Splash Biography



SUSANNAH BENJAMIN, Yale sophomore, prof. photographer, English major



Major: English Literature

College/Employer: Yale

Year of Graduation: 2015

Picture of Susannah Benjamin

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Hi! I'm Susannah Benjamin, 19 years old, and from Greenwich, CT. I'm a sophomore here at Yale and major in English literature. My passion is storytelling, particularly through photography. I have a totally one-track mind for photography, and am perpetually thinking about how things would look through a viewfinder. By studying English Literature, I learn about what makes a strong story and how people work, which really helps enrich my art--my photos are all staged and conceptual, and use my friends as models. Each photo for the most part discusses a social issue, and I particularly focus on teenage problems of bullying, self esteem, and isolation. While being a student at Yale I shoot professionally, with my agency based in NYC. I've shot fashion editorials, novel covers, and the back cover of Beyoncé's newest DVD, "4: Live at Roseland." I love to show kids how amazing photography is and how important it is to have a passion and just violently pursue it. I just got back from giving a TEDx talk in Seattle about the process of making images and why photography is a stand-out art form, and the best feeling I've ever had is seeing how excited and inspired the kids get when they're told they can do things. So, I love kids and photos!



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

A216: Photography Revamped in Splash Fall 12 (Oct. 20, 2012)
Photography.is.awesome...but most people just think of it as pressing a button. This class will teach you to think again! In this class, students will learn the very basics of aperture, ISO, and shutterspeed. More importantly, however, they will learn about all of the often unexplored avenues of photography--photography is NOT just going out and taking pictures as you see things happen! Drawing from innovative photographers all across the internet, students will learn about these new approaches to looking at photographs, and will also be discussing what sets photography apart from every other art form in an age which is becoming overwhelmingly digital and image-oriented.