Professional School for Photography

[kanishka]

Hey Guys,

I have been a regular visitor here for the last year or two and really enjoyed the content.  :)

I have developed a keen interest in photography during this time. I am now seriously considering this as a career. Want to start out by joining a full time course for a year or so to train myself on the basics of photography and videography.

I have checked the internet for leads but not sure how reliable the feedback on Google is.

Would appreciate if I can get pointers to good schools offering professional training. I am based in North and would prefer schools in Delhi/Kolkata.

Thanks

[kanishka]

I had shortlisted the following schools :-

(1) Delhi School of Photography, Delhi
(2) Pixel Institute of Photography, Delhi
(3) Shoots and Shoots Institute of Photography and Film Academy, Delhi
(4) Delhi College of Photography, Delhi
(5) Light and Shadow, Kolkata
(6) Calcutta School of Contemporary Photography, Kolkata
(7) Raghu Rai Center of Photography, Gurgaon

Does anyone have any experience with any of the above?  Inputs needed.
Also, will it be good idea to consider online courses ?

Thanks

[Dr.Devesh]

Not sure if my comment would help alot ..but still what I hv seen.. most photographers I know who are doing excellent job .. are self taught .. with so much resources available online .. and many are well structured courses that cater from basic to advance students..
Maybe attending actual college would help in placements and  getting assignment thru reference ..but learning wise not much of difference I guess

[kanishka]

Thanks for your reply. I have same experience with professionals around me. As you rightly said interaction with industry people and a chance to land assignments is big bonus with schools

[krishnanv]

+1 The photography part though important, more important is the marketing and the business side of things. So getting a degree in the business side, while pursuing photography would, to me be the way I would do it.

Thanks for your reply. I have same experience with professionals around me. As you rightly said interaction with industry people and a chance to land assignments is big bonus with schools

[DeepakS]

Hey Guys,

I have been a regular visitor here for the last year or two and really enjoyed the content.  :)

I have developed a keen interest in photography during this time. I am now seriously considering this as a career.

In what area of photography are you interested in developing a career?
-Opening up a shop and take orders for Passport and Visa headshots
-Wedding and events
-Corporate events and profile headshots
-Fashion & Model portfolios
-News and Journalism
-Architechtural
-Food and restaurant layout
-Product photography
-Landscape and nature
-Wildlife


Each of these require different skills and different approaches to business, not just photography. In most of these niches the best way "in" is to become an assitant with an established photographer or company and gradually learn the ropes before striking out on your own.

[kanishka]

In what area of photography are you interested in developing a career?
-Opening up a shop and take orders for Passport and Visa headshots
-Wedding and events
-Corporate events and profile headshots
-Fashion & Model portfolios
-News and Journalism
-Architechtural
-Food and restaurant layout
-Product photography
-Landscape and nature
-Wildlife

I am interested in weddings, corporate events, fashion and product to start with.
Apprenticeship seems to be a great idea but I don't know of any corporates that do it.

[DeepakS]

Apprenticeship seems to be a great idea but I don't know of any corporates that do it.

Typically Corporates would be clients for photographers. Working as assistant would be different from an "apprenticeship". For an apprentice there is expectation of some "teaching" while work is being done. There will be no "teaching" of assistants.  For a (sometimes, long) while you would just be hauling heavy equipment and holding lightstands and such like.

Sometimes two/three photographers establish a company as partners and during heavy workload periods they need assistants. People with an interest in photography are always preferred, because they are quick to understand light, positioning etc. That is where you should be looking. Typically they have a website with their portfolios. The websites are targeted at potential clients - but will always have a "contact me" section where you can set up a meeting with them.
This is not an easy endeavour to undertake. Be prepared for rejection - sometimes photographers will reject you because they don't have the money to pay. That's when you have to decide what you want to do. How important this is for you and your future. How good are these people?   Work for free or look for the next lot?

If and when you become a trusted and useful assistant you will be let in at client meetings, difficult assignments and so on. Who or what is a trusted assistant? The one who is there when you need him/her.   Many unpaid assistants become resentful, thinking since they aren't getting paid they don't need to show commitment to the company or the employers. They show up late. Sometimes not at all. Display an unhealthy attitude and so on.  That is fastest easiest way to cut short ones future in that organization
Over time, being in the company of established photographers gives you an insight into how they contact new clients, execute work, use lighting, post process, deal with difficult clients, payments (payments are a continous pain), models and so on. All this you have to learn on your own, though observation.

A former colleague tossed up his MBA qualified Business Development Job to do exactly this (fashion photography in Mumbai) and roughed it out for five years. Only recently he's begun branching out on his own. He gets a lot of help from his former (photographer) employers - they had a good relationship while he worked for them. The first two years he got no salary. Later they started paying him to cover his expenses. But, he stuck with it and wealth of knowledge he now has - including contacts - is invaluable.

I do not know of any photography course that gives you the kind of insight you get while assisting. Courses typically tell you about the mechanics of photography and also touch upon theory of business management. It will never be hands-on as when you're out on the field in real life, experiencing the difficulties that the profession throws at you.

Its a long, lonely and difficult path. How much you get out of it depends on your attitude and willingness to learn. All the best.

[MayaV]

There is a PG course at NID https://nid.edu/academics/programmes/master-of-design-mdes/photography-design-mdes

[pixelshooter]

Light and Life academy, Ooty, offers professional photography courses.