[Leica] Crazy idea? Getting a photography degree

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Hopefully it will. If you feel the need to hone your skills with a
particular course or two - say studio lighting, or color theory, or a
history of photography course,  by all means knock yourself out. But a
degree? Why? What possible use could it have? It's not a question of
harder or easier, but of common sense - buy film. Buy equipment. Pay for
processing or chemicals. And shoot. And shoot. And shoot. And then
shoot. And share your work with friends honest enough to tell you how
much that image you think is really special is special because it sucks
so badly (NO, I am NOT insulting you - we all need to be told that on a
regular basis!:-) ) But for God's sake, why waste your time and money on
a degree? You can't honestly think that having another couple letters on
your CV will make you a better photographer, can you? If you can, the
first thing I'd suggest is that you do some research - find out how many
places in the U.S. offer degrees in photography. Then find out how many
degrees each of those places grants each year. Then multiply the number
of degrees by the number of schools. Then multiply by 20, for the past
20 years. Then ask yourself - how many of those people have I ever heard
of? How many are actually earning a living in photography? How many can
shoot their way out of a Sears Portrait Studio? And then pick up your
camera and go shoot some more. :-)

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Richard
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 5:48 AM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] Crazy idea? Getting a photography degree


This is pretty crazy. I am almost 43, married for 21 years, have 2 kidz,

silicon valley mortgage, runs a small business, and... I am thinking
about 
getting a photography degree...

I already have a Bachelor degree in EE and a Master degree in Comp. Sci.

May be it would be easier if I spend the money and just buys lots of
film 
and travel around and takes tons of pictures and learn to enjoy Xtol in
the 
morning. Yet somehow there is a yearning. The Academy of Art 
(www.academyart.edu) is almost local enough, right in SF, and I can even

take online courses. I suppose I am more interested in the "Fine Arts," 
Documentary type of work, but I don't know.

I don't know, may be the feeling will disappear tomorrow.

// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly,
please 
use richard at imagecraft.com) 

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