Photography Schools & Degree Programs

Photography has a rich history as an art form, a technology, and a profession. Photographers like Ansel Adams and Annie Leibovitz have kept photography firmly planted in mainstream culture for centuries. In fact, the photographic process was experimented with as early as the 1700s. By the late 1800s, Eastman Kodak had been formed and photography would never be the same. Advances in camera technology have made photography available to the masses and with the innovation of the digital camera; photography has become more popular than ever. Digital technology represents a new frontier in creating photographs, publishing images, and in the economics of art itself.

The first known permanent photograph was taken in 1826 and took eight hours to expose. Color photography is nearly as old with color techniques being explored throughout the latter part of the 19th century. The first common cameras were incredibly bulky, difficult to use, sensitive to the elements and generally unwieldy. For many years, photographers were a rare breed that would travel from town to town and offer their services for family portraits, news agencies and historical societies. Kodak's major innovation was the invention and distribution of film canisters that made the pursuit of quality photographs much easier.

With the invention of film, photographers were able to easily experiment with different cameras, lenses and a host of tricky effects. Some of the most interesting techniques include:

The techniques and technology used in darkrooms in the past have been vastly changed by the development of digital technologies. Photographers used to carry light meters, calculate the optimum exposure, adjust the focus, and wait for prints to develop to gauge their success. With digital technology, the fine points of exposure and focus are handled by the camera, and pictures are immediately available for review, upload and dissemination. Digital technology has increased the quality of the average photograph, the speed of production, and the efficiency of publishing and sharing quality photographs.

Much of the increase in quality and efficiency is because of the worldwide web and the many useful websites that have come into the marketplace. Sites like Fotofinish, Photostouchup, and Photoshopdesign provide web based access to photo editing tools. Sites like Flickr, Photobucket, Tinypics, Shutterfly, Picasa, Revver and Webshots make the storing and sharing of high quality photos a snap. Social networks like Facebook, MySpace, and many others make the quick publishing and widespread dissemination of images commonplace and simple. Databases of stock imagery like the one found at Jupiter Images provide the masses with thousands of professional quality images. The web is making high quality photography much more accessible, affordable and efficient.

Since there are so many amateur photographers, and so many affordable digital cameras on the market, there are many more quality photographs being produced then in the past. There is a marked shift away from well paid commercial photographers towards a do-it-yourself culture of everyday people carrying compact cameras. The days of well paid freelance photographers would seem to be at an end. For people who want to make a career out of photography, it is imperative that they learn additional skills in addition to the fundamental principles of photography. Professional photography is still being applied but usually in the context of other industries and occupations some of which include:

Akin to professional photography is the work of cinematographers and videographers. These forms capture motion with several still frames being generated in rapid succession to create movies and films. This is of course the basis of motion pictures and television and has been fundamentally changed by new technologies. High definition, digital production, and satellite communications have taken television coverage to new dimensions, far beyond the first movie cameras. As with photography, knowledge of composition, lighting, frame, and angles must be highly developed. There are many jobs available for good camera operators, videographers and cinematographers. Employers include movie studios like Universal and Warner Brothers, cable channels like CNN and ESPN, local television stations, and even government organizations. While there are many amateur videographers, there is still a high paying market for professional level movie and television production.

There are many ways to get the training and certification necessary for a successful career in photography. Vocational and technical schools offer commercial training, compositional training, darkroom training and all kinds of technical instruction. Film schools and fine arts schools provide systematic and philosophical approaches to moviemaking and good photographic printmaking. As with most industries, the most experienced photographers will be the most highly sought after and the most successful in the field. The importance of mentorship, volunteer programs, internships, and any other avenues to gain experience cannot be overstated. And as stated earlier, good photographic skill goes along way when coupled with a deep knowledge and expertise of some other field such as travel, writing, sports, or journalism.

Human beings have always been fascinated and stimulated by light and imagery. As technology improves and the web changes our environment, there will be even greater need for rich, vivid, visual media. With the right training, an artistic eye, discipline and dedication, a career in photography can be rewarding on many levels.