Photography Qualifications?

jaomul · Aug 16, 2011

Hi all. While I suspect there will be no one correct answer due to some people being more artistic than others, and some being more technically minded, along with other abilities etc, here goes.
Do you think improving on your photography skills is simply down to experience, or do you recommend photography courses to improve?

Overread · Aug 16, 2011

Experience is nothing unless you also challenge you boundaries through the experiences and also study on your own. Photography has no official qualifications you need either at hobby or professional level and, like most arts, is based on your end result - your portfolio.

A course can however provide structure to learning and can provide a more wholesome understanding, rather than self learning which can be very open to missing out stages or skipping over details that, later, prove to be very important.

Some people can self-learn well and others need a bit of help and direction.

jaomul · Aug 16, 2011

Thanks Overread

KmH · Aug 16, 2011

Photography is like a coin - it has 2 sides.

One side of the coin requires a person develope a good fundamental understanding of the technical aspects of doing photography. That knowledge of the technical fundamentals includes how a camera and lens works, how a digital photograph works, and the fundamentals of image editing. In other words, learning to use the tools effectively.

The other side of that coin requires a person develope a good fundamental understanding of the visual arts, with an emphasis on composition and lighting.

Improving your photography skills comes down to learning the artistic and technical fundamentals, and then studying the various above mentioned disiplines in depth so you also gain an understanding of the nuances involved.

If you are able to develope and persue your own logical course of self-study, you don't need photography courses. Plus, not all photography courses are necessarlly well done. Most are designed to teach you only the barest basics.

gsgary · Aug 16, 2011

I have qualifications but it didn't help me with my photography i only went on the coarse because of the fantastic facilities at the college, Studio big enough for 4 people to shoot at the same time very good lighting eqipment, fully equipped dark room, all the upto date editing programs the best photographic library for miles, also been on masterclasses with soom of the top UK photographers that really did help

g-fi · Aug 16, 2011

My 2 cents is that you can get more for your money learning outside of a classroom than in it. Having said that, some people just don't learn unless it's in a classroom environment, they need someone standing in front of them to explain it and illustrate it, and there's no shame in that. I think people just have to keep in mind that usually a client doesn't hire you because you have a degree in photography, but because your work is worth it. There is so much free information out there between forums and Youtube and websites with tutorials, I would have a hard time justifying the expense of a class when information is so readily available. That's money that can go towards gear!

g-fi · Aug 16, 2011

Oh! I forgot! I totally have to add that there are many MANY paid workshops you can attend where you'll shoot next to a pro and learn their tricks and hear their opinions on photography and business and while probably half of them out there aren't worth it, there are definitely workshops that I would attend if I had $1000 to throw away on it. Hands on teaching like that doesn't have to come from the classroom at all.

rlemert · Aug 16, 2011

Personally, relying solely on experience to improve as a photographer is probably a very inefficient way to improve. Chances are you may recognize that your pictures lack that "certain something" that will make them stand out, but you may not be able to recognize what's missing and how to correct it. And while you may stumble across the technique eventually through trial and error, that process could take some time.

A well-taught "course", even if it's just following a pro around while they explain what they're doing, can cut out quite a bit of that trial and error process and give you things to think about. And if you're primarily interested in the 'artistic' side of the field, the course doesn't even have to be in photography. You can get a lot of the principles from an art appreciation course. Even a TV/movie production course will give you some insights to work with.

Stradawhovious · Aug 16, 2011

Practice doesn't make perfect.

Perfect practice makes perfect.

Take the classes. I have been taking as many as I can, and they have taken the quality of my photographs from horse**** to mediocre in a matter of months. Without the outside influence of classes and personal dorection from a couple of folks, I would still be at horse**** thinking I was maknig progress.

In my area they offer community ed classes that are very very affordable, and fairly informative (for the most part.... there are always exceptions). Then I have coupled that with finding someone on an internet forum to torture endlessy through PM with mundane stupid questions. This person has always come back with solid helpful advice. These coupled with reading an endless stack of books and getting a student subscription to "Rangefinder" magazine have helped me immensely.

But that's just me. Your brain might work diferently.