What I Have Learned vs. What School Can't Teach You

When I made the decision to go back to school I had absolutely no knowledge of DSLR cameras, I didn't know what they meant when pro's talked about "glass", I had no idea why you use umbrellas in the studio, and what's even more embarrassing was that I had no clue about just how a photograph was taken--for all I knew it was some mysterious magic that went *poof* as soon as you pushed the button.  Silly, right?  Well, after less than two years I now know so much about photography that I work part-time as a digital photography and Adobe software tutor while I finish up my degree.  I have come such a long way in a short amount of time; while I owe much of the credit to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh-Online Division for teaching me, there were two things that school never taught me that helped me excel as much as I have.

1. Passion

The textbook definition of passion is " a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something." 

I have always loved taking photos and my dream job, for as long as I can remember, has been to be a National Geographic photographer.  I mention this often in my posts and use it as criteria for many assignments because it is definitely one of my strongest passions.  You can often answer your own questions sometimes by listening to yourself and discovering a passion you had never considered before.  Without these strong feelings of enthusiasm for photography and becoming a photographer, I would not have pursued going back to school nor would I have done so well thus far (I have a 4.0 GPA with four classes left).  When you feel so strongly about something you stop making excuses and "can't" is not an option; and when you have a passion for success, there is nothing that is impossible, no obstacle too difficult to overcome.  School can not teach you passion.  It has to come from within.  Realizing your passion is only half the battle; pursuing it 100% makes it achievable.

2. Curiosity

Like passion, the textbook definition of curiosity is "the desire to learn or know more about something or someone."

Without curiosity it is likely that I would never learn as much as I have.  It takes both passion and curiosity to learn and grow as well as improve.  For example, it takes serious passion to but in 100% effort and it takes just as much curiosity to exceed standards and expectations.  This is because you're not only pushing yourself to do better than what is expected, but you're also challenging your curiosity to "see what else I can learn about this subject." 

So, school will teach you how to shoot in manual mode on a DSLR, but it does not necessarily insert the information into your brain; it takes curiosity to learn what acronyms, such as DSLR, stands for, what exactly "single lens reflex" means, and how you can take what you have learned and use your knowledge to set you apart from your competition.  You may think to yourself, "wait, I need to set myself apart?  How do I establish my own unique brand from what is already out there??"  That curiosity, my friend, will drive you to always do better, always be better, and get you closer to your dreams than only learning the basics. 

The Photography program can teach you the basics and get you to the door of opportunity, but you have to have passion and curiosity within yourself to want to see what's on the other side of that door.

Do you have the passion and curiosity to open that door and see what opportunities are out there?

Tell me about your experiences in school and how curiosity and passion have led you to success!

Works Cited

"A young man mountain climbing the classic north west ridge of Mt." Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 23 Jun 2014.
<http://quest-preview.eb.com/#/search/167_4015375/1/167_4015375/cite>

"Curiosity."  Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, n.d. Web. 23 June 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curiosity>

"Passion." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, n.d. Web. 23 June 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passion>

"Show Them the Door." Photograph. ccm. Christ Church Manchester, 12 June 2013. Web. 23 June 2014. <http://www.ccm.org.uk/academy/entry/show_them_the_door/ >

A Tout Le Monde, Farewell

Stanley, Winston. Trapped. 2014

Greetings fellow shooters! Tuesday Ambassador Stanley here introducing you to my last Tuesday as an Ambassador here for the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. The past few weeks have been a mental and emotional roller coaster ride for me which resulted in missing posts, however, this may be a ride I will never forget. Now I am not leaving just yet as I still a have a few more classes to go before graduation, if everything pans out that way, but you should still see my presence on PSPN from time to time. I feel that I need to step down as Ambassador so I can open the door for another passionate, aspiring photographer who loves to write and is able to keep up with each and every week.

