Top 10 Tips for Your Photography Education: Investing in Yourself
“Knowing something and even knowing it well does not make anyone a good educator.”
Hi Everybody!!
In this week’s episode we dedicate some time to discussing the multi-faceted world of photography education. So many of us routinely purchase photography education items in our ongoing search to know more, do better, and to improve our technical and artistic skills, as well as to improve and expand our photography business. We often do this without evaluating of how best we learn and consume information. Subsequently, at some point you may realize that you have spent a lot of money and time on the same topic: posing, lighting, Photoshop instructions, etc. and possible, you’re still not where you’d like to be with respect to the desired topics.
By knowing your learning style you may be able to save yourself time, frustration, and save money.
Here are some highlights from this week’s episode along with a list of the Top 10 Tips for Photography Education, a list of The 7 Learning Styles, links to Photography Educators and Education Platforms mentioned in this episode. I’ve also included links to some discounted educational material and platforms.
Episode Highlights
{2:11} When you see an ad on social media [for photography education], do your research and learn about that person or that company. Now, that's not to say that someone who's new can be good, and it's certainly not to say that they're a fraud, but you want to make sure that they are authentic and that they have a solid reputation and solid work to back them up.
{4:18} So here I'm just going to give you a brief description about seven of the most popular or well known learning styles and just see which style or styles work best for you.
{6:28} These types of learning styles do not exist in isolation. Many people learn best with a combination of two or three different types of learning styles. It's a good idea to look at yourself and determine your preferred style or styles of learning.
{9:59} Knowing something, and even knowing it well does not make anyone a good educator.
{10:55} You may want to consider that perhaps the problem isn't you. Perhaps it's that one, the teaching methods used do not really appeal to your best method for learning.
{14:50} Let me just start by saying that what's important here is not so much the dollar amount but the value that a class a webinar, a conference, a video or a subscription brings to you and to your photography.
{27:33} When it comes to watching instructional videos, especially when it comes to lighting, posing, editing with Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One or just handling adjustments in your camera, I recommend that you take the time to first watch a video, maybe take notes, and then rewatch while actually following the instructions.
Top 10 Tips for Photography Education
Keep your total subscription cost to less than $100/month. By subscription I mean all your photography related subscription including your photo editing software.
Choose memberships that provide a vast array of content: posing, lighting, business, etc. and that also provides speakers who specialize in different areas of photography-retouching, lighting, posing, styling, at no additional cost. Think Tomayia Colvin Education or Sue Bryce Education. You get the best bang for your buck with these types of subscriptions.
If you believe you need to invest in a particular course on a particular topic (e.g., lighting or learning PS) that will help you, either as a paid in full payment or a limited monthly payment, make sure to get the value of that course by watching it, in its entirety or completing the series.
If a subscription offers a Facebook group, take advantage and join the group so that you can ask questions and get the support you need to improve your skills. Don’t be shy! You paid to be a member.
Avoid, “Buy it now it will never be this price again” pitches. This is how many photographers end up purchasing items such as videos, presets, and overlays they don’t use. The item may be on sale, but if it was not an item you were looking for to begin with, buying it at sale price doesn’t make financial sense. Best way around this, keep a list of items-videos, presets, even gear and look out for price drops.
Avoid paying full price. Most businesses offer reduced pricing throughout the year, and it’s doubtful that you ever really need a particular course or class immediately, so practice some delayed gratification and wait for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, etc. You don’t want to experience the pain of having paid full price then a week or a few weeks later seeing the same item drastically reduced.
Choose to purchase from someone who teaches in a style that complements your learning style. Remember, knowing something doesn’t make anyone a great or even a good educator. Teaching, like photography is a skill. This is the number one reason why some of us have so many videos on the same topic. It’s not so much the content, its the way it’s taught.
There’s no magic bullet to great photos so learn your camera and learn to edit before buying a library’s worth of presets and overlays.
Subscribe to people who are masters of their craft: Sue Bryce, Matthew Jordan Smith, Jerry Ghionis, Joel Grimes, Aaron Nace, Lola Melani, Kelly Brown, just to name a few. Stay away from people you’ve never heard of and who you just come across as you scroll through IG. If you happen to find someone who looks interesting but may not be well known, look at their website and do some Google investigating to make sure they’re legit before spending your money.
Look at what you already own before you buy more. Do you really need another video on posing or lighting?
Try to make nonpremium or free versions work before signing up for full price memberships. Think Canva, or Animoto.
The Seven Learning Styles
Visual Learners: These are individuals who learn best by seeing-pictures, videos, diagrams, boards, etc. Seeing things is the most effective way for these individuals to learn.
Aural Learner-One who learns best through listening.
Verbal or Linguistic Learner-An individual who learns best through speech in combination with listening and watching someone speak.
The Kinesthetic Learner-One who learns best by tactile activity or by touch.
The Logical Learner-Learns best by reasoning, use of science, and mathematical equations.
The Social Learner-One who learns best through interpersonal relations. This type of learner learns through interpersonal communication either one-on-one or within a group.
The solitary Learner also called the intro-personal learner, learns best alone and prefers a quiet place and minimal distractions.
Photography Educators and Education Platforms
Matthew Jordan Smith
Photography Lighting Course by Matthew Jordan Smith
Jerry Ghionis Photography
Jerry Ghionis Photography Training
Joel Grimes
Aaron Nace PHLEARN
Sue Bryce Portrait
Sue Bryce Education
Tomayia Colvin Education
Little Pieces Photography by Kelly Brown
Kelly Brown New Born Posing
Steve Saporito Education (Photography Business)
Dixie Dixon
Felix Kunze
Pratik Naik (Retoucher)
Earth Oliver (Retoucher)
Lola Melani Photography
Lola Melani Academy
Seasonal Discounts*
Sue Bryce Education
Current offer of $199/yr until 12/31/20 vs $35/mo ($420/yr)
Lola Melani Academy
20% of sitewide with Code CREATE20 until 12/31/20
*These offers are available to everyone and do not reflect sponsorship or affiliate relationships with these photographers, educators, educational platforms or businesses.
