MFA Photography program suggestions for ex-photojournalist?

[culprit]

Any suggestions out there for U.S.-based MFA programs that look favorably upon applicants who come from a newspaper photojournalism/documentary background and want to continue in that tradition? I've looked at the so-called "top" programs such as Yale, etc. and the work coming out of them just isn't my cup of tea. I've found ONE program - MFA in Documentary Media at Ryerson - but that's in Canada, and I'd like to stay in the U.S. if possible. And yes, I've already looked at journalism-centric graduate programs like Ohio and Missouri, but my intention is to move more toward the fine art side of the gray zone. I would also like to leave open the remote possibility of teaching photography at the college level, which as I understand generally requires an MFA rather than MA.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[littlenova]

I've looked at the so-called "top" programs such as Yale, etc. and the work coming out of them just isn't my cup of tea.

I dunno. I think it might be difficult to stay relevant in the field of photography without fully appreciating contemporary fine art photography. (more conceptually driven projects like the ones you see in programs like Yale...) I think commercial media, even photojournalism, evolves from what's happening in the art world. I just did a residency with a photographer that works alot for National Geographic and Time magazines but, got his MFA doing more conceptual work. He has a broad fine arts background. He brings this sensitivity to his commercial work and is quite successful at it. I would describe him as an artist first who happens to take on commercial projects.

I mean, the whole structure of an MFA program is to explore the theoretical vein of lens-based media. If you are "moving into the Fine Art side" then, Yale is sort of indicative of where art is right now.

There are some programs that are more accepting of documentary style work:

ICP-They offer lots of continuing education...

They also offer an MFA...but, again,the program with Bard is HIGHLY conceptual.

SVA-Social Documentary MFA

RIT-Less emphasis on conceptual work

SCAD-Less emphasis on conceptual work

I think there is a way to shoot documentary style work in a really significant way...Here are some standouts to me:

Daniel Traub

Dawoud Bey

http://vervephoto.wordpress.com/

Edited February 12, 2010 by littlenova

[nathancotephoto]

My memory is hazy but i think this is one of the more well known strictly photojournalism schools and programs.

http://photojournalism.missouri.edu/

Being a state school you could look at some decent funding but I'm not sure.

SVA and International Center for Photography are both in NY and are private schools but there is a lot of beautiful work coming out of there both in the art/photography programs and the photojournalism programs.

[michaelwebster]

An MFA program might want you to go in a direction you dont want to. Even smaller traditional schools will still push some kind of conceptual framework. Any worthwhile school will try to make you throw the so called objectivity of photojournalism out the door first thing.

[littlenova]

An MFA program might want you to go in a direction you dont want to. Even smaller traditional schools will still push some kind of conceptual framework. Any worthwhile school will try to make you throw the so called objectivity of photojournalism out the door first thing.

Absolutely.

[culprit]

@littenova: Thank you for the suggestions. Please don't make the assumption that I don't appreciate contemporary art photography - most of the books I own are by art photographers. But the guys I admire - people like Doug Dubois and Alec Soth, whose books are the latest entries into my library - successfully (in my opinion) navigate the gray zone between conceptual and documentary. That's the kind of work I'd like to do. About Yale, I just don't buy that. There are plenty of people doing exceptional work in contemporary art photography and most of them don't parrot Crewdson, nor do they have anything to do with Yale. Besides, it's all about the work, isn't it? And after looking at the work coming out of there, I suspect most people going gaga over Yale are more obsessed over the brand name of the school than anything else, but that's just my opinion, and probably something for a different discussion.

@nathancotephoto: Yes, as I mentioned I'm already aware of Missouri and Ohio, but those are MA programs.

