Photography Degree

[scpictaker]

I'm looking at going to Art Institute of Pitt for a online photo degree. My wonder is are they really needed. Does a degree in photography really help much. I have to do online due to my job, and I know Ai is very acredited. Dp people who own their own studio have degrees?

[scotteisenphotography]

Not sure about doing it online, but getting a BFA in photography would obviously help if that's what you want to do. If it's a good college you'll get good internship hookups, great professors, and so on.

[JakPot]

no it's not required. I bet most photographers don't carry a degree in photography. A lot recommend a business degree.

You gain a lot of skills outside of shooting by attending college. It also shows you can commit to something and finish.

I'm a photo student at Ai of Colorado and outside of the cost which is pretty outrageous, it's been a great experience. I don't know how you would really benefit from online classes in photography? One of the major benefits are face to face critiques which help you grow as a photographer and person. Plus accessing the equipment to use....

Edit: forgot to mention the networking opportunites!

[nicksan]

I always thought of specialized degrees like that as akin to cornering yourself into a corner. Obviously that's not always the case, but at least around me, folks with music, art, photography, Asian Studies, African Studies degrees usually have a difficult time making ends meet. I mean, what if things don't work out? What are you going to do with a photography degree?

But if that's what you want to pursue and you are confident it's for the long haul, then it's certainly something to look at, but perhaps a business degree might be a better choice?

[yogestee]

I always thought of specialized degrees like that as akin to cornering yourself into a corner. Obviously that's not always the case, but at least around me, folks with music, art, photography, Asian Studies, African Studies degrees usually have a difficult time making ends meet. I mean, what if things don't work out? What are you going to do with a photography degree?

But if that's what you want to pursue and you are confident it's for the long haul, then it's certainly something to look at, but perhaps a business degree might be a better choice?

Nick,, I got my Degree (called a Diploma here in Australia) while I was working as a photographer.. Luckily my employer was generous enough to partly put me through the course (4 years)..

I made a good living out of photography for 30 years..

[airfrogusmc]

I have a B/A in photography and its opened doors that would have been shut tight and I wouldn't be working in the area of photography that I'm now in if it weren't for my degree. Full time since 1986 (graduated) and part time for 7 years before that.

The connections and friendships you make in a traditional college situation for me was priceless. That would have been missed is an on line type of experience.

I took business and marketing courses and they helped but my technical skills that I acquired in college were so important. I learned more about how to run a photography business in 6 weeks working for a successful photographer when I graduated than I did in any business class. If your going into a traditional business run like IBM traditional business classes are great and they will help you understand but photography is so different than those traditional types of businesses. I guess if you want to have a high volume cookie cutter type photography business those traditional business approaches work great but if you want to be more specialized I would highly recommend working for someone for a few years whose work you respect and is running a very successful business.

Well that approach worked for me. Get your visual and technical skills nailed and take some business but find a mentor when you graduate and learn all you can. Plus you might wind up making a life long friend in the process.

[bric-a-brac]

I have a BA in Photography too. I'd have to say it pressed me to approach a subject from multiple creative vantage points, depending on the intended context, which has helped me hugely as someone who offers "imaging solutions." I also learned some technical skills that I never could have dreamed of accomplishing on my own (not to say you couldn't do it, but it was a huge leg up).

and from an experience stand point, I have to say it was wonderful to have an excuse to focus solely on fine art photography for a few years, because now a lot of my creative energy gets spent on commercial work, which fulfills the wallet much more readily than the intellect...

AND
I have a B/A in photography and its opened doors that would have been shut tight and I wouldn't be working in the area of photography that I'm now in if it weren't for my degree.

+1. same here. I have a consistent job as a studio editor where I can still freelance on the side, and I get free run of the studio's equipment inventory! life is good when people appreciate your education. :D

I've also found it's easier to get into some commercial gigs while your commercial portfolio is still in its baby stage if you have a degree to tack onto the top of your resume.

[nicksan]

Nick,, I got my Degree (called a Diploma here in Australia) while I was working as a photographer.. Luckily my employer was generous enough to partly put me through the course (4 years)..

I made a good living out of photography for 30 years..

Yes, hence I qualified my statement with "Obviously that's not always the case".

Way before I made it into college, my passion was in music. But when decision time came, I decided NOT to pursue a music degree. In retrospect I made the right decision, especially having met some of the musicians I have met between then and now.