Do not get me wrong though, I love taking photos of just about anything and everything that presents itself to me because there is nothing like capping a perfectly timed photo. If you do not feel a rush of something going through your body after capturing a photo where you know that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, then you may be pursuing the wrong profession. If you feel like it is a hassle to go out and shoot for an assignment, even with one camera and nothing else, again, you may be pursuing the wrong profession. Why am I writing this you ask? Because I know there are some individuals out there, judging by their pictures, that indicates to me that they are not putting in the same amount of effort in their assignments with no explanation as to how or why the shoot went the way it did. Case in point, think about what you truly want to pursue in your life whether it is taking pictures, 3D animation, architecture, plumbing or maybe you just want to be a police officer. Whatever it is that “floats your boat” pursue it and do not let it go no matter how difficult the assignment, course or even instructor is.

Some tidbits before I sign off for all of you newcomers and newbies who are enrolled here at the AIPOD and that is to check every little piece of information within your courses at the start of the course; Course Home, “Readings and Assignments,” Academic Expectations, Academic Resource, Syllabus even any questions that are asked of your professor is great to read as well. Reason being is so that you are not in shock and awe when you come to find out that there is an assignment due today that needed a few days of work. Be mindful of the day rate when turning in late work, but in fact you should not be turning stuff in late to begin with. Once you get in the groove of how each first week of class pans out you will come to find that most of the information that I pointed out to you will usually be the same for every class, so you will soon figure out what you should read and what you have already read. And always, thanks for reading.

Stanley, Winston. Set Free. 2014

- Tues. Amb. Stanley

What Am I Doing?

Greetings fellow shooters! Tuesday Ambassador Stanley, here welcoming you to another Tuesday.  It has been a good six, maybe seven, weeks since I started writing Tuesday blogs and I think it is about time to let my readers know what I have been up to lately in school. As I am nearing the end of another set of courses, I will be met with new classes to which I am sure will take its toll on me in the coming weeks. So what classes will I be leaving within the week you ask? Well Studio Photography and Marketing are the two classes I will be departing from and to be quite honest, I did not find those classes to be quite as hard or time consuming as I had been told by many. However, I guess not having a full-time job can leave a person to have boat loads of time to do whatever they desire.

Yes, I know I should have taken Studio Photography earlier in my studies but having financial stress prevented me from taking that class in the order recommended by The Art Institute. The out of order class did not stop me from continuing with my studies though, so that is one big plus on my part. However, that is the story of my life. Usually when something does not go right I just have pay not mind to it and move on to the next. If the opportunity arises again then I should know what to do for the next time. Right?

With that said, I am sure you are itching to see some photos of my prior work in Studio Photography. Keep in strict mind that I am a person that has to learn to crawl before walking as you can clearly see in my photos. You will see how much different these images have changed over the course of five and half weeks. Now these assignments were basically exercises for our final project, which by the way will be posted by the time the course ends. For the last shot in this series you will see a multi light scenario where we had to initially freeze our subject and move it all in the same frame. It’s a very cool technique that I am sure I will exploit later on in my career.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3
 

Week 3

Week 4

Week 4

Week 5

In a previous blog of mine I mentioned the need to test your equipment and make sure everything is working as intended in order to prevent any unfortunate circumstances with school. What I did not mention is that it if you do test your equipment, not only do you prevent situations that could bar you from class, but you prevent unfortunate situations when it comes to your job, if you have one, even yourself. I figure that if you are in school for something that you enjoy doing, then it should help to drive that passion even further. So the next time you receive that sexy piece of glass, or a boat load of lights, maybe literally, then test that equipment out that you love so much! I know I do. And as always, thanks for reading.

- Tues. Amb. Stanley

Oh ya, my next classes will be Editorial Photography and Portraiture I. Now I do not have a good feeling about timelines with these classes. Let's hope I can keep up with the blogs in the coming weeks. 0_0 Please leave any questions and

comments below.

