Students Showcase Photos for the First Spring Show

Riverside, Calif. (May 10, 2022) – Students at California Baptist University had their photography on display on campus for the first Spring Show.

The exhibition featured work from sophomores, juniors and seniors from the photography and graphic design and visual experience programs.

 

Previously the CBU photography shows only highlighted seniors, but with the growth of the program and larger photography community at CBU, the Spring Show gives additional students the chance to have their work viewed by their peers and the public.

Storage containers were used to create a temporary pop-up providing over 400 feet of space, located on Lancer Lane and Campus View, next to the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building.

Each container featured photographic prints with gallery-style lighting.

Students showcased their portfolios from images gathered over the course of the semester, in addition to yearlong capstone projects. Images were captured on digital and film cameras.

Christopher Kern, photography program lead and assistant professor of photography, said the program is blessed with the opportunity to send photographers out into the world.

“The event is a culmination of curriculum changes, the shift in culture, new facilities, new faculty and most of all the quality and quantity of student work,” Kern said.

The photography program at CBU aims to connect its graduating seniors with industry professionals to give them critical reviews and expose their work to the world, Kern said. On April 30, CBU photography connected its students to top industry and academic professionals through a series of in-person and video calls for reviews.

David Fouts, a photography senior who just graduated, said the show is a great way to expose his work not only in Riverside but also to professional photographers across the globe. He said the program has been incredibly beneficial.

“The faculty, especially Christopher Kern, has been one of the best mentors, professors and friends,” Fouts said. “Our program has pushed us conceptually as well as technically to be one of the top photography programs in the country.”

Raymond Alva, a photography senior who also just graduated, featured work from his senior thesis project, which focused on the documentation of skateboard culture.

“I hope to shed light on the skateboarding community in a way that others might not have seen before,” Alva said. “You must invest yourself in skateboarding to see it for what it is. Once you do so, you can see and understand the bond and loyalty that skateboarders have for each other as well as for the sport. This show forces us to think about our work in ways we might not have before.”