• Introduction-Intermediate
  • Digital Arts

In this ONLINE course, we will explore the city where you live - looking at architectural styles, neighbourhoods filled with either cultural diversity or perhaps a strong historical element that has shaped where you live. Using film or digital cameras, students will create a body of work featuring various neighbourhoods, returning to the same spot each week to further their investigation into what makes a place unique, both during the day and at night. We will engage the architectural visual composition of the city—structures, people, vehicles, light, and all of the clutter of the chaotic street scene—into well-thought-out and organized photographs, while always allowing for the unexpected surprise.

Technical aspects of architectural photography will be thoroughly explained and practiced. Weekly assignments will be discussed in a group setting. Personal field trips will be part of the exploration along with presentations on historic and contemporary architectural photographers with a myriad of styles such as Berenice Abbott, Walker Evans, Vivian Maier, Fred Herzog, Lee Freidlander, Saul Leiter etc.

Note: Basic computer fluency is required. 


TSA will deliver this course using ZOOM. Prior to the course session, you will receive an invitation for the session(s) via email. You'll need a laptop, desktop or tablet, internet connection with good bandwidth and headset (either wired or wireless). We recommend that you set up a free ZOOM account and be familiar with ZOOM prior to the class beginning.  Here is a link to help you get started: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/categories/20010169

Notes: Instructor Jessica Thalmann has been teaching at TSA since Spring 2018.  She is an artist, curator and educator currently based in Toronto and New York City. She received a MFA in Advanced Photographic Studies from ICP-Bard College and a BFA in Visual Arts from York University and has worked at numerous galleries in Canada and the US. Thalmann has taught at the International Centre for Photography, Akin Collective, MacLaren Art Centre, Toronto School of Art, Gallery 44 and City College of New York. She has shown at various venues in Toronto, Vancouver and New York City including the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Flash Forward Festival, Gallery TPW, Angell Gallery, Art Spin, Hashtag Gallery, Whippersnapper Gallery, Nuit Blanche, the Artist Project, VIVO Media Arts Center, Aperture Foundation, International Centre of Photography, Photoville, Camera Club of New York and Printed Matter’s New York Art Book Fair.
* This course is not currently open for registration

What you will learn

  • observing and photographing urban settings
  • insight into architectural photography
  • key urban landscape photographers- historical and contemporary

Materials to Bring

Please keep your receipts in case you need to return items.

  • Digital camera (DSLR preferred) or film camera (35mm or 120mm)
  • Fully charged camera battery(s)
  • An empty SD card, or various rolls of film
  • Harddrive
  • Laptop/desktop computer