Where do you take photography classes?
A RAW reader writes: "Hi, I was wondering if you can suggest any photography classes to take? I do not want a "school", as the course duration is often long and they can be pricey. Thank you."
First, let me tell you about the classes I've taken, then I'll throw it open for everybody to chime in.
> The town where I live has a terrific community education program that offers one-night photography classes. Check your town's website to see if a similar program is offered.
> I belong to a camera club that not only has very instructive programs and demos at its twice-monthly meetings, but also offers all-day workshops a couple of times a year. There are 80 camera clubs that belong to the New England Camera Club Council; check the list here to see if any are near your home.
> Calumet Photo in Cambridge offers what they call "Events" on such topics as "Understanding Your Digital SLR" and "The Power of RAW" (no, it's not about this very excellent website). They usually are held on Saturdays, last two hours, and cost $35.
Calumet also offers free Demo Days for manufacturers to come in and talk about their cameras' features and probably try to sell you upgrades and add-ons ;-). It's a good way to learn more about your existing camera or to explore different camera models before you make a big purchase. Those Demo Days usually are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, and as I said before, are free. It looks like they have both Olympus and Sony lined up to come in several times between now and the end of the year.
You can find out more on the Calumet Events page; just make sure you choose Cambridge from the City dropdown menu.
> I own a Nikon, and forked over $278 to attend two Nikon School all-day workshops one weekend -- one on Saturday, the other on Sunday -- at Regis College in Weston. (Thankfully the price included a box lunch each day or else I would have started swallowing SD cards.) The Saturday session was "Introduction to Digital SLR Photography" ($119) and the Sunday session was "Next Steps in Digital Photography: Color, Light, Technology" ($159). You can sign up for just one or both. I learned a tremendous amount at both sessions.
OK, that's what I've done so far; anybody else?
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I took a great beginner photography course through the Acton Boxborough Community Education ( http://comed.ab.mec.edu/ ). The class was 6 weeks for only $60. I plan on taking the advanced class in the Spring.
I've taken some online classes via http://www.betterphoto.com/home.asp They have a wide range of classes to choose from and your teachers are professional photographers. Even with their classes being online, the lessons are extremely detailed and the feedback you receive from the instructors is very useful and informative.
Cambridge adult center has a lot of great courses for cheap! I took a class and still remain in contact with the teacher - and some of us formed a club after the class was over - how much more can you ask for! I also just joined a camera club in framingham and i have been meeting so many other photographers - that is a great learning opportunity! Good luck!
I know Zeff Photo in Belmont (http://www.zeffphoto.com/) offers classes. However, I personally haven't taken any, so I'm asking the board if anyone has had any feedback...
If you are ever in New York, I took a good course (workshop) run by Sam Chadwick which happens roughly once a month in Central Park. He keeps a mailing list and then whenever there are enough interested parties, he runs the workshop. It lasts about 5 hours. His site is http://www.samchadwickphoto.com.
All the mentioned classes can be good, depending on your NEEDs. For those seeking classes, it would be helpful to provide some info about yourself, such as how long have you been photographing, what kind of genres, what are you trying to learn, how much time and effort do you plan to invest, etc.
For those who can learn from books or online tutorials, there are plenty of excellent ones available. But that's another worthy topic.
Regardless of which class or book you choose, nothing beats practicing what you learn, taking good notes, and refining from your results. If you can find a personal tutor who can accompany you when you practice and give you feedback, you are golden.
Lastly, I took the Nikon School class many moons ago (long before digital came to age) when I was already an advanced shooter. While I did not get much new stuff out of it, I found the class to be professionally organized and presented, and the bulk of it was NOT Nikon specific. The small class handbook is an excellent and comprehensive reference, and remains in my camera bag today.
I'm sure all the classes are good, but if you are in the Metrowest area, give Norm Eggert a call. He is a freelance photographer and has classes at the Worcester Art Museum, Assabet Valley in Marlborough, and Mt Wachusett Community College. His website is http://www.eggphoto.com
I just started an online photography class at www.ed2go.com. The organization of the course is very good and the information is easy to learn. They offer many types of photography courses for a very reasonable price.
I sent my kid to Hallmark. Now I just bug him with all my questions! I am looking into joining a local photo club as well.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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