Is It Really A Photography Class? Pt.1
I have an ex-student of mine, Bill (not his real name) who is attending Cal State San Bernardino and taking a basic photography class. We were talking the other day and we started to discuss what he was doing in class.
I found out that his instructor REQUIRED that all work be done on B&W film. I find this offensive. I might not be a great photographer yet, but after 21 year in the classroom, I know something about teaching. To use film in this day and age in a beginning photography class is a crime.
Don’t get me wrong. I think film is cool. I used to use it. I liked it. I don’t want to use it again. I am fine with people who do. This is NOT a criticism about film or a anti-film rant. It isn’t even about film vs. digital. It’s about photography teachers who are unable to accept a better teaching tool because they, like the dinosaurs, are unable to adapt. Specifically, it is about film vs. digital in a BEGINNING photography class.
With proliferation of DSLRs in the market place and the instant feed back it gives the photographer, using film in an educational setting is detrimental to the students. Using a digital camera in a beginning photography class would further the education of the students so much more than using a film camera and isn’t that the goal of a photography class?
I am not shying away from this, but I have not (and will not) contact the individual directly. I am more than willing to discuss it with him if he wants to contact me.
I will be discussing this further over the next few posts and I welcome your comments and thoughts on this subject.
Tags: Digital vs Film, Education, Photography
My apologies in advance if I am using incorrect photography terms.
Well, I am only an iPhone photographer but I can see the teacher’s point. Of course, I can also see your point but I have to agree with the teacher.
Black and white film uses, assuming a typical college students finances, a limited and expensive resource. Photos must be effectively rationed, which like most rationed goods means that they will be highly valued and not be wasted.
Since the students are not going to be indiscriminately shooting pictures, their shots are more likely to be carefully thought out. Instead of thinking “I’ll shoot a couple from here and then move over a bit and then shoot a few more from here and then I’ll move…” they should be scouting out their subject and determining the best composition *before* they shoot rather than looking at a hundred pictures and choosing the best one. This forces the student to think about what makes a good photo, as in “Why do I think this is the best angle?” rather “Oh, I like this finished photo the best!” The first requires thinking about specifics.
Why use black and white? Several reasons – black and white is the easiest for novice dark room users. To me, it emphasizes the importance of light in the photo’s composition, which can be further illuminated (get it?) by dark room manipulation. It narrows the variables that the photographer needs to think about, allowing a beginner to focus on composing the shot.
Yes, film does not offer the instant feedback in terms of settings but that can easily be covered by assignments requiring different settings.
How many pictures did you take on your recent Death Valley trip? My guess would be over a thousand, probably several thousand. What would you have changed if you had to limit yourself to, let’s say 1/10th of the number of pictures that you actually took? Could you have missed that perfect photo? Maybe. Would you have given more thought to each photo? Absolutely. Which method makes, you the photographer, plan more *before* your shot? Try it and report back.
Remember, this is a beginning class. The teacher is teaching the basics. What, to you, are the fundamental properties of good photo? What is the first thing you want a beginning photographer to consider in terms of composition?
There is nothing wrong with indiscriminate shooting. The idea is to learn how to compose and how to utilize the camera not how to develop film.
Keep reading the blogs coming up and maybe I’ll answer the points you brought up. If not, let me know.