A good school will change your photography, how you see the world, and who you are as a person. For the better or for the worse is arguable, I suppose...
There was a time when a university education was meant to make a more educated and well-rounded person. Now the university is seen as just another vocational training center, and I think we've lost something...
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
Wow thank you all! I greatly appreciate everything that you all said. I have considered transferring schools in the past, but I thought of it like Frank said and how I should learn as much as I can about digital so that I am knowledgable of both formats. That is the main reason I stay at NAU. I have given thought to the idea of majoring in something more promising. But I decided that I want to master photography and learn as much as I possibly can, hopefully in turn making myself a more successful photographer. I am working on a fall back though, I am minoring in environmental science as well as studio art. After doing research I have found that having knowledge in the environmental sciences field opens up a lot of job opportunities. I know that I am going to be working from the ground up as a photographer, and I will be shooting whatever I can to make income. Hell I am already doing that right now at Sears Portrait Studio to put myself through school. And I am willing to work my ass off at it. The way I see it is anything worth doing takes a lot of work, money and commitment. I sincerely thank you all for all of your responses. They were all very helpful, and expressed a reality that my advisors have neglected to tell me. Thank you again!
I'd be wary of "shooting whatever to make income." That's an easy way to disillusion yourself from photography and lose your love for it. Be careful what you wish for when you set your sights on being a working photographer.
But kedbro, don't you think I should take whatever work I can? And then slowly work my way up to being able to make a living solely off of my choice of subject matter.
It's a tough call because on one hand, it keeps you in practice to be shooting no matter what it is. On the other hand, the banality of it can sour your other photography, it becomes drudgery.
The best I can say is to know yourself.
And personally, surviving Sears Portrait Studio is a good test ;-0
Right now, especially in smaller markets, doing creative wedding photography seems to provide the most income for emerging photographers. This is coming from someone who did a lot of regional advertising and always looked down on wedding togs. They seem pretty smart to me now.
I'm sure the institution is focusing on digital because:
1. it attracts young people
2. serves businesses that students want to go into
3. seems new and cutting edge
4. many people serious lack skills in it
Digital has it's own set of challenges and it's important to learn them regardless of your subject matter or who pays your bills. It's only going to get more important in relation to journalism, commercial, or event photography.
Frank, I do agree with you. Many of my profs have actually suggested wedding photography as a good way to start as well. In fact my friend and I started a little portrait business. We got a couple soft boxes, some strobes and a muslin. We have actually already gotten some decent business, just things like family portraits, student portraits, and we shot one couple for engagement photos. But like you said, if I can make it through Sears then that will be a good test.
jp498, I understand that is why NAU is focusing completely on digital, it makes sense. And that is why I am continuing to go to NAU. I just wish they covered a wider range of photographic techniques and processes. But you are definitely right about digital having its own set of challenges, and I know as a young photographer it is important for me to learn as much about digital as possible.
Thank you both for your advice and thoughts!
You could say that statistically no people make their living as a wildlife photographers.
Your pictures are great, they look good. It's not a talent thing. There's definitely a lot of supply and not much demand for that in the world.
Simple advice:
1) If you really want to be a photographer, don't get a degree in photography that you will have to pay off. Drop out of school ASAP, try to get enough money together to survive and take pictures constantly. Don't go into debt, work other jobs until you have enough photography jobs to keep you going.
2) If you are going to stay in school, try to learn something to fall back on. Not photography. This comes from a guy with a degree in jazz bass performance (now just finishing nursing school) so I know of what I speak. I had a photography business for a while, but it was pretty stressful. That was two years ago. In this economy, fuggedaboutit.
Seriously, no debt. Debt sucks. If it means going home to your parents and developing film in their bathroom and staying out of debt, that's AWESOME. Do that.
And yeah, get ready to do some wedding photography, baby pictures, whatever else you really don't want to take pictures of.
Or get a real job and do what you want to do. That's sort of what I'm doing now.
While Frank does make a good point, I would suggest like Burtynsky open a lab, make prints for others, rent your darkrooms, or lightrooms, and printers.
Or work in a very closely related field that uses the equipment you will need to exist.
He not only made a comfortable living for himself , I believe the experience of meeting so many artists allowed him to further his own work.
I think Ed Burtynsky is a good current classic example of how to plan ones career after University.
He wanted to make those big MoFo colour prints , therefore he built the lab to do it.
Working in a close related field is a bonus if you can and the opportunities are great if you are hard working and have talent.
I have lots of clients who are skilled in other areas and yes they can afford to use more material, but if your passion is overwhelmingly pushing you towards large format career, then at least be in an industry that can support you and as well complements.
Ones appreciation of what is good in photography sometime changes, I for one have always wanted to make prints that last, therefore I started a BW lab in a heavy populated area.
Now after 20 years I want to change to alternative prints made from digital negatives. I still make BW prints , but now its for clients I respect and as well enjoy working on their negs.
Since I have been in the lab business my whole photographic career , I now have all the right equipment I could ever need to meet my needs. So if its large format for you, working in a good lab may be right up your alley.
I have an industrious 19 year old here who won't let me fire him, and a couple of young interns from an program in town who are eager to learn the old ways. I hope neither of them quit to become plumbers.** though they will make more money**
I think that you may want to consider this moving away from school.
Check out that community college in your area. Dick Arentz taught some good platinum classes there, he also is in Flag.
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