What degree do you need to be a photographer ?
#photography
5 answers
Misty’s Answer
Hi Alyssa.
You do not necessarily need a degree to become a photographer. I myself have a degree in Nursing and a Bachelors in Psychology however I have been doing Photography for the better part of 15 years now and am self taught in photography as well as editing. I have quite a few friends who started the same way, just finding a camera they loved and learning all there is to learn. Each photographer is going to have their own style so there really is not anything that needs to be taught there. It is just like any other art form in that it is in the eye of the artist of how they want the final to turn out. I will say there are a few online classes you can take to learn camera and light tricks and posing and things like that. If you are looking to do this as a profession and open your own studio, then I would say you would need a degree in business management to at least be able to manage your business but if you are going to do it as a hobby, there is no degree involved unless you wanted to be an art major.
Rahul’s Answer
To get on to a photography-related degree or higher education course, you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C) including maths and English and two/three A levels including one in art, design or media. Check with universities.
Alternatively, you could do a level 3 vocational course in art and design, or photography .
Gloria’s Answer
I know some professional photographers who have little to no formal education. Photography basics can be learned without the long drawn out process of college. The main benefit of a college degree in Photography is the broad scope of knowledge you gain about the field. You learn about the various types of photography out there along with who is considered great in those areas. I think of Ansel Adams and landscape and black and white photography, for example. You can learn from what has been done before. In Photography degree programs, you also can learn about different kinds of cameras and lenses. College can compress your learning into a much faster time frame than if you tried to learn on your own.
I would recommend that you consider how you want to use your photography to determine what degree you might need. For example, if you see yourself doing images that are used to sell products and services, maybe major or minor in Marketing with Photography being the other element. Inside knowledge of a field can be a strategic advantage to a photographer. For example, I am in learning and development. I use a lot of stock photography. I sometimes wish more photographers considered good quality training images for a variety of subjects.
Overall, I believe that a well rounded education is always a benefit. Knowing a lot about photography from its origins to the latest technological advances can give you a competitive advantage in the workplace. You know what your options are and have flexibility to move between genres and stay relevant in your work.
Gloria
Pramod’s Answer
Mostly high school diploma or equivalent, though many photographers complete relevant post secondary coursework or hold a degree. Some courses are Photojournalism, Advertising Photography, Photographic Sciences. Thanks
