Education in Photography?

jewel

jewel

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Julie
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I am trying to get into a Photography course at a college here at the moment for the next school year. Not a "leisure/hobby" course, but a full time course starting next September till the spring of 07'. It covers, portraiture, wedding photography, photojournalism,dark room, digital photography and so on and so forth. It's quite the course and I think will be worth my while.

Anyway my question to all of you is, what kind of education in photography do all of you have behind you and did it help you out at all?

Thanks,


Jewel :)
 
Zero, except that which I have picked up over time just 'doing' it.
Just getting on with it seems to teach me more, learning by my mistakes as it were. I've never been a great book learner, did some Open University courses 20 odd years back and found them a real slog unless there were some real life examples to work with.

One thing I did learn feom them was the 'top down approach' to everything. Start with a broad idea of what you want to do/learn then refine it and split it into easily manageable parts which hopefully come together again later on as one complete whole. I've found that approach useful in solving many problems over the years.
 
Same here, all picked up as I went along. I did do a photoshop course at nightschool and whilst doing that I met a wedding photographer who was looking for extra help, to cut along story short she viewed some of my work, liked what she saw and we negotiated the wedding work from there. I learned a great deal during the time that I worked for the studio but have learned just as much from the many skilled people online that have offered help and advice for free in various forums.

Some people learn from books and some learn much better from live hands on tutoring, thats just the way of the world and I am sure you will learn a great deal from the course.
 
Again Zero. It has been self-taught (the hard-way) and picking Steve's brains on here.....:doh: oh and CT... and dod... and Marcel and Matty and Ian and Sammy and Steep :Ponders: ....could be quite a long list.

regards
 
Zero for me too, although i did do a course in optics and spectroscopy as part of a biology diploma so gave me an insight into light and lenses, i prefer reading from books, and practising plus picking up a wealth of information from forums. oh and practising :D
 
None. This is reflected in some of my earlier works such as "Dog and Gas Fire", "Shagpile" and "Back of Lens Cap". I've got a bit better with age. :Ponders:
 
GfK said:
"Back of Lens Cap"
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I've got the 20 minute promo video of that. Quite hard work but the ending is a real surprise!
 
GfK said:
None. This is reflected in some of my earlier works such as "Dog and Gas Fire", "Shagpile" and "Back of Lens Cap". I've got a bit better with age. :Ponders:
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I think we all have shots in our personal libraries that meet those standards, its required shooting as start of down our photography journeys ;)
 
I started doing a 3 year city and guilds, 1st year "o"level, 2nd year "A" level and then 3rd year c&g in scientific and technical photography. Half way through the second year I got a placement as an assistant, learned more in 1 week than all the tutoring, then started shooting glamour and model portfolios with a bit of photojourno stuff thrown in and never finished the 3rd year.
I think you would learn more helping out a "PRO" or semi pro than any course could teach you.
Loads of my mates say that it must be really easy to take pics of women with no clothes on but not one of them will take me up on the offer of "Ok heres a camera, heres a naked lady, the lighting is set, off you go"
 
None at all, read magazines occasionally but really just learn by getting out there and taking pics.
 
Am currently doing an online basic photography course (as I'm completely new to the world of photography, other than point n shoot stuff), but have learned most of the stuff I know from reading books and playing with the camera settings. I did a short digital image editing course ages ago, but can't remember much of it now :dizzy:
 
not much, i've got an 'a level' in art which taught me about composition and colour and a little about photography. mostly taught myself from old old old books and playing around. a few of my mates do it for a living so i occasionally get some good advice from them.
 
None here either Jewel.

Most of what I've picked up is from forums and days out with like minded people (some of our members).

A few years ago I spent a day with Andy rouse (one of the Uk's top wildlife photographers), and picked up a few tips.
 
You are very lucky Jewel, wish i had the time to do somthing like that
good luck to you.
 
i would like to do a course, but i havent the time or the money, so learning online from all the members here and a couple of other places has worked best for me!
 
I've done a few courses in Photography, most of which were with film. In my area "Cardiff" we have the Ffotogallery. which is in association with Cardiff University. When I bought my first slr (a Canon EOS 300) back in 2000, I thought I should learn how to use it properly, so I went on my first course which was an introduction to photography. This included learning all about your camera and photography in general.

I then went on a second course which was a black and white photography course, learning how to print in the dark room ect. At the end of the course I upgraded to a Canon EOS 30 and then went on a colour photography course. And finally a digital photography course around the time the 300D came out.

About 2 years ago I joined a camera club and have continued to try and clime the steep learning curve, my problem is as quick as the information goes in it comes strait back out again. :banghead: I also joined this forum back in July 05 and have enjoyed reading loads of posts and received lots of helpful advice from other members. That's about it up till now.
 
Books, magazines, trolling forums and practice for me.
I was trained from school as a commercial artist and gained a good grounding in composition and colour theory and my current job as a printer engineer has enhanced the colour knowledge and given me a more critical eye.

On the PP side of things, I'm a self taught Photochopper and got to use it professionally day in day out when I was a professional web designer and am still really scraping the surface when it comes to photography skills and Photoshop skills.

