2 Approaches: School vs. Experience

[lovelens]

Hello wonderful photogs,

I am finishing my undergrad university degree next year and I don't want to do anything directly related to what I studied (business management - yeah, you can roll your eyes... I chose that as a 17 year old, give me a break). Of course I will apply most of what I learned, but I am young, wild, and free, and I should not be wasting my youth cooped up in an office in an administrative position or working 80 hours a week as a junior investment broker (although, I'd love to work 80 hours a week being around photography).

I am thinking about working full-time as an assistant to a photographer for minimum wage, or going back to school for a one or two year community college program for photography. Simply put, it is a battle between the 2 Approaches: School vs. Experience.

Approach (A) Assist right after graduation, find a photographer willing to take me under her/his wing, then consider college, or
Approach (B) Go to college for photography, gain technical experience, then look for assistance work

The way I see it, approach (A) would be particularly challenging, given that most assistants are hired to carry out a task and assistants are "not paid to learn". But to be saddled with more student loans for college and pausing my opportunity to work full-time, approach (B) does not seem to be a very financially-appealing approach.

I would like to hear your views on promoting either approach.

If you are a photographer with assistants:

• Between you and your assistants, Is there any structure or formal educational component when you interact with your assistants? For example, how often do you provide formal feedback sessions to assess what your assistants have learned and what else they want to learn?
• What is the most important thing you believe an assistant should take away from assisting a photographer?

If you are a photographer who strongly values institutionalized education for photography:

• Assisting or interning with experienced photographers is the most recommended route for aspiring photographers. What unique points of difference does a college program provide, that assistance/internships could not?
• A solid portfolio, connections to powerful people, and good timing is sometimes what it takes to achieve goals. Do college programs emphasize any of this 'real world' mentality and teach 'soft skills', or do college programs strictly deliver a technical education?
• What is the most important thing you believe a student should take away from any college program for photography?

I appreciate any and all information you can provide

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by lovelens

Hello wonderful photogs,

I am finishing my undergrad university degree next year and I don't want to do anything directly related to what I studied (business management - yeah, you can roll your eyes... I chose that as a 17 year old, give me a break). Of course I will apply most of what I learned, but I am young, wild, and free, and I should not be wasting my youth cooped up in an office in an administrative position or working 80 hours a week as a junior investment broker (although, I'd love to work 80 hours a week being around photography).

I am thinking about working full-time as an assistant to a photographer for minimum wage, or going back to school for a one or two year community college program for photography. Simply put, it is a battle between the 2 Approaches: School vs. Experience.

Approach (A) Assist right after graduation, find a photographer willing to take me under her/his wing, then consider college, or
Approach (B) Go to college for photography, gain technical experience, then look for assistance work

The way I see it, approach (A) would be particularly challenging, given that most assistants are hired to carry out a task and assistants are "not paid to learn". But to be saddled with more student loans for college and pausing my opportunity to work full-time, approach (B) does not seem to be a very financially-appealing approach.

I would like to hear your views on promoting either approach.

If you are a photographer with assistants:

• Between you and your assistants, Is there any structure or formal educational component when you interact with your assistants? For example, how often do you provide formal feedback sessions to assess what your assistants have learned and what else they want to learn?
• What is the most important thing you believe an assistant should take away from assisting a photographer?

If you are a photographer who strongly values institutionalized education for photography:

• Assisting or interning with experienced photographers is the most recommended route for aspiring photographers. What unique points of difference does a college program provide, that assistance/internships could not?
• A solid portfolio, connections to powerful people, and good timing is sometimes what it takes to achieve goals. Do college programs emphasize any of this 'real world' mentality and teach 'soft skills', or do college programs strictly deliver a technical education?
• What is the most important thing you believe a student should take away from any college program for photography?

I appreciate any and all information you can provide

1) congratulations on a very well structured and thought out request for advice.

2) What area of photography do you want to get into? ...as that can largely affect the answers you'll get here.

[lovelens]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

1) congratulations on a very well structured and thought out request for advice.

2) What area of photography do you want to get into? ...as that can largely affect the answers you'll get here.

1) Thank you

2) My ultimate reality (keyword: reality, not a dream) would be documenting the Olympics, somewhere along the lines of this:
Ben Hulse
or this:
Toronto Star Photo Blog

I want to create photographic essays about people or events as large as the Olympics, appearing in magazines, books, or large-scale slideshows for events/conferences. I don't really know what it's called -- I just want to take really good pictures and have lots of people see them and get paid enough to have a roof over my head and food to eat every day. Nothing fancy. Not in it for fame or wealth. Just the opportunity to take really good pictures and still survive.

