I’m Going Back to School!

So I decided to go back to school. More specifically, photography school. There are huge gaps in my knowledge base and I need to do something about it if I intend to actually make a career in the field of digital imaging. It was a very tough decision. I talked to a lot of people about it, thought about it a lot, read stuff like this, changed my mind a few times, and still constantly ask myself if I’m making the best choice.

But the advice I decided to follow went something like this: “If you’re going to invest a lot of money in something, what is going to get you the highest return on your investment? The answer is Education.” In this souring economy, I can’t think of a better place to invest my money. Not that I actually have any money to invest. I’m funding this with student loans. It kills me to think about the debt, but I’m confident in myself and know that I will be successful and shouldn’t have a problem paying loans back as long as I can get a halfway decent job out of school.

The school I chose is called Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a small unique school geared much more towards corporate communications than fine art. It’s not a degree-granting program. They offer a professional certificate in one of six majors, photography, design, art direction, illustration, writing, and media architecture. The program takes two years to complete and when finished I should have a portfolio of images that stand up to even the harshest of critiques and will show off my ability to create unique and effective images under almost any circumstance. I should also have the knowledge to be a professional in the field of digital imaging technology.

I first heard about this school several years ago when I randomly stumbled across a graduates amazing final portfolio website (definitely check it out!). He writes answers to some FAQ here.

The school makes a particular effort to teach students skills beyond the technical. Students learn to become creative thinkers and problem solvers. This is an idea I really cherish and I think I will be pleasantly surprised at exactly what my own brain is capable of.

Because I know you are probably thinking it: Yes, I’m still interested in video production. Yes, I’m still interested in journalism. Yes, I’m still interested in technology training. These things all will continue to be a part of my lifestyle and career, but right now, focusing on photography is what is most appealing to me and what I want to be the foundation of my endeavors.

I have orientation on Jan. 2nd and classes start on Jan. 5th, so I’m hitting the books very soon and I can’t wait! I do plan on continuing this blog while in school, but I can’t be sure of how much time I can devote to it. I would love to say I will post all about my assignments and what I’m learning but I get the idea that I’ll be pretty busy with school (and probably work) so blogging will have to be lowered on the list of priorities. I will probably try posting once a week or so, but again, no promises!

I’ll have my hands full, but I feel strongly that this is the right step for me and I look forward to seeing what the future holds!