, and since then has been working on a variety of social documentary projects and programs, creating visual media partnerships which led to issue-driven photo essays for schools, museums and galleries. Through her company Photo-Documentary Press, she has published books and developed curriculum to educate and inspire the public.

She has exhibited award-winning documentary projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Kentucky and California and was selected to be the first Photographer Laureate for the city of Tampa in 2003.

Through grants, commissions and self-funding, Reynolds has used her camera to document and address issues of inclusion, health care, cancer survivors, welfare, the environment, immigration, learning differences and aging.

Reynolds recognizes that documentary photography walks a fine line between empathy and exploitation, between what to shoot and what not to shoot.

Reynolds said she draws her inspiration from the Farm Security Administration (FSA) photographers who set out across the country to show the effects of the Great Depression, and from emerging 1950s street photographers such as Gary Winogrand, Berenice Abbott and Helen Levitt. She enjoys teaching students about the social relevance of documentary photography and helping them find their own projects to pursue.

Reynolds earned her MFA in Photography at the University of Hartford Art School in 1995, after earning a BA in Communications at University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1988. She is a member of the United States Coast Guard Reserves, and serves as Public Affairs Specialist.

Summer Preparations — With the Class of 2009's graduation still a recent memory, the staff at Hallmark Institute of Photography turns its attention to preparations for the incoming Class of 2010. The administrative staff is hard at work on-campus assisting individuals through the admissions, enrollment and financial aid processes, as well as accommodating incoming students in securing housing for their 10-month stay in Turners Falls. While at the same time, in addition to their attendance at seminars and workshops to gain further insight into new technologies being used in photography, imaging and design, members of Hallmark's committed faculty just can't seem to stay away from the Educational Center as evidenced in this photo taken in the Equipment Room. Pictured: Director of Education, Tony Downer (center) is eager to show Instructor Michael Merritt (left) one of many of the Canon 5D Mark II cameras that will be distributed for use throughout the 10-month program, to each and every student in the Class of 2010. In the background, Instructor David Turner is also intrigued by this popular and technologically advanced image capture system.