Expert: Don Wood - 3/21/2006

Question
hi! im a 11th grade student doing a project on photography as
my future career goal. I was just wondering what type of advice
would you give me as i prepare in this career?

Also Would i need to go to college to do photography?
((a type of degree?))
what type of speciality or field do you enjoy doing the most?
((magazine/ newspaper etc))

any other comments or advice please tell me more about it, im
very interested. It would be much appreciated. Thank You!


Answer
1. Get as much knowledge as possible. The more classes you take for learning, the more you will earn in later life. Through your career in getting an education, you will learn how to interact with people. Wherever you go in life you will have to interact with people, whether its taking pictures, positioning them, you will learn how to budget your time, your resources. These are important life choices. There is so much new technology coming out that requires you to learn to use. There are digital cameras, digital applications such as Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, that you will need to learn to provide for your clients. Your college experience will teach you to teach yourself. Learning photography is only part of what you will need. People interaction skills, business skills, etc. You will need to be able to budget your income wisely.
Personally, I have enjoyed my photographic career, the interaction with people, photographing their happy events, photographing the sports events they're participating in. I've worked in the Newspaper field both in the field and in the darkroom and enjoyed it all. In a small town like I live in you have to do it all just to make a living. It's feast or famine. Either you have too much to do, that you think you won't be able to do it all timely, or you're twiddling your thumbs wondering when the next money will come in to pay your bills.
Go to the museums, both art and photography, study the pictures closely to develop your photo eyes. You will continue this for the rest of your life. There is a difference between seeing something and observing it for the best photo angles, lighting, cropping, etc.
I hope I've helped. If I can help further, please ask.
Don