Study Photography

i'm not really sure how one studies photography. its something that you do, and whether you get better or not is up to you.

you should take courses in photo editing because that's used way more. most people are not full time photographers. if they are, they work for someone else and travel, or they work for a newspaper.

you should keep taking business, courses on reading contracts, art courses and so on. photography is more than just pointing a camera at something.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

There is the course Photography in Unis it takes 3 years like every other course and you get a degree in photography.

they have lessons for anything as long as you hand them money. i do wonder what they teach you there. it used to be that cameras were manual, they had film and so on. but most cameras do the thinking for you in the setting dept, you tube covers a wide range and the rest is editing. that can take years. everything else is developing an eye for a story or interesting picture. but it really depends on what you want to get into will it be - product shots? portraits? new stories? art pieces? forensics? crime scene? the list goes on for the different things that need a camera. but if you have no focus - as it were - then i wonder what it is that would be studied there.

while i do this art for a living, i wouldn't want to be a photographer all the time. there are too many people who have them and the competition is too high. even for those that travel far off.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

So it's not a good thing to study photography?

Daniel
It is a good thing to go to school for photography. You will be exposed to many different techniques and situations that you wouldn't get working for two or three photographers. You will meet may different people with different points of view and this will help you mature as a photographer quicker. You will be placed in stressful situations and it is OK to fail. You fail in real life you lose money and clients. You will be in a competitive environment with a lot of other people in close proximity. In real life you can't see your competitors so you can't learn from them. You will be forced to study things you might not like, like business, yuk. You will learn what being a photographer is really like. Many young people saw a photographer on TV. You will see many students drop out because it's not the dream they saw on TV. If you make to graduation you will have enough confidence to carry you through the dark periods. Employers like people who made the extra effort to study for 3 years. The downside is you won't know anything about real life photography, but at least you will have a good foundation to work from.
I graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography. Best thing I ever did. Enjoy!

Actually Studio Arts is a 4-year degree plan. You can get a BFA or MFA in studio arts with emphasis in various arts.
That's my major, and I have 2 emphasis; photography and metals/jewelry.
You can also study painting or sculpture.

Melany,

He is in Germany where much of his education will possibly be free. If he
says it is a three year education it is.

Daniel,

Forge your own path. If Photography is for you, it is for you.

Be happy first and foremost. The education will help; a great deal.

Dave

its not that its not a good thing. its more like you have to figure out your focus first then choose the right classes to go with it. if your shooting on your own, you'll need that business class. if its more arty, then you need more art classes and so on. if your going into photography but with the police, there are probably classes you have to take as well. its no different than anything else. people just can't go to college and choose anything, they'll end up behind some desk after.

so figure out what field you want to study first. then find out what other classes you need to go with it.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

David, I wasnt questioning or correcting Daniel.
If he felt I was, I'm sure he'd speak up for himself.

Mike, there is much more to studying photography (and art) than just taking and processing pictures. I feel like you're trying to talk him out of it when you don't understand what is involved.

In addition to Studio Arts, there is also photo journalism programs in mass communication/journalism dept.
danies, go to the art and journalism departments and talk to the counselors there.

i understand what is involved. i'm not talking him out of anything, but to think what he wants before jumping into the wrong classes.

its like saying - i want to get into the field of computers.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

its no different than anything else. people just can't go to college and choose anything

It is no different than anything else. How you are wired, how bright you are and what you want to do, you can do in spades.
If he wants to do photography and it makes him happy after my experiences I would say go with it.

Dave

what i'm saying is - there is more to it than that. what kind of photography?


its like saying i want to be a doctor? well, ok, what kind of doctor?


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Given the way the industry is developing I would think twice about becoming a full time, professional photographer at this point in time. Study something that you can make a living off and do photography on the side. Cameras are constantly becoming better and require less skill on the part of the photographer, not to mention smartphones.

It can be done but I imagine that for most people it's very hard work in a cut-throat environment. Going pro might even diminish your passion for photography.

Have a solid basis you can fall back on and take it from there. Most skills you need for photography you can learn independently.

