Where did you learn the craft?

[Saknika]

Pretty simple, where'd you learn the craft of photography? Or did it come completely naturally to you?

Personally, I started in my junior year of high school using a b+w darkroom, which was the highlight of my day. To this day I can still tell you exactly how to develop in that darkroom. After that, I practiced and searched online for tutorials, and upon graduating high school I moved into the Hallmark Institute of Photography, and studied there. I didn't graduate due to an overwhelming amount of stress that I was not mature enough to delegate and handle properly, but everything I learned left with me and I've grown on my own once more after leaving. The only thing that stopped me from graduating was four out of twenty-eight images, or so I was told. To this day I don't exactly know why I was failed, but I was.

[ScottWood]

Started shooting when I was very young, but didn't have any real photography education until HS. I was the yearbook photo editor my senior year. Beyond that, I have not had formal training, it is all self taught.

To be honest, I have learned more since school than I ever picked up there, and I am still learning every day I make an image.

[danielazarc]

It pretty much came to me naturally, I never had any classes or anyone teach me anything. Because of that, though, I'm still new to a lot of things, still don't know a good variety of techniques, etc. Any good photos I come up with I think are just good luck. xD

[midnightmystery]

I do believe it all started with my mother. She did camera work for her college and kinda taught me how. After that I just grew comfortable in it and learned from there. I never really took classes or anything.

[Saknika]

It would seem most are self-taught then, so far.

[~Hero~]

My High School Photo II teacher would want me to say High School, but the correct answer is definitely the internets.

Photo Class was strictly film, but I went the digital route and pretty much taught myself. (Ex: I LOVE HDRs, taught myself... but need to figure out to get them to work when I'm using a single RAW image. >.>)

[Saknika]

I think for single RAW you'd probably have to duplicate it and then use levels to over and under expose, but I'm NOT positive.

And hey, you can learn the basics with film, and it will teach you to learn exposure better so that you don't take as many photos. So I bet you did learn things that you just use more subconsciously now.

[~Hero~]

Aug 3, 2009 1:09:52 GMT -5 Saknika said:

I think for single RAW you'd probably have to duplicate it and then use levels to over and under expose, but I'm NOT positive.

Sounds about right. I'll mess around with some RAWs one of these days and see what I can come up with. (I just started using RAW though, so I'm still trying to get used to them).

[Accebera]

I've taken photography classes in high school. They gave me a great foundation to start with, but everything else I've learned is from reading books on photography and practicing on my own.