IIT’s Institute of Design has a celebrated history as the only photography program in the nation to have had major museum shows and substantial books devoted to its methods and alumni.
Because photography is a way of understanding the world and communicating that understanding, it is an integral part of the Institute of Design’s (ID) Foundation program, a one-year immersion in design for incoming graduate students who don’t have a design background.
These students use photography as a tool for exploring the formal properties of images—color strategies, figure/ground relationships, visual hierarchy—and as a way of learning to closely observe the subject in its relation to time and social meaning as revealed through the unique properties of the medium.
Zack Jean Paradis
“Photography class makes you painfully aware of seeing the world in context. Paying attention to whatever ‘frames’ a photo, screen, page, or design problem allows you to more successfully communicate to an audience or end-user.”
Carmelina Piedra
“Photography has not only enhanced my attention to detail but also transformed my comprehensiveness in composition. Principles of hierarchy, figure-ground relationships, and color strategies, for example, translate directly from photography and are directly applicable in a variety of media.”
Andrea Small
“Photography is a way to express ideas, trigger emotions, and convey information using still photographs. Sometimes strong images can be used in design to create a statement or message without using words. As a designer, I use photography to complement, enhance, or even act as my overall design”
