William Snyder

Professor

School of Photographic Arts and Sciences

College of Art and Design

Undergraduate Program Director, Advertising Photography

wdspph@rit.edu

William Snyder

Professor

School of Photographic Arts and Sciences

College of Art and Design

Undergraduate Program Director, Advertising Photography

Education

BS, Rochester Institute of Technology

wdspph@rit.edu

Areas of Expertise

Photojournalism

Digital Photography

Photography

Select Scholarship

Full Length Book

Snyder, William and Eddie Vedder. Join Together (With The Band). First ed. Chicago, IL: Press Syndicate Group, 2018. Print.

Currently Teaching

PHAR-101

Photographic Arts I

4 Credits

This course will provide an immersive introduction to the field of the photographic arts. It will emphasize both craft and visual problem solving. The course will explore: seeing and appreciating the quality of light, image capture, photographic vision, historical and contemporary genres of photography, best practices and workflow as well as an introduction to the critique forum and its practices.

PHAR-102

Photographic Arts II

4 Credits

This course will reinforce and build upon the skills learned in the first semester of Photographic Arts I. It will emphasize aesthetics, craft, visual problem solving and critical thinking skills - the foundations of the Photographic Arts curriculum. In this semester, the studio will be introduced as a space that can be used to create and control light. This course's curriculum will continue to emphasize both craft and visual problem solving required in high-level photographic imaging.

PHAR-599

Photography Independent Study

1 - 3 Credits

Photography Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, will propose a course of study. Photography Independent Study students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll.

PHPJ-307

Ethics and Law

3 Credits

This course will introduce students to the principles and theories of ethics and their application to editorial photography and photojournalism for mass communications. It will establish a basic understanding of philosophical ethics, social responsibility, and professional practices within protections and responsibilities of the First Amendment. The course will also review the legal issues relating to photographic practices and access to subjects. The course will examine a wide range of case examples used in classroom discussion and analysis to build a foundation for professional practice.

PHPJ-350

PJ Topics:

3 Credits

Photography (and photographic education) is in a perpetual state of flux due to constant changes in practices and technology. Topics in photojournalism will provide students with the opportunity to explore this shifting terrain of photography and imaging using contemporary problems. The content taught in this course will change frequently and the course may be repeated for credit, however each particular topic may have limits on repeatability.

In the News

October 13, 2023

New site celebrates Pulitzer Prize legacy of alumni

RIT photojournalism alumni have a strong legacy of journalistic excellence, as recognized by the growing number of graduates receiving Pulitzer Prize honors. Their accomplishments are showcased on a new RIT’s Pulitzer Legacy website.
June 16, 2021

Alumnus joins ever-growing list of RIT graduates to win Pulitzer Prize

Evan Vucci ’00, a chief photographer for the Associated Press in Washington, D.C., helped the AP photography staff win the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news photography for a collection of photographs from multiple U.S. cities that cohesively captures the country’s response to the police killing of George Floyd.
July 23, 2019

Connections: Making sure workers in the gig economy are compensated fairly

WXXI’s “Connections” program features William Snyder, professor and chair, photojournalism program.

More News