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Teaching community photo classes. Thoughts?
Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 9:59 AM on 01.27.11 |
->> Hi all,
For those who have experience teaching community photo or photojournalism classes to the average general public (not college kids, not PJ students), what have you found most class members want to know about? Do you find everyone just wants to take better pictures of their babies, or do a significant number want to know more of what a photojournalist knows, how to document all parts of their life?
And, for those with a LOT of photo-teaching experience in the Gen. Public, do you find it varies by income levels? Do "white collar" people want to know different stuff than more "working class" folks?
So, in other words, what breakdown do you generally use to teach these types of classes? E.g. 50% cute kid pix. 25% puppies and kittens, 25% sunsets and flowers.
Thanks all! |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 11:19 AM on 01.27.11 |
->> Hey Robert, good to see you're still plugging away up in Indy. Here is what I have learned over the years of teaching novices.
They seem to want to run before they crawl. Does that make sense? In other words, they ask, how can I take pictures like you do? My short answer to them is I can't teach you to do what I do in a few, short easy and fun lessons.
Instead, I give them some easy to attain challenges that will help them get more familiar with the camera they are using and I ask them to submit to me an assignment they can also attain that requires a small amount of problem solving. I try to make sure that what they are trying to do doesn't overwhelm them. So if they can do these assignments, they can also build confidence as time goes by.
Afterward, they can then move on to a different challenge. I also ask them to share with me each time something new they have learned about their camera and something new they have learned about the principles of photography.
Once they can see the results of what just a little research and work can achieve for them, it's easier for them to stay motivated. |
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Jon Wright, Photographer
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Wayzata | MN | USA | Posted: 12:43 PM on 01.27.11 |
| ->> I just started teaching a group consisting of mostly seniors. They are all very excited and I'm anxious to see what they come up with. I asked them to take just one photo per day until we meet again in a week. I am hopeful that I will get to see what their priorites are. |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 1:17 PM on 01.27.11 |
->> I do about 6-8 classes each year for beginner digital photography ... including one class each spring and fall for the local senior center where it is a three part, three hour each day course which allows for time to cover the the basics and also have time for discussion, critique ...
Demographics of interest and desire for each group can vary quite a bit. So it can take a little evaluation to gauge where you are and what they want to learn and what you can offer in the time allotted ... The class I did in October, the students ranged in age from 14 to 84, with their goals covering the entire spectrum of options ... you won't be able to fill all those desires ... so keep to your lesson plan ... I agree with Jeff, too many do want to sprint to the finish before they actually know the length of the race ...
I always try to find a balance between providing the information they want to receive without overwhelming them with a minutiae of terms and formulas ...
Be prepared for one or several of your students to hand you their camera and ask, "Set this camera so I can take good pictures." ... ;-)
As far as the type of images to offer as examples, I don't think it matters all that much as long as they are representative of a goal they can achieve with the equipment and skills they possess ... no need to show a great shot from the Super Bowl taken with a 600 f/4 if all they have is a standard P&S and want to get great pics of the kids at the playground or their prize winning roses in the garden ...
In the end, you may feel you didn't conduct the class as well as you should have, or as completely as you hoped ... but ... trust me they will be appreciative of your efforts. Just as your students are with wanting to advance quickly, the more classes you conduct, the more comfortable you will feel in presenting them.
I always pass out an evaluation form at the end of the session for the class members to grade me on my efforts and offer suggestions as well as ask if there is interest in an advanced class ... I'm always impressed by those evaluations and their ideas. |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 2:58 PM on 01.27.11 |
->> In my workshops I find that many people have cameras that they know virtually nothing about yet want to know how to use. (duh...) They tend to be very intimidated by all they read, and agonize over settings, etc. when taking a shot, as if they are afraid to push the shutter. I teach them to forget the technical stuff, and just shoot and watch the histogram.
I show them how to set their camera's various settings (color space, RAW/JPG, ISO, noise reduction, etc) and the good and bad of each, and then tell them to just go for it. Have no fear. SHOOT!
I am really surprised at how much they actually fear pushing that shutter release. Overcoming the intimidation and fear would seem to me to be your main emphasis when teaching laypeople. I teach manual mode only, in a landscape setting, but you might teach the auto modes, auto exposure, etc. and when to use each. |
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James Rickman, Photographer, Assistant
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Los Alamos | NM | USA | Posted: 5:08 PM on 01.27.11 |
->> Hi Bob,
I've taught several classes and changed it up a little as an experiment to see what seemed to work best.
What I found that resonated with my students was starting out with the very basics and then moving into practical applications. I found that many students were fascinated by the idea of controlling depth of field. That was a big a-ha moment for many of them. They were familiar with the term, but not with what it meant to them. The other thing they enjoyed was when they finally figured out the relationship between colors and how light "really looks."
After we got through the basics, I tried to get them to relate those concepts to the practical realm with regular shoots. As Phil said, I was amazed at how many people were afraid to push the shutter, thinking that if they got the photo "wrong," they were somehow going to fail. Shoot, shoot shoot! I used to tell them. "Disk space (or film) is cheap, history isn't!" I used to say.
At the end of the semester, most of the students (community education) were very pleased to have learned how to take tenets of good photojournalism forward into things like creating memorable vacation photos or children's birthday part photos. One of my students even ended up pursuing a career in photography as the result of one of my classes. She's doing pretty well for herself. That's the best reward of all. |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 5:27 PM on 01.27.11 |
->> Bob,
I taught a basic 5 week photo class at our campus YMCA for three years. My syllabus started with exposure (shutter speed/f-stop/ISO), overview of lighting (ambient/flash/strobe), lenses and applications, fields (journalism vs forensic vs art), composition, storytelling and the business of photography. Each week I covered one topic for 1/3 the class, answer questions they had come with during the week for 1/3 and spent the last 1/3 on critique for the week's assignment. I brought in gear each week (ie: long lenses, studio lights...ect) based on the overall class' interest and explained the benefits of using it on practical basis.
The most rewarding part of each class was watching the metamorphosis of the students ability to make really great images in a short period of time. With so many people now using DSLRs now, one of my plans this year is resurrecting the class. |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 6:13 PM on 01.30.11 |
->> Thanks for the input gang. I may do some team teaching with local colleagues and am trying to get a benchmark for what works with the amateurs/GWCs, and what doesn't. Most of my lecturing and presentations have been with other pros or eager students who come from a different place in their approach.
-B |
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