An experience I had…

[cass335]

I had a relative tell me his girlfriend wanted to be a photographer. We will call her “Sarah”. Sarah was going to school for it at their local community college. He told me she was REALLY GOOD, and wanted to know if I could take her to a photoshoot or a wedding some time so she could see what it was like. I told him to have her send me an email and include some photos she had taken. Then I would get ahold of her and let her know what I thought. Well, her photos were not great.. But….I set up a photoshoot for her. Thinking at the very least I could teach her some stuff. My step-daughter (we will call her Jen) needed a semi-business photo taken, so I thought it would be perfect to have Sarah run the shoot. This way I could see where her skill level was.  I shoot with Canon and she shoots Nikon, so I knew I wasn’t going to be much help with equipment, but I assumed she would know how to use her own camera. That was my first wrong. She had said she had been in classes for 2 years.  I was shocked that she didn’t know how to change the aperture on her camera.She only had an on-camera flash, and the kit lens. Since we were shooting outside I figured we could make it work.

On to the shoot: Well she was really nervous. I told her to relax that we weren’t on any time limit and that this will probably be the easiest shoot she will ever do. My step-daughter is really pretty (No I am not just saying that because I am step-mom) and she poses really well.  So we get out there and Sarah starts shooting. She is posing Jen facing in to the sun because she “liked the lighting”. Jen mentions that she has to squint.  But Sarah said she liked the background and the light so she takes some photos anyway.  I take a look over her shoulder at some of the photos, and they aren’t great. Lighting it too hot on Jen’s face, which was expected. So I point this out and give Sarah some tips. We move into the shade. I teach her some stuff about posing, and how fill flash can help with shadows and dark eyes. Most of what I taught her was stuff she really should have learned within the first semester of classes.  We did look at all of the images on my computer, and went over some improvements she could work on. I told her the first thing she needed to do was read her camera manual and learn the basics. Then, second, she needed to buy a flash. She doesn’t have a lot of money, so I told her to just get something cheap she could practice with. Something that would allow her to learn fill and bounce flash. She told me she had taken a lighting class. However she didn’t know anything about fill and bounce. I don’t know what the school is teaching, but it sure isn’t acceptable if she has had 2 years of classes. She told me about how her teacher wouldn’t allow them to shoot in manual for the first class. That they had to use Auto.  It is really no wonder why there are so many Fauxtogs out there if that is the way they are being taught!

I am seriously considering taking her to one of my weddings so that she can really get a feel for working with a paying client. And I can always use another assistant. Plus, I have extra camera bodies and flashes. She probably won’t be much help during a ceremony, but I can always give her a camera and let her practice at the reception.

[nesgran]

It sounds pretty bad to be honest but kudos for taking her on. She should really get her money back if she paid anything for her course. If it had been me I would probably have given the teacher a ring and talked about the course because it sounds genuinely worrying but then maybe that is just me. If you don’t get a response there I would probably shoot the college an email and discuss the standards of their teaching. They will make your life difficult in the long term if they keep churning out fauxtogs. This is obviously assuming “Sarah” isn’t thick to the extreme.

It sounds like she hasn’t really invested in a system so even if she now learns canon it isn’t exactly the end of the world I think. Get her to buy one of the yongnou manual flashes, a pair of radio triggers and an 8-pack of eneloops, together they will set her back a bit over $100 so aren’t exactly breaking the bank. Add a cheap light stand, umbrella and umbrella holder so she can practice without you. Maybe a 50mm lens as well at some point.

Sounds like it’d be a great idea to give her a body and let her lose at the wedding, just make sure you have given her some rules so she doesn’t make an ass of you. I would probably avoid giving her a flash though for that as it is pretty annoying when at a wedding and someone flashes indiscriminately.

[cameraclicker]

Apparently his view of really good is different than your view of really good!  I’m also wondering how you go through two years of community college, including a lighting course, without knowing how your camera works or anything about fill and bounce flash!  At the local camera show and sale, Canon, Nikon, Westcott, and the store’s staff all present many free 45 minute seminars on lighting.  Nikon, Canon and Westcott all feature their own products and the store staff covers the basics of lighting from a pop-up flash through external flash on and off the hot shoe, then on to studio strobes and continuous lighting.  When you could get a comprehensive understanding of lighting patterns and methods using several major brand’s hardware simply by wandering around and staying awake for a day, how can you not have a clue after two years of community college?  I suppose we are into the last third of summer break.  It might be interesting to visit in the fall to audit a couple of their classes.  Then you would know if it is the student or the school.

I don’t know if I would give her a camera for a wedding or assign her the task of keeping track of gear so she could observe without a camera in her hand.

 

[cass335]

I don’t think it is a student problem. She said she would get frustrated with her instructor because he would glance at the photos and say nice job, not offering critiques of what could be improved unless she specifically asked. She also said the school had a lighting kit for them to check out but they weren’t allowed to use it outdoors. And if they did they got a lecture and weren’t allowed to check it out again. She definitely has the drive to learn, which I think is great. It makes me have hope for her. She isn’t the type who just picks up a camera and thinks she is awesome. I figured she would observe during the ceremony and then go around to tables and get guest shots at the reception. Yes, there would definitely be a strict set of rules. And I chose this wedding because I know the type of setting would be relaxed enough. Its not going to be a full catholic mass or anything. It’s a small wedding at their home. Plus it is outdoors so no weird lighting. I would invite her over to my house to play around with some of my lighting equipment, but she lives an hour and a half away so it just isn’t possible.

 

[iliketag]

Cass, First of all, good on ya for taking her under your wing. I truly admire that!

However, and not to sound like a total jerk (it’s hard for tone in text, you know?), I think it absolutely could be a student problem. I say this because I have been guilty of being criticized and blaming it on others. Now, I’ve matured a bit since then, but I’ll admit that I still have a rough time being told in the moment “Hey… you really ought to ______”. I accept it and I’m happy for it! But in the moment it’s a sting akin to ripping on a bandaid.
I would honestly be surprised if a teacher was /that/ poor. I believe that a teacher may not give good critiques – I’ve seen that first hand. But I really doubt that they were forced to shoot in auto! Perhaps the class is more book-learning and she really needs the hands on. Which would be entirely understandable! My photo classes have consisted of book/theory teaching in the classroom and shooting on my own for assignments. Some people really struggle to learn that way – I was mostly self taught on the mechanics of the camera, but boy oh boy could I talk to you about historical photographers, the chemical processes for developing film and technical terminology!

I really think you should take C.C.’s advice and audit one of the classes! Also, most schools (at least here) have two teachers for the separate levels of Photography classes, because they like to have them the same days… so if that’s the case and two teachers are dropping the ball – that’s a HUGE problem!

[cass335]

iliketag: At first I was pretty against taking on anyone. But what I have found neat about it is that I have realized how far I have come in photography since I started. Its a pretty cool feeling.

It would be neat to audit the class, however I definitely don’t have the time or the money for that. I would have to drive over 2 hours to get to it. I have 2 jobs, and 2 kids so its just not possible. I do believe that probably about 50% of the problem is her, and I would give the instructor 50%. IMHO an instructor of photography should be able to critique an image and tell a student how to improve. When I took classes at my community college, my instructors were really awesome and my lighting class was 100% hands-on. We never opened a book.  It really helped the information sink in better for me because I am a hands-on type of person. I wish she could come here and take one of the classes here. I also wish she had a facebook page so I could get her involved with a couple of the photography groups I am part of. I think she would really benefit from it. Might have to tell her to get one.

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