About Ian Edward White
Ian Edward White (b. 1996, Los Gatos, CA) is a photographer based in Nashville, TN. He received his MFA in Photography & Related Media from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2022. White has been a part of numerous group exhibitions, including "Southern Spirit" at Strata Editions in Livingston, MT, “Context 2025 | Juried by Shana Lopes" at Filter Space in Chicago, IL, and "The Community" with Arcanite Pictures in Seattle, WA. His work was selected for the 2022 Urbanautica Institute Awards and the 2022 Lenscratch Student Prize: 25 to Watch List, among other awards and scholarships. White’s images have been featured in periodicals like The New York Times, Musée Magazine, Lenscratch, Fujifilm-X USA, GASP, and Transference Magazine. He has taught photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology and is currently a Lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University.
EDUCATION
2022: MFA, Photography & Related Media, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2018: BS, Business Marketing, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
TEACHING OR RELATED POSITIONS
2023-Present: Lecturer, Photography Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
2022: Adjunct Professor, Photography Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
2021-2022: Instructor of Record for Intro to Digital Photography, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2020: Graduate Teaching Assistant for Intermediate Digital Photography, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS
2024: Long List, 2023 Booooooom Photo Awards
2024: Attendee, Chico Review
2023: Winning Portfolio, “People and Communities” Category, Urbanautica Annual Institute Awards 2022
2022: Photolucida Critical Mass Top 200 Finalist
2022: The 2022 LENSCRATCH Student Prize: 25 to Watch List
2022: Grand Prize, #NewVisions2022: A Student Show by Texas Photographic Society
2022: Nominated, RIT Provost's Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
2021: Photolucida Critical Mass Top 200 Finalist
2021: Greg Barnett Memorial Scholarship from the MFA in Photography & Related Media Department at RIT College of Art and Design
2021: RIT School of Photographic Arts and Sciences Scholarship in memory of Max Maisel
2020: Merit Scholarship from the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at RIT
2019: People’s Choice Award for APA San Diego Untitled 2019 Exhibition
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025: Context 2025 | Juried by Shana Lopes, Filter Space, Chicago, IL
2024: Southern Spirit, Strata Editions, Livingston, MT
2024: Print Gallery, Boutique Film Lab, Nashville, TN
2023: MFA Photography Reviews: Homecoming 2022 & 2023 Biennial, RIT City Art Space, Rochester, NY
2023: SE Center Open, Southeast Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2022-2023: The Community, Arcanite Pictures, Seattle, WA
2022-2023: Portrait: Self and Others, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2022: #NewVisions2022: A Student Show, Texas Photographic Society, Houston, TX
2022: DRAFT, George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY
2022: All Our Tomorrows, William Harris Gallery, Rochester, NY
2021: #NewVisions2021: A Student Show, Texas Photographic Society, Houston, TX
2020: Emerging Vision: Biennial Student Show, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO
2020: Southbound, SWISH Projects, San Diego, CA (Postponed)
2019: APA San Diego Untitled 2019 Exhibition, You Belong Here, San Diego, CA
2019: Erasing the Line, You Belong Here, San Diego, CA
2019: The Great Outdoors, La Bodega Gallery, San Diego, CA
2019: 35s &45s #1, Ponyboy, Brooklyn, NY
TWO AND THREE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2019: Moving Gallery Event No. 1, Haye’s Burgers, San Diego, CA
2019: 8:61pm Photography Show, The Brewer’s Taproom, San Diego, CA
EDITORIAL WORK
2024: The New York Times, “Can A.I. Answer the Needs of Smaller Businesses? Some Push to Find Out.” by Syndey Ember
2023: The New York Times, “The Beautiful and Terrifying Arrival of an Early Spring” by Margaret Renkl
BIBLIOGRAPHY
White, Ian Edward. “2024 Chico Review Attendees.” Interview by Michael Chovan-Dalton. The Real Photo Show with Michael Chovan-Dalton. September 21, 2024. https://realphotoshow.com/2024-chico-review-attendees/.
Cuccio, Joe, and Ian Edward White. “Artist to Watch: Ian Edward White.” Musée Magazine: Vanguard of Photography Culture, 22 Jan. 2024. https://museemagazine.com/features/3-questions-for-the-emerging-ian-edward-white
White, Ian Edward, and Curran Hatleberg. “Photographers on Photographers: Ian White in Conversation with Curran Hatleberg.” Lenscratch, 29 Aug. 2023, https://lenscratch.com/2023/08/photographers-on-photographers-ian-white-in-conversation-with-curran-hatleberg/.
Song, Adrian J, and Ian Edward White. “In Conversation With: Ian Edward White.” Transference Magazine, 11 Mar. 2023, https://transferencemag.com/Ian-Edward-White.
Shaughnessy, Andrew. “Searching for a Sense of Place.” FUJIFILM Digital Camera X Series & GFX – USA, 27 Feb. 2023, https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/createforever/searching-for-a-sense-of-place/.
