The photographic lens captures subjects in a diverse world that teems with visual possibility.
It performs the role of high art and acute observation. It fuels collective and personal memory; it documents everything from relationships to athletics.

And for many of Northwestern’s student photographers, the practice is a creative outlet and a way to share their unique perspectives on the world. The Department of Art Theory and Practice offers an Introduction to Photography class, but it only focuses on film photography to produce high quality black and white prints. In the absence of digital photography classes, students turn to outside instruction or the only photo specific club on campus — Panoramic Photography Club.

The club creates a photography community and provides a space to learn, said Weinberg sophomore Sophia Liu, a member of the club’s executive board. The club facilitates student camera rentals free of charge and hosts virtual tutorials on its Facebook page. Soon, the club will resume hosting workshops to teach students photography skills. Before the pandemic, the club organized photo outings to downtown Chicago.

Liu quickly fell in love with photography in high school, after her father bought her first camera. The pair bonded over a shared passion for taking pictures in the woods near their home in Williamsburg, Va.

With time, Liu developed a unique “eye,” or artistic vision, for her subjects. Specifically, she said was attracted to flaws, and the stories behind them, like a broken window.

“I like that outlet for my creativity,” Liu said. “It allows me to capture something in the way I see it and show other people how I am viewing the world.”

Weinberg sophomore Collin Porter, another photographer, hopes to become more involved with the club in future quarters.

Before diving into digital single-lens reflex photography, Porter started as a drone photographer, capturing from above the hills, forests and windmills in his hometown of Williamsport, Penn. Porter’s drone footage also helped his high school marching band hone its formations.

Porter treats photography as a side business, occasionally taking senior portraits. One day, he hopes to have his prints hung in an art gallery. Part of Porter’s style lies in transforming the common object or subject and showing it in a fresh light.

“The approach is seeing what creative things I can do with things people might see everyday,” Porter said. “Recently, I took a bunch of photos of the fall colors on campus, and I took advantage of that by approaching it from different angles and experimenting with color editing, trying to see how I could change it and elevate it above the level of the mundane.”

McCormick sophomore Joshua Jung carries a camera at all times so he can document daily life. Jung has five cameras, and each serves a specific purpose. Photography is Jung’s passion, and it’s a small source of income that he hopes can offset the costs of the expensive hobby. 

“I always have a camera with me to try to capture those moments that are very fleeting but are very special if you capture them,” Jung said. “One of my favorite things to do is to give back to my friends by always taking pictures and sharing them. If I can continue to document stories like that, I would be happy.”

A high school photography course introduced Weinberg sophomore Adam Leif to the craft.

While Leif doesn’t typically approach a subject intending to capture a specific emotion, he said he wants to challenge himself by moving in that direction, creating more conceptual images. 

“I think what makes me proud is photos that I don’t have to edit too much,” Leif said.  “If I see something that I think looks cool (or) pretty, you have moments where you see stuff and are like, ‘That’s really something.’”

One way Liu distinguishes her photography is through a varied use of aperture (the amount of light allowed into the camera) that allows more selective focus within her imagery. Her equipment aids this — she uses vintage film lenses with converters for digital cameras that have large apertures, which allow a greater depth of focus. Using smaller apertures are useful in narrowing focus, like many portraits demand. 

Ultimately, Liu said she enjoys walking around with her camera, capturing nature and using different features such as trees to frame her subjects. 

“I would describe myself as a pretty observant person,” Liu said. “With photography, I am able to show the small things I am noticing.”

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Twitter: @JackAustinNews

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