By Darryl Gangloff

Photography, film, and related media students recently participated in two field trips—one in a campus construction zone, and another in New York City—to inspire their creativity and give them hands-on experience outside of the School’s pastoral setting. 

The first excursion was a short trek to Hotchkiss's Memorial Hall, where senior photography students entered the building and captured photos of the ongoing renovation process. “Memo provided an industrial space full of memories and interesting architectural artifacts,” said Greg Lock, director of photography, film, and related media, and instructor in photography. For example, Tessa Pascarella ’23 stood in the shell of her old dorm room, and the group read the graffiti from its last inhabitants.

The second trip took upper-level students to New York City to view the Museum of Modern Art exhibit Wolfgang Tillmans: To Look Without Fear. They explored Tillmans’ historically important work in the artist’s first museum survey. “It was breathtaking and proved to be very inspirational for students,” Lock said.

The group then traveled to the Chelsea District of Manhattan to see other art shows, including William Eggleston: The Outlands. The majority of the photos in this exhibit have never before been seen publicly. 

During their time in the city, second-year film students Doug Wang ’23, Anika Balwada ’23, and Amelie Zhang ’23 shot a Hitchcock-inspired chase sequence, while first-year film students Angela Li ’24, Sam Mao ’24, Taylor Hemelt ’23, and Ken Matanachai ’24 acted and shot footage for a “making of” documentary. “The opportunity for street photography and to make a short urban film is only available in a metropolis, which was part of our choice for this trip,” Lock said.