How important is a photography degree from a university? This question comes up quite frequently and is certainly controversial these days.
The decision to pursue a college degree is very serious. Its a major life commitment, a time commitment and a serious financial commitment. You will have to decide what the right thing is for you. You need to think it through and do some soul searching to figure this out.
But since you’ve asked, I will weigh in with my personal thoughts and advice.
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Ted Forbes
The Art of Photography
3100 Main St #135
Dallas, Texas 75226
My name is Ted Forbes and I make videos about photography. I’ve been making photographs most of my life and I have a tremendously deep passion for photography that I want to share with you on YouTube.
The Art of Photography is my channel and I produce photography videos to provide a 360 degree look into the world of making images. We all want to get better so lets do this together!
I make videos covering famous photographers, photography techniques, composition, the history of photography and much more.
I also have a strong community of photographers who watch the show and we frequently do social media challenges for photographers to submit their own work. I feature the best and most interesting on the show when we do these so come check it out and get involved!
So come check it out! If you’re a fan of DigitalRev, Fro Knows Photo (Jared Polin), Matt Grainger (That Nikon Guy) or Tony Northrup – you’ll love The Art of Photography. I make video’s giving you a deeper dive into photography techniques, composition and history to compliment the other channels you love to watch.
Yes, if someone else is paying.
Only people making money off you are the instructors, deans, custodians, cafeteria workers, etc. I left art school bc is a scam. Take welding class and get certified. Blowing glass to make weed pipes, anything besides photography, your equipment will be stolen.
I graduated from college with a degree in music as well! It was really cool to learn that about you and hear your take on this topic. I always enjoy what you post on your channel and look forward to each video you put up.
Thank you
For the ridgt advice
😊
Please don't get a photography degree. Just don't.
The myths surrounding mastering of skills rage on. The 10,000 hour rule has been called into question, and with additional scrutiny it was found that it did not account for individuals that defied the odds (3yrs instead of ten to reach mastery). What was left out of the study was innate talent. School could raise the level of your ability and open doors for jobs but is not X factor for your success. Ansel Adams dyslexia translated in his ability to break apart the status quo
of the popular understanding of photography of his day. How’s that factored in. Photography is more science than anything else. Pretty images are the result of bringing art to the mastery of machines. Photography(the science)is influenced by art. If your an artist you may do well in photography and “mastery” may come more quickly.
I just grad and received a diploma from photography program. I am planning to take Bachelor Degree but I need you to recommend which university does offer bachelor and not only focused on photography.
I disagree with most comments below. I've been making a career as digital creative (and photographer) for many years already and decided to go to University at age 42 to get my bachelors in photography. I worried what I might learn BUT the added focus and peer collaboration is really worth it. I've learned a lot. I AM CHALLENGED!
Thank you so much ! 😊
Very good wisdom!
In my late 20's, I got a degree in English Literature and in Philosophy (yes, I completed bot). In my early 40, I took a job in finance with a manufacturer if industrial photofinishing equipment. This gave me the opportunity to learn the physics and chemistry of photograph. My love of art history gave me a sense of composition and my love of documentary films supplied the "story telling and composition. Many technicians were eager to teach the other skills involve and a couple of mentors taught me protocols and practices. It took a long time but now, at age (almost) 70, I am still showing in the North east and doing non profit p[op up art galleries in blighted urban areas. be patient. You can always learn more.
i want to be a photographer
mbuh ah, ra sesuai karo kovere
I'm 56 years old, semi retired and seriously thinking of doing a photography degree. I'm sure I'll get more use out of it than my law degree although I loved being a student. But I think I'm looking for something different than someone much younger, my degree would be for me and not for a career.
When applying for a job do you think that a degree even just a two year school in maybe marketing and film or photography could help push my chances of scoring the shoot or job?
I am a grade 10 student and am very much intersted in photography what should i do to become the a good photographer and can complete all the course on photography sir plze help me to find and acehive my aim
Rather than pay for an expensive education what about joining a camera club? Ticks all the boxes for me as i can fit my "education" around other commitments and i can draw on the huge amount of experience of my peers. Whats more its a friendly social environment too. Only costs me £40 a year.
im australian and want to use a photography degree to enter the industry in NYC. Is this a pipe dream?