Billing, Karen. “The Brewers Tap Room's Beer and Art Pairing.” Encinitas Advocate. Encinitas Advocate, April 10, 2019. https://www.encinitasadvocate.com/news/sd-cm-nc-brewers-art-20190410-htmlstory.html.
“New Brooklyn Event: 35S N' 45s, an All-Analog Party MIXING 45rpm Dj's with 35mm Photographers.” Magnetic Magazine. Magnetic Magazine, January 16, 2019. https://www.magneticmag.com/2019/01/new-brooklyn-event-35s-n-45s-all-analog-party-mixing-45rpm-djs-with-35mm-photographers/.
PUBLICATIONS
2024: Urbanautica Institute Awards 2022 Catalog, Photographer Feature.
2023: MFA Photography Reviews: Homecoming 2022 & 2023 Biennial Catalog, Photographer Feature.
2022: GASP ZINE ISSUE 11: FOR HUMANS, Photographer Feature.
ARTIST BOOKS
White, Ian. Deep Fried Hope. Edited by Thomas Macie. 1st ed. Long Beach, CA: Soup Press, 2020.
White, Ian. The Animals (2020). 1st ed. San Diego, CA: Self-Published, 2020.
ARTIST TALKS
2023: Photographing People, University of Wisconsin – River Falls, River Falls, WI
2022: All Our Tomorrows: Approach to Installation, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2021: Process of Working in Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2021: This Brief Eternity, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2020: Open Show San Diego #18, Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, CA
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
2024: Donation to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund from Proceeds of I Heard the North Wind Call Your Name Artist Proofs Sale
2022: Prints Donation to CEPA Gallery’s 16th Charitable Auction in Support of Buffalo’s East Side
2020: Donation to March for Black Womxn SD from proceeds of Deep Fried Hope sales
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Digital Processing (Lightroom, Bridge, Camera RAW, and Photoshop)
Digital Bookmaking (InDesign)
Archival Inkjet Printing (Canon and Epson series)
C-Type Printing with RA-4 Chromogenic Color Processor
Film Scanning (Imacon/FlexTight Series)
Color Correction
Silkscreen Printing
Film Photography (35mm and 120 film)
Large Format Film Photography (4x5 and 8x10)
Full-Frame Digital Photography (Canon and Nikon series)
Medium Format Digital Photography (Fujifilm and Hasselblad series)
FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND TRAVEL SKILLS
Traveled to Paris, Prague, Berlin, and Dublin in 2019
Traveled to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, and Paris in 2018
Traveled to Florence, Italy in 2017
LIST OF COURSES TAUGHT
Narrative Strategies in Photography: Photography is a language. This course explores both how to “read” photographic images, as well as how to employ various photographic strategies toward a narrative end. Self-contained narratives, the construction of sequences, long-form series, linear and nonlinear approaches, and the integration of text are explored as distinct approaches. Thematic lectures, technical demonstrations, photographic ideation and production, class critiques, and group work will be employed toward the greater goal of student comprehension of how to engage with and direct the principles of narrative photography. Taught at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN.
Special Topics in Photography: Image and Text: While images may not always allow viewers to fully immerse themselves in the intended headspace, text can! But how can we ensure that the relationship between our photography and writing goes beyond mere illustration or description? This course explores various aspects, including the presence and perception of words, translation of abstract writing and visuals, and the role of text as both content and collaborator. We will examine how text can serve as a guide or a disruptor, the roles of narrators, and more. The ultimate goal is for our writing to function as a metaphoric extension of the content, feelings, and ideas that our photography is already addressing. Taught at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN.
Intermediate Digital Photography: This course explores the conceptual and practical principles of photography in the contemporary digital era. Discussion will focus on issues in digital imaging, the aesthetic qualities achievable in the digital darkroom, and contemporary ethical issues associated with digital imaging. Emphasis will be placed upon image acquisition, file management, image editing techniques, output concerns, and image critique. Projects will be realized in both digital projection and physical prints. Taught at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN.
Introduction to Digital Photography: An introduction to digital photography (technical, aesthetic & conceptual). Through weekly assignments, students will become familiar with the operation of a DSLR camera body/lens, while exploring the basic principles of lighting, depth of field, design, blur/stop motion, accurate exposure, and image manipulation. Lectures will address photographic aesthetics, contemporary and historical practices, and professional applications. Students will learn to critique work through participation in discussions of photographic assignments. Students are required to have their own DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) or Mirrorless camera. Taught at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN, and the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY.
Intermediate Digital Photography for Photo Minors: This is the first required course for students enrolled in the photography minor. This course will reinforce and build upon the skills learned in Introduction to Digital Photography. It will emphasize aesthetics, craft, visual problem-solving, skill development, and critical thinking skills. In this course, students will work in the studio and be introduced to the skills needed to use, create, and control artificial lighting as well as develop skills for modifying found light on location. Students will also make photographic prints. The curriculum will emphasize both craft and visual problem-solving skills necessary to achieve industry standards and prepare students for other courses available in the minor. Taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY.