Photography teachers can't shoot?

Peter A., I have read your post several times, and sincerely have tried to figure out what you are saying. But I just can't, so I don't know whether we:

 

agree partly,

disagree partly,

totally disagree,

agree totally,

partly agree totally...

 

Help me, Ellis!

"<i>What you're saying, my friend, is that you disagree with my judgment of White's work.</i>" <p>Actually, what lots of people here are saying is that <i>you</i> disagree on this topic with almost anyone who has studied the history and art of photography and with almost any person who might casually flip through <u>Mirrors, Messages and Manifestations</u>... t

What happens if a good maths teacher, who is a good amateur photographer, decides to switch tracks and teach photography. Do their photography or their teaching skills get degraded?

<<What happens if a good maths teacher, who is a good amateur photographer, decides to switch tracks and teach photography. Do their photography or their teaching skills get degraded?>>

 

No, they forget how to add.

<<Ellis posted a complete set of combinations and permutations - whats the problem?>>

 

The problem is that Ellis was being humorous, and so was I, and you missed it both times. I know you are recovering from quadruple humor-bypass surgery, so I will say no more.

I learned photography from books. I believe many authors like Alexander Borell, Klaus Paradies, Alexander Spoerl, Georg Blitz to mention a few well known Germans weren't great photographers but seemed to be able to do a living on their books. - I wouldn't call Harald Mante and Ansel Adams bad.

I learned one thing: it is hard to teach something which is routine for you to a complete idiot knowing nothing about it. On the other hand you can be sure that you understood something if you are able to explain it to your grandma.

I feel that this can be looked at differently. Teachers teach many people. And because we are all different, not everyone has the same taste in genre or style. Just because you don't necessarily like the teachers images shouldn't be taken as they aren't good photographers. They may shoot street or landscape or portraiture. You may not like their style. Does this mean that they don't shoot good images or that what you like is just different? Most photographers whom I run into out in the field who don't think Ansel Adams images are worth shit, don't shoot landscape. It's not what they feel is interesting and therefore disparage the genre. Most photographers I meet who shoot landscape, don't like Jay Maisel or Robert Mapplethorpe. I feel this shows the reason you run into teachers whose images aren't to your liking and therefore you don't think are good photographers.

Additionally: Slamming teachers is a classic stereotyping behavior. Without teachers, where would we be? I've had my share of good and bad ones, and certainly I recognized one as being totally ineffective in my senior year in High School. My situation was that I couldn't drop the class.....

A very good friend of mine did some studying under Morley Bear,W.Eugene Smith, and Adams at the Adams school in Yosemite back in the late 70's and he seemed to think they were good at teaching. As for me personally on teaching ability, I can't say(never took a class), but they sure have made many outstanding photographs. Of course I do see your point Randy.

I did have one lecturer who, as a lecturer, was chaotic and rambling - it just wasn't his style. But as a teacher of the practice and art of photography he was inspirational. He could look at one of our mediocre table-top sets and with a few flourishes make it scintillate. But then he was a top-notch profesional photographer and his enthusiasm for photography was boundless.

I'm trying to think of what a teacher teaches beyond first few basic classes of

exposure and printing. The great teachers didn't teach as much as facilitate. I

learned most from the other students that went out to photograph the same

assignment. They are the ones that pushed my vision but I did have a teacher that

was able to verbalize the new style of photojournalism as "controlling Chaos" and

making photographs have "layers" He came in as a Pulitzer winner on a self pursued

project and throughout the year he would throw on a slide tray and inspire the

students. Past the basics that should be learned in the first couple years, real

photography teachers should be inspirations that help you see the world in a unique

way. They should throw out a topic and let you photograph the assignment. Once

you return they should set back and prod the class discussion on why some photos

work and others don?t. I learned technique and vision from my fellow students not

my teacher. My favorite teacher lasted four years before leaving for the Washington

Post where he won photographer of the year. He is still teaching by inspiring, just not

at a school.

What a forum! Are we not lucky to be all different? Looking at the vast array of photographers who provide workshops based on their photographic styles or education. I have learnt from excellent teachers whose photographic styles may differ to mine and I don't judge there abilities nor approaches. This is not the point. The point is whether someone can teach you, share with you and help you unselfishly with their knowledge and experience to what ever extent that may be. I let many people come with me when I am shooting and believe me I am not the most technical photographer but if they want to learn my approach, then I will passionately and enthusiastically do all I can. I suppose others could also question why I don't have a masters degree in photography etc etc. I am not a boffin and never will be. That is not how I learnt my craft. Does this make me a bad teacher or a unqualified photographer? Whether someone likes my work or not is also not my concern and I emphasize that to them from the start. A good teacher does not have to be a good photographer in my view although it helps.

 

I just went an did a digital photographic course as I don't shoot digitally and want to learn the professional processes in the studio. What a great teacher! Excellent studio and all the latest gear. Photographically her work lacked that 3 dimensional depth But what a great teacher and I will return to her not because of her imagery but for her ability to answer the questions I have with regards to all the new technology and her ability to demonstrate it clearly. What a journey we all embark on!

<I>My original question, now lost in a stag stampede, was whether teaching and

photographing skills tend to be discrete.</I><P>Oh, if that is the question the answer is

yes they are discrete skills.