"Rodeo" Image by Emma Fernelius

Brooks Institute presents the grand opening of “Revelar los Enlaces,” a student-developed documentary of Chile. The documentary, which chronicles the country’s people, life and culture, will premier as a multi-media presentation April 8, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the Granada Theater in Santa Barbara. Immediately following the premier, an exhibit and artists’ reception displaying the students’ documentary prints will be held at Brooks Institute’s Gallery 27.

As the premier date approached, the Feb. 27, 2010 earthquake in Chile became a focal point for the documentary group. With relief efforts underway, the students at Brooks Institute teamed up with Direct Relief International, a California-based, non-profit organization that provides financial and medical support to those in need. All proceeds resulting in the sale of the book and DVD will be donated to help the people of Chile. The students also will be collecting donations and conducting print auctions at the three gallery opening events.

“Chile now has a home in my heart,” said visual journalism student and documentary co-producer Jeff Johns.  “I realized we have an unbelievable opportunity to use these products we created to gain attention, awareness and relief for the victims of this horrible earthquake. By turning our opening events into fund raising opportunities, we have high hopes of raising funds to immediately impact those in desperate need.”

Each year, the visual journalism program of Brooks Institute offers an international documentary trip for interested Visual Journalism, Professional Photography, Graphic Design and Film students. The class, which is staged in a different international location each year, is limited to the strongest applicants. In November and December 2009, the 16 selected students and instructor spent seven weeks in Chile. Upon their return, the students created projects to showcase their experiences from this documented trip, including a multimedia presentation, a print exhibition, Web site, book and a DVD.

Following this grand opening event on April 8 will be a special screening and multimedia presentation at Brooks Institute’s Ventura Campus Saturday, April 10 from 6 – 10 p.m.  A screening and print show will also be held at the Marriott Ventura Beach Thursday, April 15, from 5 – 7:30 p.m. Each event will be unique as the students bring their Chilean experience to Southern California.

News Brooks Institute, Chile, Chile Earthquake, Direct Relief International, documentary, documentary making, documentary storytelling, film screenings, Granada Theater, Independent film, Photography, Photojournalism, photojournalists, Santa Barbara, student, student documentary, student films, student photography, Ventura, Visual Journalism

Come learn how you could gain the skills to become a Professional Photographer in wedding photography, fashion photography, nature and underwater photography and much, much more all at the exciting Brooks Institute photography open house on March 27th.

Presentations start at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Learn how to get started at Brooks Institute by meeting with our Admissions department at 3:30 p.m.

See you there!

Saturday, March 27

27 E. Cota St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Call today to RSVP at

888.904.1777

www.brooks.edu

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From Left to Right: Dr. Roger Andersen, Walter C. Douglas, Joyce Douglas Photo Credit: Nina Gomez

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with Walter C. Douglas, an early graduate of Brooks Institute. He attended from May of 1946 to May of 1948, just after serving in the military, when the school occupied a small space on the 900 block of State Street in Santa Barbara. We have come a long way since then, as we currently occupy four campuses in Ventura and Santa Barbara. Through the years, the values and quality of education are still intact. Walter shared his early experience and the path his photography took.

“When I was in school, if you couldn’t take it in three photographs, you might as well forget about it,” Walter shared with me when we sat down.

Walter specialized in black and white photography. “Color, I never did like,” shared Walter, “They had a dye transfer process that I couldn’t take because my hands were nervous from the war.  I am a black and white photographer.”

His black and white photography was fine-tuned through his education and practice at Brooks. “I photographed a beautiful girl, so sharp you could peel the makeup off of her face. It turned me off,” said Walter.

He turned his focus to portraiture and historic photography. Walter’s wife, Joyce, knew Ansel Adams and set Walter up with an opportunity to meet the iconic photographer. “We shook hands and he nearly knocked me off my feet. He was so strong.” The portrait he took is well known today.

Walter explained how he set up the session with Ansel. “It was a dark living room and the dining room was adjacent. I thought I would take my Ansel Adams book and have him autograph it.” Ansel asked Walter what he wanted him to do and Walter told him, “Take your left hand and move the left finger out, sign your name, and stop.” Walter continued, “He made it perfect.” Walter snapped the photo. He decided to take another one just to be sure, but during the second one, Ansel moved his left hand very slightly. They decided to take a third shot, just to be sure.

“I took three shots, and would you believe it? The first shot is always the best,” he shared.

Walter Douglas’s work is currently being scanned and saved by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. His work will serve as historical reference for future generations.

Brooks Institute has invited Walter and his family to be guests of honor at Brooks Institute’s 65^th Anniversary celebration to be held on October 17^th at the Marriott Ventura Beach.

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Benjamin Ariff

Professional Photographer and Brooks Institute graduate, Benjamin Ariff attended WPPI Las Vegas 2010, a trade show that attracts tens of thousands of photographers from around the world each year.

Benjamin had this to say about his experience:

I have the pleasure of sharing a booth with the nice folks from WPPI. 15,000 people from all around the world of all ages came to learn and discuss the growing popularity of wedding photography.  At my booth, I met people who spoke various languages and shared a wide array of cultural differences but shared the one similarity; an interest in wedding photography. Many people were interested in improving their knowledge and skill set.  The energy was high, the people were friendly, and everyone showed a great passion for photography. This show greatly highlighted the current trends and changes that are rapidly developing. Wedding photography is growing in popularity as a career and a viable source of income.  WPPI was well received giving all participants a solid idea of the current marketplace.

