UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH-HUMBER
How Guelph-Humber students used revamped Lighting Fundamentals course as a launchpad for brand-ready creativity

Media and Communication Studies student Tamia McPherson secured a paid job after impressing brand client in Elaine Chan-Dow's class

I thoroughly enjoyed taking this class and learning from Elaine. She gave me so much knowledge that I'll carry forward as I continue producing strong, professional brand photography." Maya Greenspoon, MCS student 

With the snap of their cameras, University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) Media & Communication Studies (MCS) students in Elaine Chan-Dow's reimagined MDST*2510 Studio Lighting Fundamentals course went beyond technique and creativity in the studio. New for the fall 2025 semester, students had the chance to work with real brands, equipping them with the business acumen needed to succeed in the competitive media and marketing industries. 

Chan-Dow secured brand partnerships with Dillon's Small Batch Distillers, Château des Charmes, Graydon Skincare, and Helena Lane Skincare, which provided products for the students to shoot. She also had the students approach companies for another photography assignment to shoot their products according to brand guidelines, just as they would in the professional world. This included some rejection until they found a "client." The course culminated in students presenting their work at the Photography Showcase in December 2025 at Guelph-Humber. 

"To have a successful career in photography requires both the technical and the creative, but also the business side, especially as an entrepreneur or a freelancer," Chan-Dow said of the experience the course offers students. "When you're new, it's seldom [that] the brands approach you and give you the artistic freedom." 

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