Choosing a school: art or technology?

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:27:45 +0000, Tony Polson wrote:

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:11:04 +0000 (UTC), (Geoffrey
S. Mendelson) wrote:

Matt Clara wrote:
Yeah, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. All I know is I love
photography, and I'm tired of my cubicle. My wife's just started a Ph.D.
program, so I've got a few years to build a portfolio and make up my mind.

Personally I would expand upon what some-else said and if you are looking
to be a successfull photgrapher, go get an MBA. Take classes on the side
in the art deparment on composition, portriature, etc.

You'll do better in life as a lousy photgrapher with good business skills,
than the best photographer in the world with lousy or no business skills.


If you learned about business, surely you would *never* choose
professional photography as a business.

It was reported a a coule of years ago that the average income of
people in the USA whose main income came from photography was around
the $20,000 mark.

But that includes all the ones who don't have good business skills.

Lot of starving software developers out there too.

Matt Clara wrote:

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message
...

Matt Clara wrote:

Yeah, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. All I know is I
love
photography, and I'm tired of my cubicle. My wife's just started a Ph.D.
program, so I've got a few years to build a portfolio and make up my
mind.

Personally I would expand upon what some-else said and if you are looking
to be a successfull photgrapher, go get an MBA. Take classes on the side
in the art deparment on composition, portriature, etc....

Except I think I'd rather take a bullet than spend two years studying
business.

You might seriously consider whether that means you wouldnt be happy
running a small business. I don't know what sort of full time positions
are available in a firm as staph photographer of some sort. Not many.

Paul Furman wrote:

staph

STAFF!

Matt Clara wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message


Besides, once you are making a living as a photogrpaher, it's easier to
improve your skills than it is getting a degree in fine arts and making
minimum wage at "one hour photo" or the kid's portrait booth at the mall.


Except I think I'd rather take a bullet than spend two years studying
business.

There's an old saying, "Live by the lens, die by the lens".

--
john mcwilliams

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:10:38 -0800, John McWilliams
wrote:

Matt Clara wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message


Besides, once you are making a living as a photogrpaher, it's easier to
improve your skills than it is getting a degree in fine arts and making
minimum wage at "one hour photo" or the kid's portrait booth at the mall.


Except I think I'd rather take a bullet than spend two years studying
business.

There's an old saying, "Live by the lens, die by the lens".

An admonition to ants living in the vicinity of houses containing
small boys with magnifiers?

J. Clarke wrote:
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:10:38 -0800, John McWilliams
wrote:

Matt Clara wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message
Besides, once you are making a living as a photogrpaher, it's easier to
improve your skills than it is getting a degree in fine arts and making
minimum wage at "one hour photo" or the kid's portrait booth at the mall.

Except I think I'd rather take a bullet than spend two years studying
business.
There's an old saying, "Live by the lens, die by the lens".

An admonition to ants living in the vicinity of houses containing
small boys with magnifiers?

Yeah, something like that! But it's the "big boys" that they need to
watch out for. s

--
john mcwilliams

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:42:39 -0500, J. Clarke
wrote:

If you learned about business, surely you would *never* choose
professional photography as a business.

It was reported a a coule of years ago that the average income of
people in the USA whose main income came from photography was around
the $20,000 mark.

But that includes all the ones who don't have good business skills.


Name one business school that runs courses that are specifically
tailored and relevant to running a photography business.

In article ,
Tony Polson wrote:

It was reported a a coule of years ago that the average income of
people in the USA whose main income came from photography was around
the $20,000 mark.

Beats the average for Poets, Essayists, and Novelists (PEN) members who
tend to report incomes from books at $5K per year (though they tend to
actually teach for their livings).

Averages are hard to judge by. Some of those would be people working
while a spouse supported them; some of those would be exaggerating to
keep from being embarrassed; some of those could be lying just in case
the Feds are thinking about auditing them. The percentage in each
bracket would be useful to know.

Tony Polson wrote:
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:42:39 -0500, J. Clarke
wrote:

But that includes all the ones who don't have good business skills.

Name one business school that runs courses that are specifically
tailored and relevant to running a photography business.

I seriously doubt there's such an animal. But when I got my degree, the
school didn't tailor it to any specific industry, much less vocation.

Nothing in the foregoing should be construed to mean I endorse, or
oppose, attending b school for any purpose whatsoever, including, but
not limited to: photography and professional skateboarding.



--
John McWilliams

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 23:08:40 +0000, Tony Polson wrote:

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:42:39 -0500, J. Clarke
wrote:

If you learned about business, surely you would *never* choose
professional photography as a business.

It was reported a a coule of years ago that the average income of
people in the USA whose main income came from photography was around
the $20,000 mark.

But that includes all the ones who don't have good business skills.


Name one business school that runs courses that are specifically
tailored and relevant to running a photography business.

Name one that runs courses that are specifically tailored to running,
say, an aircraft manufacturing business.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand why you are asking the question.
Business schools do not in general teach skills specific to a
particular kind of business.

If you don't know how to market your services, close sales, and keep
track of your money then you're going to lose your shirt in _any_
business.