I think I will just end up getting an associates degree, it wouldnt be as expensive or time consuming.
Thank you so so so much for this video!!!! It's very well done and educational👍🏻
Thank you so much! I know what I have to do now.
Awesome
how can I get a degree in middle school? Can I get one?
Nicely Said.
Wow just as I find myself redundant in my current employment and was seriously going to uni for a degree in photography I came across your video. You have just saved me a lot of money and heartache. Thank you.
No. In my opinion, Arts degrees are not worth the money. I have a degree in music from a prestigious Conservatory that I regret wasting my money on. The experience was great, but I could have achieved the same level of success without the fancy piece of paper that's currently hanging in my office.
Thanks for the video! I was really struggling to decide if I should continue my photography degree however you've really cleared my mind up a bit.
I'm from a country where education is free, (which is nice) but we then have 2 systems and photography is in the system build as an apprenticeship, it takes 3,5-4 years and you switch between school and working for a pro photographer. I think this way is AWESOME expect that the photographer has to pay a salary which is deffined by goverment and that makes it hard to get into these kind of educations as many photographers can't afford or get approved to have students..
But hey if you don't try you go no where 🙂 Thanks for this video I needed that.. I just want to learn and I'll get there someday, life is full of bended roads and u-turns, but if you don't go through it you wouldn't be the person you are today 🙂
Subbed, very inspiring content you are producing Ted 🙂
Greetings from the cold north, Denmark and from a "full steam ahead aspiring 23 year old" photographer.
I'm just about to start mine in September although I'm still having doubts. I know it's not essential but the qualification from the prestigious university along with the title will be nice. I'm 32 and managed thus far without a degree in photography so we'll see where it takes me. Good luck to anyone else starting, hope you do well :o)
NO! Don't. You will learn many things about yourself, but it will hold no weight when it comes to getting a job in the industry. Go for something more desirable and learn photography on the side. Great video idea!
I advise against getting degrees in MOST arts and humanities, and instead use the money you save on the programs, put it to buy some gear–just enough to get your feet wet; nothing fancy; and some books on the subject–and use the rest to establish a nestegg (like investing) for yourself so you can eventually pursue your own work without having to make compromises or suffering in pursuit of your own 'vision'.
Let me be clear: I wish I had photography classes available in my high school (when I first started shooting) and/or media classes in my old junior college, just to take them; and art school sounds like a playground for young adults that would be fun as hell to attend. (But everyone I know who's gone through these programs, regardless of the quality of their work, is struggling to do things that like pay the rent, and often I believe their work is suffering for it.)
But being self-taught, I've nonetheless been employed in various aspects of digital media–television and video, predominantly–managed to land myself a gig as an assistant to one of the best photographers in town, and am becoming known as for my work, just owing to how prolific I am. (I shoot a lot.) I study a lot; and now I have people, some who've been doing this longer than I, asking for my input and advice. (I was a chef before I devoted myself to video/media and photography, and worked my way, without a culinary degree, up through restaurants and positions just by working at it. Ref. Charlie Trotter.)
I am still learning. I don't call myself a 'photographer'.
Furthermore, when it comes to the subjectivity of 'art'–and I don't even care about that word–what I've seen emerging from these programs is a 'haute dogma' that, in its desire to be exclusive or above the fray/common man–which is limiting as well as dishonest. A lot of stylized nonsense under the pretense of 'expertise' or 'experience' that most likely will crush the creative spirit that drives 'art' and exploring in the first place.
That, in the end, is what it should be. Fun. Meaningful if you can make it so; but the kind of 'work' that you enjoy doing, and yields results you hopefully are happy with.