CreativeLive, youtube, magazines, library books, practice, practice, practice.

Or better yet apprentice with a successful photographer and learn the business side.

Hopefully you have a passion for fashion or food photography.

I had 4 years economics and accountings in school and it's really nothing for me. I'm fine with the fact that I'll have to do it for myself but I really don't wanna work with it for living.

I really think that before you determine a focus, you many need to bit more education to know what the choices are and what they may entail.

I am only guessing but I would bet that the first year in a 3 or 4 year program is going to expose you to a variety of options that you can then major or focus on after you have a bit more education.

In the US, one of great art schools in the entire country is the Brooks Institution of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. I looked at their program years ago and that was exactly how it was set up.

Another great school of photography is located at Monterey Peninsula Collage but they only offer a two year degree. It is popular because it is located in one of the most photographed areas in the entire world. Great teachers and great field trips in and around the Monterey Peninsula including 17 Mile drive.

I know you are not in the USA. But both of these schools are highly acclaimed and maybe looking at the classes they offer you can get some idea of what you may want to look at in a school in Germany. Something to compare your schools to. I am not saying there are no good schools there and you have to use a USA school for reference. I just don't know any them. The may ever be better over there.

"After long time thinking I decided that I want to study photography. I already started studying business information systems here in Germany but it isn't what I want for my life."

Stay with business information systems and teach yourself photography as a hobby and MAYBE sell some later. Your life will be more stable and you should make a decent living

The best learning comes from doing, in today's information age, I could not see myself sitting in any classroom to learn anything, there are to many other alternatives. Start taking photographs.
Henri Cartier-Bresson — 'Your first 10000 photographs are your worst.'

"it's really nothing for me"

Except maybe a steady paycheck and health insurance.

To be a successful photographer requires stand out creativity, the passion of an entrepreneur to go out and sell yourself and knowledge of how to run a small business.

http://www1.salary.com/-Salaries.html

No university is going to teach you how to be a creative photographer, or teach you to have the passion needed to survive in this competitive field.

If school is free, go for it. But id it isn't, you have to research the cost of school vs. the average income from it. Going to school, if you have to pay for it, can make it just a very expensive hobby if you don't seek out the proper info.

Knowledge and practice are equally important, I think :)!

Hey, I don't know how old you are Daniel, but if you are going to try to do anything art-related for a living, submerse yourself. find the best place to study that you can get into. Look for active instructors who show outside of the Uni where they work. Look at photographers here whose work you admire, and see where they studied. Do it while you're young, and too stupid to know better. Do it while you have energy, and before you have to care too much about steady pay. You can always get a day job, or work temp jobs, if money becomes an issue.

His question was to ask advice on the best schools to study at in the UK.

He sounds like a smart guy to be studying business already--4 years worth. Wish I had any familiarity with schools in the UK to offer advice, but I don't. Mike's point about knowing what type of photography you're interested in is a good one. It would make a difference in what would be considered a "good" school. Edward's advice about the youtube vids is good, too. I just discovered CreativeLive...Sue Bryce is a great speaker. I saw her interview on SLRLounge (also on youtube, and another good resource). Watching artist/photographer interviews gives me guidance, and motivation, as well as information. Good luck to you! Let us know which school you choose.

ideally though, i would study art in particular. you'll get more out of it by seeing different kinds of art, not just photography. then apply what you know about those other arts, and use that for your work.

anyone can use a camera, they aren't hard to use. and you can see that everywhere. but not all images look good. good images take time. a school can teach you about the business, lighting etc. but as said, not the creativity, that has to be learned or your born with it. and if you don't have it, school won't help. but if you studied all the arts, there is a chance you can apply it.

but decide now what kind of photography you want. each has its own learning sets. if you get into police work, you probably have to take special classes. if your getting into the art side, also a different set of classes. the business stuff now can be used later for any business.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

thanks for your answers. I'will think about what I will do.

I'm just still wondering if someone knows good unis in the UK

School of Hard Knocks London. Every thing you need to know is available free on line. The rest is up to your own drive. A degree is not needed only a killer portfolio.