[nickbedford]

That would come under Photo Journalism, yes?

[SwissJon]

I'm not sure why you feel that these things need to be mutually exclusive?

I suggest you enrol in evening classes in a community college while you take on an apprenticeship. It's unlikely you'll get a cushy job photographing the Olympics and travelling the world without several years experience, but with a couple of years as an apprentice AND the technical knowledge learned at college, you might be able to get your feet on the ladder.

From what I gather about most people's photography careers, they either were born with rich mummies and daddies,, or worked 100 hours a week earning sod all, but following their dreams..

If you don't go down the apprentice route, why don't you get a job in something unrelated to photography, working in a bar or something, and travel the world taking the kind of photos that sell, and use that marketing you learned to work out what people want to buy, and take photos as a freelancer.

Anyway, good luck with that, you're setting yourself up for some hard work, hope it pays off.

[lovelens]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

I'm not sure why you feel that these things need to be mutually exclusive?

I am gathering advice to make my next step. Of course I could do both, but I have two options in front of me which I could take: assisting a photographer full-time, or going back to college full-time. I want to figure out which is best. Time is finite and I would like to devote myself to one or the other. The college programs for photography that I want to attend are only available full-time. This doesn't leave very much time for me to be assisting full-time. Sometimes you can't "have it all" or "do it all".

Originally Posted by SwissJon

It's unlikely you'll get a cushy job photographing the Olympics and travelling the world without several years experience, but with a couple of years as an apprentice AND the technical knowledge learned at college, you might be able to get your feet on the ladder.

I wasn't under the impression that photographing the Olympics was cushy, but I see what you're saying. I am sure there is a way to go about this besides speaking generally about apprenticeships and gaining technical knowledge. I know that's what it takes -- but I want to know specifically what key things I should be getting out of these experiences. For example, is there an alternative to working for a photographer or going to photography school?

I want to expand my range of options that I am probably not aware of.

[MrJones]

I think the main question is how are your photos so far?
I don't think a good photographer will take someone who doesn't know the basics and have some experience under his wing. I know I wouldn't.
and don't expect a photographer to sit down too much and teach you.. you'll have to learn as you go along and ask questions on the go. sometime he or she will have the time to answer, sometimes they won't.
I think school is a great place to start, but you'll have to be very careful choosing which school to go too. most of them just give you the basics and don't really take you to the next step behind an amateur class.
either way.. good luck, I know how you're feeling. I did the transition at the age of 33 after finishing my MBA and working for 10 years in an office.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by lovelens

1) Thank you

2) My ultimate reality (keyword: reality, not a dream) would be documenting the Olympics, somewhere along the lines of this:
Ben Hulse
or this:
Toronto Star Photo Blog

I want to create photographic essays about people or events as large as the Olympics, appearing in magazines, books, or large-scale slideshows for events/conferences. I don't really know what it's called -- I just want to take really good pictures and have lots of people see them and get paid enough to have a roof over my head and food to eat every day. Nothing fancy. Not in it for fame or wealth. Just the opportunity to take really good pictures and still survive.

First, you'll have to gain the news experience necessary for a newspaper or magazine to hire you for such a gig. Unfortunately, without any experience in either news or sports photography, that'll be a huge hurdle for you to overcome.

If you have the money and time, go back to college and earn a degree in photojournalism.
During the year, newspapers often offer paid internships for those studying photojournalism.

[Peter Phun]

Hi Lovelens,

I worked in newspapers for about 20 years. With that said, you should temper that disclosure against this advice I offer.

Don't be so gung-ho about wanting to do this for a living to the point that you'll work for free. Cameras break, cars need gas and maintenance. To say you're willing to work for free is a definite no-no.

As a college student, I learned the most from paid internships at various newspapers. But, 'staff photographer' positions are disappearing, so you may have to learn by taking on small paying jobs.

Finding a mentor is probably just as important.

Continue to learn how to shoot and edit video as well. Learning the various internet technologies for delivering your images is just as important.

You don't need a degree or piece of paper to show you know how to do these things. When a potential client comes a-calling, your website should show what you know and what you can do.

You can learn lots from reading online. There are tons of online learning libraries complete with videos, some paid, some free. You already have a college degree after all. Another one doesn't guarantee you a job in this super competitive field.

See if my tips on freelancing helps.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions. Best of luck

[BCampbell]

Originally Posted by lovelens

Approach (B) Go to college for photography, gain technical experience, then look for assistance work

You gain much, much more than just technical experience in school. The connections you make are much more valuable.

Do you have a program in mind? The best advice, and this goes for anyone looking at any program, is to get in touch with alumni and ask them about their experiences in the program and post-graduation.