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Question: Question about Photography!.!.!. Do I need to take classes!?
I have thought about it since last summer!.!.!. And I've decided I want to get into photography!.
I've decided to get the Nikon D80 for my starter camera until I can decide if I want to go pro and get a better dslr!. I've done my research, and I'm prepared to learn and understand everything about what it is to be a photographer!.
My question is, do I REALLY need to take classes to be in the best position!? I'm no doorknob, and I can study off books well!. I noticed at Chapters that there's books on every element of photography like lighting techniques, photoshop books, books on specific Dslrs, the works! Books combined with the internet can be a powerful thing!. But is it as good as taking a class!?
I'm kind of torn about it!. Because at heart I'm a penny saver and to be honest, a thousand dollar camera and hundreds of dollars for lenses can be seen as a waste of money!. THEN I would have to fork out hundreds (if not thousands) more for a class!?
Not all great artists took art class!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Join a camera club, here in the UK there are a lot of clubs that have Lottery funding, education is a requirement for their remit, but there are plenty that don't have funding and still achieve high standards!.
There are good and bad ones of course, but just entering their competitions can bring your photography on faster than anything!.
Theres nothing to beat having a guy, or gal, who knows what he/she's doing right there with you, it beats any book learning!.
Photography doesn't lend itself well to remote learning, at least not to start with, once you have the overall picture then you can learn from any source!.
Theres not a lot to learn in the basic craft of mastering the camera, apertures, shutter speeds etc!., theres a whole lifetime of study and practice required to develop the theme!.
Once you're practiced with your camera, analyse good photographs, their composition, lighting, rule of thirds, texture, shape, repetition, trines it's a long, long list!. There's an ethereal concept called 'seeing', which is finding the subject in the first place, most of all study light, how the angle of light alters the subject, the colour of light adds (or subtracts) from the subject, another long list, all this information will add to your pictures, this takes time to develop and you will do it differently from anybody else!.
ChrisWww@QuestionHome@Com
You need to start with the very basics!. You should have a film camera also!. (I use both, depending on the situation and subject)
The easiest and cheapest way to learn is to READ THE MANUAL that comes with your camera!. If you are capable of learning in this way, then you will get much more out of reading the instructions and practicing, rather than taking classes!.
Once you master the basics, you will know what you need to dig deeper into the weeds!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
u dont have to , but im certain it helps!.!.!.!. plus i think it would be good to have it hanging on the wall, and to have an answer when someone says " where did YOU go to college"
{i dont have a degree- i wish i did}
if your thinking of starting your own studio, TAKE SOME BUSINESS CLASSES- i cant stress this enoughWww@QuestionHome@Com
Nikon cameras are not cheap but will not make you a professional At a school of photography you use THEIR equipment and studio before you have to fork out your own cash IF you decide to go professional!. This info is given by a former naval photographerWww@QuestionHome@Com
Do you need to!? No, but I do recommend doing so!. There is so much to learn, and the direct feedback and help from the instructors is great!. If you're concerned about the price, take your gen eds at a community college first, then transfer in!.
Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com
If you want to shoot for fun, no!.
If you want to get a job doing it, yes!.
VWww@QuestionHome@Com
No, personally I do not think it totally necessary!. The class does give you the chance to work one on one with an instructor and get feedback early about bad habits that you may pick up working to learn yourself!. also, interaction and competition with other class members can really get your juices flowing and accelerate the learning curve!.
So classes ARE a good thing, but as I said, you can certainly be self taught and do very well!.
Here is an online course you may be interested in!. I know this photographer personally and he is very, very good!. It could be the best $750 you ever spend:
http://www!.roushphotoonline!.com/
steveWww@QuestionHome@Com
Both avenues(school or working in the field) of acquiring the skills to become a photographer are viable!. School can be great if you get into a great program which has great teachers that can inspire and push you in directions that you would have not come across through books and the internet!. Practical experience transmitted through a skilled and talented instructor can be invaluable!. Taking the college route, gives you a degree which can be useful and open up more possibilities to you should the focus of your career change!. That being said, on the job training and working with a top photographer, that matches a path you are interested in, cuts into the heart of the matter and if you are diligent and observant, it will also teach much more about that particular line of business than any school can!. So, if not all great artists toke art class, what did they do to become great artists!?
Hope this helps, lots to consider!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
You don't need to take classes, but if you find a good class it's well worth the investment!. Good ones teach you not only about the nuts and bolts of taking photos but also about how to make money and run a business!.
A far cheaper alternative is to simply join a photographic club!. It's not as rapid an education, but is far cheaper and will still teach you a lot about technique and composition!.
The classes will gain you a recognised qualification which may or may not be useful in future!.
When you're learning SLR's aren't necessarily the best option as they're large, bulky, obtrusive and tend to get in the way between you and your subject!. You often find that a more discreet and simpler camera achieves more and you can learn far more creatively by working within the limitations of a simpler camera!. Many of the finest photographic images ever taken were on simple compact cameras!.
One important point: as good as the D80 is, it won't make you a better photographer!. Classes will!. You should consider buying a decent "prosumer" camera with a decent quality zoom lens (e!.g Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 or the compact and ultra-wide angle DMC-FX500) or and spending the money you save on lessons!.Www@QuestionHome@Com