Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/19

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Subject: [Leica] Crazy idea? Getting a photography degree
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)
Date: Sat Mar 19 07:23:29 2005
References: <6.1.0.6.2.20050319024127.05e10d70@192.168.100.42>

Richard asked & said:
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...<<<<,,

Richard,
Right off, hold onto your job that's putting food on the table and a roof 
over you and your families head.

Taking a photo course is about as likely to put money in your pocket as 
snake wrestling! Actually at the present time you'll make more money 
grovelling with the snakes! And have a wild time! :-)

In all my years I've never heard of anyone getting a photographer job 
because he or she had a photography degree! Anyone can go to a school and 
learn the technical stuff, how to look at a subject, composition, lighting 
and the other bits and pieces of which many things you'll be taught you'll 
never use in the real world.

In my case I wanted to be a photographer so bad I could taste it every day 
and every waking moment off my regular job I took pictures of everything 
that motivated me to the extent my wife was a "photog widow!"  :-) But that 
was 54 years ago and times have changed, certainly with digital cameras 
making it so easy to make exposures the world is flooded with "pseudo 
photographers!"

"Oh I have a digital camera look what I can do!"  And all that's produced is 
mediocre or crap exposures, however quality these days has slipped to.... 
"that will do." Compared to real photographic quality and talent to produce 
imaginative photos is something of the past in many cases. Today it's shot 
just well enough so buyers of photography can get it "cheap and get by!"

My approach was always with a "Killers instinct" of wanting to be the best 
and nothing else in the world mattered other than shooting. The assignment 
was paramount, everything else other than subjects revolving around 
photography came last, period!  Not the best way to keep a family together, 
however Irene did a smashing great job over the years and not too many 
photographer's have wives or husbands who'll tolerate, " photography first 
and all other things in life second!"

Sure there are some technical things from a college, but It's far better to 
have a solid portfolio of your work in hand as it shows what you can do, 
have done and most important.... "how you see!"  A degree doesn't teach you 
"how to feel the right moment!" Technically it can teach you to be a 
brilliant shooter of perfect exposures and everything in focus with little 
or no feeling.

And don't forget, you will not be the only student who'll produce a 
beautiful portfolio of "identical photographs" as taught by the instructors. 
So 50 or 60 people on graduation hit the streets looking for a job (that's a 
miniscule fraction of what hit the street every year) and how are you going 
to handle that situation? Like forget it.

To start today looking for a job or creating your own company I'd have 
enough money in the bank for survival of at least one year, probably more. 
And without question, all the equipment you'll require for the photography 
discipline you wish to work in paid for. You'd be far better off with a 
solid business degree before a photography degree, simply because bad 
business practice has sunk many a photographer, even very talented ones. 
Why? Because they don't know how to " business manage a company."  Take 
pictures? Hell anybody can do that. But make a living from it? That me old 
son is a whole different ball game!

Another item today that's mandatory, complete computer and Photoshop skills 
without a blink. The business world today is " I need it yesterday, not, 
tomorrow will be fine!"  There's a major difference between a weekend 
warrior shooter able to re-shoot at your leisure compared to, "See you at 9 
tomorrow, we'll shoot 'til noon, move to the second location until 5, then 
wrap!"

"Oh by the way, we'll need all the stuff by the next morning at 9 for a 
meeting with the client!"

This is professional shooting, not twinkie toes in the garden and if you 
can't deliver with this kind of expediency stay with your present job and 
live a happy life of doing "your photo thing as a weekend warrior with far 
more fun and enjoyment" without the hassles. And I haven't even touched on 
all the damn government paper work you've got to do every month! :-(

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

Think hard and long on this me old son, as it's a cold and very cruel world 
today! The glamour is 1%  "if you're lucky!" The rest is plain old fashion 
down and dirty hard no fun work!

ted



In reply to: Message from richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard) ([Leica] Crazy idea? Getting a photography degree)