I don’t think there’s any such thing as teaching people photography, other than influencing them a little. People have to be their own learners. They have to have a certain talent.
Imogen Cunningham
I agree with this quote very much. I attend Antonelli Institute in Glenside, PA. Its a professional private art college specializing in graphic design & photography. When I first came to the school I was so passionate, eager, & just ready to photograph. Little did I know our whole first year was black & white film. Film was a challenge specially 35mm & 4×5. My first role of film came out completely blank … literally! I must had did this ten times or so before I got actual images. I found out it was my film advance inside the camera. I specifically remembering the one instructor (who is no longer with us today) saying “I commend you on your work efforts. Most people would have given up and you just kept going & going” That meant something to me. You must believe in yourself in order for yourself to succeed in life. When other people where it be friends, family, boyfriend, girlfriend believes in you, that also helps aid in success. After I had finished my first whole year of film I was kind of relieved. Their is so much work to developing film and well some of my classmates just didn’t care. I’m thinking “why are you even at this college when you don’t care?” I was planning on returning to college for my second year. That didn’t happen due to financial reasons. So I got myself a full time job in a warehouse & made money for myself even living with my parents. Later that year, I had lost my father. Little did I know I didn’t expect to return to college in 2013 without a father. The only thing I did was move forward. Time doesn’t stop for anyone. So during my third semester I had trouble refocusing myself back on track with my photography. It was rough at first but after week 8, I had picked myself up & took it to another level. My images improved and I also improved as a person. Now that its the finial week before Christmas break, everyone is starting to lose their touch. Imogen Cunningham was right, there are certain people with a niche talent for their photography & others well I think for them its just a hobby.
Jonathan Lasky 