In her Documentary Photography course, Noelle McCleaf pushes students outside the comfort of the studio as they engage with the local community. The course explores the role of photography in documenting the human experience. Students are encouraged to take a more personal approach to documentation. Before capturing their photo, the students establish a connection with the subject to better understand who they are.
McCleaf explains, “Students in Documentary Photography are encouraged to engage with their communities in thoughtful ways that resonate with their interests. Utilizing photography, interviewing, and captioning, students create meaningful documentary stories.”
Maddy Getty ’26, Photography and Imaging, described her experience, “This class pushed me to explore new sides of documentary photography and helped me overcome the fear of approaching strangers for portraits, not just with taking the photo but also really communicating with people. It helped give me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and trust the process. Now I feel more grounded in how I approach storytelling and the kind of photographer I want to be.”
They find their subjects in unexpected places—from gas station employees to club bouncers. Cecilia Marty ’26, Photography and Imaging, attended a local motorcycle and music festival for her series. “I had been wanting to attend Thunder by The Bay for a while, and I saw my documentary class as a great way to get me out there,” she shared. “It’s a really awesome charity event hosted by Suncoast Charities for Children. I grew up attending motorcycle festivals, and I hadn’t been to one in a long time, so I was excited to reconnect with that part of my life.”
The students were often drawn to represent people whose jobs put them in between places—places we pass through on our way to a destination. Angie Boonsiri ’25, Business of Art and Design with a minor in Photography and Imaging, described her motivation in choosing subjects for the class, “To me, one of the most beautiful things about documentary photography is the opportunity to spotlight people who often go unnoticed, especially those who work long, late hours in roles where they’re typically ignored.”
For her series, she went to Ybor City, Tampa, on a Friday night, walked down the strip, and interviewed every doorman she saw. She said, “I wanted to document portraits of club and bar doormen and bouncers while interviewing them about what they love most. Bouncers are often perceived as intimidating or even scary, yet many of them have the biggest hearts. Through this project, I also wanted to explore patterns of race, gender, and societal stereotypes about who is deemed intimidating.”
Getty used the platform to highlight gas station workers. “Typically, when people think of gas station workers, they don’t always have positive things to say, which was a big reason why I wanted to do this project. Many of the people who work at these gas stations don’t get all of their income from working there. A lot of these people had businesses for years before, and this is just a way to get extra money.”
The students engage with differences in meaningful ways, seeking out and getting to know often-overlooked groups. Their projects emphasize the shared humanity that underlies diverse experiences. “This experience challenged me to step outside, engage with the world around me, and start conversations with people I might not usually connect with,” Boonsiri shared.
“I get to connect with all these wonderful people,” Marty described. “I get to hear some stories from their lives. I love getting to know who someone is.”
Check out work from the graduating class of Photography and Imaging students at their Senior Thesis Exhibition opening on May 2 at Ringling College’s Stulberg Gallery.
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