Pixiq

The advent of digital photography changed the art world so fast it began to diminish traditional photography education. The results of so many picking up digital cameras and assuming that it would do all the work began to take its toll on the profession. For a short time, forgotten was the tried and true formula of posing plus lighting and composition and exposure equal a beautiful photograph.

Now that it has been around long enough there is a realization that the need for professional training is once more a necessity for success in photography whether it be for personal or professional reasons. Photography is not all about Adobe Photoshop but about the basics that have always yielded results.

Great photography schools have always acknowledged the need for proper training and experience combined with the technical training needed to bring the art of photography to best results.

Reviewing the amount of education available it has become apparent that some schools and workshops do it better than others. This review is intended to help others to explore all the options available including online schools, live and in person workshops and traditional education. All aspects of education are considered here including online websites that cater to education and also traditional colleges. The choice is endless and there is no shortage on learning either online or in person and also completing a professional degree.

1. The New York Institute of Photography is the world's largest and oldest photography school. Founded in 1910, NYIP has been successfully graduating photographers all over the world for 100 years. They have affordable home-study courses that allow students anywhere to learn the photography skills that they need.

Each of their education courses includes comprehensive and up-to-date lessons, audio commentary on CD, and DVD video training. In addition to the physical materials offered in the courses, each student receives a dedicated student advisor who is a professional photographer there to guide you through the course. All of this is a huge plus in keeping the students involved and interested via long distance training.

This school also provides many articles free online available on their website to give specific tips on photographing a variety of subjects. This is one school that has backed itself up with social media and a blog to be sure those students or potential students have enough information to make informed decisions about which series of classes to take.

Another impressive plus to their school is that it limits the courses so they can delve deeper into the subjects and a full course on Photoshop alone is offered.

2. A variety of cities are provided with the Art Institutes which provide live instruction on campuses in many cities. I have had personal contact with students and instructors from Art Institutes and have found them to be among the best education for a student who wants a campus to attend school either part time or full time in the arts. Their instructors are all professionals and the schools are tightly managed to give the students the best possible education geared to their photography. One of the strong features of the Art Institutes is that they are in many cities and they pull from the local artists to add to the education experience.

I have myself joined in teaching specialties at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and I can’t say enough about the quality of interactive learning that happens there.

One of the major advantages of the Art Institutes is that students have the opportunity to intern with professional studios of their specialty. This also gives the students a way to “show off” to the studios what they are capable of besides learning. Most of the time, the interns are hired by the studios where they interned. I hired most of my interns after they proved themselves at my studio.

3. Parsons The New School For Design (abbreviated Parsons) is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City’s Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane Frank, William Gropper, and Tom Ford. Parsons is a member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD).

This elite private school provides a variety of fine arts programs for aspiring artists in many categories of fine arts. Parsons offers Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees in Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing, Graphic Design, and Interior Design.

 Students attending Parsons are serious about their art and their photography to bring it to the top level plus have a college degree. A great advantage for students looking for both a liberal arts education with photography and a college degree.

4. No list would be complete without including Brooks Institute in it. Long respected as one of the top photography schools in the world this staple in photography education offers a BFA in Professional Photography and a MFA in Photography. Not many schools offer both of those. Whether you are interested in pursuing a photography degree or want to gain additional skills in film, graphic design or visual journalism, you can find a program at Brooks Institute that meets your needs.

Their undergraduate and master’s degree programs cater to students who are new to the fields of photography, film, graphic design and visual journalism as well as those who seek new skills to advance an established career.

Brooks Institute’s multidisciplinary approach to education promotes collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity to help students become technologically adept and visually sophisticated. Their faculty of award-winning industry professionals and academics help students discover their creative style as they grow toward becoming trained professionals. Brooks would be a top choice for anyone looking to make their life career photography.

5. Looking again to online education there are a number of highly specialized websites that offer streamlined classes geared towards a specialty. One of those schools is the Digital Art Academy which offers classes which include step by step instruction combined with videos for specific digital art techniques with the emphasis on digital painting and using Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop software. This is a terrific option for those that are looking for specific technique education in a supportive friendly atmosphere in their own home in their own time schedule.

