Self taught or ?

ironchef31 wrote in post #6082680
Take the classes. You will get more out of a classroom environment with assignments and feedback from your photos than most anywhere else.

I've taken classes at a JC, most of the people that where there, where either mothers trying to learn their Rebel or kids learning about how to take photos.
Because I started somewhat late in life, about 30, I did not learn much from that class or people in it that I did not already learn prior to going. In all honesty, I thought I had signed up for an advanced class but didn't read the fine print and found it was a beginner’s class. Almost everyone in the class seemed quiet and afraid to ask many questions.

tcphotodesign wrote in post #6093924
I've taken classes at a JC, most of the people that where there, where either mothers trying to learn their Rebel or kids learning about how to take photos.
Because I started somewhat late in life, about 30, I did not learn much from that class or people in it that I did not already learn prior to going. In all honesty, I thought I had signed up for an advanced class but didn't read the fine print and found it was a beginner’s class. Almost everyone in the class seemed quiet and afraid to ask many questions.

that sucks man, i have thought about taking a class, but always think about a situation like this.

tcphotodesign wrote in post #6093924
I've taken classes at a JC, most of the people that where there, where either mothers trying to learn their Rebel or kids learning about how to take photos.
Because I started somewhat late in life, about 30, I did not learn much from that class or people in it that I did not already learn prior to going. In all honesty, I thought I had signed up for an advanced class but didn't read the fine print and found it was a beginner’s class. Almost everyone in the class seemed quiet and afraid to ask many questions.

Sorry to hear that. I took a couple of courses at a college here in Vancouver. They offer lots of courses that covers a wide range of interests
http://www.langara.bc.​ca/cs/programs/PHTC.ht​ml
I had a blast and can't wait to take more courses here.

Most of what I've learned, I learned on POTN! BUT... I say that with an exception.

Advice that I have received such as, "You need to take more interesting pictures" can be left unsaid. That doesn't teach me, anything.

However, advice like, "You need to make the photograph more interesting by doing this, this, and that" is advice that I can take with me in the field.

I have received a LOT of advice explaining how to improve my craft... and it has REALLY helped. You'll get a lot of feedback here on POTN. Some of it will sting. Most of it will improve your skill and make you better at what you do!

Self Taught. Parents was always on the poor side of the tracks and never had much money so college and any other schooling was out.

710 Studio wrote in post #6127127
Most of what I've learned, I learned on POTN! BUT... I say that with an exception.

Advice that I have received such as, "You need to take more interesting pictures" can be left unsaid. That doesn't teach me, anything.

However, advice like, "You need to make the photograph more interesting by doing this, this, and that" is advice that I can take with me in the field.

I have received a LOT of advice explaining how to improve my craft... and it has REALLY helped. You'll get a lot of feedback here on POTN. Some of it will sting. Most of it will improve your skill and make you better at what you do!

well said, i have to agree

Classes are good but the only thing that a diploma or certificate tells is that you can successfully take a test..just because someone has the diploma doesn't mean they can do the work in the real world. I'm all for education but be a 2nd or 3rd shooter, learn but actually being in the circumstances. Classes cannot tell you how to tackle a lot of the problems you will come up against.

They can give you the skills and the chance to shoot with a huge variety of equipment and learn to properly use that equipment. That will give you the confidence and the skills that are essential to success and do it at a much faster rate. And as far as learning to pass tests all of my photo classes were judged on portfolios not tests. It can also open doors to areas that would be otherwise closed. I know I wouldn't be working in the field I am in if it weren't for my education.

Self taught here. But have read books on aperture, exsposure, lighting and lots of advice and critiques from people on here. It has paid off. Kind of a mentor later on, but not much. But like the old saying goes, practice makes perfect.....but I follow my own set of rules.

Mostly self-taught, although over the last year I started taking a few classes at the local community college.

I'm self-taught from the start. Sure I seek answers to the questions I have on the net and much more recently POTN.
The results I get are what I like and love, they meet my expectations and standards. However I love to learn when it comes to photography, and I'm always finding myself doing new things and trying many new things. Honestly, I couldn't be happier.

I started being that typical P&S photographer who does anything to get the great action shots, and after my Kodak P&S died I walked into Harvey Norman and got the best SLR I could see. I started my own website from this, and within a month it was a business, and I'm always doing everything I can to get the most unique and best action shots around, all available to the general public, which is rare for the show's I attend, there is only a select few websites who offer this service. I'm always striving to better my gear and ability, and I have a great deal of debt. Photography is all about fun though, I couldn't see myself anywhere else. I have excellent contacts in the industry including some of the biggest names around, getting in almost anywhere, and I hope to grow bigger. Great thing about my business from others is at this point in time, it's almost totally a solo act, the photos are all very personalised, and the photographers I do occasionally take on are all there for the learning curve and I only take interested photographers with me, I can't stand the photographer who just takes photos with no consideration for composition or photography. Before owning a DSLR it was the other way around however.

I would love to have a cirtificate in photography, but not for some time.

I would say I am self taught reading as much as I can from the books and user manuals I come across. Then putting what I have learnt into practice into my photos and letting members from POTN critique. So I suppose its partially self taught and parially the help of POTN.

I would like a mentor so I have someone who I can work with and also get support from. (Like here but a person)