Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
01-22-2019, 02:52 AM   #46
Unregistered User
Guest




QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
...
In my mind, a community college night school course is the way to go. Working with a class, the fact that most programs will hire or in some way provide models when needed, the ability to use equipment you don't own etc is what makes this more meaningful. High School photography is too basic. Community colleges usually have working pros who are teaching night school to make extra income. But, you really have to find a person you get along with.
...
Best advice I've seen from anyone. I agree completely. I'd add that you can go to the public library and check out books on photography, and some of those will be most instructive. Plus, reading runs at your own pace, so if you have to go over the section about how "f-stops" are calculated several times, you can do that as much as you need.

01-22-2019, 11:21 AM   #47
Senior Member
R. Wethereyet's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 126
I gathered my education from a variety of sources:
- High school photography courses,
- Live workshops on a ton of topics,
- on-line courses from Udemy.com (some are better than others),
- Reading books,
- reading magazines,
- YouTube videos ...


At one point, I even was considering attending either Brooks Institute (4 year degree @ Santa Barbara, CA) or the Art Institute (2 year program @ Denver, CO) ... then I calculated the cost and decided to have a more "traditional" career instead. :-)

I agree with normhead that live courses/workshops are probably the best in that you usually have someone who is an "expert" on the subject area and is physically present so you can get your questions answered right away and have a conversation and trade ideas. In general, get your information from any source that you can lay your hands on - sometimes you have to take it with a grain of salt and verify the quality of the information.

Last edited by R. Wethereyet; 02-08-2019 at 10:51 AM.
01-22-2019, 01:32 PM   #48
GUB
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
GUB's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wanganui
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,735
Just one course for me - Pentax Forums. I joined in 2012 when the forums were a vibrant place of learning as we were all coming to grips with the new technology and how it fitted in with established photographic practise. Photography for me is an escape not a profession. I have never been tempted to do a course - it is not my way of learning.
01-23-2019, 08:13 AM - 1 Like   #49
Unregistered User
Guest




That's all well and good, but I still maintain the local community college is the best value in education around. All it really takes is an investment in time to take a class, and if one were to pick up valuable understanding by doing so (which can come through interaction with others in the class, as well as from instructional materials and professorial pontifications), then it will have been worthwhile. I'd suggest going to meet with the instructor prior to signing up, though, to go over the syllabus and to make sure the instructor seems like someone who knows what he's talking about. The worst that could happen is the waste of a few dollars' tuition and the time spent in class. Very low risk and potentially very valuable.

01-26-2019, 04:07 PM - 1 Like   #50
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: central Florida
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 363
The only photography course I remember taking was "The Zone System" course in the early 1980's for darkroom work, the rest I learned from working for an old photographer friend in and out of his commercial studio where I was an assistant and darkroom tech. In the late 1980's I went and followed another career path for 20+ years only to come back to photography again just recently as a few years ago and then having to learn the digital part of it which was all new to me, fortunately everything else was pretty much the same in many ways. I watched a lot of youtube videos and purchased a few books which helped me to brush up and learn some new things, everything else was trial an error.
But it felt good to be able to pick back up where I left off 30 years ago.
01-26-2019, 06:19 PM - 1 Like   #51
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
monochrome's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Working From Home
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 26,276
Not since 1969, as a pre-requisite to Newspaper (obligatory) extra-curricular activity.
02-07-2019, 11:32 AM   #52
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Perfessor5646's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Louisville, KY
Photos: Albums
Posts: 604
When I first quit playing in rock and roll bands I needed a creative outlet. I took night classes at IVY Tech in Columbus, IN. The course was Commercial & Industrial Photography and Black and White print making. This was in the late 70s and early 80s. Aside from basic photo skills regarding the exposure triangle, the principles of composition and basic techniques the focus was on B&W darkroom skills and product photography in a studio. The night instructor was the house photographer for a local manufacturer of card tables and children’s car seats. Of course, I soon had a darkroom in my basement for awhile.

We spent some time with medium format and view cameras. There was a quarter where we partnered up with a modeling school and goofed around with fashion photography but not formal portraiture. I think I completed the course for an Associates Degree (if I didn’t it doesn’t matter, I was close) but I got a promotion at my day job never pursued a career in photography.


Last edited by Perfessor5646; 02-24-2019 at 06:23 AM.
03-05-2019, 03:55 PM - 2 Likes   #53
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Riggomatic's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Auburn, Indiana
Photos: Albums
Posts: 3,876
Looks like I'm taking a class: Digital Nature Photography at the Purdue Fort Wayne campus. Starts in a couple weeks.

