Exploring Digital Photography and South Florida: Miami & Key West
$995 | IN-PERSON | 72 Hours (equivalent to 6 credits)
DAY 1: 1:00PM – 7:00PM
DAY 2: 9:00AM – 8:00PM
DAY 3: 6:00AM – 10:00PM
DAY 4: 8:00AM – 4:00PM
Offered in collaboration with Hudson County Community College
Photography Instructors: Sara Abassi & Frederick Criswell
Cultural Instructors/Class Coordinators: Liana Vasseur & Andrea Smith
SPACE IS VERY LIMITED, SO REGISTER EARLY!!
**We reserve the right to change any of the activities listed below, should any of them be unavailable due to inclement weather.
February 1 – 4, 2025
April 5 – 8, 2025
May 3 – 6, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this Photography + Destination Combination class, you will learn about basic digital photography and apply your new knowledge and skills during a trip to Miami and Key West in Florida. This course is for anyone who loves to travel, learn about new places, and is interested in improving their photography skills, using any digital camera or smart phone, so that you can take exceptional pictures when you travel. During this 4-day hands-on class, you will get to experience the culture, art, history, literature and marine life of South Florida.
We will meet with a photographer with whom you will explore the concept of exposure, color balance, and composition. You will look into shooting macro (close up) photography and landscape, as well as focus on basic editing and retouching techniques.
Home to historic buildings, state-of-the-art green spaces and the city’s best museum, Downtown Miami is far more than the 9-5 neighborhood it was once known for. You will get to see Freedom Tower and Bayfront Park, just to mention a few places.
During a visit to Wynwood Art District, you will be able to take pictures of beautiful art and murals. Wynwood is an outdoor museum showcasing large-scale works by some of the world’s best-known street artists. This is also where world-famous Art Basel takes place every year.
You will tour Miami Beach’s Art Deco Historic District, which boasts colorful buildings, interesting décor elements, intricate details and a century-old history that offers a glimpse into a bygone era. This will be a great opportunity to take some fabulous pictures.
While in Little Havana we will learn about the Cuban influence in Miami, as it is present everywhere: in the cuisine, the music, the bars and overall vibe of the city. You will visit important landmarks such as its Walk of Fame, the Bay of Pigs Invasion memorial, Domino Park and many more.
We will escape to the wilderness of the Everglades National Park and explore some wildlife. The Everglades is a 1.5-million-acre wetlands preserve on the southern tip of the U.S. state of Florida. Often compared to a grassy, slow-moving river, the Everglades is made up of coastal mangroves, sawgrass marshes and pine flatwoods that are home to hundreds of animal species.
During a day trip to Key West, the southernmost point in the United States, we will visit historic sites such as Key West Museum of Art & History, walk past Ernest Hemingway House and Mallory Square. You will be able to take stunning pictures of the pastel colored, conch-style architecture and you will also learn about the Florida Reef System, which is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the continental US.
There will also be time to explore Key West a little bit on your own, and if time allows, there might be an option to go snorkeling (extra cost of $60) and explore the crystal-clear waters of Key West, discover the natural wonders of the beautiful coral reef and enjoy a close-up look of its vibrant marine life. **Snorkeling is weather-permitting**
**Make sure you bring comfortable shoes (there will be plenty of walking), a towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, and of course camera/phone!
Your post-assignments will consist of editing your pictures from the trip as well as assignments demonstrating your knowledge of Miami, Key West and all the places you visited.
PRICE INCLUDES
– Tuition fees
– 3 x nights of accommodations at Beds N Drinks Hostel in Miami Beach ( sleep in your own bunk bed)
– Local transportation costs to and from all activities
– 1 x Cuban lunch in Little Havana
– Day trip to Key West
– 1/2 day trip to the Everglades
– All activities including entrance fees to parks and museums
– Registration fees
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
– Airfare to/from Miami, FL
– Transportation to/from airport
– Meals (Except for one Cuban lunch)
ASSIGNMENTS & COMPLETION CERTIFICATE
In addition to the in-person meetings, this class will include pre-assignments and post-assignments as part of the 72-hour class.
You will be invited to join Google Classroom about a month before class starts, which is the platform we use for the course. Check your spam folder, as invitations to join Google Classroom sometimes end up there. Please make sure you register for the course with a valid email address, since this is where you will receive the invitation and later, your certificate. Your email has to be Google compatible, so it’s best to use gmail, outlook, hotmail or yahoo. If you do not receive a notification to join Google Classroom, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact us.
Pre-assignments will be posted on Google Classroom 3 weeks before class starts. Make sure you join Google Classroom early and complete the assignments BEFORE coming to class. It will take you approximately 18 hours to complete
Follow-up assignments will be posted on Google Classroom on the weekend of class, and also consist of 18 hours. You must complete them in order to receive your course completion certificate. Course completion certificates will be emailed to you, a few days after the class has officially ended. You will have 4 weeks to complete the assignments. If you need your certificate earlier, please indicate it during the registration process and upload proof. The earliest you can receive your certificate is ONE WEEK after in-person portion of class has concluded.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance IS MANDATORY all days during the trip in South Florida. If you are late or leave early, your will risk not receiving your certificate. Please note, that this is a long weekend intensive class and the days are long. Bring comfortable shoes, water, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen and of course your camera/phone. We expect you to come to class rested and ready to participate, learn and have fun!
SCHEDULE
DAY 1: 1:00PM – 7:00PM
DAY 2: 9:00AM – 8:00PM
DAY 3: 6:00AM – 10:00PM
DAY 4: 8:00AM – 4:00PM
** Detailed agenda, schedule and information will be shared on Google Classroom 2 weeks prior to class start date. All registered students will connect via WhatsApp, giving an opportunity to get to know each other before the trip and make plans to share a taxi from the airport.