In an era where photography is more accessible and ubiquitous than ever before, standing out in a market increasingly populated by hobbyists and amateurs is harder than ever. At the Academy’s photography school in Los Angeles, students are immersed in the practical study of photography, learning the essential technical skills while developing their aesthetic voices and putting together a business plan for life after the Academy.
One of the key aspects that separates the Academy from other top photography schools in California is the emphasis on learning by doing. Students do not only receive in-class instruction on the history and technical demands of the craft, but gain practical hands-on experience shooting in a variety of locations, studios, and genres, helping students to develop myriad skills that include mastering different lighting sources and shooting in a variety of styles. It is this project-based and challenging curriculum that places NYFA’s Los Angeles photography school amongst the best photography schools in California and the world.
NYFA Student Spotlight with Photographyer Monika Sedziute
Photography Courses LA
When enrolling in a photography course at the Academy’s Los Angeles Photography School, students can expect to take many of the following photography courses, depending on their particular photography program or workshop.
Photo Foundations
Intermediate Lighting
Introduction to Lighting
Advanced Lighting
Concepts in Photography
History & Aesthetics of Photography
Capture to Print
Intermediate Imaging
Applied Photography Practices
The Moving Images
Portfolio Development
Processes & Cultures of Photography
View Camera
Photography as Fine Art
Business Practices for Photographers
Alternative Process
Advertising Photography
Photojournalism/Documentary
Portraiture
Photography Classes LA
Like other top photography schools, students interested in taking a photography program at the Academy are able to enroll at different dates throughout the year. A list of start dates can be viewed here.
PHOTOGRAPHY DEGREE LA
Offered at the Academy’s Los Angeles and South Beach campuses, students interested in making a full-time commitment to photography can choose from one of the following photography degree programs.
For students who wish to study at our Photography School for a brief and intensive period, attending a photography workshop at the Academy is a perfect way to obtain a comprehensive introduction to the craft of photography.
For students who wish to take a more in-depth approach to a photography program, our conservatory photography programs are a great way to explore in-depth the many facets of photography at the Academy’s photography school in Los Angeles.
One of the reasons that many consider the Academy to be one of the best photography schools in California is the fact that the Academy’s photography faculty in Los Angeles is comprised of award-winning photographers who have worked across the spectrum of photographic genres and remain active as professional photographers. Some of our noteworthy instructors include the following.
Kean O'Brien, Co-Chair of Photography, NYFA Los Angeles: Kean O'Brien is an educator and community organizer living and working in Los Angeles. He holds an MFA degree from the California Institute of Arts and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
O’Brien has served on the 2016 Artist Grant Review Panel for the City of West Hollywood, and has sat on multiple College Art Association Media Panels. He is published in Issues Volume 1 and 2, Buzzfeed MOTHA awards 2015, International Performance Almanac 2013 and 2014, and Wild Gender 2014. He has exhibited at Human Resources in Los Angeles, the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archive, Waterloo Arts in Cleveland, Barnsdall Art Center in Hollywood, REDCAT in Los Angeles, SRISA Gallery in Italy, and has been awarded curatorial grants from the City of West Hollywood Arts Council, Ronald Feldman Gallery NYC, and CalArts.
In 2017, Kean lectured at the University of Illinois Chicago and The School of The Art Institute of Chicago to discuss his work about community building through art practices, deconstructing and reconstructing ideas of identity and politics. Kean is currently working on a curatorial project and associated book that will be exhibited in 2019 in LA.
Naomi White, Co-Chair of Photography, NYFA Los Angeles: Naomi White is a feminist, visual artist, and educator, working in Los Angeles. She is the winner of PDN’s Objects of Desire award and has exhibited throughout North America and Europe, including with Tobey Fine Arts, Christopher Henry Gallery and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council in New York; GE World Headquarters in Connecticut; Saatchi Art Gallery and bG gallery in Santa Monica; and the NAA Festival Novas Artes Associadas in Barcelos, Portugal, Art Basel, Miami, and Photo LA. Her work has been published in PDN, The Brooklyn Rail, Uncertain States in the UK, and On Art & Aesthetics. White holds an MFA in Photography and Related Media from SVA in New York, and a BA in English Literature from San Francisco State. White investigates themes of consumerism and identity construction in our camera-bound world, focusing on the transformative power of photography to affect desire and change.
Amanda Rowan, Full Time Faculty: Amanda Rowan graduated Cum Laude from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU with a degree in Photography and Filmmaking. She has worked in NYC and LA as a portrait photographer shooting for corporate clients, international artists and pop celebrities. In 2014, Rowan published, Born Backstage, a photography book that documents the creative children of folk and rock legends of the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Photography Alumni
Over the years, alumni of our Photography School in LA have gone on to have their work published in national magazines and win numerous awards.
Career Opportunities
After completing the Academy’s Photography School in Los Angeles, students have a wide option of photographic careers they can pursue, often at the same time. After attending one of the best photography schools in California, some of the positions, magazines, contests, and companies NYFA's students have worked on or with include the following:
Fine Art Photographer
Commercial Photographer
Photojournalist
Wedding Photographer
Sports Photographer
Nature Photographer
Fashion Photographer
Aerial Photographer
Photo Printing
Retoucher
Event Photographer
Contact Us
To learn more about the Academy’s Photography School in LA, please call our offices at +1 (818) 333-3558 or click on the following links to download more information and an application.
▸ REQUEST INFO
▸ APPLY
1-888-988-NYFA | 1-818-333-3558 
*The expedition is planned and supervised by NYFA faculty and staff. Please note: participants pay for the costs of their transportation, accommodation, and food. The trip is scheduled during a school vacation or semester break. It is offered as an optional experience, students and alumni are not required to participate.
Photography Degrees
