I stumbled across an article the other day questioning whether wedding photographers on Craigslist charging $300 for wedding photography were killing the business industry for those professional photographers who charge in excess of $2000 for their same services and it got me looking into it more in depth to the point where I realized it’s basically a huge debate between amateur photographers versus professional photographers. Now this seems to be a never ending debate between two sides similar to Canon versus Nikon and which one is better but I came to a few conclusions myself over these related topics.
This article was really good. I look forward to reading another one.
There are some very good points in this article and I really enjoyed reading it. However, comparing Kobe dropping out of college yet still being a pro basketball player… to a photographer not going to school for photography… is comparing apples and oranges. …unless Kobe was planning to get his degree in “Basketball” but then dropped out yet still became a pro basketball player, then yes
If he got a degree in law it would not validate him being a pro basketball player 
I was a D1 college athlete, but that has nothing to do with my college degree or profession.
I know a lot of fantastic, talented photographers who don’t have a college degree in a photography related field. But personally and professionally, I can’t emphasize enough the value I place on the experience I gained “in the classroom” through human interaction. I can also say that learning through critiques in person is very different from on the web. Having someone stand there and look at your photo and then look you in the eye and tell you it’s horrible, can have a more dramatic impact on learning… as opposed to a person online across the world who says your photo is horrible.
With that being said, there are a lot of incredible photographers who have learned without the formal education. I just feel there is something about in-person classroom/lab learning and critiques that cannot be achieved online.
Thank you for comment and I value your opinion! I’m surprised anyone actually found this article haha. I by no means disagree with you in regards to the importance of a high eduction, I actually mentioned I’m all for higher learning as I’m a college graduate myself. Okay maybe using Kobe and Lebron was a little off but what was I trying to I guess get a across is that being “professional” in a sense no longer are bounded by completing a degree or certificate in a college setting. Like with Bill Gates…not an IT college graduate but I’m pretty sure the guy has a wealth of knowledge in the IT industry. I agree that in-person classroom/lab learning and critiques cannot be achieved online but in the photography world there are countless workshops that one could attend as a form on in-person training/criticism. With that being my main point with the advancement of the internet and technology, there are other countless resources online that one could use at their disposal to learn and master a certain field of study. It’s up to the individual to use it…
Hi – I’m glad you wrote back
Very good point about workshops, seminars, etc. Those are fantastic ways to get that human interaction and criticism and feedback. Hopefully those who are utilizing all of the fantastic online resources for learning are also grouping that together with workshops, etc. I agree that there is a ton that can be learned online. It’s a shame that darkrooms are so hard to come by. I’ll never forget learning the basics the old fashioned way – makes me truly appreciate being able to dodge and burn on Photoshop… as opposed to with a strategically bent paperclip with a paper circle taped on 