which school or is school even necessary?

<p>I am 34 years old and have recently re-fallen in love with photography. I am currently a manager in a company living abroad but have found the business world isn't that suitable for me. I have found my passion and it is photography and would like to be a professional. I am in the dilemma of quitting my job, moving back to America and taking on serious debt in order to go back to school for at most two years. <br>

My question: Which school or is it necessary? I have looked as NESOP, the Art Institute in Dallas, Paier College and a few others. So far I am leaning towards NESOP because I don't have to take courses I already took in College 10 years ago like math and English. NESOP is expensive and so is Boston. My plan is to get in, excel in my field, get out and make money. I have seen other responses about schools but most are for younger people with time on their hands, I don't have that luxury.<br>

I would appreciate your feedback and suggestions, mid-life crisis' are all they were said to crack up to be! </p>

<p>No you don't need a formal education. An education will not guarantee you a job, not even close.</p>

<p>You need to decide on what type of photography you want to do, and seriously consider what types of photography you can find work in.</p>

<p>I suggest you learn as much as possible while you keep your current job. Read books, practice shooting whatever you hope to shoot for a living.</p>

<p>Well if you have saved enough money to support yourself for the best part of a decade, then go to school and learn the trade. It will take you a number of years of experience and hard work to approach your current income level. If you try to start up your own photo operation, you will quickly find that the photography part is maybe 20-25% of your time, you already dislike the other 75%. :(</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Also, See the cartoon in the first post in this thread. :)<br>

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum47/93846-future-professional-photographer.html</p>

 

<p>I've just graduated from school at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I now, even after $15,000 a year in gov grants, owe $60,000. I was also working part time. I suggest you save up some money, find a photographer that you absolutely loooove their work and bug them for an intern position for 3 months and then look for an assisting job after that.<br>

I am so happy that I went to school, I learned a ton, but honestly you could get the same education and propel your career by assisting someone who is well known and flourishing in the industry. Use the money you would spend on school and take off work for a few months while interning. If you do decide to come back to the US, then you should base where you move on the photographer that you want to work for. If you really want to do it then go for it. You can always take some Community College courses as well to refresh yourself or even an assisting workshop. I live in Los Angeles and SMC and PCC have amazing photography departments. Good luck!</p>

<p>Don't waste your money. I took out $30,000 in loans to attend photography school (a 2-yr curriculum) and regretted it. Way overpriced! Much of what I learned about technique I could have gotten from books, forums and lots of practice. What most schools don't teach is the business end of photography i.e., how to run a business, marketing, advertising, contracts, customer service and more. Read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1435454294">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1435454294</a>. It has the best advice you'll ever get on how to run a photography business. You may also consider becoming an assistant with an established photographer. That way, you'll get paid while learning instead of paying while learning!</p>

<p>I agree you're better off teaching yourself, but if you go to a cheaper community college you can use, for example, their studio space and studio lights, traditional darkrooms, large format cameras, etc... It's cheaper than purchasing all that stuff on your own. Also you hang out with a crowd that has similar interests. I don't think a degree is necessary if you want to be a shooter, but a lot of people with degrees go for teaching jobs after they realize how tough it is to make a living at it.</p>