Student Testimonials
-
Emma Vitallo was my first-ever photography instructor. She helped me understand camera functions, what photography means to her, and the importance of having meaning behind every work of art. Attention to detail was emphasized, as well as respect for others during critique. As well as being a wonderful instructor, Emma is an amazing person. She always did her best to help everyone in class—especially me. I grew up in a difficult family, and Emma was one of the first instructors to support me when I decided to leave that situation. She was a stabilizing force in my daily routine. She cared about how I was feeling and encouraged me to use photography as an outlet to explore the feelings I had during these difficult times. She sees her students as people and understands that everyone has a life outside of the classroom. I credit Emma with my interest in photography and thank her for giving me confidence as a student and a person. I am honored to have been her student.
– Aliya Noor, ARTD313 Beginning Digital Photography
-
I had the pleasure of having Emma be my teacher for 2d foundations in the fall of 2024. It was my first semester after choosing to pursue my art degree fully. Having her teach me left a lasting impression and left me feeling confident in myself and my art. After her teachings, I feel confident in my knowledge of 2d foundations and the elements of design. As well as the confidence to be able to teach future students just as she did. I felt at ease knowing someone who was a similar age to me believed I had the ability to become an art educator as well. I feel that if it were not for having a teacher like Emma help start me on my degree path, I would not be on the same path I am on now.
– Alex Acevedo, ART102 2D Foundations
-
I was lucky enough to be Emma’s student during her second-semester teaching at NIU. She is a funny and kind individual who always made the class feel like a safe and fun environment. Emma always showed up for her students by encouraging us to think deeper about our concepts and how we could push them further. She also took the time to guide us, whether it was showing us how to use our camera or different programs on the computer. During crit days, Emma always gave thoughtful and constructive feedback that helped me look at my work from a different perspective and how I could grow as an artist. I can tell she is passionate about teaching and photography by the way she gives well-thought-out feedback to each student based on their style and skills. Emma genuinely cares about her students and loves seeing them succeed and grow. Emma was also the reason I started sharing my work on social media. She gave a very memorable presentation where she talked about the importance of creating art and sharing it with the world. Her words have stuck with me even a year later, and I am grateful for everything she taught me.
– Mariann Hernandez, ARTD419 Intermediate Digital Photography
-
Emma Vitallo was my first photography instructor after I transferred to Northern Illinois University. I met her through a friend before I had even been admitted to NIU. From the start, I could tell she was passionate about photography and cared deeply about keeping the art alive through others. When I started ARTD 419 (intermediate digital photography), I took to it immediately. Until that point, most of my photography knowledge was self-taught. Emma helped shape me into the photographer I am today because of what she taught me, both directly and indirectly. The projects she introduced challenged me to think in ways I never have. My final project, Study of Change, which was self-directed, was my first chance at truly showing what kind of photographer I am. She guided me in the right direction, and I ended up with ten photos I wouldn’t change even a year after the fact. She, along with a few others, cemented my decision to enroll in classes at NIU. I have Emma to thank partly for my BFA in photography. She pushed me to be a better photographer more than anyone else had when I was thinking about my future at NIU.
– Alex Relaz, ARTD419 Intermediate Digital Photography
-
During my time at NIU, I took Beginning Photography and Intermediate Photography with Emma Vitallo. My time in Emma's class was incredibly influential to my growth as a photographer and artist as a whole. Even as a semi-experienced photographer, Emma’s class taught me about various camera functions and techniques to implement as well as how to use the materials and space at your disposal. The range of assignments we were given were useful in developing my knowledge of composition, lighting, long exposures, etc. Her emphasis on the importance of overall arrangement and intention when making photos led me to become more thoughtful with the creation of my work, and I have developed a better planning process as a result. I felt as though Emma was always looking out for my best interest by giving me the most effective feedback possible. Emma consistently encouraged the development of personal themes within my work, such as self reflection and connection to others. She constantly provided praise on what was done well while still pushing for a deeper exploration of concepts and offering constructive criticism where necessary. This definitely motivated me to become more experimental and deliver more high quality complex themes within my work. I made some of my favorite photos in Emma’s classes, and began exploring ideas that I had never even thought I could feasibly portray. Emma was always very patient and kind with every student, making an effort to include everyone and help wherever she could. She has extreme passion for her work and puts great effort into making class engaging and fun while still teaching effectively. I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to be influenced by not just a hard working artist, but an amazing person as well. I know that whatever class she teaches in the future will feel similarly.
– Ria Pathak, ARTD313 & ARTD419
-
During my first semester of college, I was terrified. I thought I was going to be surrounded by professors who could care less about their students. I was afraid I was going to have to figure everything out on my own, but that wasn’t the case in Emma Vitallo’s 2-D Foundations class. Immediately, Emma made sure her students knew she would always be there to help and that they were not alone in their struggles. Her class allowed for space to grow, struggle, and ask questions without judgement. At the beginning of the semester, I had doubted my digital art skills and was overall insecure in my abilities- but because of Emma’s class I realized there is no shame in asking for help. Even when things piled up or became overwhelming, she would always lend a helping hand. Even after taking her class, I know I can depend on her. When it came to a stressful portfolio process, I remembered that she would say we could always reach out to her. After sending an email, she was so kind to respond and meet with me. I came in expecting a quick overview of my work, but she provided me with so many sources that could help me now and even in the future. With a brief 15-minute meeting with Emma I had gained more educational information than my entire year in an art-based class in high school. With her encouragement I gained more and more confidence in my work, and so many could only dream of having an educator you can rely on. Emma continues to be a guiding figure in my college journey and her influence will stay with me throughout my education and future career.
– Caitlin Carrasco-Unive, ART102 2D Foundations
-
– Bree Cooper, ART102 2D Foundations
-
– Jack Oakes, ARTD313 Beginning Digital Photography