Let's Shoot

Greetings fellow shooters! Tuesday Ambassador Stanley, here welcoming you to another Tuesday. Unfortunately, this post will be rather short due to some troubling times of a corrupt Lightroom catalog in which I have been dealing with the repairs for the past couple of days. So in the troubling times of photography is where I will delve quickly into the side of me that is not in school.

©2014 Stanley/Demand Media

Yes, this post is one that rather “toots my own horn” so to speak, but I will also tell you that my time working for this editorial company is a rather pleasant one. As some of you may know I have been hired by Demand Media Studios, an online editorial, work from home job based out of the state of Washington. While the pay is not great by any means, it does take very little time to complete an assignment on a two week deadline. Once accepted it’s just another thing to tack on to my list of publications. However, I would like to note that approximately 99.8% of the assignments listed will not apply to you as it can be very specific, or there is no return on investment to even warrant creating the assignment.

©2014 Stanley/Demand Media

Well this would be a perfect time to mention a future publication happening in late June of this year with one of “your’s truly” photos making the finals in the “Photographer’s Forum” “Best of College and High School Photography” contest. I sure hope someone reading this could say the same. However, isn't the field of photography putting yourself out there to the world? Perhaps many of you reading this have not made it that far in your studies to warrant a right or wrong answer. I will just put it to you plain and simple. You need to get yourself out there and known to the world with whatever it is that interests you. How you go about doing is completely up to you but I warn you that your reviewer is looking for something different! I just hope that you have a portfolio to back up what you say about your work.

©2014 Stanley/Demand Media

So what are you waiting for?! Do some Google searching on photography contests and maybe even some jobs in your area. If you cannot seem to find any jobs in your area then I suggest the next time you log into school take a look at the “Career Resources” under the “Student Services” drop down menu and go the “Job Search Guide,” right now though. If you have not already done so I would recommend creating and fully updating a LinkedIn account as you will be using it in Business of Photography not just for assignments, but maybe for some serious job hunting. Seriously if you have downtime from school and are seriously getting bored why not take a look at your options. Trust me, I did not get where I am today by thinking about what I want to do. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this. And as always, thanks for reading.

- Tues. Amb. Stanley

All photos courtesy of me and Demand Media. But mostly me given that I re-uploaded them. Yes, the contract says I can do this.

Links to publications:

Difference Router Single/Dual-Band

Soften Carhartt Jackets

Connect 12 Volt Marine Batteries

Making the Most of an Online Education

There are plenty of reasons to choose an online school. Many of us have full-time jobs, families, live overseas, or simply do not have the means to travel for an education in the arts. Now that you are part of the program, it’s helpful to have a plan of attack to really get the most out of it that you can. I know there are things I could have done differently, but overall I fell that I found success pursuing my photography degree and want to share some tips on how you can do the same.

Manage Your Time

The single most important thing that can help you successfully navigate your online duties is learning how to manage your time. It took me a few sessions to find a system that worked for me, but once I did life got so much easier! The first thing I always do is read through the assignments to get an idea of the type of work each class will entail. Shooting assignments, especially those that involve models, take much more forethought than something like a discussion question response.

What worked for me was creating to-do lists for each week, separated by class. When I created each list I’d have my personal calendar in front of me so I would know if I needed to account for a birthday or hockey game. Maybe a combined calendar would work better for you, or simply a printout of assignments with due dates highlighted. Whatever makes most sense for your workflow, stick to your routine so you get used to it quickly.

Find Balance

Many students I’ve met throughout my years in the program are wearing multiple hats: student, employee, mother/father, caregiver… While it may sometimes seem like there’s just too much to do, don’t give up! Setting aside specific times each day to work on school and leaving the rest of your free time for family and other duties will get you on the right track to succeed. Do your best not to let one push out the other. Family is everything, but your education can help contribute to that family in new and exciting ways. Keep that in mind when you budget your time!

Make time for family, school, and volunteer work or personal projects to keep you sane!  This is a shot I did of an adoptable dog for a Chicagoland rescue, Peace for Pits. Volunteering your talents is quite rewarding.

