Living and studying within proximity to the major photographic markets of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties, students in CBU's photography program are given opportunities to engage with professionals at industry events, attend artist talks, and view contemporary exhibitions. These real-world opportunities will nurture their artistic practice in their future careers.
Photography, B.A.
CBU's photography major explores the practice and theory of photography via technical understandings and methodological explorations of the photography medium as applied to commercial, fine art, and social practice.
Program Intro
Through the introduction of narrative, conceptual development, and Christian worldview, students in CBU's photography program will acquire a unique stylistic aesthetic and photographic voice, leading to a professional portfolio. Best practices, latest technologies, ideation, craft, and business acumen are embedded into the instruction and mentorship – all with the intention of sending graduates out to make an impact for the Kingdom.
Why Study Photography at CBU?
Get Outside the Classroom
Classrooms are integral but they are a place to stagnate. Whether it is a mountain shoot, internship, studio tour, desert shoot, pool shoot, field trip, speaking engagement or just fellowship, we build a community of designers that connect on campus and off. Our students learn to understand the power of their work and grow to direct others — then to change others.
Gain Real-World Experience
Program Details
PHO 330: Visual Storytelling
This course integrates a conceptual framework and narrative structure into the photographic process. Utilizing color, design and visual communication skills to evoke emotion, students will learn how narrative shapes messaging.
PHO 432: Location Lighting
Students will be able to approach locations efficiently to determine what artificial lighting methods to introduce, to create technically refined photographs.
PHO 499: Portfolio and Gallery
Students will apply the skills necessary for the professional presentation of a completed body of work including editing, sequencing, printing, marketing, portfolio design, and gallery presentation.
Christopher Kern, M.F.A.
Associate Professor of Photography
Program Lead, Photography
Office Phone: 951-552-8150
E-mail: ckern@calbaptist.edu
Office Location: ABPK B26
Christine Smith, MFA
Lecturer of Photography
Office Phone: 951-343-4442
E-mail: chsmith@calbaptist.edu
Office Location: ABPK 26
- Students will define a unique stylistic aesthetic while demonstrating elements of visual storytelling through narrative, concept, design, and Christian worldview.
- Students through the critique process, will be able to articulate key formal and conceptual issues in photographic work using language specific to their field.
- Students will be proficient in studio and location lighting, utilizing tools current in the photography industry.
- Students will demonstrate a professional digital workflow; from capture, to post-production, to digital delivery and print output.
- Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of business practices and industry standards relevant to their concentration.
Students continue to be recognized by the industry for their photographic works. Nationally by; Communication Arts, American Photography, and the American Photographic Artists. And internationally by the Lucie Foundation’s International Photography Awards.
2023 International Photography Awards – Official Selection
2023 American Photography 39
2023 Communication Arts Photography Annual 64
2023 Communication Arts Photography Shortlist
2022 Untitled Show – APA San Diego
2022 International Photography Awards – Honorable Mention
2022 Communication Arts Photography Annual 63
2022 Communication Arts Photography Shortlist
2022 American Photography 38
2022 Communication Arts Student Showcase
2021 Untitled Show – APA San Diego
2021 International Photography Awards – Honorable Mention
2021 Communication Arts Photography Shortlist
2021 American Photography 37
Going into photography, I just wanted to make cool images, from a commercial standpoint. [A professor] opened my eyes, that I could do this to help people and to actually shed light on God and bring glory to Him.
Raymond Alva '22
My time at CBU prepared me by allowing me to get a head start in this industry. I tried everything I could and learned what worked and what didn’t those four years so by the time I graduated I was ahead of the curve and could easily make that transition to a professional.
Jacob Gonzalez '17
Lead Photographer, Austin FC
Student Work
We think outside the box on where to display students’ work. Locations have included pop-up gallery shows, the spring show in shipping containers, downtown Riverside Arts Walk, and Ontario International Airport.
Expand itemOntario International Airport Exhibit
Photos by Ryan Fields (’22), in the Ontario International Airport, focus on surfing. CBU photography holds an exhibit space in the Ontario International Airport's Terminal 4 as part of Art at the Airport. Ryan Fields' photos on surfing were featured. “I was honored and so excited that more people will be able to view the work we put so much time and effort into,” Fields said. “I hope my work is able to give a look into what the culture of surfing really is and emphasize the craftsmanship that goes into a surfboard.”
