Photo School, or Not?

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Many would-be photographers are perplexed when trying to decide if they should attend college to study photography. I think a lot of amateur photographers feel, especially these days, that they can learn what they need to know just by assisting. While it’s true that I have learned far more on the job than I did in school, I think only school can make available to you the resources necessary to explore and consider your future in photography. I know that I had many questions and uncertainty’s about the whole idea of making photography my career.

I attended a photo program at my local community college. It gave me the chance to figure out what I really wanted to do with photography. I took a business class which helped me understand a bit of what to expect on the business side of photography. Yes, photography IS a business. You should learn marketing, accounting, business management, and how to file taxes. Many photographers will tell you that photography is 90-percent business and 10-percent shooting. After 12+ years in the photo industry, I most definitely can agree. I need more business classes!

Of course, there are people who are much more business-minded than I. So, ask yourself, can I take my clients ideas and communicate them visually in the best way possible? This is where commercial advertising photographers excel. Some have a knack for it, some do not. Client relationships are important… Do I possess the people-skills necessary to build and keep good business relationships? I would say that these are the two most important hurdles for today’s advertising photographer. It has always been extremely competitive out there in the advertising world, and today, even more so.

Of course, the hands-on, technical side of photography can be learned on the job, or by participating in workshops and seminars, and even on the internet, by anyone who is resourceful, creative, and hard-working. The argument for school, I feel, is that it will expose you to many different aspects of photography that will help you find a specific direction that you might want to pursue. School also gave me a very solid foundation in the fundamentals of film, light, and darkroom techniques. I imagine some of the curriculum has changed, but the basics are still the basics, and I’m sure film and darkroom procedures are invaluable. Perhaps darkrooms are less common and being traded out for photoshop darkroom classes, but I still think there is a great deal to learn about exposure, with film and in the darkroom, that you just can’t substitute with few mouse-clicks. And, I would venture to say that it would be very difficult to find a commercial photographer who is shooting much anymore with film at all, who has the time to pass-on these important building blocks.

So, in retrospect, I would have to say that school is definitely helpful, especially if you are planning on shooting/assisting commercially. Business, communications, journalism, english, arts… all necessary courses of study. Maybe you want to consider the differences of an associates program at a community college, to a BA in Communications, or a program at art schools like Brooks and Art Center. Whatever you choose, it should be well thought out and researched. Maybe it will help if you contact a few local photographers and ask them about their educational experience. Or, better yet, work a day or two (for free if necessary) to gain some insight and first-hand experience, if you are unsure.

If you just want to assist, maybe you don’t need school. I know plenty of assistants and photographers who never went to college. But, also keep in mind that everyone’s different. I’ve worked with a few photographers who are just tuned-in to visually communicating the idea and concept of their client. They know how it should look and feel, but they don’t know technical digital stuff, lighting, or how to troubleshoot when on set. They are more people-oriented and surround themselves with intelligent creatives who assist them in pulling it off. They definitely know what they want, but it’s your job, then, to help them get the shot. Will you have the education, knowledge, and experience to make their ideas work with your lighting scheme?

For me, the bottom line is that I don’t believe I would have had the success that I’ve had thus far without my attending school early in my career. Although my schooling was basic by comparison to an institution like Brooks, if I had had the opportunity, I would have attended such a school. Heck, I’d go even today, if I could afford it, just because I love to learn.

Check out the links page for a list of schools. Or, check out your local college and see what photography programs they have in place.