qualifications

hayley.price

hayley.price

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hayley
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how many of you have qualifications in photography??


i know a fare few photographers down my way and some of them have loads of qualifications others just have 1 level photography, and others don't have any, but all of them are very successful photographers.


now i have been looking at courses but due to my age i would have to pay and they are very expensive to do if it worth it?? and will it make a difference to me getting a job in photographer and ultimately starting my own business like i want too?

barring in mindi want to work in equine and animal photography witch most of the courses don't do any subjects on.

i have done most of the free courses i can find, and have loads of training DVDs and books.

what my main question here is, is does qualifications mean the world to the people will take the photos for is it not the end result that matters more then what bits of paper say you can do??
 
I don't have any qualifications in photography, my bachelors degree is in human geography. I'm now a full time equestrian photographer both freelancing and covering my own events. I think experience is the main thing, without it you will have no portfolio. Qualifications may help you get a job in say Venture (for example, I know they won't take on people without a degree) but in my experience most photographers who are looking for freelancers will want experience not qualifications. Obviously there are always exceptions to the rule.
 
i think if i had done a photography qualification it would have murdered my interest in it.

the best way you are going to learn is to:

1) get out there and learn your camera, learn how all the parameters affect the photograph

2) look at photographs you really love and dissect them. look at what makes them great, look at how they are lit, look at how they are framed, how they are exposed, the depth of field used and how they are processed etc. understand and identify all the components that make a great photograph.

i've spoken to people who've done btec type courses in photography and they generally find them boring and don't teach you anything you can't teach yourself with a good book and a long weekend.

i'm an "independent learner" as it's called and i learn better in a hands on way rather than by sitting in a classroom looking at boring power point presentations or by doing some stupid project taking photos of road kill or something else i have no interest in.
 
What a Crock! you need both... C & G 747 Pt 1 and pt 2. Or nearest thing to that what ever it is these days. gets to greater understanding of the basics and what can be done. And learn't quicker.

Doing it all your self takes longer and you will only shoot what you like doing and really pushing the boundaries learning what else can be done.

Experince a qualification are both needed.

Self taought and all that? Yeah maybe if you want to go self employed. but there are lots and I mean lots of jobs with companies out there. Comercial/Police/Medical/Military/Publishing/Archeaological/Press etc....

More to photography jobs than just weddings and portraits and shooting events... MUCH MORE.

Whole world out there..... go for it!!!!!
 
Well my passion is equine photography that of witch I am well trained in, having several equine photographers giving me private lessons. And I have lined up a wedding photographer who's allowih me to go with her to weddings to learn wedding photography. Only one of these photographers has any qualifications, the wedding photographer is making 500+ a wedding with no qualifications. I think for now I'm not going to worry so much about paying out for a cource I don't need, and focus on things I need more, ie driving lessons and new gear.
 
I was thinking about doing a course until I joined this forum, I've been pushing myself through the different categories landscape, wildlife, creative etc, each month in trying something new, whether it's light painting or portrait shots, that's keeping it fresh for me and I'm learning a great deal, I sit down with my photos , analyse what I like I don't like and learn from them, also pop them on here for feedback and help/advice.

Best way IMO

Matt
 
hayley.price said:
Well my passion is equine photography that of witch I am well trained in, having several equine photographers giving me private lessons. And I have lined up a wedding photographer who's allowih me to go with her to weddings to learn wedding photography. Only one of these photographers has any qualifications, the wedding photographer is making 500+ a wedding with no qualifications. I think for now I'm not going to worry so much about paying out for a cource I don't need, and focus on things I need more, ie driving lessons and new gear.
Click to expand...

Please do not listen to anyone who tells you that you need to do a course. The resources you need to become a competent photographer are on the internet for free.
 
London Headshots said:
Please do not listen to anyone who tells you that you need to do a course. The resources you need to become a competent photographer are on the internet for free.
Click to expand...

May depends what you want to shoot, but yes, on the whole, more-or-less anything can probably be found online and free.

The best paid for stuff I had was PT4U and Lynda.Com for PP . Then again, there's stuff out there for free, Google is your friend.
 
i think it all depends on what course you take and ultimately who your lecturer is, i have just finished a level3 btec and it turned my head and made me really think about what i was trying to achieve through my photography, i say that it was 80% lecturer and 20% course, my lecturer was and is an extremely talented photographer himself and viewing some of his prints, all darkroom hand prints including lith, blew me away and really made me think. we did however find common ground in the photographers we look up and aspire to.
the first course i enrolled on level one city and guilds however was ok in so much as i had self taught most of what they offered and the lecturer was more intent on exercising our Photoshop muscles and she loved making montage images, which is ok but was not what i signed up for.
i had the option to enrol on a two year A s course but decided that i now have too many personal projects in the pipeline to commit to that sort of work, and it is more theory and less shooting.
so yes, you can learn a lot on the internet and by shooting shooting and more shooting but sometimes its nice to have someone in the know be honest, impartial and there for any question you may have and also to hook up with like minded people once a week (part time) rather than frantic typing on the interwebs like im doing now lol
 
lmao thanks guys, have done most of the free courses i can find read countless hours of photography information and tips and tricks online bought hundreds mags. but will keep it in mind as it seems they can be intresting and fun but as im in need of a new pc, (mine no longer allows photoshop to run :( ) and i need some new lens and gear and i need to get my driving lessons i think i will get all that first and once i have that maybe get a course thanks guys
 
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