How Valuable is a Degree in Photography??

I was/am in the exact same situation as you. I loved photography, but like you, was cautious about committing to the major. So I decided to study art education with the intention of teaching art and trying to get my photography going on the side. As an Art Ed major, you take many different studio courses. Rather than focusing solely on photography classes, you are learning tonal and value scales in drawing courses and color theory in painting. That will contribute to your eye for photography. The education courses are not bad either. Going in, I wasn't too excited about being a teacher, but after taking some of the courses, I could really see myself enjoying it. I just recently decided to major in Photography as well. If photography is something you truly love and want to learn more about, then there's no reason to say no. But make sure you're willing to put forth the effort and funds. Get on your school's newspaper staff. Search around town for business and event committees that need photographers. Join the Student Photography Association if your school has one. Learn everything you can from online photo sites like POTN. Put yourself in as many situations that has you taking pictures. If you have to do more schooling, search hard for scholarships, grants, and student loans. Learn as much as you can while you can.

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #9148966
I said, "the survey says," thus repeating what others have said. However, as what you can see with many products, outstanding marketing usually trumps the product. Perception is key. Afterall, Bud Light is America's best selling beer, but far, far away from the richest. (From what I've head, SGP and Becks are "light" German beers, but in richness of taste, are Ferraris to BL's Cavalier.)

And I never said you had to have a business degree, but rather be good at business. If you don't succeed at business, you'll have a very hard time making it. (Yes, on the job training does count, but know what you're doing.)

Define very. Perhaps I try to reach too high, but I doubt too many photographers are driving hand-built European sportscars.

If you're getting into photography full time to become incredibly rich maybe not career to pursue though I do have a very good friend that shoots very high end weddings (starts at $12,000) and does between 30 & 40 a year plus high end family portraits and some commercial work grosses over 500K a year.

Also one of my college professors left teaching and has a HUGE commercial studio and shoots furniture ads and owns his own plane.

But do it because you love it. Really LOVE it.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #9150886
If you're getting into photography full time to become incredibly rich maybe not career to pursue though I do have a very good friend that shoots very high end weddings (starts at $12,000) and does between 30 & 40 a year plus high end family portraits and some commercial work grosses over 500K a year.

Also one of my college professors left teaching and has a HUGE commercial studio and shoots furniture ads and owns his own plane.

But do it because you love it. Really LOVE it.

I know you can make money and I know you can make a good living. But I guess our definitions of "very" are different. And you don't have to scream, italics or bold would also work as you're not screaming.

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #9151106
I know you can make money and I know you can make a good living. But I guess our definitions of "very" are different. And you don't have to scream, italics or bold would also work as you're not screaming.

Slightly off topic, but do you seriously consider a couple of words in all caps Screaming?

gonzogolf wrote in post #9151185
Slightly off topic, but do you seriously consider a couple of words in all caps Screaming?

Maybe that wasn't a little too much. However, annoying and a little condescending, yes (condescending in the fact I wouldn't have picked up on those words in the first place).

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #9151259
Maybe that wasn't a little too much. However, annoying and a little condescending, yes (condescending in the fact I wouldn't have picked up on those words in the first place).

Perhaps he was being condescending throughout his post, but you have harmed your credibility with me as an impartial reader. He just used a typographic trick to emphasize a word, an important word in a sentence that he wanted make clear to a casual reader. If that fires you up that much, then its time to step away from the keyboard for a while and gain some perspective.

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #9151106
I know you can make money and I know you can make a good living. But I guess our definitions of "very" are different. And you don't have to scream, italics or bold would also work as you're not screaming.

Touch'y aren't ya. I capped the word LOVE OMG thats just terrible ain't it. And I'm not screaming just pointing out things that you seem to miss or have never experienced.

So say you do commercial work and you shoot an average of 3 days a week at 2500 a day. I donno. Looks like a decent yearly income to me. All the markeiting in the world ain't gonna help you keep the clients that are willing to hire you at that rate if you ain' t got the work to back it up.

gonzogolf wrote in post #9151290
Perhaps he was being condescending throughout his post, but you have harmed your credibility with me as an impartial reader. He just used a typographic trick to emphasize a word, an important word in a sentence that he wanted make clear to a casual reader. If that fires you up that much, then its time to step away from the keyboard for a while and gain some perspective.

Well I do find someone thats not in the game thinking they have more answers than those that are and have been living it.