It is a beginner level class (know the camera basics and bring a dslr) , but I'm pretty excited. I might even set my clothes out the night before my first day.

The book for the class is , Digital Nature Photography by John Shaw,.
03-13-2019, 03:46 AM - 1 Like   #54
Forum Member




Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 99
I took an open University course. T189 if you want the course ID. I'd considered a degree path after retirement but when I did the maths for the cost of the degree I realised how I'd just rather buy glass haha. I'm self taught beyond that and obvs the fantastic advice I get from places like this.
03-22-2019, 04:25 PM - 1 Like   #55
Junior Member




Join Date: Mar 2019
Photos: Albums
Posts: 27
I took a introduction to photography which was black & white photography & classroom based & learnt how to develop as well as studio lighting etc then I did digital photography which was classroom based which was all on the apple computers using photoshop & all night courses at my local college I did try do a AS level photography at another college which was higher level qualification but that course had more written work then actual photography & being dyslexic didn’t help so never completed it as they wouldn’t help me 😞 , but classroom based courses are good tho as you get real-time feedback & your not on your own when your doing the course and have more fun learning 😊
03-24-2019, 07:07 AM   #56
Junior Member




Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 30
Original Poster
Hi. OP here.
I looked into classes based on the recommendations but found I had a hard time judging from course descriptions whether it would benefit me or not. As an advanced beginner I felt the introduction courses would be too simple and then not sure about the follow-ups. My other take away from this thread was only to get instruction from people who know what they're doing, but that's also hard to judge. Long / short is that while I think I would enjoy a classroom environment, I decided to bootstrap with some books from the library first.

I also spent $10 on the Stunning Digital Photography book by YouTubers Tony & Chelsea Northrup. They seemed knowledgeable and I felt directly supporting some folks whose putting their livelihood into talking/teaching photography couldn't go too wrong. I'm only about 2 chapters in and have already found some interesting advice.
03-24-2019, 09:24 AM   #57
Moderator
Loyal Site Supporter
Wheatfield's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The wheatfields of Canada
Posts: 15,903
I've taken courses in lighting and darkroom as well as general photography. While these are important in gaining a fast understanding of the nuts and bolts, it's also a good idea to learn about the subjects that interest you. One if the lighting/ portraiture classes I took had a great module on human relations and how to bring out the best in people, something that is of great importance to portraitists

Last edited by Wheatfield; 03-24-2019 at 01:05 PM.
03-27-2019, 05:47 PM   #58
Pentaxian
pentax360's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: OR
Posts: 435
I've never taken a class, I have read a couple of books (one I got for free, the other from the library) watched youtube videos, spent hours reading on forums (this was more for technical stuff, and proper terminology not technique), and the most time just taking photos and seeing what works and what doesn't.

Shooting digital is free, if I had to buy film I would've been better off taking a class.
03-27-2019, 07:08 PM   #59
Pentaxian
SpecialK's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: So California
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 16,479
Long time ago I had a portrait class taught by Bill Groves, who I think was of the George Hurrell mindset. It was fun, especially if you like shooting with continuous light bounced off foam-core, at about 1/30 and f4. I had a Bronica SQA at the time. Here is Bill, a bit overdressed, getting a meter reading.


Two times I was "it". The other time was a near-replication of a Tyrone Power shot. I still have that shirt, tie, and moustache. I cropped a bit off the top, here.


I guess a lot of people had a darkroom class. This was mine.




I had a "color" class and remember nothing about it, and a photo marketing class. In it I mentioned something about "rehearsed spontaneity" which the instructor, Maria Piscopo, liked. She probably used the phrase in one of her later books.
https://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Guide-Marketing-Self-Promotion/dp/16215...s%2C191&sr=8-1

I also had a 4x5 view camera class, and my building shot scored a 92 which I believe was really good from that instructor. I evidently did not save that photo.

While I'm on a nostalgia roll, this is actor James Hampton at Venice Beach.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0358996/?ref_=nv_sr_1


Last edited by SpecialK; 03-27-2019 at 07:15 PM.
03-26-2020, 06:07 PM   #60
Pentaxian
SharkyCA's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 806
COVID-19 A time to learn? Photography Course

QuoteOriginally posted by dieselpunk Quote
I'm considering upping my general photography knowledge this year and have been thinking about whether it makes sense to take a photography course or two. I'm imagining something online to get flexible scheduling but I suppose a live class would make me commit. Interested in hearing anyone's experiences and recommendations on this topic.