Have a Back-Up Plan

Most of your instructors will want to know that you have a plan in case your gear fails or you lose Internet access in your home. It is so important to know where there is a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi or who has a computer you can use in case your hard drive gets corrupted, because the classes move really quickly and missing a couple days will leave you far behind. With good time management, you’ll be able to incorporate back-up days for shooting in case there is bad weather, and have back-up models on hand in case the ones you booked bail on you (trust me, it happens!). The small amount of effort you put into booking your back-ups will save you a great deal more work (not to mention frustration) if you have to deal with last-minute changes and aren’t prepared.

Participate

When it comes to an online education, you’ll get out of it what you put into it. Because the online classroom does not exactly facilitate friendships and study groups like a brick-and-mortar classroom does, it’s really up to you to keep up with others on the class boards. Make good use of your fellow students and instructors by pointing out certain results you’re hoping to achieve to get feedback on how best to do so. Follow your peers as their projects progress to encourage them and help them polish their work. Active participation will keep you invested in your classes and help you build bonds with others, and networking is always a great idea.

Ask for Help

As our Saturday ambassador pointed out, talking with your instructor can help you “smash through the confusion.” If you are struggling with a class or specific assignment, don’t just suffer through it! Ask how you can best complete an assignment or what exactly is meant by a certain instruction that confuses you. To be successful and enjoy your time in the program, you can also make use of your instructors’ wisdom. I got my monitor calibrator (a ColorMunki) based on the suggestion of an instructor when I had no idea what to look for. You can pick their brains on anything from gear to technique, and they will be happy to see your interest and share their experience.

I hope that you take advantage of what online classrooms have to offer - flexible timelines, being able to go to class in a comfortable setting,  - without feeling lost in the digital world. By motivating yourself and working off of a schedule that makes sense for your life, you will do well and learn a great deal. Best of luck, and please do use this blog as a resource when you have questions about how to succeed!

-Friday Ambassador

What is a Rantom?

Greetings fellow shooters! Tuesday Ambassador Stanley, here welcoming you to another Tuesday. Not just any Tuesday but perhaps a “Timely Tuesday.” This week I wanted to cover on things about the Monarch Butterflies since the season just ended here in California, although I am sure they can be sought here and there post-season. Nope, this week is going to be a “rantom.” A random rant if you will. So without further a due I present to you my “Timely Tuesday Rantom.”

Unfortunately, as of late most of my frustrations in class have led me to vent, but mind you not to harass or offend any one person, about why some students do not seem to take the time to read or view any of the “Course Home” material, why some students do not follow proper MLA guidelines, why some students do not “works cite” anything at all or why some students do not follow the directions of the material what-so-ever. I AM NOT PERFECT! And I never will be which is why I confess to the fact that I have been a VICTIM of doing, or should I say not doing these acts. It took many months of being corrected by very few students, unfortunately, and some Professors here and there. However, people do make mistekas and that is okay, you just have to make sure you learn from it and apply it moving forward.

Whoops! Not the right one!

Okay, what is that one doing to this one? Get some shade!

               After becoming a Student Ambassador, of which I had no idea existed until my name was brought up for it, I realized that in the weeks of being one, how little time faculty have in their schedule to do even the simplest of tasks. Sometimes I think I have a lot on my plate but I cannot imagine being in their shoes right now having to go through so many student’s assignments. Have some of you taken the time to read the biographies of your instructors? Some instructors teach at more than one school and most, if not, all of them teach both online and on campus. When I download a student’s work and find so many things missing in the assignment, it makes me feel like I just wasted my time downloading it. So it makes me wonder how a Professor feels when they view the same thing.