Expand itemSpring Show 2022
Students at California Baptist University had their photography on display on campus for the first Spring Show in 2022. Storage containers were used to create a temporary pop-up providing over 400 feet of space, located on Lancer Lane and Campus View, next to the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building. Each container featured photographic prints with gallery-style lighting.
Expand itemSpring Show 2022
Students at California Baptist University had their photography on display on campus for the first Spring Show in 2022. Storage containers were used to create a temporary pop-up providing over 400 feet of space, located on Lancer Lane and Campus View, next to the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building. Each container featured photographic prints with gallery-style lighting.
Expand itemSpring Show 2022
Students at California Baptist University had their photography on display on campus for the first Spring Show in 2022. Storage containers were used to create a temporary pop-up providing over 400 feet of space, located on Lancer Lane and Campus View, next to the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building. Each container featured photographic prints with gallery-style lighting.
Expand itemSpring Show 2023
Exhibits for the 2023 CBU Photography + Graphic Design Spring Show took place on the sidewalk next to the Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering Building at California Baptist University. More than 50 students — 31 photography and 23 graphic design and visual experience students — had their work featured. The work was critiqued by students and faculty throughout the year, with the program leads making the final selection. For the show, the photos and graphic designs were printed on professional outdoor vinyl, yielding photo-quality prints that withstand the weather, and installed on structural pipes to create 6x6x6 cubes.
Expand itemSpring Show 2023
Exhibits for the 2023 CBU Photography + Graphic Design Spring Show took place on the sidewalk next to the Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering Building at California Baptist University. More than 50 students — 31 photography and 23 graphic design and visual experience students — had their work featured. The work was critiqued by students and faculty throughout the year, with the program leads making the final selection. For the show, the photos and graphic designs were printed on professional outdoor vinyl, yielding photo-quality prints that withstand the weather, and installed on structural pipes to create 6x6x6 cubes.
Expand itemDavid Ardill
In Re-Perception, David Ardill creates moments through images that are rooted in reality but separated through fantasy. Rather than looking at objects and the world at face value, he takes ordinary and seemingly mundane elements and subtly repurposes them into something extravagant. Resembling a child’s imaginative ability to create anything out of nothing, he aims to achieve the same framework throughout his imagery. Photography is his way to connect with others, not only by connecting with an audience but also through the image-making process itself. While he is still driven by the result of the imagery, he embraces the process of collaboration as much as, if not more than the result. He takes his viewers with him through this process as he creates unique environments for each subject. His vision is to change the viewers’ perception of the world around them through the images he captures.
Expand itemRyan Fields
“Hand Shaped” is a documentary photography project that dives deep into the surf culture and connects with the individuals that create surfboards. Handmade surfboards are a specialty craft at this point in history. In an era of computer autonomy, it can seem inefficient and unnecessary to make with our hands. For many, shaping represents the freedom to build and ride any board one can imagine and the satisfaction of every build. Shapers use fluorescent light cut from the top and bottom to form a precise ray of light that reveals shapes hidden within surfboards that are invisible to the eye otherwise. I chose to take a step back, observe the unobserved, and portray the attention to detail that occurs without my presence becoming aware.
Expand itemValeria Ramirez
“Mi Vida.” is a photographic project where Valeria Ramirez captures the life, history, and culture of her parents, as well as her own. Her mother, Rosario, is from Guadalajara, Mexico, and her Father, Manuel, is from Queretaro, Mexico. Ramirez takes the viewer on a journey through the members of her family, precious heirlooms, and their environment, the work throughout the series exemplifies the value of discovering one’s history, customs, and culture and how doing so will enhance an individual’s unique self-identity.