In trying to become a 'pro'-
after you've spent all that money getting a degree-you're competing against MWACs and iphones, in a market with a surge of graduates as well as formerly established photographers who've been recently laid off from previous employers, and people who typically get their positions through sycophancy more than anything else. So you mine as well have fun–in a devoted, disciplined sense–and use the money you'd spend on tuition to buy yourself the following:An old-fashioned SLR with manual controls. Chemicals and a developing tank for developing the negative cost less than $100 from B&H. (I get my color developed at Walgreens.) A good film scanner; and Epson scanner preferably. The V500 cost less than $200. A couple of 'how to' books, and a couple of photography books from guys whose work you like. If there's no one's book who you'd be willing to spend $40 to $65 on, then you probably shouldn't be shooting.
All these together will cost you less than one semester at art school. Take the rest of the money you save and travel somewhere, shoot, and see what comes out.
(PS I could be wrong. But I haven't had to shoot a single wedding or 'society event' to pay the bills or my college loans.)
I have found reading Philosophy and Literature has helped my photography more than anything..i have an MA in Philosophy…but i have studied photography by certain course work at the local art center…it did help a great deal…
Great video! Shocking to think about the long term effects of a higher education in America. I have a question for you, it doesn't really have a concrete answer, but where does one draw the line between a hobbyist who likes photography and a quote-unquote Photographer? Is it the talent? The equipment? Does a bigger, fancier camera make you more of a professional? Is it the knowledge of many camera models, history, famous people, or the fact you can use your camera on manual mode with your eyes shut, in a matter of speaking? I've mentioned before that I come from the graphic design side of the art world and a lot of us dabble in taking pictures, but we don't call ourselves photographers, and I've come across snobbishness from photographers with degrees who treat others as "non-photographers", just people with cameras.
Hey Ted, My experience mirrors yours very closely. My qualifications are not much to do with anything arts related and I also went onto teach (as an adjunct) and the only time I have ever been asked to prove I do actually have the qualifications I claim, was at my university jobs.
The big deal today seems to be that any dumb schmuck can call themselves a "Photographer" and even if they do produce good work (very few do and I am certainly not consistent in my own work either), the opportunities to make a living from it are close to zero.
"Get a day job that gives you the freedom to pursue your personal preferences" is perhaps the best advice I can give myself. The days of romantic (read 'poor') of doing your art in an artists garret in Paris are a century or more out of date. You need health insurance and something to provide the yearly camera body upgrades, after all!
many say that it's more important to get a degree in business as you can use that for any career and anyways a pro photographer will tell you that only 10-20% off their time is spent taking pix and the other 80-90% off their time is spent on the business of photography life marketing, clients calling, employees, products, networking, website, etc, etc. also the avg pay for a photographer in the USA is only around $ 30-50k per year which is not very much at all especially if you spent 4 years and $50-80k+ for a degree. your time would be better spent doing an internship with a pro or networking with other photographers to get more experience and contacts in the industry.
My degrees are in international relations and history. I became passionate about photography while in college and even though my school offered a photography program, I chose to stick with my original plan. I'm glad I did. When I graduated I became a news photojournalist and my background in political science and history proved helpful not only in the understanding of the subject matter of my assignments, but it also equipped me with writing skills which have also proven beneficial.
Nice thoughtful, measured response to a difficult question.
Well done.
PS – As an amateur photographer (at best), I enjoy your videos immensely. Thank you.
As usual Ted provides us with a thoughtful and interesting discourse on the question at hand. It seems to me that the US college system is no longer the guarantee of a career and lifestyle it perhaps once was, and probably hasnt been for a long time. If you weigh up the cost of a degree against the equipment, workshops books and travel you can undertake on your own to pursue your passion I think you would come out better "educated," probably more creative and almost certainly in less debt than you would if your attended college. I also think you will find more enthusiasm, more genuine experience and almost certainly more humility amongst guys like Ted and other genuine enthusiasts for photography than most of the overworked teachers of it who probably burned out years ago. Nowadays its not about the cookie cutter graduate coming out of college, its about the artisinal beer, or breadmaker or artist of photographer who is self taught and inspired by whoever it is that inspires them. Good luck and dont be afraid to back yourself.