The goal of this independent study is to develop my own photography skills through an understanding of the medium’s history and the various ways modern photography is understood by our culture. My goal is to study significant photographers in the past half century through both research and hands-on photography. I hope to accomplish new techniques reflecting each professional’s work, such as lighting, angles, color, and use of perception. I also will challenge myself by incorporating photojournalism into my project with a Flickr blog to critique and discuss the photography I plan focus on.