PHOTOGRAPHY
The photography studio helps students discover ways to bring an artistic perspective to images. They learn how to use professional-level cameras and gain experience with design, composition, and lighting techniques. Students complete digital edits using Adobe Creative Suite and can also develop their work in a traditional darkroom.
Teaching Artist
matthew provoast
Matthew Provoast (he/him) joined WMCAT in 2025 as a photography teaching artist. For over 15 years, he has worked as a photographer and educator, teaching at Grand Rapids Community College and now guiding WMCAT students in exploring new ideas, tools, and ways of creating. His work blends photography with collage and layered materials to explore memory and history. As the founder of Light Gallery + Studio in downtown Grand Rapids, Matthew has spent many years creating spaces for emerging artists to connect and grow.
Photography Studios
SPRING | MONDAY + WEDNESDAY
Digital Photography
Eligibility: 9-12 grade GRPS students
Shoot, edit, and bring your creative ideas to life in a studio built for experimentation. You’ll learn how to use DSLR cameras, lighting setups, and Adobe editing software to turn everyday scenes into striking images that tell a story. We’ll explore how light, motion, and color shape mood by freezing action to playing with long exposures or neon lights. You’ll also get hands-on with professional editing tools to create your own style, print your favorite images, and curate a final showcase that shows off your vision as a photographer.
SPRING | TUESDAY + THURSDAY
Analog Photography
Eligibility: 9-12 grade GRPS students
Go old-school and make photos by hand! No filters, no screens, just light, chemistry, and creativity. In this darkroom-based studio, you’ll shoot with a film camera, experiment with cyanotypes, and develop your own prints using traditional photography techniques. You’ll learn how to expose, develop, and print your images from start to finish, discovering the magic of watching a photo appear in the developer tray. It’s messy, hands-on, and perfect for anyone who loves process, experimentation, and turning ideas into something real. If you’ve already taken a WMCAT photo class or know your way around a camera, this studio is your next step. You’ll build on what you know and get hands-on in the darkroom.
Teen Arts + Tech
Enrollment
Studios are filled on a rolling basis. Enroll ASAP to secure your spot!