Hi
I provide intern positions to students and I'm regularly disappointed by the poor levels of marketing / business input that they receive as part of their syllabus.
Adam
www.adamcoupe.com/port​folio

gonzogolf wrote in post #9151290
Perhaps he was being condescending throughout his post, but you have harmed your credibility with me as an impartial reader. He just used a typographic trick to emphasize a word, an important word in a sentence that he wanted make clear to a casual reader. If that fires you up that much, then its time to step away from the keyboard for a while and gain some perspective.

Credibility? It's common knowledge that one SCREAMS in caps, but emphasizes in italics or bold (although, OT, HTML uses different definitions for them now....). It doesn't really fire me up, rather annoying when I read people capitalizing words as if I wouldn't read them without their capitalization.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #9152356
Touch'y aren't ya. I capped the word LOVE OMG thats just terrible ain't it. And I'm not screaming just pointing out things that you seem to miss or have never experienced.

Well, technically when capitalizing something, you are screaming (of course, acronyms are an exception).

So say you do commercial work and you shoot an average of 3 days a week at 2500 a day. I donno. Looks like a decent yearly income to me. All the markeiting in the world ain't gonna help you keep the clients that are willing to hire you at that rate if you ain' t got the work to back it up.

And with no marketing, you'll have a harder time finding new clients.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #9152377
Well I do find someone thats not in the game thinking they have more answers than those that are and have been living it.

Once again, I reiterated what others have said. And you're missing the point that I've tired to make that one has to be at least competent business wise, or just plain lucky, to make it in the business world.

Of course, you don't need any business background: you can't teach genius; Bill Gates isn't doing too badly and why wasn't anything close to being a business major (but then again, billionaire are usually the exception to the rule).

My ultimate point: one must be at least competent to survive, unless lucky; you can be run laps around Ansel Adams, but if you have the business "plan" of GM or Bank One, you probably won't make it.

adamcoupe wrote in post #9153019
Hi
I provide intern positions to students and I'm regularly disappointed by the poor levels of marketing / business input that they receive as part of their syllabus.
Adam
www.adamcoupe.com/port​folio

I can only speak for Ohio State, but there is no business required as part of a BFA. And that BFA is very much a fine arts degree, that spends very little time on the tools of the trade and nearly only one vision (although I'll be hammered for criticizing vision, but when it's a 400 level class and half the people don't know of the relationship of ISO, SS, and aperture, something's not right). In addition, the BFA is very structured without much room for electives; conversely, many liberal arts majors double major, because the degree only requires ~45 credit hours for the major(s).

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #9153688
Credibility? It's common knowledge that one SCREAMS in caps, but emphasizes in italics or bold (although, OT, HTML uses different definitions for them now....). It doesn't really fire me up, rather annoying when I read people capitalizing words as if I wouldn't read them without their capitalization.

Well, technically when capitalizing something, you are screaming (of course, acronyms are an exception).

And with no marketing, you'll have a harder time finding new clients.

Once again, I reiterated what others have said. And you're missing the point that I've tired to make that one has to be at least competent business wise, or just plain lucky, to make it in the business world.

Of course, you don't need any business background: you can't teach genius; Bill Gates isn't doing too badly and why wasn't anything close to being a business major (but then again, billionaire are usually the exception to the rule).

My ultimate point: one must be at least competent to survive, unless lucky; you can be run laps around Ansel Adams, but if you have the business "plan" of GM or Bank One, you probably won't make it.

AWWWW to bad bupie I know you don't believe this but the world don't revolve around you and what does or doesn't annoy you. Don't like the way I type DON'T READ IT. I never said no marketing. Where did you get that. I did say that having a niche and an real understanding of the businesses you are servicing and CONNECTIONS (oh crap, I did it again) are the real key. But hey, WTF do I know. I've only been doing it most of my life.

I was trying to have a nice conversation about the attributes of being a professional photographer, but I guess we've resorted to name calling now.

Aren't we sensitive bupie is hardly name calling

I still will say honing your skills in school and on the job on someone elses nickel and learning the specifics of the field you are going to work in are much more valuable and far more pointed than marketing and business classes aimed at readying you to work for IBM and not for a small photography business. And even MBAs have to work at companies or with consulting firms before they move into positions of leadership and if they do go into their own business it still requires inside knowledge in those particular businesses. You had better have your chops when you start shooting for yourself or you will not be doing it long. Art directors will eat you for lunch.

ditto to what lots of others have said - If you want to work as a pro photographer i would get a degree in business or go to a tech photography school. I did a fine arts degree in photography and we did learn a lot of technique and got lots of critique but we learned NOTHING about running a studio or business or actually making a living when we were done with school. Luckily I had business as a favorite hobby