Expand itemTricia Byerrum
Photographer Tricia Byerrum travels California exploring the various attributes of modern cowboys and cowgirls. Her project, “The California Cowboy,” artistically documents the American West with a specific gaze on the state’s multitude of regions and communities that help cater to its diversity of horsemen. Tricia believes a cowboy is hardworking, honest, and devoted to the outdoors, livestock, and the western lifestyle. Being a cowboy should not be a fashion or a trend. It is a lifestyle and reflections from the heart. Many people have a particular perception of the “mythical cowboy.” A lone wolf who takes on and conquers anything and lives in a world without a need for other people. Tricia shares that most cowboys and cowgirls she meets care about their surrounding community and families. She discovers more than just the typical old western cowboy. Vaqueros, Charros, Cowpunchers, Buckaroos, Rodeo Athletes, and Black cowboys all are passionate about their inclusion in this world. Tricia’s goal is to showcase all the different types of cowboys throughout California by illustrating the hardships and beauty of this rugged yet fulfilling lifestyle through the blend of traditional and modern values.
Expand itemCamille Rose
Having grown up in the performing arts world and leaving it behind to pursue her career goals, Camille Rose finds it difficult to forget her theatrical past. However, through her photographic work, she captures the unseen moments of theatrical life and backstage production and discovers a new role to play within show business. This photographic series pulls back the curtain to reveal the hidden perspectives of theatrical performers and technicians. There are months of work and repetition that go into live performances. Between the first table read to closing night, hundreds of quick decisions and changes are made by people the audience will never see on stage. Costume designers might switch around fabrics, or directors will stage a scene in multiple different ways before settling on a decision. In some unfortunate cases, a prop gets lost, but the audience never knows. Camille Rose’s photographic series offers a window that peers behind the dazzling theatrics on stage. The moments that are [UN]Scene.
Expand itemRaymond Alva
“For what it is” by Raymond Alva is a documentary and portrait-based project revolving around skateboarding culture and those within it. This project has become a symbol of what skateboarding is all about. Skating is not something that anyone can just pick up. It takes time. You must invest yourself in skateboarding to see it for what it is. This project has become poetic in itself due to the fact that the things I had to learn and areas I had to grow in were exactly what skaters have to deal with on the daily. Being a skater can bring on many problems. To be one though, you must understand how to adjust to what’s thrown at you and make the most out of it. Skateboarders are constantly falling on tricks, getting thrown out of spots, and learning to find solutions to their problems, whether on a board or off. Skateboarders are often seen as standoffish, but that is only because people don’t allow themselves to learn from their viewpoint. This pushes skaters to surround themselves with people like-minded to them, creating a bond stronger than any group I’ve ever seen. Their resilience and passion are something that every skater gains eventually, but something new skaters strive for in the beginning.
Student Opportunities: ONT Airport Display
Since fall 2022, photographs taken by CBU alumni have been displayed in Terminal 4 at the Ontario International Airport. It's part of their Art at the Airport initiative. CBU has the space for two years. Students’ work will be changed twice a year. “The prompt is to get the photographers' work out there to the public, to engage the community as a viewer and prompt curiosities and start conversations,” said Christopher Kern, photography program director.
Student Opportunities: Facilities
Photography students can make use of an indoor photography studio, equipment room with various cameras and accessories, a traditional darkroom, and a digital darkroom with 24 iMacs installed with the latest Adobe Creative Cloud and CaptureOne Pro software.
Student Opportunities: Shoot on Location
The classroom is only the start. Each year, CBU photography students arm themselves with cameras and head out to the desert and into the pool for an underwater shoot.
Career Possibilities
The opportunity to secure a job is now more possible than ever because of the shift from agency to client direct work, and the reclassification of the freelancer to an employee. Historically, these positions have been limited to the major advertising markets and to the contracting of freelancers. Studies in photography can lead to a variety of roles within the photography Industry.
- Photo / Lighting Assistant
- Digital Technician
- Digital Asset Manager
- Photo Retoucher
- Photo Producer
- Location Scout
- Studio / Location Manager
- Photography Manager / Agent
- Photo Researcher
- Photo Editor
- Art Buyer
- Curator
- Gallery Manager
- Editorial Photographer
- Ecommerce / Catalog / Studio Photographer
- Commercial Advertising Photographer
- Wedding and Portrait Photographer
- Fine Art Photographer
Related Programs
Ready to See Differently?
Discover. Define. Ideate. Prototype. Test. Our demand of the student is simple. See Differently.