classes?

[dicentra spectabilis]

I'm thinking about taking a photography class at college this summer, since I only have one class that I HAVE to take. Has anyone else taken a class, either through a college or somewhere else? Did you feel like you learned alot? Was it worth the time and money?

I have 2 cameras: a Canon Rebel 2000 35mm, and a Canon Powershot A95 digital. They both have tons of manual options that I don't know how to use. That's what I really want to try out, but I can't afford the film to keep experimenting on my own with the 35mm, and it's hard to tell with the digital whether the quality is poor because of my settings on the camera, or for another reason. I also think it'd be neat to be able to develop my own pictures.

 

[NerdySurfer/rick]

Well, I dont know if this is what you mean, But Ive taken a class in high school, and I learned alot. I think they really go by old 35mm, like with old cannon a1's. Its really fun though to learn those, even if you go on to digital, they teach you what to look for in a shot, and the rule of thirds etc etc... So yeah, its worth it, and lots of fun too! hope this helped a bit

 

[Southern Cross]

I'll go the other way. I never took classes. Almost everything I've learned was 100% self taught through books and the web and a lot of experimentation. That said, I do take a seminar once or twice year now. Mainly it's just to keep up with new trends and digital workflow since photography is my profession. For me, the only thing I really want to take classes in is lighting for commercial photography and advanced lighting theory.

Your Canon is a very capable little camera, but like any camera, it has it's limitations and it won't perform well in every situation (like flash photography). The best investment you can possibly make is a tripod. Even a small, cheap $30 WalMart tripod will help. In addtion, learning all the ins and outs of your camera is extremely helpful. Learning when the lighting is best for photography really helps, too.

www.photo.net is a great site for learning. Go to the discussion forums, do a search on your camera, see what pops up!

 

[mamabear4]

I never took classes. Almost everything I've learned was 100% self taught through books and the web and a lot of experimentation. .....photography is my profession.

You don't know how much that encourages me. I've never been able to take classes but simply love photography and would like to become a photo journalist. If you can be a professional photographer without an education in the field, maybe I can, too.

I believe that any skill takes practice. When I was a child I wanted to play the piano and practiced and practiced and practiced - all without lessons. Today I love to play it and am now learning to play the guitar. Again, practice, practice, practice. So I believe, if you want to do something and are unable to get the education you'd like, watch how the pros do it and try to emulate them. In the end, you may be even better than the pros.

 

[michabo]

I have taken a number of classes through a local college and I've loved them! I have learned a lot, and more importantly, I found the peer interaction very challenging and inspiring. Maybe I lack some of the internal motivation that others have, I don't know. Whatever the case, it has helped my photography greatly. I find that the process of getting assignments and then seeing what the other students come up with is eye-opening and has helped a lot.

There may be other avenues for this, like www.photofriday.com, but it's hard to get the same level of critique. Far too many people would rather damn you with faint praise than be honest and help you learn, even if it risks hurting your feelings. If you can find some venue for this, even a mentor or group of friends, you'll get most of the benefits of a classroom.

As for worth the money...? I'm not selling any pictures and do this just for my own enjoyment, so "worth" becomes a very subjective thing. I make a lot more money than I can spend, so a few hundred for something I love isn't even a consideration. If you know how much every frame of film costs you and you know how many rolls you can shoot before you have to start rationing your food, then reading some books in your library and visiting some local galleries may be a better investment than a class.

Most classes will demand (rightly so) that you have a camera which can be fully manual. I don't think your Powershot will qualify, which means you'll have to use your film camera. And if you say you don't have enough money to experiment with film, remember that in addition to the course fee, you will be expected to shoot several rolls of film every week. You will also be expected to use professional quality film, and get it developed at a professional lab, which will end up costing you more than WalMart or the other 1 Hour Finishing places. All of this may help you be more efficient in the future and figure out why some of your digital images aren't up to scratch, but if you're worried about the amount of film you're using currently, a class will just make this worse in the short term.


Mamabear: you can definately teach yourself, but you need to be disciplined. Just shooting a lot of pictures isn't enough to learn or to grow. You will need to learn what makes a good photo, and what makes a bad photo, what are the rules and when you can break them. With a basic grounding, and with discipline, practice can help. But I spent years taking "holiday snaps" without ever improving. I guess I'm saying that the quality of practice matters far more than the volume.

 

[Glisten]

I say by all means take a class. I've been thinking of taking a digital photography class myself. I thoroughly believe it will get you on the right track.

