Photography School?

I figure this is as good a time as any to give the reader’s digest on how I came to be where I am. In my sophomore year of high school in Mississippi, I signed up for a photography class. I had an affection for photography, but no knowledge or ability. Honestly, I just wanted to learn how to do dark room (spoiler alert: i still dont know how). Turns out curriculum wise, it was one of the worst classes I’ve ever taken. The two positives out of that: made some relationships that are strong today, six years and three “Place I Call Home” moves later. Second, it taught me that if I wanted to learn photography, I was going to have to be self taught. Fast forward to my sophomore year of college. I decided I had some left over cash from summer, and wanted to invest in a camera I thought was BEYOND legit: the Canon Rebel XSi. Yea, one with switchy lenses, as I put it. I poured over internet resources trying to learn the ins and outs. I shot something every single day. I was never “that guy” that told someone “hey let’s go take your picture,” I was always afraid of being pegged as a creep, but I shot something each day. I bugged the fire out of some photographers I looked up to. Some gave me the cold shoulder, some are still friends today.

Eventually, some friends started to trust me and asked me to take their pictures.  After a while , the Chapmans asked me to shoot their wedding. I. Was. Terrified. That’s a lot of pressure! I obliged, and my good friend Drew Cason offered to help me out. As my Dad put it that May, “Well, son…we need to talk. I wasn’t sure how much you would stick with this, so I wasn’t sure people would ever actually pay for you to take their pictures.” Valid point, Dad. Super valid point. But stuck with it, I did.
Fast forward a few years, and here I am. Looking at my calendar, I don’t have an off week this semester, I’ve made some incredible friends (both clients and photographers), and I’m starting to explore ways to mix this passion with ministry. It’s a good place to be. And all along the way…the only “class” I ever took was that one, awful, fun, useless, life changing photography class.

My journey into photography I first considered unusual, but the more successful photographers I meet, the more I realize I have the more common story. I had assumed that if you were a successful, full-time photographer, that was a result of years of work AND years of schooling in photography. I’ve come to find out, that’s quite the contrary. Yes, most of them have had years of work, but the only photography school they’ve gone to is the School of Hard Knocks. Yea, I said it…embarrassing. I also listen to countless photography podcasts, always trying to learn more about my craft, and I keep hearing a lot of the podcast guest hosts say that they wish they’d never gone to photography school, because they didn’t learn a thing there they couldn’t have learned by trial and error. Granted, most of the people I hear say that are sports, wildlife, wedding, or portrait photographers, not wartime or commercial or other types of photographers. Those I could only imagine are a totally different animal.

Over the past year or so, I’ve had a number of students in high school come and ask me where they should go to school to major in photography. I always have a hard time trying to tell them that I think they’re asking the wrong question. I can’t say this from experience, but from everything I hear, I don’t think going to school “for photography” is a necessity to make it in this industry.  For selfish reasons, I certainly hope it isn’t.  Not that you wont learn things there, but listening to photographers who did, maybe a Business or Design (or Business AND Design) degree would be more beneficial.

SO, to all of you who are asking me where a good place to major in photography would be, here’s my challenge to you!

• Contact photographers you look up to, both in your area and nation wide. Ask them what they would say about photography school. Ask them if they know anyone who did it.
• Shoot every day.
• Sign up for an account at a website like Flickr, where you can get honest feedback from people.  On Flickr, join groups, so that you can add your pictures and get feedback.
• Challenge yourself to do something new.  Dont shoot a flower every day.
• Ask to take a photographer in your area out for lunch just to pick their brain.  (Understand, they may not be up for this.  in all honesty, their wisdom is worth way more than a lunch, so be respectful and understanding if they decline).

So, like I said, and I cannot stress enough, I’m not against photography programs or schools.  I’d have to have authority to say that for it to have any weght, and I definitely dont have any authority.  However, before you commit to 1, 2, or 4 years of your life and thousands of dollars, just do your research first.

And because no post is complete without a picture, here’s my view as I finished headshots for Fellowship Bible Church, Little Rock.