6. Another that offers online education to a variety of online education is Lynda.com. While this website is membership based it offers one of the largest varieties of online training for learning on your own in your own time. Lynda offers photography courses in Cameras + Gear, Documentaries, Lighting, Photo Assignments, Photo Assignments, and Printing + Sharing. In total including all their courses they offer over 1000 classes!

You can try out Lynda.com with a FREE 7 Day Trial to Lynda.com to take a look around and see if this one is for you.

7. BetterPhoto.com offers an online learning experience that includes all aspects of photography and related software. There are even specific courses that cover some camera models and how to use them. They offer a large variety of course taught by professionals in the industry. This is another membership based website with an additional fee for the courses. The difference is the in depth management of the members offering them personalized critiques in their classes directly from the instructor and including websites for the members plus a huge variety of other benefits.

Another plus is they offer both four week and eight week courses. All courses come to your email once a week for the session and your feedback and posting of your work is highly encouraged. Forum participation and contests are also part of the full experience.

8. Hallmark Institute of Photography has a very unique ten month program for professional photography. Their intensive 1400 clock hour program in Professional Photography is delivered over ten months throughout four sequential phases. The curriculum features seven primary courses of study; Art & Technique, Digital Imaging, Design & Imaging Arts, Marketing, Management, Personnel, and Finance. Each of these courses is supported by numerous individual classes that are taught in an integrated manner in which each and every student participates. Most classes are presented to small groups of students to promote individual attention and provide opportunities for interaction with instructors during class.

Unlike any other photographic school, Hallmark Institute has no investment in spreading out its program over four years (or more!). The unique “photo boot camp” approach gets students up to speed in ten months by combining cutting edge photo equipment, state-of-the-art digital facilities, and a motivated faculty who have first-hand experience with the real demands and expectations of the working world.

9. Professional Photographers of America known as PPA is the professional association for photographers and aspiring photographers. Once one is a member you are encouraged to attend their convention and various workshops and seminars presented all over the country with speakers live and in person teaching all aspects of photography. Emphasis is on portrait and wedding photography but commercial and illustrative are also an important part of their education as is all digital post processing software.

PPA has competitions all over the world and encourages their members to attain “merits” towards degrees of excellence. Competing is a huge educational opportunity to see what others are doing and keep your creativity fresh and inspired.

There are also regional one day “Super Mondays” during the year to learn one on one with a professional near your own location. Hundreds of professional participate in these events and it gives unprecedented access to a professional studio and to learn how they create their own images. The fee for this one day is always very reasonable and another way to learn photography from a pro.

10. Not to leave out the masses of nature photographers out there that want to learn how to photograph lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) there is a group that has workshops all over the world with some of the most talented nature photographers around. The Outdoor Photo Workshops do an incredibly good job of hands on teaching in some of the most exciting locations for wildlife at affordable prices. Their intensive workshop instructors, Jason Hahn and Les Voorhis, provide in-field, hands-on photo instruction coupled with classroom sessions and image critiques, tailoring their instruction to meet the needs of each photographer, regardless of skill level or camera equipment. Their focus is on helping improve your nature photography skills and expand your creativity while providing you opportunities to photograph unique and exciting outdoor adventure and nature subjects. Just looking at the images on their website is exciting!

OVERVIEW

Lighting, posing and exposure are always the most important aspect of what one needs to learn first in photography. Get comfortable with your equipment and then seek out the kind of education experience that you will benefit the most from. Everyone has their own style of learning and also how to fit learning into their lifestyle. If you travel and work full time and have home responsibilities then an online course is just what you need. If you have free time and can commit to being away, the obvious choice is a hands-on type of education. There are short term and long term classes and workshops everywhere. Decide what you need to learn and then choose your best option.

Marilyn Sholin

Artist, Author and Educator

Find my own workshops in Asheville,NC HERE