MFA in Photography for 2011 (that emphasizes technical instruction)

[IanG]

Not as simple s that Frank. Although I did take that approach years before.

What it doesn't do isn expose you to the opposites.

Ian

[Frank Petronio]

A lot of grad schools don't exactly welcome dissension, one of the complaints you often hear from MFA students is that the profs bend you to conform to their ideals, not yours.

There is a reason that photographers from Yale often have similar photos, as do other schools have a "look".

[patrickjames]

Any education is an investment in yourself even if you don't use it. Years ago when I was a wee tyke, I had a French professor in the process of getting his doctorate. When I asked him why he wanted it he told me "because it can never be taken away." There is something to be said for that. If you get it, you will always have it.

On the practical side, there are a lot of MFAs that are churned out each year, and most of their careers fade faster than an unfixed print.

[Kirk Gittings]

Any education is an investment in yourself even if you don't use it. Years ago when I was a wee tyke, I had a French professor in the process of getting his doctorate. When I asked him why he wanted it he told me "because it can never be taken away." There is something to be said for that. If you get it, you will always have it.

On the practical side, there are a lot of MFAs that are churned out each year, and most of their careers fade faster than an unfixed print.

I have a friend who is a very successful estate lawyer, photo gallery owner, curator, arts promoter, art collector etc. and a decent photographer. He sits on the board of museums and arts organizations. His public life is all about the arts and in particular photography. Before he went to law school he did a BFA and an MFA in photography and then promptly turned around and went to law school. I asked him once if he thought the arts degrees were a waste of time. To the contrary he felt that studying for those degrees had informed and ignited the real passion in his life and neither a penny of the money nor a moment of that time had been wasted.

On the practical side how many people with BAs in history, english etc. go on to do anything remotely related to what they studied?

[Richard M. Coda]

A lot of grad schools don't exactly welcome dissension, one of the complaints you often hear from MFA students is that the profs bend you to conform to their ideals, not yours.

There is a reason that photographers from Yale often have similar photos, as do other schools have a "look".

[tgtaylor]

Edward Weston and Ansel Adams both taught photography at the college level in a program that is considered to be the best photography program in the nation (or world even) at that time. I don't think either of them graduated high school nor do I recall them taking lessons or courses in photography.

No one can "teach" you. The best a teacher can do is to point out a path to knowledge and help you as you travel along that path. You teach yourself and a truism in life is you know best that which you teach yourself.

Thomas

[Jon Shiu]

Interesting. What college did Weston teach at?

Jon

[Frank Petronio]

Weston did indeed go to photo school, although it was more of a trade school than anything like the navel-gazing lesbian madrassahs of today. But let me tell you what i really think....

[tgtaylor]

Yes, Weston did attend the Illinois College of Photography "for a short time" but already was an accomplished photographer by that time - having exhibited several years previously at the Chicago Art Institute. He was a "guest lecturer" at the California School of Fine Art in San Francisco when Ansel Adams founded the fine art photography department there. Now known as the San Francisco Art institute, it awards the Bachelor thru Master of Fine Arts degree and is one of the oldest art schools in the United States.

Thomas

[mcfactor]

I would also add The School of Visual Arts to that list.