I'm not a pure beginner and I'm also not a professional by any stretch (nor do I aspire to be one). Any thoughts on where the point is when formal learning ceases to be valuable and it's just a matter of experience?
QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
I did a year at Ryerson Politech in Toronto in 67. Learned way more in the year than I'll ever use, but it led to a 15 year career teaching high school photography, so in the end, it really paid off for me, even though I didn't work professionally.

In my mind, a community college night school course is the way to go. Working with a class, the fact that most programs will hire or in some way provide models when needed, the ability to use equipment you don't own etc is what makes this more meaningful. High School photography is too basic. Community colleges usually have working pros who are teaching night school to make extra income. But, you really have to find a person you get along with.

In my mind, it's easier to find an on-line course, but you'll get more benefit from a community college course and a group of peers that you work with every class. Especially look for a night course at a college that has a day photography program, so you'll have much better facilities than where the person just brings their own gear and tries to make do and all the school gives them is a room and maybe a projector.

Courses like that are just fund raisers for the institutions. Just out of interest I looked a course in satellite campus near where I live. The "instructor" was just guy who loved photography willing to pass on much of the mis-information he'd accumulated along the way, with no commercial experience at all. He said " I learned in the camera clubs." as if that was the kind of training you'd need to teach a course.

Even if you never have your own studio, working in a professional studio space with a qualified instructor will teach you things that will be relevant throughout your life. It will probably change your perspective and give you a much more solid technical knowledge base to work from.

There's a reason why so many of the self taught internet gurus often say thing that are just completely off. They never got the basic understanding they need to comment on the things they do. You don't want to be learning photography from one of those people. They'll confuse you as much as they'll help you. Sure you can learn stuff if you are diligent, but without a teacher present, you can get off on some really wild tangents, like "total light" that are at best peripheral to general photography. And some of these guys seem to live their whole life off on one of those tangents.

So I'm totally in the real life teacher, present in the classroom, that has been selected carefully camp. I'm sure a pile will come on to defend the "internet classes" camp. I'd ask them though, what courses they took. I don't see how you compare if you haven't done both.

In my mind the only reason for taking an internet type course is, you have nothing else available, and it's probably better than nothing.

To be worth it, a course has to allow you to use equipment you may never purchase yourself.
Provide immediate feedback on your shooting technique and results.
Have a successful instructor with an area of expertise you are interested in.

In formal education, I had a portrait instructor who'd run a successful portrait studio. I had a commercial studio instructor who'd successfully worked in commercial photography, mostly catalogue photography.

I had a Darkroom instructor, who'd successfully run a commercial darkroom. I'd look for a PP instructor who'd worked cleaning up images for commercial use if I were looking today. So to my mind a full time course with at least 4 different instructors with differing opinions is the optimum. We also took a lens design course and took technical english. Because where these people had different perspectives taught us as much as where they agreed. But I doubt many can afford that type of time.

And everyone of those guys has to have access to a working space where you can watch their work flow and apply immediately what they are teaching in a lab environment.

Keep that in mind and try for as much of that type of environment as you can get.
I am renewing a post I made a couple of years ago when I had just retired and picked up photography again and was looking around for what courses may be recommended :On Line Photography Courses - PentaxForums.com

Well with the isolation and the COVID-19 forcing us all to stay at home what a better time to explore and kick up skills and knowledge, the original course I took was from iPhotography and I found it excellent with lifetime access! This is a link to their program and yes it is a referral link if you use it and sign up for their course I will get credit for the referral! But check it out lots of info! https://learn.iphotography.com/products/iphotography/a/38/
If I am in violation of the rules by sharing this it is not intentional!

Last edited by SharkyCA; 03-26-2020 at 06:09 PM. Reason: Repair Link
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
class, photography
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Udemy courses on sale until until 1/10 for $9.99 bladerunner6 Pentax Price Watch 2 01-01-2019 06:55 PM
Did you leave Adobe? Where did you go? woodworm Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 116 07-05-2018 03:16 PM
On Line Photography Courses SharkyCA General Photography 28 02-23-2018 06:58 PM
Do any of you have another hobby which you use you camera to take pictures of? PentaxPZ Photographic Technique 30 08-04-2008 08:25 PM
Photography Courses CAPTURE General Talk 4 02-10-2008 02:04 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:53 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top