question about classes

hoosier40000

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alright,
i was enrolling in a photography class this summer and realized that it was fairly costly. i need the experience because i am not very knowledgable in the technical aspect of photography, but would there be a better route to take? i would be taking this course through a community college by my house. my main goal is to grow as a photographer so i want to be challenged, so let me know any suggestions and i would be very grateful. thanks!
 
Have you thought about assisting an established photographer? Many people choose this route becuase it doesn't cost you anything (you might actually get paid) and its easier to learn from a person one-on-one and through experience than in a classroom setting. Just a thought!
 
Classes are usually good. You get to talk to a lot of other people who are doing photography, see their work, and show them your work. Having to finish assignments by a deadline is good experience. It can depend a lot on the instructor. Take the same class twice with different teachers, and it could be a completely different class each time.
 
The normal way is to go through the 'phone book and call all the photographers who live within range.
Introduce yourself and ask if he is looking for an assistant or if you could just come and have a chat and get some advice and guidance from him.
If any say 'yes' then go and have a chat. Just be yourself. Don't be pushy. If you get on then ask if you can come and help anytime just to get experience (no pay).
You take it from there.
Photographers in general are an OK bunch and they all had to start somewhere too so they are often willing to help.
They won't give a job to someone they don't know - but once they have met you and you've spent a day or two being a gopher....

This approach does work. I have advised many students to do it over the years and the success rate is surprisingly high.
Do remember though that a great many 'pro' photographers have never had any formal training and a lot of what they know is 'traditional' - not necessarily correct or accurate. You can pick up a lot of bad habits.
You will also only learn how that photographer works - and there are many different approaches to Photography.
On the other hand, there are a lot of Photography courses (and teachers) who are crap too. It's a bit of a lottery all round.
Take whichever route you feel most comfortable with.
 
what is it re: 'photography' that you want to do ?
what technical aspects do you mean exactly... taking pictures on the move with available light, portraiture, fast sports stuff, dark-room processes, digital imaging software ?

if you want to take better pictures then put some film it and go use you camera really often. see what you results you get and learn from the mistakes. make as many mistakes as possible...ruin as many photo opportunities as possible and realise why they got screwed-up.

even break your camera, lenses etc - and learn why and how it broke.

take a picture at f3.5 and take another at f22. take one at 1/15 and take another at 1/500. buy a fast film/use it/develop it, buy a slow film/use it develop it. take a picture of something close and take a picture of something far away. use your flash, then turn it off and take the same picture. etc etc. there is no substitute for experience.



hoosier40000 said:
alright,
i was enrolling in a photography class this summer and realized that it was fairly costly. i need the experience because i am not very knowledgable in the technical aspect of photography, but would there be a better route to take? i would be taking this course through a community college by my house. my main goal is to grow as a photographer so i want to be challenged, so let me know any suggestions and i would be very grateful. thanks!
 
If you are the kind of person who needs a bit of a kick in the rear (like me!) to actually go out and do it, a class can be a good way of "forcing" you to go use the camera. If you have an assignment, you won't feel as much like you're wasting the time/film when you go out an blow through a roll just to see what you get. That's an added benefit a class may have regardless of the teacher.
 
I would say take the class. Just being around that atmosphere helps in being a better photographer.
 

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