HILLIARD, Ohio -- Photography classes that traditionally used a darkroom and film are now completely digital.
The change in the curriculum makes the class more applicable to today’s world, but some students miss the unique experience of getting to use the darkroom to develop film.
The change was needed because of Bradley’s building plans, the way the profession is going and money.
“The photo classes were decided to be digital a few years ago when the building plan was finalized," Principal Dave Stewart said.
A small cove in the photo room was either going to be a darkroom or a studio, and because photographers use almost all digital equipment now, it is used as a studio.
“The building needed to reflect the 21st century and the current time period,” Stewart said.
Photography Teacher Katie Owens also commented on how money is an issue with traditional photography classes.
“The darkroom products are becoming less available and more costly," Owens said.
There are also advantages to teaching digital photography.
“In a world with so many kids posting pictures on sites like Facebook every day, they can post really nice images because they learn how a digital camera works and how to use Photoshop to enhance those images,” Owens said.
Though the costs are less, and there are real-world applications for the new class, some still would rather have the traditional class.
“I miss the darkrooms. It was so much fun seeing the pictures develop right in front of your eyes, instead of just printing them off," junior Photo II student Deanna Norwood said.
On the other hand, junior Kellie Peltomaa, also in Photo II, said that she likes digital photography better.
She said digital photography is easier because “you can see pictures right away, and see if you like them or not. It’s also easier to make changes to the photos.”
Amanda Crabb, a new photo student, said that she likes digital photography but feels like she missed out on the darkroom experience.
“I wanted to learn how to take, develop and print photos using film," Crabb said.
Because of new advances in technology, professional photography is almost all digital.
The traditional way photo classes are taught was changed so that students could learn the things they would need to know to be successful in the field of photography.
“It was the best way to prepare students for the real world,” Stewart said.
This story first was written for Hilliard Bradley’s The Reporter and shared with NBC 4 as part of a media collaboration between schools and the station.
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