John Miller, professor of professional practice in the Art History Department, believes that every student who enters his course is already a photographer. The experienced artist and critic helps students to develop the technical skills required to reimagine the relationship between the individual and the lens.
Immersion lies at the heart of Miller’s approach to teaching. After introducing students to the digital tools of the trade — Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop — he encourages them to become active observers of the world by capturing 40 photographs every two weeks. Whether working with digital or film mediums, the photographic process culminates in printing, facilitated by three state-of-the-art digital inkjet printers in Miller’s lab.
Students develop their photo diaries through two in-class presentations, where they receive critiques. “Getting feedback from their peers gives students a chance to grow and consider their work from different perspectives,” said Miller.
Barnard’s unique location in one of the artistic centers of the world provides its students with access to unparalleled resources, such as the International Center of Photography (ICP), located downtown NYC. There, Miller’s students are expected to complete 15 contact hours of instruction guidance from leading experts.
The course’s emphasis on engaging with professionals is further enriched by guest artist lecturers. Two artists from Berlin — curator Elisa Linn and architect Lennart Wolff — were invited to campus last fall, deepening the class’s connection to the global artistic community. For their final project, students pick from the pool of photographs they have collected over the course of the semester and learn to install and discuss their final selections.
Miller hopes his students leave his lab seeing the camera not just as an instrument for taking pictures but as a gateway into extending their own creative visions. “I try to create an atmosphere where there’s an open exchange of ideas,” he said. “It’s really wonderful our students have the chance to approach photography in so many different ways.”
To learn more about Supervised Projects in Photography, watch the video above.
—TARA TERRANOVA ’25
