How many of you have taken some kind of photography class?

[pixeldawg]

As someone who's making a career out of going to school (I am working on my PhD in Mass Communications and was a photojournalist for a long, long time...) I can tell you that I get more out of simply sitting down and reading a basic book about anything. I'd recommend you take a look at the classic "Joy of Photography" book for the basics on rule of thirds and lighting. The Rule of Thirds deals with composition, or where you intentionally place the visual elements within the image.

A class can be hit-or-miss and often depends on the instructor who's teaching it. If you get someone who is good at explaining the concepts, you're bound to learn a lot. If they can't, you're wasing your time.

Good luck to you and hope you find what you are seeking.

 

[icassell]

As someone who's making a career out of going to school (I am working on my PhD in Mass Communications and was a photojournalist for a long, long time...) I can tell you that I get more out of simply sitting down and reading a basic book about anything. I'd recommend you take a look at the classic "Joy of Photography" book for the basics on rule of thirds and lighting. The Rule of Thirds deals with composition, or where you intentionally place the visual elements within the image.

A class can be hit-or-miss and often depends on the instructor who's teaching it. If you get someone who is good at explaining the concepts, you're bound to learn a lot. If they can't, you're wasing your time.

Good luck to you and hope you find what you are seeking.

From my perspective (also a perpetual student), I think that books are great and you can learn a great deal that way. I learned most of what I know about photography from books (both instructional and image-collections), museum/gallery going, and practice (and, in the last year or so, from the web). There is something to be said, however, for having someone available to hold your hand and be at your side to answer questions as they come up. A good teacher is a treasure.

 

[table1349]

In college I took a couple of photography classes. Photography was not my major. One was a portrait/fashion class and the other was called Photographic Impressions. This was the middle 70's folks,the classes were a bit different then.

At the time I was already working for a fashion photographer in his studio. I learned far more from my employer in terms of photography from a technical standpoint then I did in college. The Photographic Impressions class was designed to expand you creativity in various ways behind the camera and in the darkroom. It was a fun class although it was a bit weird by today's standards.

One thing I did learn from working with my employer was that I did not want to enter the fashion/catalog end of the business. But the knowledge he passed on was invaluable.

 

[Big Bully]

I got a degree in photography. But in all actuallity it was a "fine art" degree. A lot of drawing and stuff combined with a little bit of photography. My degree consisted of 2 darkroom classes... and that was it for photography the rest, was drawing and painting. Granted I love to draw and paint, but for a degree in photography it kinda ticked me off. So I am learning stuff on the internet as well as fooling around with lighting and iso on the side.

It really does.... homework is motivating.

I totally agree. I am a grade queen. If I don't get an A or a B I freak out!

I took a photo1 class back in high school, not gonna say how long ago that was.
Hell I blacked out my bathroom when I was in high school so I could develop my own film at home giving me more time in the dark room at school, mom wasn't too happy about her BLACKED OUT bathroom.

I've been out of it for a long time now and trying to get back into it with digital photography so its a whole new ball game.

Oh you aren't that old.. I'm guessing your HS days weren't more than 10 years ago. But I blacked out my bathroom too for my college classes.. lol

 

[pixeldawg]

From my perspective (also a perpetual student), I think that books are great and you can learn a great deal that way. I learned most of what I know about photography from books (both instructional and image-collections), museum/gallery going, and practice (and, in the last year or so, from the web). There is something to be said, however, for having someone available to hold your hand and be at your side to answer questions as they come up. A good teacher is a treasure.

You know, I totally agree with this, and think that you said what I was thinking (only your version was much better than mine!). I suppose the other point that I was trying to make though was that a BAD teacher can really pull you down. My reasoning for this is that if you have no experience and a BAD teacher, it's easy to learn bad habits unknowingly and it then becomes very difficult to relearn the technique that's correct. As artistic as photography is, it is also a technical art as well, and flaws in technique and composition can be magnified through technical flaws.

 

[lazyd]

i am just getting into photograhy. dont even have a camera yet hahaha, lol. unless you count my P&S. but i will be enrolling in a college class here to help me learn. but i bet i will learn just as much on here as i will in the class

 

[goodoneian]

i haven't taken any classes yet but i plan on doing so once i'm in college. the vast majority of what i've learned is from this forum and experimentation

 

[El2]

No classes here. Just reading and forums.

 

[abraxas]

I took a photography class in 1969 when I was in high school. Glad I did.

I learned by doing and reading. The forum thing has only been the last 2 years and has probably hurt more than helped, but opened me up to a world of work by others that impresses me.

 

[Dao]

i am just getting into photograhy. dont even have a camera yet hahaha, lol. unless you count my P&S. but i will be enrolling in a college class here to help me learn. but i bet i will learn just as much on here as i will in the class

A camera is a camera. So I would say yes, you do have a camera.
(Did you visit the thread started by Gam3Ra?) Photography should not be limited by the equipment. haha .. I admit that I do like some of the images I saw in this forum produced by a Holga.

As for me, I just started learning about photography in April this year and mostly from the internet and the books.

 

[Di&Z]

I took a photography class in 1969 when I was in high school. Glad I did.

I learned by doing and reading. The forum thing has only been the last 2 years and has probably hurt more than helped, but opened me up to a world of work by others that impresses me.

Why do you say it has hurt more than helped?

 

[Jon0807]

I learned mostly by trail and error and reading books and hanging out at camera shops before this whole internet thing got big. Then even more when the internet did blow up.

 

[Michaelintraining]

The fees wouldn't be a problem because the course is free and my uncle is a photographer(film) and has a dark room for my disposal

The corse says that i'd need a SLR camera, does this mean film or do you think a digital would suffice? I will find out soon but opinions would help.

 

[Overread]

best to ask - some courses might have no preference, whilst others might spend a good deal of time focusing on individual aspects of one form - eg a film course would be focusing a lot on processing in a darkroom, whilst whilst interesting would not help you much if you are a DSLR user.

 

[icassell]

The fees wouldn't be a problem because the course is free and my uncle is a photographer(film) and has a dark room for my disposal

The corse says that i'd need a SLR camera, does this mean film or do you think a digital would suffice? I will find out soon but opinions would help.

Around here, alot of the introductory courses require a film camera, so you better check.