James Stiles
My Personal Work
Email: stilesj@pvpusd.net
310 377 4888 Ext. 712
I am currently in my ninth year as a fulltime photography teacher at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (grades 9 through 12). I have updated the program to include intensive training in digital photography, in addition to the traditional. I have really enjoyed teaching here and have received a lot of praise from both the administration and students alike. I increased enrollment in the program by 300% in my first year. Honestly I have never been happier anywhere. The quality of the students, teachers and administration here is second to none, and I actually look forward to going to work in the morning.
I am currently living and working as a photographer in Los Angeles. Eleven years ago I began teaching photography courses at Otis College of Art and Design. There I've taught a diverse number of courses, including Fashion Photography, Color Photography and Printing. During my six years there I consistently received the highest scores in the teacher evaluations by my students. I have also been a visiting artist and speaker at the School Of Visual Arts and New York University. I have also received my California Fulltime Designated Subject Teaching Cleared Credential in Photography and I recently received my Single Subject Credential in Art.
My fine art photography has been exhibited in many group and solo shows in New York, Los Angeles, and in Europe, including group shows with Helmut Newton, Robert Mapplethorpe, & Irving Penn. I have also published a book of this same fine art work and have been published in various compilation photography books and magazines around the world. Feel free to visit the website of my work above.
After receiving my B.F.A. from the School Of Visual Arts, I had the experience of running my own photo studio in Manhattan for twelve years, specializing in Fashion, Portraits, Advertising, and Fine Art Photography. By working as a freelance photographer over the years I have developed strong relationships with many magazines, advertising agencies, art directors, photo editors, fashion stylists, as well as many art galleries and artists. In 2003 I moved my studio from my hometown NYC to Los Angeles, the city of fallen angels.
I have a broad technical knowledge of photography, including digital media, Photoshop-CS5 & 6, Adobe Lightroom, as well as all types of lighting, film formats and traditional black & white and color printing. My experience includes the printing for gallery shows for photographers Annie Liebovitz, Arnold Newman and others.
Personally I spend my limited spare time fishing, studying video production or watching countless movies with my wife. I am also in the process of re-inventing myself as a food and beverage photographer, which has been tons of fun but also has added to my waistline.
Sincerely,
James Stiles.