I don't really want to make a really enjoyable hobby (2 hobbies if you count photoshop in its own right) into a profession...I made that mistake with the music game.

Qualifications don't interest me but getting better does.
I like to learn my own way and at my own pace so that kind of rules me out of any classroom environment...apart from the fact that I'm thick (but good with my hands, so I've been told all my life)
 
What i've picked up upto now is really from forums/internet and general use, and also some helpfull comments from Marcel. I generally find that the internet is what you need for some tricks and hints, but if you want to try things out to see how to do things, you really need to get out there and do it yourself.

Saying that, i start 6th form in September, and Photography is one of my chosen subjects. So i'll see how that goes and if it helps me to improve :)
 
Nowt......taught the basics by my father with an Olympus OM1 when about 13, then rest is self taught with help of magazines & these days the net. Would love to go on a proper course though for more advanced stuff....... sounds like your course will be a cracker :)
 
I got hooked at about 10 years old when a neighbour who was a chemist showed me how to process black and white contact prints in the kitchen sink from family negatives. He fired a fascination that day which has never really abated in over 50 years, but it sent me to the library where I grabbed armfuls of books each week, hungrily reading everything I could get my hands on. I actually found a library book which showed how to build several bits of photographic gear including a rather ambitious black and white enlarger which served me well for a few years.

I went on to get involved in wedding photography very early on and have been a sem-pro all my life, having tackled most photo assignments and hundreds of weddings. I was scanning and restoring photos on a commercial basis long before the advent of digital cameras, and couldn't wait for the day when digital cameras and printing finally came of age.

I'm often amazed that people make an investment in something as involved as a modern DSLR without knowing a shutter speed from an aperture. :Ponders: Sitting quietly with a book or two is all that's required for a good technical understanding to get you well on your way.

I did used to run photographic evening courses many years ago using a classroom and darkroom at my place of work. It's possible to teach the basics of good technique very quickly indeed, but beyond that, no-one can 'teach' you photography, it's entirely down to your own ability and commitment. Keep getting out there and doing it, look at the work of others, be open to criticism, the good and the bad, but above all don't ever stop enjoying it.

Come to think of it, that's what this board is all about. :)
 
I would also like to say, iv learnt so much more from this forum
and the members here than all the years of snapping iv had

Thanks guys (and girls)

:thumb:
 
Madpup said:
I would also like to say, iv learnt so much more from this forum
and the members here than all the years of snapping iv had

Thanks guys (and girls)

:thumb:
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I'll toast to that:thumb:

Not only an invaluable wealth of knowledge - but also the fact that people will discuss things so your not just being spoon fed - your actually gaining an understanding of why this does that or why you should perhaps try this, etc. :clap:
 
Madpup said:
You are very lucky Jewel, wish i had the time to do somthing like that
good luck to you.
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Thanks, I do consider myself very lucky to get this opportunity to do this, something I have wanted for some time now. This is just the beginning I hope of something great! My problem is I love photography but just not sure what 'area' of photography that REALLY interests me. That's why I am choosing a course that will dabble into alot of it for me. Hopefully I will come out of it with a better understanding of which direction I want to go in. None of it comes out of pocket either so the sky is the limit really. I feel very lucky and excited.

After reading all your posts I'm really impressed that most of you are all self taught, with just a few taking courses here and there. Gotta love the internet!!! Thanks for sharing ladies and gents.

Jewel :)
 
jewel said:
I'm really impressed that most of you are all self taught

Jewel :)
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Didn't say I'd learned much :)
 
I am attending a course, the TPF distance learning course. :D
It's pretty hard work with all the critique and sharing lessons. :shock:
The tutorials and many many links branching out from within are a maze to get through. :dizzy:
Best thing is ask a question and have an answer within minutes. :thumb:

:clap: :clap: :clap:
 
kamion said:
I am attending a course, the TPF distance learning course. :D
It's pretty hard work with all the critique and sharing lessons. :shock:
The tutorials and many many links branching out from within are a maze to get through. :dizzy:
Best thing is ask a question and have an answer within minutes. :thumb:

:clap: :clap: :clap:
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heh :D yes we all enjoy that one! :)
 
HNB-Tec in basic photography (roughly equivalent to A-Level, I think)at Reading Uni (formerly Berkshire College of Art and Design - BCAD) and a 2:1 BA(Hons) in Editorial Photography from Brighton Uni.

And YEARS of experience which is the most important bit.
 
Over 50 years of taking photographs starting with my fathers 1/4 plate aged about 10. I think I have learnt more in the last few years since going digital and being able to freely experiment and using photoshop as my fumeless darkroom. The shared knowledge and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism on this forum is great, which coupled with a ripe sense of shared humour makes the learning experience more palatable. Do what you enjoy - I was lucky in my dentistry for 40 years as a "paid hobby". I wish you well.
 
Fangman said:
I was lucky in my dentistry
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Here was me thinking you got your forum name because you grew shedloads of hair at the full moon :D
 
dod said:
Here was me thinking you got your forum name because you grew shedloads of hair at the full moon :D
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I don't want to wory you but it's pretty bright outside and it was the blood that attracted me and I get throught a lot of razors . . .:suspect1: :yuck:
 
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