Photography Schools?

[aribabybug]

I've been taking pictures for years, and I love it. Recently I've been doing a lot of portraits and weddings, mostly for friends and friends of friends. I'm charging a little for this, but not much, because I know that my work isn't outstanding. I love what I'm doing and I usually get decent shots (and sometimes a lucky few beautiful ones), but I know very little about what I'm doing.

I've taken one photography class, and I learned a ton, but it was strictly film and I shoot digital. I know almost nothing about post processing, and little about anything else. I'll readily admit this.

I just got my Bachelors in Education, and I'm getting ready to start a year-long Masters program which will lead to a teaching certification. I've realized that my passion for photography is increasing by the day, and I can't possibly teach myself everything that I need to know about it.

Should I finish my Masters and then re-enroll as an undergrad in an arts program somewhere? Start some kind of combined business/photography program? Go to a week-long seminar?

I simply don't know what's out there. I'd be willing to do a short course, a two-year program, maybe even a whole second degree. Money is a bit of a problem, but the idea of spending all day learning and improving my photography has convinced me that this is something that I really need to do. I still want to teach, but I can't keep photography in the "hobby" category.

Any suggestions of schools, programs, etc would be amazing, because I've been attempting to do some research online and I don't think I'm getting anywhere.

[Quo Fan]

I took a weekend course from the Rocky Mountain School of Photography. There were 9 classes per day, but 3 were going on at the same time. Each class was about 2 hours long, and discussed many different topics. There was a class on learning your digital camera, exposure, composition, shooting sports, night and low light photography and macro. There were more, but I didn't take them. I learned a lot, just now have to put it into practice.

[FashionPhotographyBlog]

I have a seminar Coming up... THIS WEEKEND:


Highly Acclaimed Fashion Photographer Melissa Rodwell and the Fashion Photography Blog invites you to an Exclusive 2 day workshop in Los Angeles, Ca Nov. 7th and 8th 2009.

The Workshop is located at Smashbox Studios in West Hollywood. Space is LIMITED to 10 people MAX!!! *(2 SPACES LEFT!)

(Click here for More Info and to Purchase Tickets)

ABOUT: Fashion Photographer Melissa Rodwell will take you through all the preparations of a fashion shoot. This two day seminar will prepare you for the amount of work that it really takes to make a fashion shoot a successful one. We will start with how I address the crew in the beginning of a shoot. What directions I give to the hair stylist and make up artist to instruct them on the look I'm going for.

I will show you how I then work with the stylist as we go through the clothes they brought to the shoot, how I pick which outfits to photograph and why. We then will watch the hair and make up artists spin their magic, taking our already great looking girl and turning her into a super model! We'll see how the shoot evolves, taking one look and blending it into another look. We'll learn the importance of photographing different fabrics and how important it is to accessorize. We'll learn about the different lighting sets ups for fashion and beauty. At the end, we'll move into post-production and I'll show you how I work with my retouch artist to give me the look I visualized from the very beginning, before I even picked up my camera.

UPDATE: FEATURING 2 PROFESSIONAL FASHION MODELS - 1 for the Beauty shoot and 1 for the Fashion shoot. So that you are GUARANTEED TO GET AMAZING PORTFOLIO PEICES!

WE STRESS THAT THIS SEMINAR IS FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY!! This means we expect for you to be able to find proper exposure and be familiar with Lighting Equipment. We will also be teaching advanced retouching techniques so its important you know how to navigate Adobe Photoshop CS3. The purpose of this seminar is to enhance and further the skills you already have, and help you take a step closer to becoming a professional fashion photographer.

Q&A:

Q: What do I need to bring?

A: DSLR Camera with some lenses (at least one, at any focal length between 50mm - 105mm) Laptop with Photoshop CS3 (if available, Wacom Tablet) Pocket Wizard (if you don't have one, we can provide one to you for the duration of the seminar for $10)

Q: Where will the seminar take place?

A: Smashbox Studios located at 1011 N Fuller Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90046-6651.

Q: Will lunch be provided?

A: No, but we will be breaking for an hour in the afternoon and there are tons of great eateries within walking distance in the area including M Café de Chaya, Blu Jam Café, Bulan Thai Vegetarian Kitchen, Lala's, Fatburger, Jones, and more!

Q: I'm familiar with Melissa's work but who will be teaching the retouching portion?

A: David Skyler. He is a professional retoucher whose clients include: Barney's New York, Biotherm, Philosophy, Vogue, Interview, and Genlux Magazine.

Some things he will be discussing:

* Taking Images from Raw - to - Post
* Working in Lightroom
* The Power of the Wacom
* Non-Destructive Editing the “Dodge ~ and ~ Burn Technique”
* Making Digital look like Film
* Cleaning, Sharpening, Cloning Color.
* Color Correction

Q: How many people will be attending the seminar?

A: There will be a maximum of 10 people attending to ensure everyone receives plenty of one-on-one attention and the ample time to shoot with the models.

Q: I consider myself an amateur photographer; can I still attend?

A: This time around, we are emphasizing the professional level of the seminar. We will not be covering photography and lighting basics and we expect you to know how to find proper exposure and be familiar with lighting equipment. We will also be discussing experiences Melissa has had during her career as well as providing tips and suggestions on marketing and promotion. David will also be teaching advanced retouching techniques so you will need to know how to navigate Adobe Photoshop CS3. The purpose of this seminar is to enhance and further the skills you already have, and help you take a step closer to becoming a professional fashion photographer.

Q: Do you have any hotel recommendations if I am traveling from outside of Los Angeles?

A: Follow this link for some recommendations.

PRICE: $900.00

CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS!!!

[sahilmane]

Aribabybug,

I've also been walking the professional/amateur tightrope far a while and have just decided to enroll in the January 2010 class of the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners falls, Boston, MA.

Unlike an art's degree in photography, Hallmark is focused on you being able to start a career in photography, when you graduate from their 10 month program. And has classes on marketing and running your own business to this end. You might want to look into it @ Hallmark Institute of Photography / Photography School

I think that if you have the passion, which from your post it seems like you do, I'm all for people following their dreams. And that you will definitely be able to make your passion, your profession. How many people get to do what they love for a living?

Cheers,
Sahil

[jdepould]

My photo school can beat up your photo school!

All kidding aside, another B.A. (or B.S.) would probably be pretty pointless. I have a B.A. in music, and I went straight into an M.S. photo program. If you've got the portfolio, you'll get in no problem. That said, it might be worth trying to learn outside of a university setting. You can learn a whole heck of a lot assisting (check out http://1prophoto.com), and the money isn't bad, depending on your market. I had one gig that paid $300/day for pretty simple work. They were long days, but it was a great crew, and a ton of fun.

[diputs]

I am taking a class at ICP and will probably take another class over the winter as a continuing education student.

Unless you intend to teach, I do not believe you need to go back to school for photography. If you want to start a photography business, I would get a business degree instead of an arts degree.