                Tardiness! What it used to be called when you were late for class. I typically do not like to delve on this topic too much considering it was a bad habit of mine for as long as I can remember, but I can tell you that it will be a tough time for you if this habit becomes prevalent. Yes, not just in school, but in everything you do. Are you constantly turning in work late? If so, maybe you need to re-evaluate your situation and see if there is something to you need to change that would drastically change your direction for the better.

                Now, are we with the program? This is a program that we are supposed to follow, and in result the success to our future in the field photography, after all. I mean what else are we paying for? So if a student corrects you on the format of your assignment, I would take it into high consideration and review your assignments to see what you are missing. However, if a student critiques your work and makes suggestions, you can take it with a grain of salt or you can enrich the discussion even further. It is called collaboration and we need to get used to it.

Now we're talking!

Now I know a lot of you may not fall in this category but I suggest that you think twice before you post your assignment next time. If you were another student, would you find your work worth looking at, let alone download? Is everything in the assignment that is asked of you actually in your assignment, like your name? Did you cite your work? Oh, there is absolutely no reason to cite your work. How about “Works cited – N/A” as a viable citation to your assignment? Yes, even if it does not call for it or is not needed, put it in! Trust me; it goes a long way with instructors when everything is filled out correctly. Now I do not condone you do this on every assignment, especially if the assignment calls for heavy research, but just know when you can use it.

Rant done! Now where do you fall in all of this? In order for one to become successful, one must self-evaluate and fix the flaws. And I am still working on that! The big question I have for you is, “are you as a student discovering more about yourself after every course you complete?” If you answered “yes,” than I think you are on the right track to potential success. If you happen to answer “no,” then I would highly recommend thinking real hard about the question again and make sure you are not misinterpreting it. And if you still answer “no” then I suggest thinking about the path you have chosen. Seriously, you are paying for classes that you came in here to learn about because you are passionate about it. Is it not?

Let me hear your views. If you happened to have been offended by this post, you are not alone. Stay tuned next week for what I hope is not another “rantom.” I hope you enjoyed the butterflies. If not, dang. And as always, thanks for reading.

-Tues. Amb. Stanley

Finding Your Niche

Taking the leap to become a student in the Photography program shows the world that you take the art seriously.  There are other schools out there that offer certificates and short programs, but ours is a big commitment.  Something each student has in common the day we start here is that we LOVE photography, but I think the majority of us have one more thing tying us together: we have no clue in which area of photography we want to end up!

You may have moments of doubt when you have to take a class for your degree that you don't think is up your alley, but even those you are least interested in can turn out to be your favorites.  You will come to realize that the Architecture class you thought you had no interest in actually taught you a great deal about distortion corrections and how to frame your compositions to account for post production work.  You may have no real passion for shooting buildings only to find that you love pulling out structural details to create abstract patterns (see below).  Fashion may make you cringe, but the Fashion Photography class you dread will help you with posing and teach you how to show off a product.  Each class will bring something new to your skillset to make you better in your final genre(s), and you just might find your passion where you least expect it.

Being a student is a full-time job on top of many other responsibilities, but if you have the opportunity to find an internship or a mentor in an area you are at all interested in, now is the time.  Taking advantage of every spare minute to help give yourself direction in the industry will help you focus and get a solid portfolio started.  I discovered early on that I had a passion for shooting weddings.  Because of my enrollment in the program, I was able to apply and subsequently get a student internship shooting with a national wedding photography company.  This is not something I ever thought I would do, but the position came up in a search when I was curious about the types of jobs available and it seemed fun.  Three years later, I've shot over 30 weddings and have loved every second.  The various Portfolio classes have left me with a physical and digital portfolio I am proud of.  Try a search of your own for photography opportunities near you and see if something catches your eye - you will never know how you feel about a particular genre until you try it out!

As you get deeper into your classes and opportunities come your way, my best advice to you is to say "YES!" to every chance that pops up.  You may find your niche through a class, an internship, or a random opportunity that comes to you through a friend of a friend of a friend... you never know!  Best of luck on your journey, and happy shooting!

-Friday Ambassador