What kind of education do you have?

[skieur]

I have a BFA in studio art. I took all three photography classes the school offered. I would not trade my college experience for the world but I learned the nitty gritty of photography working for a traditional studio. The owner told me one day "I've been in the business 30 years and made every mistake in the book. You get to reap the benefits of that so pay attention!"

Then I went and worked for a few big ad agencies and a marketing company before deciding to be the man instead of working for the man. Now I'm happy, well off and successful. But it didn't happen overnight.

In contrast, my photographic work was always on location but my television work was often in studio interviews mixed with on-location footage which I also shot.

 

[soret]

I took a program a couple of years ago to get my certification and now I'm working on my B.Des in Photography and possibly my masters in a few years.

 

[Scoody]

Formal education consists of a Geology degree from Angelo State University, thanks to blazing speed and quick reflexes in football. As far as photography, I have none save some online courses over the last few years. I have carried a camera everywhere since high school. Got to take alot of great photos of exotic places in the Army for six years. Have been using photography to augment my income for the last six years but am now having to do it full time. I was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and my days doing what I used to do for a living are over.

 

[Coasty]

Two years in high school (1980’s) with film and Mayama DTL 500/1000’s, nothing for 23 years, then a two week digital course in the Coast Guard with Nikon D700’s. The rest was on the job learning, talking to other photographers, and books.

 

[snowbear]

BS in Geography/Computer Cartography; 9 credits in photography (three classes)

Nowhere near being a pro photographer

 

[pixmedic]

eduwhatsit?

 

[Nevermore1]

I would agree with the majority of posters that a business degree is more than a photography degree. I'm not a pro and only have one photography class which was Forensic Photography in college years ago (it was lots of fun having to call my Prof to explain to the Sheriff's Deputy that that was not really a dead body in the pics I just had printed at Costco...).

 

[DSRay]

I have an associates degree in philosophy circa 1973, an associates degree in photography circa 1979, an associates degree in engineering tech and a bachelor degree in land surveying, circa 1983. I am also a commercial pilot which was more fun and challenging than any degree.

 

[bribrius]

photo in highschool (I was in yearbook to so they kind of went hand in hand shooting for the yearbooks) and a short correspondence type course twenty plus years ago. Never occurred to me to have a photography business I didn't think I could make money in it. watched a older sibling give up on sports shooting before me to find more money elsewhere which kind of reinforced the idea in my head there wasn't good income in photography. I signed up for economics in college and let photography go and just recently started dabbling in it again. I don't have a business and only know a fraction of what the pros on this site know about photography