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What can photographers find at Swem?

What can photographers find at Swem?

By Kristy Borda

Did you know that May is National Photography month? Well if you didn't, now you do! William & Mary's first art photography class was launched just a few years ago in 2015. I bet you're wondering -- what sorts of resources does Swem have for budding young students of photography? I'm glad you asked.

  • ArtStor : ArtStor is probably the single most fun database that we have, and I don't say that lightly. You can browse high-resolution digital images of artwork, photography, architecture, and more from around the world. Want to see portrait photography of Japanese women from 1860? Artstor's got you. Looking for photographs of children playing near the Berlin Wall? Artstor's all over that.
  • Art Full Text : What if you've had enough of looking at photographs and you want to do some reading about photography instead? Art Full Text has journal articles, books, dissertations, museum bulletins, and more!
  • Lynda.com : The average photographer will likely employ digital tools and software to edit, process, and store their images. Where can one learn about such tools? Lynda.com has your answer with hundreds of free online lessons. They have a whole suite of photography lessons available, ranging from foundational courses, to cameras/gear, to software, to becoming a portrait photographer.
  • Cameras & Software : Okay, okay, enough with the learning -- how can a William & Mary student actually get out there and start taking pictures? That's where the Reeder Media Center comes in. Located on the ground floor of Swem, you can go there to check out a camera (and accessories like flash attachments & lenses) and return later to use their image software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Books : But what about books, I hear you say! You just want to get your hands on some beautiful photography. Swem has a large collection of photography books. Some notable ones include:
    • Deep South, Sally Mann -- Click Here
    • Pilgrimage, Annie Leibovitz -- Click Here
    • Lost + Found, David LaChapelle -- Click Here
    • The Sweet FlyPaper of Life, Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes -- Click Here