Anyone here have a (higher level) degree in Photography?

[tecboy]

I don't want to be rude or anything else. Based on your website, you already have a degree, and you will be teaching English in China for five months. Stick with your goal and accomplish something. When you earn some money, you can buy better gear like strobe lights and backdrop. Forget about this photographer who has eight years experienced. You get all the help you need from a lot of very talented and professional photographers in TPF. You may end up far better than this photographer you mentioned in less than eight years. It is up to you to continue your education, but there will be time you may not need a higher degree in photography.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

That's a good point. Business degrees are very useful, not only for photography

A business degree is useful so you can get a job when you don't make it as a photographer.
You should also minor in marketing, to make you more attractive to a future employer.

Who said I won't? Or did you mean "you" in a rhetorical sense?

Right now, photography isn't my primary gig and I never intend for it to be unless I were to get a degree for it. I might be interested in teaching it at a university level though.

Rhetorical!

 

[407370]

All education teaches methods that stifle creativity but the really good photographers use the education as guidelines and not rules.

If you want to do the degree then go for it. Only time will tell if it proves to be the foundation you are looking for.

Regretting doing something is bad but regretting not doing something is horrible.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

All education teaches methods that stifle creativity

BS.

 

[studio460]

As I see it, there are three types of degrees in photography, with three different goals: two-year, four-year, and MFA programs. Many two-year city college degrees, while more vocational in nature, offered a lot of bang for the buck back in the film days. The school I went to had a lot of equipment, a huge lab, and the program taught everything from color theory, sensitometry, to lighting and portraiture, plus entailed a fair amount of 4x5 view camera work. Four-year photography programs (e.g, Art Center, Brooks, RIT, etc.) are for those on a more professional career track.

I think an MFA is more of an exploration of art rather than craft, and is a hugely personal decision to determine if it's right for you. If I had nothing but time and money, I would probably really enjoy being in an MFA program just for the environment, and for the investment in my own personal growth. But at this point, my technical craft is pretty well honed, and I'm mostly concentrating on the brass-tacks necessities required to start a second career as a still photographer (where my primary career is shooting television). If you have the time, resources, and imagination (plus, some amount of discipline), I would probably tend to argue that you could design your own MFA-level "curriculum," and use the money that would've otherwise gone toward tuition, toward travel, gear, and books instead.

 

[studio460]

I am thinking of enrolling in an Art & Design school to get a MFA in Photography. I want to grow intellectually and artistically. In other words, this isn't just for financial reasons in growing my business. By the way, I got my Bachelor's recently in Mass Media Arts, which is related to Video Production and Telecommunications.

Ah, I didn't see that. This is also a "stage-of-life" question. You would respond differently depending on where you are in life. If you're younger, and only recently received your undergraduate degree, it may be a good fit for you to explore MFA programs which interest you (for, as you said, your intellectual and artistic growth). Such schools under this consideration may be different from the four-year schools I mentioned above (e.g., School of the Art Institute of Chicago, School of Visual Arts, etc.). Good art programs tend to include a design-oriented, course-load (2D design, typography, etc.) which is also very applicable to photography and its related applications. However, if you're at a later stage in life, and already have a career going, you may instead want to invest in designing your own "curriculum," as I mentioned previously.

 

[Bobr267]

Started when I was 14 and will very soon be 78. Ran a photography business for umpteen years and have never had a days training in my life. I think I have an eye for a good picture though and that helps.

 

[Rob99]

Why not? Is teaching not rewarding?

I was considering the MFA program at SCAD. How was it?

No, it is, well it can be. It's really what you make of it. I do love my job. That was more of a joke. I couldn't imagine teaching at a highschool level though.

Scad is great, I really enjoyed my time there. If you have any specific questions feel free to pm me anytime.

All education teaches methods that stifle creativity

This is not true at all.

 

[tirediron]

Well, that's awesome you are always willing to learn even though you have so much experience already. I clicked the link and took a look at some of your recent work and well.. there's just nothing about it that sets it apart (in my humble opinion of course) I think that's more important than the work being technically perfect. Since it says: ​Tell me what you think I figured I would. I also think that it's very traditional, which is good for some people (probably the vast majority).

I guess I just proved your point then that the results will always be subjective Some people love my work, and others think it's awful. I don't have a huge body of work yet, though. And I'm always willing to try new things. Let me know what you think of mine when you can. Don't be too harsh, but be honest of your opinion of course!

Fair comment; I know that my biggest failing as a photographer is lack of creative 'vision', but I like to think that I provide my clients with what they want. You have some nice work on your 'site, and while it's not necessarily to my taste I can appreciate it, but I suspect that my client base is probably significantly older than yours; for whatever reason, probably 3/4 of my retail clients are in the 65+ range, and the more traditional, studio-style seems to appeal to them.

And mine are almost all under the age of 30 (with the exceptions of the 50th anniversary) so have a different demographic we are targeting. That's awesome you are able to do that. I bet you get a lot of business! I wish I had my own studio to work in. Do you have your own, or do you rent? What is the protocol for that sort of thing?

I have a sub-lease arrangement with a local dance studio which provides me a 15x40x14 room, recpetion area, change-room, and washroom, fully supplied, for $20/hour. Check around on your local Craig's List and Yellow Pages - there are usually studio shares available.

 

[astroNikon]

I thought the only degree needed was a receipt from BestBuy for their new $199 camera, and a $4.99 UV filter. :mrgreen:

 

[Vince.1551]

In conclusion, it's not a bad thing to go for the second degree. However it doesn't guarantee success in your photography career.

 

[407370]

All education teaches methods that stifle creativity

BS.

I beg to differ.

I have hired graphic designers and software developers / coders straight out of university with qualifications up the wazoo and pretty much without exception they are robots taught to use processes that are useless in the real world of business. They lacked the imagination to creatively solve a problem. They learned more real world knowledge in 6 months working for my team and some of them have gone on to do very well for themselves.

I firmly believe that any form of formal education in a creative subject teaches mechanics and nothing else. The creative part is intrinsic in the person and nothing to do with years at university

 

[rexbobcat]

All education teaches methods that stifle creativity

BS.

Not entirely BS. I don't agree that ALL education does this, but in some instances it can, especially when the education is focused on what not to do instead of what is possible.

But this is coming from someone with a University Studies degree who is somewhat jaded with higher level education so....whatever... :greenpbl:

 

[Browncoat]

I'm a photography school dropout. I was in an accredited IT program and one day I had an epiphany: did I really want to spend my career trapped in a cubicle all day? No. So I transferred to an art school and majored in photography. About a year into this new program, I had another epiphany: why am I paying for this crap when so much of it is free? So I quit.

Unless you plan on working for a fashion studio or something, there's no point to a photography degree in my opinion. There's so much you can gain for free online and through workshops that are far cheaper than paying for an education. If you want to go into business for yourself, you'd be much better served by taking business classes.

 

[Vince.1551]

No one needs to go to school anymore? Just get educated from the internet and get a google degree ...