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 a Los Angeles based artist and educator whose work has been exhibited internationally and whose writing has been published in several books and journals. Recent exhibitions include FTM Searching (Czong Institute of Contemporary Art, South Korea, 2019) and UnFunction (Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts, 2018). His work has been written about in Pedagogy, Image Practices, and Contested Corporealities by Sarah Brophy, Janice Hladki and published by Routledge in 2016, and Disrupting Bodies, Disrupting Narratives in the Journal of The New Media Caucus in 2015, and several more. Recent writing publications include, Boyle Heights and The Fight Against Gentrification As State Violence (The American Quarterly Journal, published by John Hopkins Press, 2019), Tracing Trauma (On The Bus, published by BazBam Press, 2018), Intersectional Practices (Issues #2. Vol. 2., edited by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener), and Nicole Killian (published by Print Matter.) In 2018 he attended Marble House Project Artist Residency funded by the National Endowment For The Arts. O’Brien has lectured all over the country, including Emory College (2015), California State University, Long Beach (2015), California College for The Arts (2016), University of Illinois, Chicago (2017), School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2017), and upcoming lectures include University of California, Santa Cruz, American University in Beirut, Lebanon, and the National Women Studies Association Conference.
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.
Andre Keichian, Full Time Faculty: MFA in Photography & Media and Integrated Media, The California Institute of the Arts. Andre Keichian is an interdisciplinary artist working across photography, video, and installation. Working with the dynamism of these mediums, Andre’s work exists at the intersection of image, sound, movement, and mass, conjuring fluid identities. Keichian has shown both locally (RedCat, Human Resources, Table Chicago, MOCA GA, Main Museum) and internationally (Argentina, Ecuador, France, Spain). His work has been published by Picture Newspaper and by the Zuckerman Museum of Art. Andre has received fellowships with at land’s edge and WonderRoot’s Walthall Program, held residencies with the Echo Park Film Center, the Creatives Project, and Dashboard Co-Op, and was a finalist for The Forward Foundation Emerging Artist Award and the Southwest Airlines Art Social Engagement Project.
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