@michaelwebster: MFA programs that try to pigeonhole everyone into the same mold are precisely the ones I want to avoid. And this is a common misconception so let's nip it in the bud: There is no such thing as objectivity in photojournalism. A photojournalist does try to be fair and accurate (maybe that's what you meant?) but it's not nearly the same thing as objectivity, and takes effort because human beings are inherently biased by nature. The second a photojournalist stops exerting the effort to be fair and accurate, and starts looking at the world as they see it, then their work is no longer photojournalism. Christopher Anderson's Capitolio is a recent case in point, reviewed by Joerg Colberg back in September:

http://www.jmcolberg...r_anderson.html

Guys, I appreciate your taking the time to respond to my question, but given the deluge of MFA programs today, I was simply hoping that someone would know of a U.S. based MFA program similar to the one at Ryerson in Canada. If there aren't, or if nobody knows of one, then that's fine. I wasn't looking for treatises on contemporary art or photojournalism theory.

[littlenova]

@culprit: Warning. This is a forum...Opinions come with the territory.

Doug Dubois is huge to me. (See my other posts about how much I love Syracuse, etc...)

I would not discount Yale, though...(Incidentally, Doug Dubois has shown there alot and has been a visiting professor there several times.)

It is all about the work...and some AMAZING young photo talent has come out of Yale:

Angela Strassheim

Jen Davis

Seyeon Yun

and one of my all time heroes...Anna Gaskell.

Yale's name means nothing to me. I don't even care about their "rankings", but I would not label them as a bunch of Crewdson parrots. Some people on this board applied there, and I hope they get in. It's an amazing program. I don't attribute that to Greg Crewdson alone... but the entire department, their proximity to NY art fairs and their funding.

They have consistently good work.

Here is more of my bloated opinion (since you seem to love debate):

people like Doug Dubois and Alec Soth, whose books are the latest entries into my library - successfully (in my opinion) navigate the gray zone between conceptual and documentary. That's the kind of work I'd like to do.

You should already be doing this kind of work if you are applying to an MFA program. If you are...then don't call yourself an ex-photojournalist. Call yourself an artist and distance yourself from journalism. Embrace the moments where it was more than an assignment in your portfolio and...there is your voice. If you are successful, you will get into an amazing program---and nothing else will matter.

Edited February 16, 2010 by littlenova

[aphotostudent]

If you're a huge Alec Soth and Doug Dubois fan, you might consider the U Hartford Limited Residency MFA Program. It's a new program and they're offering some merit scholarships.

The program I'm in also has a very diverse student body (SVA Photo MFA) and has been amazing so far.

[culprit]

@culprit: Warning. This is a forum...Opinions come with the territory.

Yes, I realize that It's just that I asked a fairly specific question and certain people chose to use the opportunity to bait me into a debate I didn't ask for. Point well taken about the talent; there will always be wheat in the chaff and that's true for any program. I feel the same way about rankings. I have my own doubts about them because the way they're arrived at is a little dubious to me, at least for the arts. Unlike certain fields such as medicine, business, law, etc., in which statistical data are part of the methodology, U.S. News and World Report rankings for arts programs are based solely on so-called "expert" opinion. Of course, that's the nature of subjective areas of study, so it really can't be helped - but it really does diminish the objective value of "rankings" in those fields.

In any case, thank you for your thoughts.

[culprit]

If you're a huge Alec Soth and Doug Dubois fan, you might consider the U Hartford Limited Residency MFA Program. It's a new program and they're offering some merit scholarships.

The program I'm in also has a very diverse student body (SVA Photo MFA) and has been amazing so far.

Hi... that you, James? Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am already following your blog with great interest. SVA is on my radar screen but I'm going to have to go back and do some Art History classes before I can even apply - my background is in science. Somehow I don't think SVA will care that I own several major Art History textbooks and have read them cover to cover multiple times - they understandably want to see a transcript! Thank you for the Hartford suggestion. I wasn't considering a low residency option before, but I now realize that it may allow me to get some long term projects underway without being stuck geographically in one place. Of course, I will have to give up the total immersion of a traditional program. Decisions, decisions...