In today’s age, there is constant recording of life through photographs, whether it be a selfie on Snapchat through a phone camera or a scenic photo on a professional camera. Early on in my college career at Transylvania, I learned that there was no longer a minor or major for photography and that there hadn’t been for some time. Now, while it may be my own fault for not researching that about the school ahead of time, it still strikes me as a strange decision on the school’s part. Although it may have to do with the funding for such programs, staffing for classes, or the number of students drawn to such a career, I believe the program should still receive more recognition.
What drew my own attention to the subject was my interest in photographic design. Naturally, I checked to see if there were classes on the subject, and lo and behold, there are. There are multiple classes that offer skills that include photography or even center around the subject, such as “Intro to Photography.” Even with the variety of classes, I was discouraged once I was told that there is no major or minor for it at Transylvania. The common answer to the problem from most students is usually something like, “You could always build something to resemble a photography major or minor.” While this is true, it just doesn’t seem satisfactory to know that you would have to build a major or minor around a commonality of life like photography.
As said at the beginning of the article, photography has become ubiquitous in the everyday lives of millions of people. This was not true when the camera was created. Believe it or not, there was a time where cameras were only used by professionals. Now almost anyone and everyone possess the means to record history, to entertain others, or to voice what they believe in. Whether it is used as a form of expression, communication, symbolism, or even memory, photography is a part of life that cannot be overlooked. Because as the digital age grows and evolves, photography will only evolve with it and become even more important to the efficiency and history of humanity. That is why, as someone who is interested in the topic, career, and its importance to humanity, I urge that it should be reconsidered as an ingrained program of Transylvania University once again. What do you think?
