Photographing the Faculty of Arts at the Toronto Metropolitan University
Toronto Metropolitan University (Formerly Ryerson University) is in innovative and progressive academic institution offering 125+ undergraduate & graduate programs plus a worldclass network of incubators.
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In the summer of 2022 I received an out-of-the-blue email from the then manager of Communications and Media for the Faculty of Arts at TorontoMU. She had been following my @theeverydayoflife Instagram account for the past couple of years and asked if I’d be interested in shooting some portrait and candid shots for the coming academic year. She told me that she really liked my style of photography and the “honesty” in my portraits, and that she wanted to bring a similar look to the photographs for the Faculty of Arts.
She was looking for a lot more photography than I expected. It was going to be a long shoot and require careful planning.
Of course I responded right away to let her know I was interested, and before she sent me the brief we had call together to discuss her initial ideas. She was looking for a lot more photography than I expected. There would be a large number of faculty members who needed new portraits, and she was most interested in my taking a wide range of candid shots of students on campus grounds. It was going to be a long shoot and require careful planning.
Photo of a student on the 8th floor “The Sky” of the Student Learning Centre at the corner of Yonge and Gould Streets. Each of the eight floor has it’s own distinct character and purpose, from large open spaces to collaborate and socialize or small quiet meeting rooms.
We estimated that there would be over a month’s worth of shooting, and rather than have me propose a series of photoshoots it would be best to structure this project as a Photographer in Residence. Her project brief laid out her objectives clearly: the TorontoMU Faculty of Arts Photographer in Residence project would be the beginning of a new collection of photographs that would convey the faculty’s energy and innovative spirit, and would capture inspiring images of faculty members, students, and staff, as well as showcase the well-equipped classrooms and overall environment of the campus grounds.
As “Photographer in Residence” I was tasked with beginning a new collection of photographs that would convey the faculty’s energy and innovative spirit.
Students gather at the POD (Podium) which runs the length of the Victoria Street pedestrian walkway, linking the Library Building and Jorgenson Hall. The area is a popular hub with a cafe and access to a range of student services.
The project brief also made clear that, along with the portraits, the situational photography should strive to feel both genuine and natural, expressing honesty in their presentation and avoiding the appearance of being staged. I could clearly tell from our conversations and her project brief that she had a strong appreciation for a storytelling style of photography, one that focuses on people and interactions, providing a candid and even “behind the scenes” reveal of a Faculty of Arts that has nothing to hide and everything to be proud of.
I could clearly tell from our conversations and her project brief that she has a strong appreciation for a storytelling style of photography.
The new collections of photographs are intended to be used in a wide variety of materials ranging from website and social media to informational messaging, to marketing and promotional materials for the department and its events.
Graduate Program Administrator for Department of Politics & Public Administration Program on the new Pedestrian bridge connection from Kerr Hall to the Rogers Communications Centre.
I loved the approach she was taking and agreed whole heartedly with the look and feel she had in mind. It was already late August and we needed to be ready to shoot by the beginning of the academic year just weeks away. I needed to put together my proposal quickly but without sacrificing thoroughness and detail. It did need the approval of Dean of the faculty, and it also needed to fall within budget.
By choosing locations and scenes wisely to take advantage of natural lighting and overall authenticity.
Along with everything else that needs to go in a proposal I spoke to some of the ways I’d help achieve the look and feel they were after: helping subjects feel at ease in front of the camera and comfortable in the situational scene. By choosing locations and scenes wisely to take advantage of natural lighting and overall authenticity; and while working within the software of post photo processing where I will make adjustments to lighting and contrast, colour and vividness, and other adjustments that can inform the overall style and mood of the photograph.
Professor and Program Director, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. – Main entrance of the Student Learning Centre, a symbolic front door to the University.
The project stretched a little over a month. We shot the outdoor scenes early to keep the feeling of summer on the campus grounds, and then we moved indoors for all the remaining portraits and situational shots. It’s a beautiful campus, inside and out, and the students all seem to appreciate the care that’s been given to make them feel comfortable and appreciated. The Student Learning Centre in the heart of the city’s downtown is one of their favourite places to be.
Photo of students on the 6th floor of the Student Learning Centre. The SLC is a library built for the digital age that encourages students to interact with their physical environment.
The remaining images I’ve included in this post should give you a sense of the style and variety of the projects photographs. In the end there were over 200 selects to deliver. The entire collection also needed to be delivered in a variety of resolutions and formats because they needed to be ready to use in a wide variety of materials ranging from website and social media to informational messaging, to marketing and promotional materials for the department and its events.
I simply can’t tell you how much I enjoyed working on this project. To a person every faculty member was a joy to work with and the enthusiasm of every student felt like a constant source of nourishment.
Like any other photoshoot, this TorontoMU Faculty of Arts Photographer in Residence project was not without it’s challenges: scheduling conflicts always crop up, weather changes and deliverables are often needed sooner than planned, but such things are a given and every professional photographer knows to expect them. I simply can’t tell you how much I enjoyed working on this project. To a person every faculty member was a joy to work with and the enthusiasm of every student felt like a constant source of nourishment.
Enjoy the rest of the photographs I’ve posted below.
Just three of the many great profs in the Faculty of Arts
Early morning economics class.
The Vari Engineering Building offers sunlight and a view of Church Street.
Assistant Professor of Sociology - Indigenous community-based resurgence movements; kin/roles in Anishinaabe governance practices; Indigenous perspectives of gender, work, and care; Anishinaabe research methodologies. The 8th floor of the Student Learning Centre with a view to the city.
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies – Expert in Health and well-being, Health outcomes of immigrants, Integration process of immigrants, Justice, equity and society. Lounge area inside the Daphne Cockwell Complex, the newest addition to the TMU campus.
Students on stroll on the Nelson Mandela Walkway, a beautiful tree lined throughway in the heart of the campus.
— Toronto Metropolitan University, Faculty of Arts, Photographer in Residence —