Brooks Institute is proud to support the continuation of education for photographers with our new Wedding Photography certificate program. This 24-credit certificate program is designed to be completed in four sessions over 32 weeks, preparing students to successfully pursue and/or further careers in the wedding photography industry. Graduates of the certificate program will be trained to approach weddings with artistic vision and demonstrate proficiency in the art of visual storytelling. This program emphasizes the skills required to work within varying wedding environments as well as the discipline necessary to work with this specific clientele from start to finish. Those interested in learning more about the Wedding Photography Certificate program can contact an admissions representative at (888) 276-4999.

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Brookies Danielle Sandoval and Devyn Arrey were on-hand to photograph celebrity attendees.

Eleven Brookies teamed up with Brooks Institute’s  Career Services team, Eli Davis, Daniel Smith, Katie Huber and Isis Wills and attended this year’s pre-Oscars events, specifically the Eco Red Carpet and celebrity portrait session for The American Red Cross and benefit for Haiti relief.

“It was an incredible experience for me to be a part of the Oscars pre-party celebration,” said Brookie Katie Fagan, “I volunteered to help these talented photographers, who were also donating their time and expertise, to raise funds for relief in Haiti. [The photographers] definitely taught me a thing or two while they worked with each star; however, I had a few tricks up my own sleeve and was able to problem-solve in some intense moments, thanks to the influence of some great Brooks faculty.”

Our Brookies photographed celebrities including Candy Spelling, Chelsea Hightower from Dancing with the Stars and Shar Jackson from Celebrity Fit Club. The career services team was present for the two day event and made a lot of great connections!

News American Red Cross, Brooks Institute, Candy Spelling, Celebrity Fit Club, celebrity gossip, Chelsea Hightower, Dancing with the Stars, Haiti, oscars, paparazzi, Photography, Photojournalism, red carpet, Shar Jackson, The Oscars, Visual Journalism

Flyer image by Mark Turner

Outstanding work from the Brooks Institute School of Visual Journalism is being featured now at the Ventura County Arts Council Collegiate Exhibition. The exhibit runs from March 5 through March 31 at the Ventura County Government Center located at 800 South Victoria Blvd in Ventura. (The exhibition is located in the Main Administration Building, top floor of the Atrium Gallery.) The public is invited to a reception scheduled for Thursday, March 18 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

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The latest book from Graphic Design faculty member Barbara Obermeier, Photoshop Elements 8 For Dummies, will be making an appearance in episode 10 of NBC’s Parenthood this season. (Barbara just signed an agreement to allow them to use a copy for this hit show.) The show airs on Tuesdays at 10 p.m.  Episode 10 should air in about nine weeks.  The book is co-written by Ted Padova.

Barbara Obermeier is the principal of Obermeier Design, a graphic design studio in California specializing in print and Web design. She is the author of more than a dozen books.

News Barbara Obermeier, Brooks Institute, Dummies, graphic design, Graphic design tips, NBC, NBC's Parenthood, Parenthood, Photography, Photography School, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Elements 8, sitcoms, Ted Padova

Brooks Institute’s School of Professional Photography unveils its certificate program in Wedding Photography and has begun enrolling students to begin in May of 2010. This 24-credit certificate program is designed to be completed in four sessions over 32 weeks, preparing students to successfully pursue and/or further careers in the wedding photography industry. Students in this program will gain knowledge of advance photographic techniques, lighting strategies and workflow processes as they relate to the wedding environment and flow.

“The wedding industry in the last 10 years has changed dramatically,” said Tim Meyer faculty member at Brooks Institute and professional wedding photographer. “This program is designed to give certificate recipients a competitive edge by offering tools to better understand the marketplace and to enhance their photographic technique.”

Graduates of the certificate program will be trained to approach weddings with artistic vision and demonstrate proficiency in the art of visual storytelling. This program emphasizes the skills required to work within varying wedding environments as well as the discipline necessary to work with this specific clientele from start to finish.

The Wedding Photography Certificate program is open to professionals looking to expand in their field and high school graduates ready to get a taste of what the world of wedding photography has to offer. All classes from the Wedding Photography certificate program are transferable into the BFA program at Brooks Institute if a student would wish to continue his/her studies. Those interested in learning more about the Wedding Photography Certificate program can contact an admissions representative at (888) 276-4999.

Wedding Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) will be offering a scholarship to this Brooks Institute’s Wedding Photography certificate program. To be considered for the WPPI scholarship, photography students attending WPPI 2010 need to provide WPPI judges with a portfolio of at least 12 images, an essay on the topic “why I want to be a wedding photographer,” and no more than three letters of recommendation from people in the portrait/wedding industry.  For more information about WPPI visit www.wppionline.com.

News bridezilla, Brooks Institute, celebrity weddings, education, Film and Video Production, international weddings, Las Vegas Weddings, Marriage, Visual Journalism, Wedding Photographers, Wedding Photography, wedding photos, Wedding portraits, wedding style, wedding trends, WPPI

Alumnus Alexander Haessner was recently profiled on Germany’s TVNTV for his participation in New York’s Fashion Week 2010. Since graduating from Brooks, Alexander has made New York his home.

http://www.tvntv.de/public/newyork.mov

News Alexander Haessner, Brooks Institute, Deutschland, Fashion, Fashion Week 2010, Germany, Modelling, New York City, New York's Fashion Week, Photography, Photography School, Photography Schools, tvntv

Left to right: Yao Shiguan, Professor & Vice Dean of Teaching, Administration Division; Xiong Ying, Dean of School of Foreign Languages; Dr. Roger Andersen, President, Brooks Institute; Kuang Guozhu, President, Dalian University of Technology Photo Credit: David Litschel

The three visitors from Dalian University of Technology were accompanied by Yuhsun Edward Shih, Ph.D., Director of International Admissions, Colorado Technical University, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The purpose of the visit was to meet with Dr. Roger Andersen and David Litschel, Vice President of Academic Affairs, to discuss ways in which the two institutions could cooperate in the future. Plans are to follow up with another meeting in March.

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