<p>While attending an architecture program will you need a camera to document all your projects? Or do the departments have equipment to help you do so? Looking at portfolios or projects of current and graduating college students, they are a far cry from the application porfolio of high school students.</p>
<p>Mom2Suns,</p>
<p>From my son’s experience, yes, a good digital camera is/was needed. He is a first year land arch student at VT and he has had at least two projects that he has needed to document his work process through taking pictures. </p>
<p>The reason I know this is that he took my older digital camera with him when he went, but because it was older (I guess) it didn’t hold a charge well. He has made the best of it so far, but he is getting a new one for his birthday. It would make a great graduation gift!</p>
<p>Mom2Suns,</p>
<p>when you say a far cry, in which direction do you mean? Many of the portfolios of graduating college students seemed to be of similar or lesser quality in terms of prints and design than the admissions portfolios that I saw when visiting schools (and my own). This may be because the high school portfolios were just the “selects” whereas the graduate work was from all students and admittedly some where absolutely incredible.</p>
<p>K&K - Thanks! Grad gift is exactly what I was thinking 
Any recommendations from current arch students?</p>
<p>Future - I’m talking about the presentation of the work and not the work itself. Far cry means, when you view a high school application portfolio most of them are photographs or other types of reproductions of artwork (much of it excellent) placed in plastic sleeves and binder from places such as Staples. Yes, some are professionally bound but I think most are not. The product reminds me of something I would scapbook in my own home (and is exactly what was submitted from our own home :-))). </p>
<p>When you go on architecture school’s websites and view student work or portfolios, the finished result is so professional looking. I am not a good judge of the content of the work but the presentation of the projects always looks like there was expensive professional equipment involved (hardware, software, printers, cameras, etc.). I just don’t understand the logistics and graphic art skills that go into making the final product come out looking like something from a glossy magazine and professionally done. Obviously there are photographs (and computer generated images, etc.) of the work but how were they taken?</p>
<p>Son started with his cell phone camera, then borrowed a classmates camera using his own little storage card (SD card?, you can tell I’m clueless about cameras) to transfer photos to his laptop. For Christmas he got the camera of his choice, which was; pocket sized, good optical zoom (said digital zoom is easier on the laptop), easy to transfer photos to laptop - no docking station as it too easy to not have when you need it, and surprisingly to me, under $140.</p>
<p>Mom, It was interesting that you had this impression because generally I did not notice this trend across the board. However, like I said, i was viewing the best of the best high school and more and average selection of the college portfolios. </p>
<p>That being said, those that I saw probably did utilize technology to their advantage (I know I did) to create a professional portfolio and a strong design piece in itself. </p>
<p>Wherever we end up I am sure that we will have access to the things you mentioned above, hardware, software plotters etc and great advice from older students and from faculty on how to put together a strong presentation.</p>