Photography (BFA) People & Stories
Meet Photography alumni Gianna Vadino '13 , Alexa Quinn '13 and Manuel Dominguez '04, who all work at the bustling Urban Outfitters headquarters in Philadelphia, PA!
University of the Arts is featured three times in Peerspace’s list of the top 12 fashion photographers in Philadelphia. Trevor Dixon BFA ’89 (Photography), Marcus Branch BFA ’14 (Photography) and Senior Lecturer Shawn Theodore are included in the list, which also provides the photographers’ Instagram handles so users can check out the breadth and beauty of their work over time.
Theodore’s images are on exhibit at UArts in the Photography Program Gallery, Terra Hall, 15th floor, through Sept. 29. A description of his work notes that it “makes connections that merge daily observations into the power of myth; drawing on the power of the internal metaphysical dichotomies of the African American psyche as a retelling of missing narratives, a practice he calls ‘Afromythology.’”
One of the 20th century’s most renowned and emulated photographers, Irving Penn, attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Arts (now University of the Arts) from 1934 to 1938.
After leaving the Museum School and traveling the world, Penn began working at Vogue in 1943. Over the next 60 years, Penn’s striking style earned him the reputation of one of the most influential fashion photographers of all time. Penn shot an astounding 165 covers for the magazine, and his dramatic black-and-white style is now a hallmark of midcentury commercial photography.
Though Penn is often viewed as a fashion photographer, he was also a gifted portraitist and printmaker. In 1984, Penn was honored with a retrospective of his work that began at MoMA and then toured the world. A centennial exhibition also traveled the globe in 2017, with its first stop being the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Penn lived to the age of 92 and died in 2009, having been a prolific photographer and artist for most of his life.
Alumni Spotlights
Alumni Accomplishments
The Photography program has a long history of successful alumni, including Irving Penn ’38, George Krause BFA ’58, David Lebe BFA ’70, Susan Welchman BFA ’70, Zeke Berman BFA ’73, Deborah Willis BFA ’75, Jayne Wexler BFA ’83, Catherine Edelman BFA ’85 and Matt Suib BFA ’95.
Our alumni go on to careers in myriad photography areas and related fields and are recipients of the MacArthur Foundation Award and the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. Many have exhibited and been published nationally and internationally, have become editors, art directors, publishers, gallerists and makers. Some of our alumni have gone on to complete advanced degrees like MFAs, while others have established successful businesses.
Legacy Alumni
BFA '85
BFA '70
BFA '75
BFA '89
Featured Alumni
BFA '21
BFA '20
BFA '20
BFA '16
BFA '15
BFA '14
BFA '14
'22
Faculty Spotlights
In the Photography major, you'll study with top professionals with extensive experience in a wide range of concentrations, including fine art, editorial, fashion, commercial, documentary and studio practice.
MFA '06 (Book Arts & Printmaking)
Professor Emeritus
Adjunct Professor
Adjunct Professor