 

[mamabear4]

Mamabear: you can definately teach yourself, but you need to be disciplined. Just shooting a lot of pictures isn't enough to learn or to grow. You will need to learn what makes a good photo, and what makes a bad photo, what are the rules and when you can break them. With a basic grounding, and with discipline, practice can help. But I spent years taking "holiday snaps" without ever improving. I guess I'm saying that the quality of practice matters far more than the volume.

I agree, michabo. I am sure a good course in photography would be of trememdous help. I seem to always have had to learn things the hard way. With only an 8th grade education I read to learn the craft of writing, especially studying the works of authors I admired and tried to emulate their styles. I actually was able to sell the first book I wrote to the first publisher I submitted a proposal to and it sold over 60,000 copies during its 10 years on the market. (They were even in Walmart at one time.) I hope I'm not sounding boastful, but this is only to bring home my point that when a person is unable to afford classes there are ways around that. I have also worked as a reporter/photo journalist for a daily paper, written for countless Christian magazines and Sunday School papers and done that mostly without an education. I've taken my GED since my first book was published and also taken a correspondence course in journalism. Other than that, I'm still that 8th grader, watching the pros, then trying to do as they do. Not the easiest way in the world, but it's better than sitting on your hands.

 

[mamabear4]

and it sold over 60,000 copies during its 10 years on the market. (They were even in Walmart at one time.)

I want to correct this. My book was on a ChoiceBooks book rack in WalMart stores, not on WalMart's book shelves. Don't want to exaggerate my success as an author. Even though that first book did fairly well as a paperback, I am still an unknown in the literary field. But, you have to begin somewhere.

 

[michabo]

mamabear,

This reminds me of another story. In the early days of rock climbing, there was one Yosemite legend that put up many dozens of bold new routes, all without any training or mentors. They were brilliant, internationally famous routes, too! He says that many people ask him how he did it, or whether they should seek training or just "do it" like he did. His standard answer was "If you have to ask, you need training."

There are some people who, by virtue of incredible self-motivation, perception, persistence and dedication, can manage to accomplish impressive things and follow their own path at the same time. If you need to ask, then you are tacitly admitting you are not one of those people.

Harsh, and with climbing you could die if you don't know what you're doing, but I still think it applies to many areas.

 

[Piano Player]

I took a class in college, and learned more in a few weeks than I learned in years prior to that. It all depends on the teacher. If he or she has a good reputation by all means it is worth the time and money. If not, you can always buy the book, and read it yourself. Even without the teacher, seeing how other students interpret the same assignment is worth the course in itself.

Absent a course, join a photography club. Others with varying experience will analyze your work through objective eyes.

 

[mamabear4]

Harsh, and with climbing you could die if you don't know what you're doing, but I still think it applies to many areas.

I love that! Of course we could die blazing new trails if we don't know what we're doing. But for the cautious, who never take a solitary step for fear of stepping on a snake, life is only a merry-go-round, taking them nowhere. I admire Yosemite rock climbers and want to be one of those.

That reminds me of a line from "The Princess Diaries" (the first one) where her father is writing in her diary and he writes, "The daring may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all." (My son has quoted that so many times I think we've all memorized it by now.) I love it!

Sorry for digressing from the classes thing. If you want to take photog classes, by all means do. But if you can't for some reason, don't let that stop you from doing what you really want to do.

 

[KarateCowboy]

I'm thinking about taking a photography class at college this summer, since I only have one class that I HAVE to take. Has anyone else taken a class, either through a college or somewhere else? Did you feel like you learned alot? Was it worth the time and money?

I have 2 cameras: a Canon Rebel 2000 35mm, and a Canon Powershot A95 digital. They both have tons of manual options that I don't know how to use. That's what I really want to try out, but I can't afford the film to keep experimenting on my own with the 35mm, and it's hard to tell with the digital whether the quality is poor because of my settings on the camera, or for another reason. I also think it'd be neat to be able to develop my own pictures.

I've never taken a photography course but did it in 4-H for years

 

[dicentra spectabilis]

I think I'm going to do it. The class isn't really at a convenient time for me, but I've been wanting to take one for years, since we got the Rebel 2000 in 2000. If not now, when? It's on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 pm to 3:30 pm, and my other class I have to take is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 pm to 10 pm. Wish they were both on the same day...

Anyway, thanks for all your input, I'll keep you posted when I start...