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Question: Please, I’m a veteran that needs your help!?
I recently got out of the Army, after 15 years of service and 2 combat tours in Iraq!. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; I was a Combat Medic that has seen enough blood to last 4 life times!.
I am now working with the Veterans Administration (VA) to get back to school and start a new career in Photography!. My counselor at the VA wants me to go to a state school that concentrates on “film photography”, where I want to go to a private school that has a “digital photography” program!. (the only one in the state) I need to do research on why I should go to a “private school”!.
So… the questions: Where do you think the photography industry is headed, staying with film or into the digital age, and secondly, have you ever heard of the Art Institute!?
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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Film will give you a more in-depth knowledge of photography and a skill that will give you an edge in the job market!. You will also have an edge in learning digital image manipulation by knowing how the darkroom processes really work!.
Film is not going away anytime soon in medium and large format photography!. Having the ability to work with film, and in larger formats, will set you apart from the digital only photographers!. That is important in the current flood of self-made digital pros that will be gone in a few years!.
The more you learn about every aspect of photography the better you will be at your chosen specialties or field!. I used my VA benefits for a degree in commercial art which worked well with my photography!.
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Good luck, and thanks for doing the tough job - Vets make the best photographers!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
I've heard of the Art Institute and have heard mixed reviews of it from people who have been there, it sounds to me like certain departments are very good and others are not!. I think the photography industry is going to eventually abandon film all together in favor of digital, not that that's a good thing necessarily but it's what will eventually happen!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Personally I would learn digital photography!. I think eventually film will not be around at all!. It will become harder to get the chemicals to develop the photos!. It'll become harder to buy film, buy cameras that take film and the lenses that will work with the camera!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Even though the photography world is primarily digital, i think learning film photography gives you a far better understanding of what's going on inside the camera, plus you would learn to take good photos rather than learn to use photoshop!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
I would go and get it in film!. There, you will find all the basics that will also apply when you get into digital!.
I am a vet with PTSD alsoWww@QuestionHome@Com
I'm a long time amateur photographer, not a pro, and my college degree (way back) was in management!. So basically I'm talking out of my *** - just passing the time until some pros get around to answering your question!. With that out of the way, here's my 2 cents!.
The art of photography (composition, studio lighting, etc!.), the operation of the camera, and the business side of being a photographer!.!.!. all of that is pretty much the same whether you shoot film or digital!. The trend is leaning ever more towards digital, but those things remain the same!.
The only aspect that's not relevant anymore is darkroom work (and that's mostly left to labs by working film photographers!.) With digital, the dark room has been replaced by a computer and Photoshop!. Retouching in Photoshop can also be left to specialists, or you could pick up the basics in a separate course!. It will take more than a few classes to become a wizard at the stuff, but you probably have no intention of becoming a graphic artist - you'll just want to accomplish some basic retouching!.
So I wouldn't be too worried about enrolling in a film program!. In fact, that's probably where the best teachers (still) are!.Www@QuestionHome@Com