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seeking qualifications in photography
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Hello everyone
I enjoy my hobby in digital photography and want to get a recoginized qualification, with the hope of maybe changing careers. Unfortunately due to my work commitments, I am only able to do such a course at night or as a home study course. Any suggestions please?
I think, in many cases, a good portfolio stands much better than any qualification.
Also, it would very much depend on what field of photography you want to get in to. Weddings/Portraits would tend to go on portfolio and word of mouth, sport would go on portfolio and practical experience, photojournalism would tend to be down to images captured (portfolio).
I don’t think I’ve seen any photography related jobs advertised that require a qualification.
many thanks paul this is the point i was going to make that a good portfolio is worth more than any qualification
Many thanks Paul and Euqlan for your replies, I guess I just thought a qualification, would make people more attracted to hiring a photographer. I have worked as a chef for over 12 years now and with my knowledge in food presentation would love to start a little business, doing food photography. Just small scale, such as photos of dishes for menues/ leaflets/ posters/ brochures for restaurants or maybe for some local, small magazines etc. I also thought a formal education in photography would give me an insight into this niche and also more confidence to persue this dream. Maybe I’m mad who knows!!!?? :roll:
My advice – practice, practice, practice. Look at what’s out there already, and then see what you can do.
There seems to be an art to food photography, but that is more in the tricks of it, rather than the photography itself.
I certainly don’t see how any qualification would help in what you’re looking to do, other than boosting your own knowledge and techniques. Much of that can come from a camera club, or talking to other photographers, rather than a formal course.
Mickyblueeyes….I’ve spent €8000 towards a degree in photography with a private college here in Dublin. I will need to spend another €10,000 in order to complete the course. I’ve got to tell you, I learn more from the free workshops I have found at DML and Photofest than a year in the college. It’s a good way to experience other people’s ideas but I would say, in hindsight, I would have rather gone the route of buying a small library of books and the necessary equipment. We are expected to take our own initiative at the college anyway. The only advantage was that we were set some assignments and deadlines, and it gives an idea of how you really must prepare in the real photography world. Of course, a club would run competitions that you could always get the feedback and challenges from.
I won’t even start on the problems I had with the college, such as lack of facilities, overcrowding of classes etc.
I have to say, on the positive side, it is an enjoyable course in other respects; history of art, law, media…Personally speaking, the degree will give me a confidence boost and nothing more. That’s more to do with my family of origin than anything else though! :oops: I think I’m a course junkie….
It’s a huge undertaking if you are doing it part time. I, for one, have no social life and I don’t know how my partner has stuck around!
Good luck with whatever you decide. You’ve got a great advantage being in the food industry already. :)
Michelle.
Michella wrote:
….I’ve spent €8000 towards a degree in photography with a private college here in Dublin. I will need to spend another €10,000 in order to complete the…..
Michelle.WOW!! That’s a major amount of money for a piece of paper. I work in third level myself and I can attest to the attraction of a degree or masters but I think in this country (I don’t know about abroad) the costs involved are exorbitant. You obviously entered as a mature student, which means that you have to cover all the fees personally without any grant-aid and all I can say is that I have great admiration for people like you. You are really up against it on every level as it is such a change to your finances and routines and requires so much dedication. Personally, if I was an employer (sorry, I’m not), I would employ someone like you in the morning because what you have done displays immediately your dedication to the subject by the very fact that you have done the course (obviously your portfolio would have to be checked too) . . . but there would be no doubt about your enthusiasm.
Having said that, there are obvious benefits for anyone when they attend a dedicated photography course. I mentioned already in a different post, about Dun Laoghaire (not where I work) and I would certainly think that studying within an art college has many benefits as it exposes (sorry for the pun) you to other areas of art besides photography. If you are interested in the business of photography, then a business element is also very important. I went to art college and photography was my chosen subject and while I look back on it and can find many faults with the college itself, I would still do the same again and would encourage my children to do likewise (if only they were interested!).
