Are you self-taught or formally educated?

Battou · Mar 15, 2008

I've taken a formal class......but I did not pay much attention so I am kinda self tought with the exceptions of a small handfull of requested lessons in compostion.

Helen B · Mar 15, 2008

I've had a bit of everything. The most valuable lesson I got from my formal education was how to learn things for myself. Apart from that, it was good to meet the people. Otherwise I found the whole idea of formal education, and the experience of it, rather unpleasant.

I've also attended, and continue to attend, many workshops and courses, either for technical reasons (introduction of new film, new camera, new techniques etc) or to meet a person whose work I admire. I have always been willing to assist other photographers and I've worked for a few, in the field, in the studio and in their darkrooms.

One of the dangers of a formal education or qualification (in my opinion) is that one may be inclined to place too much importance on it once one has it. You've got to keep moving on, and accept that it was only a beginning.

The reasonably solid technical understanding I gained from all this learning stuff has probably helped me to get some interesting jobs.

Best,
Helen

Chibamonkey · Mar 15, 2008

Self-taught w/ guidance from my mother, cutting my teeth on a K-1000 and ME-Super back in the 70's/early 80's. Took a basic film photography class in college.

Back in the saddle w/ digital...a lot of trial and error, and dusting off all of that old information from a long time ago.

sabbath999 · Mar 15, 2008

Journalism school graduate (photojournalism emphasis).

Drake · Mar 16, 2008

Learning everything on my own. Books, forums, trial and error.

iriairi · Mar 16, 2008

Coming down on the self taught side of the poll. Been reading books, internet, and getting help for other togs.

Sw1tchFX · Mar 16, 2008

Lets see, I've had about a year's worth of formal Photography school, comming up on about a year's worth of formal fine art schooling, but the photography training at my school is pretty lousy, so i've pretty much given up on trusting the curriculum and now i'm just teaching myself, via the community and reading, which has been getting me further than the last year of school has by far. (PDX STROBIST! Woo!!!)

I guess it's how much you can apply yourself to it, and if something doesn't work, find something else.

The formal schools are the Art Institute in Seattle (actually an ok photo program for commercial stuff) and Pacific Northwest College of Art(lousy photo program in general, they're stuck in the past and everything they do is still on film, god knows why).

MRivera · Mar 26, 2008

self- taught. Trying to learn from websites and this forum (great place) my background is not related to arts or engineer, would that make things difficult? I don't know. Business major.

John_Olexa · Mar 26, 2008

formally educated.

I took the course's at New York Institute of Photography.
I don't make my living at it, but it does supplement my income quite well

Bigcity · Mar 26, 2008

I think I'm neither :lol:

ir0n_ma1den · Mar 26, 2008

self taught on actual composition and taking photo's, but formally taught in the darkroom ( all the 35mm people will understand ).

philaphotog · Mar 27, 2008

Well, I started out doing one-(wo)man-band work in local television. Of course that's video, but it did teach me how to frame a good shot... got the establishing shot, medium and tight, etc. After 5 years in TV I moved into non-profit PR. Since my non-profit had no photographer... I got roped into it. I was decent. My skills started sharpening once I got a really nice SLR. Now that I've moved onto a DSLR I'm learning even more because you can play SO much more with digital images. I'm hoping to take some professional courses in the near future, but at the moment I have two children under two at home... and they've voted that I don't get any study breaks yet!

noob873 · Mar 27, 2008

Self taught the basics and learning how to use manual mode by trial and error and experimenting and whatnot, went like this for maybe 6 months or so, then started a class at school, still in that class. Only been into photography for about 10 or 11 months.

Wayfarer · Mar 27, 2008

I to, am completely self taught, if that. I picked up my first camera when I was five or so. My grand-mother gave it to me for some holiday, can't recall which one, and I toddled around with it. It had no film in it of course, but that made little difference to me at that age.

When I was ten or so, I started to get interested again, but my father couldn't afford a camera, so that was quelled quickly. Though a few years later, my girlfriends mother had me snap a few photos of a waterfall. And from there it all spiraled out of control.