So I graduated with a double major in Economics and Business. Served me well for the first few years as a Risk Management Analyst but I decided to switch careers and went into IT. Been doing that for over 10 years now and make a pretty good living doing it. Obviously that degree is pretty irrelevant at this point, and the only value it holds is the name of the school on the piece of paper. Obviously, any IT knowledge I have is from on-the-job training, self study, learning from my peers and friends, etc. There's only so much schooling can prepare you for. The rest is learned in the so-called "real world".

It is what it is. However, I will agree that there are certain positions that put a lot of emphasis on the degree and there really isn't much getting around that. Quite obviously when that position presents itself to you, the degree will always be worth it. But the trick is to figure out whether you will ever be in that type of position.

I know I don't need a Master's degree. I just KNOW. Sure, it's a rather great thing to have and I won't get certain positions because I lack the degree. But I am not looking for those positions anyways. Therefore I am not going to waste my time or money getting one.

It's just one of those things where you have to weigh things out.

By all means pursue your dreams. But I think it's important to weight the odds and all that.

I have a day job that pays me VERY well, which allows me to pursue MY photography. I don't make a dime on photography.
Putting food on the table doesn't hinge on my photography skills and I am comfortable being in that position.

I LIKE what I do for a living. I LOVE photography. It is what it is...

Holy sh*t...I am starting to sound/think like my parents did when I was younger.

Ugh....:lol:;)

Nick,, I got my Degree (called a Diploma here in Australia) while I was working as a photographer.. Luckily my employer was generous enough to partly put me through the course (4 years)..

I made a good living out of photography for 30 years..

[yogestee]

Nick,, what is important when you choose a course is that photography is taugh as a science not just some arty farty course..

When I did my course it lasted 4 years,, 10 hours a week face to face plus atleast 10 hours a week home studies.. There was a huge component of chemistry, physics and mathematics plus a semester of business studies..

[nicksan]

Ha, ha...so true.

I can definitely see the networking and business aspects of the degree coming into good use, especially if one sticks with the profession like yourself.

I guess I am looking at this from the perspective of someone who switched careers, rendering my degree useless, other than the fact that it's a college degree and something that is needed in general to land a job in the general work place.

I would have much rather have had a degree in Math or Statistics, which can be morphed into pretty much any profession.

Just something to think about that's all...


Nick,, what is important when you choose a course is that photography is taugh as a science not just some arty farty course..

When I did my course it lasted 4 years,, 10 hours a week face to face plus atleast 10 hours a week home studies.. There was a huge component of chemistry, physics and mathematics plus a semester of business studies..

[yogestee]

I guess I am looking at this from the perspective of someone who switched careers, rendering my degree useless, other than the fact that it's a college degree and something that is needed in general to land a job in the general work place.

I would have much rather have had a degree in Math or Statistics, which can be morphed into pretty much any profession.

Just something to think about that's all...

Nick,, I switched careers at 52 years of age after nearly 30 years as a photographer.. In 2007 I went back to college gaining my Diploma of TESOL.. I'm now teaching English language in a developing country and have never looked back..

[nicksan]

Much respect. That's awesome.:D
Nick,, I switched careers at 52 years of age after nearly 30 years as a photographer.. In 2007 I went back to college gaining my Diploma of TESOL.. I'm now teaching English language in a developing country and have never looked back..

[friz]

I've known a couple of guys that went to Brooks Institute. I don't think they would have traded the experience for anything.

[mickeyjuice]

Nick,, I got my Degree (called a Diploma here in Australia)
Not that we don't have degrees down here, we do.

And one of the things that doing my degree did for me, (I'm a sports journalist), was create huge networking opportunities, both inside and outside university. The work I picked up (often unpaid) paved the way to develop my career.

[PhotosGuy]

Lotsa' reading for you: Post #34:
Photography School (Schools/Degrees/Bills/Aftermath = SCARY) Pro's? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=574329)

College Photo Major in need of Venting (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=629883)

Art & Photography Schools (http://www.art-photography-schools.com/)

And because you have a descriptive title, you can look at the "Similar Threads" links at the bottom-left of this page!
Each link you visit should provide more links at the bottom.

[yogestee]

Not that we don't have degrees down here, we do

Ooopps sorry about that.. Australian university Degrees are some of the most highly acclaimed Degrees in the world..

Slip of the typing finger and not putting my brain into gear..