Anyone ever take a photography course at college?

[Ajlista]

Im glad someone made this thread and there were answers
Although im only 10th grade I have been thinking alot about it, and if its worth it

 

[Sw1tchFX]

LOL I just got a Bachelors in Fine Arts majoring in photography, a 4-year degree on this stuff.

School didn't teach me anything about working a camera. Dead serious.

Is that because you already knew how to use a camera? It seems strange that you would study for four years and not be taught. Do you mean you didn't learn anything or rather that you weren't taught anything? Please tell us more...

No, it's not because I already knew how to use a camera, it was more or less the same situation as BlackSheep.

I went to school to learn art, art theory, and to understand what it is I see in culture. Knowing how aperture, shutter speed, ISO, reciprocity failure and Photoshop work, does not equate to artistic understanding, and frankly those are all things any driven individual can learn on their own.

Things you learn in art school are Who, What, When, Why, and if it's important, How. Who made this? What did they make? When did they make it? Why did they make this? How did they make this? those 5 things are what you investigate into why they are culturally relevant and what it is the artwork is trying to say.

Great art does not equal beautiful creations. Duchamp's Fountain is a GREAT example of great art. The great thing about Fountain is that it's a urinal in a gallery! Who puts a urinal in a gallery? We think of urinals as a tool, their spartan design is for the purpose of collecting waste.

Now put that in a gallery space, the context immediately changes! You don't look at it like you would a typical urinal, you look at it as a sculpture, the curves, the reflections, the aura, the presence of it speaks different when it is on a pedestal as opposed to a wall in a dingy, dark bar restroom. It elevates it to a higher status. Duchamp "polished the turd" and made the art world look at art in a different scope.

Interpreting photographs, sculptures, paintings, or anything considered "art", is not what you learn at technical schools like The Art Institutes or Brooks. They teach you the technicals so you can copy what successful photographers or artists have done and make it technically "perfect". Trust me, I went to AI too during my college career.



I can't tell you how many people came into my school (PNCA), thinking they were going to come out as Joe/Jane Pro's that would know how to shoot everything under the sun. They were all disappointed and eventually left. The people that remained and graduated learned about themselves as individuals and got at least that much closer into understanding why it is they do what they do.

Brooks and AI don't teach you how to critically investigate the culture surrounding you, they just turn you into robots that are very efficient at creating properly exposed pictures.

 

[BlackSheep]

Yep, that totally sums it up. Very well written Sw1tch.

But I should add that I didn't actually finish my degree (did 3 years out of 4), for pretty much the reasons you said. At the end of third year, I was offered a full-time job, and I took it with no hesitation whatsoever.

I did -and still do, 20+ years later- appreciate learning all of the things that you talked about, but to be honest in the long run I realized that that particular knowledge wouldn't help me make a living in photography, or in any other industry for that matter. BUT, it did teach me alot about critical thinking which has been extremely useful in all aspects of my life, and for that I will never regret spending those 3 years in that school, even though I don't make my living with photography.

 

[Ballistics]

Great insight from the both of you. I'm not looking to become a professional photographer, but the idea of learning the technical side of photography makes me think that it will expedite my discovery of the type of photographer I want to become. If that makes any sense lol.

 

[Vtec44]

School didn't teach me about cameras either. I learned theory, history, & design concepts... mostly...

Brooks and AI don't teach you how to critically investigate the culture surrounding you, they just turn you into robots that are very efficient at creating properly exposed pictures.

Well said...

 

[CCericola]

Every photography class is different. If you are concerned about what you will actually learn in the course e-mail the professor and ask.

For instance places like Tyler. Corcoran, Pratt, Moore, UA, etc... assume you already know how to use a camera as you have to submit a portfolio for admission. (I'm not familiar with PNCA admissions)

State Universities might have separate classes for Fines Art majors v' Communications majors and general degree students, ie; the Fine Arts class assumes the artist already knows the basics of exposure while the general photography class starts at the very beginning.

Every school is different. Check with the professors or ask students who took it last semester. All in all, if you need the credits anyway, go for it. If you absolutely hate it I'm sure there is a drop/add policy

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Every photography class is different. If you are concerned about what you will actually learn in the course e-mail the professor and ask.

For instance places like Tyler. Corcoran, Pratt, Moore, UA, etc... assume you already know how to use a camera as you have to submit a portfolio for admission. (I'm not familiar with PNCA admissions)

State Universities might have separate classes for Fines Art majors v' Communications majors and general degree students, ie; the Fine Arts class assumes the artist already knows the basics of exposure while the general photography class starts at the very beginning.

Every school is different. Check with the professors or ask students who took it last semester. All in all, if you need the credits anyway, go for it. If you absolutely hate it I'm sure there is a drop/add policy

^^^^that is exactly what I found to be the case as I was shopping schools/courses

 

[odiy33]

Almost done with my intro to digital photography course and have learned a ton. You can learn a lot online as well, but really helps having a class that can force you to learn the less sexy, but Important sides of digital photography. Plus if you are serious about photography as a possible career choice , it always helps to have a college course under your belt.

 

[Ballistics]

I spoke to the director of photography and he stated that the course that I will be taking is exactly what I am looking for as far as fundamentals go. I'm excited.

 

[BlackSheep]

That's great!
Once the class starts up, be sure to let us know how you're doing with it.

 

[vtf]

Good luck, have a great time and absorb all you can. :thumbup:

 

[Ballistics]

Thank you to the both of of you. You guys are very kind.

 

[Divatologist]

Ballistics I would make sure that your photography class actually counts as a humanities class. I was excited because I saw the digital photograpy class listed under art, which was under humanities. However I soon realized that even though that photography class fell under art/humanities, it did not qualify as a humanities class that they would give you credit for in any curriculum. If it didn't have a "H" by the class title, then it didn't qualify as a humanities class. So, I'm stuck with Spanish next semester.

I hope that your college is different. I was so upset when I realized that the photography class didn't qualify as a humanities course in my curriculum. This is my last prereq before I enter the nursing program. Being able to take a class in something I actually enjoy would have been great. Good luck in school.

 

[Lunchbox]

I really would like to take a Photoshop class, I am amazed at what people can do in photoshop yet all i do with it is clean up backgrounds and resize and sharpen and clone. And i know there is sooooo much more i could do.

 

[pennylane911]

I do study a short course about basic photography. I is up to you if you want to proceed to advanced one.