Mickeyblueeyes (we’re almost neighbours, I live in Ballymoney), I don’t have an answer for you I’m afraid. I’ve posted a few links below from elsewhere on the PI Forums that have dealt with this topic before, they might be of some help. Looking at other’s photographs and analysing them to see what you feel does or doesn’t work would help you towards building up your portfolio. I would suggest, maybe, if you PM’d some of the posters from below, or added to the forums to reactivate them, that you might get some useful feedback.
https://www.photographyireland.net/viewtopic.php?t=25716
https://www.photographyireland.net/viewtopic.php?t=24983
https://www.photographyireland.net/viewtopic.php?t=23418
https://www.photographyireland.net/viewtopic.php?t=13479I’ve never been asked for my qualifications. I think that with most skills, the only qualification worth anything is proven competence.
All best
Si
Allinthemind wrote:
I’ve never been asked for my qualifications. I think that with most skills, the only qualification worth anything is proven competence.
All best
Si
If your going to work as a self-employed professional photographer, then it would be safe to say that very few would be interested and more than likely people would note your affiliation to professional organisations before any other bit of paper. However, the qualification itself is not the sole reason for pursuing a course in photography. You will (or should be?) exposed to other aspects which you probably would never encounter otherwise.
It’s very much a personal choice in relation to what someone hopes to gain from the course in respect of technical ability and visual awareness. If, for instance, some one wanted to work for a government body in the area of photography, (ie. education, Garda, OPW) then usually a qualification is mandatory, regardless of any outstanding portfolio that is presented. There are aspects of forensic photography which you will only get through a prescribed course.Mick451 wrote:
Never once in that time has she been asked for qualifications – she’s done a lot of various stuff for the OPW and different county councils – or affiliations to professional organisations (she has none).
I should clarify, the qualification aspect in relation to government bodies such as the Garda or in Education is if you are applying to be employed, not to do contract work. In those situations the only piece of papers they want are your Tax Clearance Cert (contracts over a certain amount) and your portfolio.
Mick451 wrote:
A strong portfolio and word of mouth is all I need.
Absolutely!
Mick451 wrote:
Benefits of the course: building confidence, getting time to experiment, feedback, learning the basics.
Six months real world experience wipes the floor of 4 years in college IMHO.I don’t agree entirely. From a technical point of view, I would say that with the right mentor that maybe this argument would hold up, but the ‘student’ would have to be exceptional and driven. I still feel that there are some beneficial aspects of a course that you are unlikely to encounter encounter in the business. Whether these are essential or not is down to personal preference.
I run regular courses in people photography. The amount of “qualified” people that have been to visit and had such a poor understanding of what they were doing was unbelievable. This includes photography degrees! If anyone hires a photographer based on qualifications alone, then they are a fool.
Forensic photography is a specialist area and appropriate training is essential here. I know 2 photographers that engage in this work as contractors, neither have any special training in the area. SOC photography is another matter.
Si
Hi Mick,
I was discussing, with the owner of the school where I coach, setting up a wedding weekend for pro-photographers. Why? I attended a local meeting of 12 wedding-togs and the idea is that each quarter we get together and one of us teaches a technique or something useful to the others. The woman whose turn it was to teach (she has a degree) was demonstrating the use of off-camera flash, but didn’t have a clue as to the whys and wherefores, she was just copying what she’d seen without understanding what she was doing. This is what I see a lot of, replication of “Lighting setups” before the model has even arrived for example. I’ve seen courses on wedding photography where you have the couple standing in the church doorway and a lovely side shadow from the flash! This is basic understanding of light. I think that technique and style is complimented over understanding and practise. I just reread that and it sounds arrogant, it’s not meant to :) I just get a little annoyed at the quality of some “Professional” wedding photographers. The day is soooo important to do a good job for the couple. Even things like the “L” of SWPP et all, doesn’t guarantee you a competent wedding photographer. For it to be a valued qualification, I’d like to see an exam/practical on:
Understanding of light
working to a brief
communication and rapport to gain expressions
Shooting for “most beautiful”
Capturing the story.
Ability to do the above at speed with a smile.Now that qualification would mean something.
Sorry, a bit of a rantette (like a rant but smaller), :)
I shot a wedding last Friday, they wanted the B&W shallow DoF type storytelling shots, minimal flash, they didn’t care about contrasty (a bit of blown white and blocked black) pictures. Shooting to a brief! Very different to shooting for pleasure.
Si
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