Only at RITphoto: Production Photography
PHAP 337 – Production Photography Spring 2018
by Clay Patrick McBride
Senior Lecturer, Advertising Photographer
From the course syllabus
“Production Photography focuses on the storytelling side of professional illustration. Assignments for the course will include recreating historical events, inventing futuristic scenes, creating believable period pieces. All of the assignments will have an emphasis on narrative solutions. The course will introduce skills, concepts, preparation and teamwork required to successfully fulfill production level photo projects. Students in the class will be required to work as production teams to simulate the professional production environment.”
For the class’ final project, we photographed La Famiglia on April 25th in the RITphoto northlight studio. Initially we discussed called the project the RITphoto Mafia. After a number of conversations, the class choose not to use the word “Mafia” in the description because some of the community found it offensive even though the students found it more tongue and cheek. We ultimately titled the project “La Famiglia. Our concept spoke to the powerful community that guides RIT photo and one that we are all very proud to belong to. Below the picture is a BTS video made by the students in the class.
Shared below are some testimonials from the students in the class.
“This final project for me is really what RIT and SPAS is all about: all hands on deck experience focused on teamwork, real career scenarios and a supportive community. I’m proud to have been part of this project and help document the RIT family that I am so thankful for..”
Ellie Hughes 4th year AD student
“Production Photography is a class that perfectly exemplifies why I enrolled to study photography. It taught me that there is so much more to a photoshoot than bringing a camera to set. For the final I got the chance to take on the role in the industry that I hope to professionally pursue in the future. Working with such a great team, where everyone had a role that they committed to, was an exceptional experience that led me to be a part of the project that I am most proud of to date.”
Jaemi Rowe 3rd year AD student
“This class taught me so much about what it means to be a part of a team and doing whatever it takes to make it work. It helped me become more comfortable and confident as a photographer, as well as take on other roles like producer and retoucher. I am truly grateful to have worked with all the talented artists in my class!”
Nina Salerno 3rd year AD student
“Production Photography has probably been the most valuable class I’ve taken at photo school so far. The skills I’ve learned through working in a team will definitely influence my future work and motivate me to hold myself to a higher standard.”
Joel Beckwith 3rd year Visual Media Student
“The number thing I discovered from Production Photography was the depth of my own abilities. I learned I can make things happen in a short amount of time and work with others well. It connected my management/people skills with my artistry. It showed me where I fit in, in this industry. I also learned the importance of working together as a team and bringing together others skills to produce the best result.”
Candice Grimes Purtee 4th year AD student
about Clay Patrick McBride
NYC-based photographer Clay Patrick McBride began his visual training in the South of France, where he spent his late teens and early twenties studying painting and art history. He eventually turned his focus to photography, moving to New York City in the early 1990s to attend the School of Visual Arts. While earning his BFA, McBride developed a bold style of portraiture intended to both celebrate and empower the subject with humor and honesty.
McBride’s portraits of top athletes and musicians such as LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Norah Jones, Jay Z, and Kanye West have appeared in countless magazines, among them Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated and Parade. His commercial work includes dozens of album covers for Sony, Blue Note and Atlantic Records, as well as print campaigns for Pontiac, Boost Mobile and Nike. The past few years have seen McBride expand into moving pictures with a number of short film projects and music videos. Characterized by a stark surrealist quality, his film work is an exciting and logical extension of his still photography. Current productions include The Incredible Exploding Boy, an autobiographical feature that explores father-son relationships, insanity and addiction.
In 2013, McBride earned his Masters in Digital Photography from the School of Visual Arts – where he has also served as an instructor for nearly 10 years. McBride currently resides in Rochester NY and is a professor at the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology.