Jeff Revell's Blog, page 3

November 3, 2013

Is Old School the Right School for Photography Education?

I was sitting around the other day chatting with some photographer friends and our conversation turned to our kids and education. We were soon talking about what kids should be learning to make it as a photographer in today’s ever changing world. Interestingly enough, we had some very different opinions about what they should be learning. My buddies said that they should absolutely have to shoot and process film; black and white for sure if not color. Oddly enough, I came out on the other side of this discussion.

While it is true that I cut my photography teeth the old fashioned way, by rolling my own film, and then processing and printing it in small darkrooms, I can’t say that this is what kids need to learn today. Let’s face it, when will they ever need to load film, mix chemistry, and screw around with an enlarger. I know there are those that say that it is a magical experience, but I also think that is romanticizing things a bit. Frankly, I have never been more productive and had more fun than right now, in the thick of the digital photographic area.

If one of my children were to express an interest in photography, I would rather they explore the boundaries of digital multimedia rather than waste their time learning something that will probably do little to nothing to advance their careers. And I don’t buy the argument that you learn more by only having 36 exposures in your camera that you can’t see until they are developed and printed. By then, you probably forgot just what you were doing when you shot them so you have little to learn from other than some bad exposures. Frankly, I believe that one of the greatest advancements in learning photography is the LCD screen. Having the instant feedback to know what you have achieved right after you pushed the button is an invaluable tool.

Let’s put it this way, what if you were learning a musical instrument and you couldn’t hear the notes you were playing until a week later? DO you think that you would really learn how to play or just get frustrated with the process? I believe that digital photography has opened the floodgates of learning and there isn’t really a reason to go back. T0 put it a different way, I don’t need to learn how to program computer punch cards to appreciate my current computer technology.

I believe that there is still a viable employment future in the field of photography but I don’t see film as anything more than a hobby that will do little to prepare anyone for the road ahead. Instead, I think a strong curriculum filled with learning photography basics, post-processing, videography, video processing, and even audio and computer skills are what it will take to make it the business. Oh, and don’t forget some classes on lighting and composition so that you stuff looks good.

So that’s my take on it. What’s your opinion? Please share in the comments and hit the poll below to let us know what you believe.

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