NMU Photography Program

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Marquette, MI
NMU Photography Program

Photography and art related happenings and opportunities for Northern Michigan University students and beyond.

The photography track within the School of Art & Design at Northern Michigan University starts with a strong foundation of technical expertise and compositional awareness. The lower-level classes are rooted in giving students a strong foundation of technical skills and visual literacy; Students learn how to use their cameras as a tool to successfully make the photographs they envision, how to prod

uce professional-grade inkjet prints, how to employ basic lighting techniques, about film photography and traditional methods of analog printing, and advanced post-processing methods with software such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. As students move through the upper-level courses, the foundational skills that were learned in the earlier classes are built upon - students learn advanced studio lighting techniques, alternative and historical photographic processes such as cyanotypes, among many other skills. Upper-level classes also provide an in-depth exploration into concept development and the creation of meaning within photographic works. Students leave their last class with several portfolio ready series of works - which they can then use to apply for jobs, graduate school, or exhibitions. Whether you come to the program interested in commercial, documentary, or fine-art photography - the program leaves room for each individual student to follow their interests and develop portfolios that will help them in succeeding in their desired career path.

08/24/2026

Looking forward to seeing your faces in the classroom and your photographs on the wall! Let’s make this school year the best one yet!

07/29/2026

Photography classroom by day. 📸
Wildlife observatory by chance. 🦌

Northern Michigan University | Public College on Lake Superior NMU School of Art & Design

04/28/2026

Digital Methods 📸 students presented their final projects over the last two weeks. Ten-image portfolios exploring a wide variety of self-directed topics ranging from identity to athleticism, mental health to fashion, from documenting the mundane to staging moments of fairytale. Students used techniques such as self-portraiture, long-exposures, thermal-imaging cameras, studio lighting, and collage to achieve their work and ✨WOWZA✨ they did not disappoint! What a way to round out the end of the semester. Congratulations to everyone on their remarkable work this semester.

03/26/2026

students installed work at in downtown Marquette this week 😍 You’ll want to add this to your list of things to do! Treat yourself to a coffee while you’re there (and don’t forget to tip your barista!) ❤️☕️📸

01/26/2026

📸 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: SEEN/UNSEEN

NMU photography students & recent alumni — this one’s for you!

SEEN/UNSEEN is our annual juried student photography exhibition, celebrating the wide range of work being made by photographers at NMU. The theme is intentionally broad and open-ended—almost anything can fit.

✨ Work does not need to be made for class
✨ Literal, conceptual, abstract, personal—it’s all welcome
✨ Selected work will be printed + framed by NMU Photo

📍 The Crib + Art & Design Lobby
📅 Submission deadline: WEDNESDAY, JAN 28

Submit up to 3 images. You probably already have work that fits 👀

🔗 Link in bio

10/18/2025

We had so much fun hanging out in the darkroom making photograms with our majors for a day! 📸 Thanks for coming to experience the magic of the darkroom and analog photography!

If I can, I’ll mail out any leftover prints to your art teachers!

.theatre.and.dance

08/29/2025

First week back to school in the books! We got started immediately in the Analog Methods class by developing our first rolls of film 📸 Welcome back, Wildcats! Let’s make this the best year yet!

04/03/2025

Come say hi 👋 tomorrow evening at ! Admire some artwork, drink some coffee, make new art friends! See you there from 6-7:30pm 📸👯☕️✨

01/22/2025

📸 CALL FOR ENTRIES: SEEN/UNSEEN 🌟

Explore the hidden and the visible in our juried student photography exhibition! Open to NMU students and recent alumni who’ve taken a photography course at NMU. Showcase your work at and in the lobby - let your vision be seen. We will print and finish your work for exhibition - no shipping costs!

🔗 Submission Deadline: Friday, January 31
📩 Submit up to 3 images - link for submission in bio!
✨ Don’t miss this chance to have your work seen by our community!
❓Questions? More information in bio or send us a message!

12/04/2024

ICYMI Every semester all of the foundations level classes at do a project following a common theme - this year that theme is METAMORPHOSIS! Here is a selection of the photograms that the Photography Foundations course made in the darkroom for the project.

Photograms are made by placing objects on top of light sensitive paper, exposing it using an enlarger, and then developing the paper using photo chemistry. It’s always such a fun day getting to introduce the intro students to the magic of the darkroom!

Address

1401 Presque Isle Avenue
Marquette, MI
49855

Telephone

(906) 227-2194

Website

http://art.nmu.edu/department/photo/

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