Online Photography Courses - Why Online Classes Are Worthwhile?

Online classes have significant advantages over conventional photography classes. You have the flexibility of attending these online classes from the convenience of your home or office and can take lessons at any point of time. Online photography courses are ideal for both experienced and fresher students because the large range of courses and topics cover almost every sort of subjects related to photography. You can choose from a large array of courses which leave you with very specific choices.

Online classes do not have the interactive experience that you can get in a regular classroom and lack of 'classmates' leave the sole responsibility to you. However, online photography courses have many benefits that attract thousands of students to online colleges every year.

Learning Experience- Compared to regular classroom courses, online classes cover a wider range of topics. There are hundreds of specialized courses for photography students to choose from. For students who are looking for very specific topics, online courses are the best. Online courses are usually updated frequently and an insight to the latest technology and tools in photography industry is provided.

Techniques- There will be more than a few techniques to capture a single subject. The capturing techniques vary and for different techniques, you will get different results. A good course can provide you proper insights to different photography techniques that can be used on a single subject. Based on each technique you follow, your results will vary.

Dealing With Your Subject- For still life photography and fashion photography, the way you handle your subject vary a lot. Mood swings of your model are not a concern when it comes to still life but you need to give proper commands to your model. This takes a lot of practice and patience. Similarly, it is easier to command your model based on various lighting conditions but for still life, you need to follow complex setups to rearrange a lighting setting.

Photo Editing- Photo editing is a complex process these days, especially when you click pictures in RAW format. Photographers click pictures in RAW format so that they can make certain corrections without losing the quality. Contrary to the popular belief, it is not necessary to click pictures in RAW to restore quality. High quality JPEG formats are also very efficient these days. There is a limit for corrections allowed in photographs and you should always be within the limits. Right editing techniques can help you to enhance the visual appeal of each image, thus learning editing techniques are essential.

Know The Good and Bad- As an amateur, there will be thousands of pictures that are appealing to us but when we look at these pictures in an expert's point of view, only a couple of them will be of good quality. Factors such as blur, composition, lighting, exposure and objects in a frame have a role in determining whether a picture is good or bad. With a good course, you will learn how to distinguish between a good and bad picture.

There is no doubt that learning photography online can improve your photo taking and editing skills, thus transform you as a professional photographer.

A Guide On Beginning Your Online Education (Distance Learning)

Source: Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My Commitment To Potential Fellow Students And Colleagues

I have been going to college online for over 4 years at the University of Advancing Technology. I started school while I was deployed to Iraq, and over the past few years I have traveled quite a lot, and had undergone very trying times. Through everything, I have been able to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA, and am finally close to graduating.

I have had quite a few friends and family who have asked me many questions about getting a degree online. I feel that I should share my experience with everyone who could use it, as getting starting can feel daunting and ambiguous. I will help you in every way I can by telling you about things you should expect, tips on finding the right college and degree program, and things that I use in my daily scholarly endeavors. My goal is by the time you have read this, you know exactly what direction you are heading in with confidence, and are equipped with the tools you need to help ensure you have a successful and rewarding experience.

Please Note: Any questions you have that I am unable to answer in this article, please make a comment and I will answer your question, and update the article with the new information for future readers.

Online Classes...

• allow you to work when you chose to within deadlines.
• require a higher degree of self-motivation and time management.
• take up more time per class than campus classes, but you take fewer classes at a time, and are shorter in length (my classes are 5 weeks long, I take 1 at a time).
• provide a larger degree of personal creative freedom (from personal experience in a large majority of my classes).
• connect you with other people that share your interests from all over the world, not just in your area.

One person's perspective:

I asked my wife if online classes where what she had expected: "Online classes are actually easier than I thought they would be. I actually save time because I don't need to actually go onto a campus to get work done. It is so easy to be able to come home, work on assignments, and turn it in while sitting at my computer."

Is Distance Learning (Online) Education For Me?

This is the first question that many people have when showing interest in this form of education, and is the first question that needs to be answered before moving forward. Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to get my degree online because there are no other alternatives?
• Is online education more convenient due to my work schedule/nature of my job?
• Am I interested in online education because I don't want to go onto a campus to take my classes?

Keep these questions in mind while I describe the nature of online education so that you have a better understanding of the pros and cons. Also, when you begin looking into schools that offer online programs, they will offer you a quick test, if they are worth their salt, that you can take to see if you would benefit from online education.

My personal opinion is that even if you do not "pass" this test, it doesn't mean that you could not, or should not, take online classes. These tests are targeted for a generic group of people, and by no means is any indicator of whether or not you will have a successful experience. The tests are supposed to help you gain some introspective insight as to the nature of this particular beast.

Other Viewpoints Regarding Online Education

• What I Wish I'd Known Before Taking Online Courses
  "What surprised me about an on-line class is that the interaction was really a good deal greater than most on-campus classes I've had."
• How to Take Online Distance Education Classes: 6 Steps
  "Be realistic about your computer skills and computer access."

For Those Who Know What They Want To Get Their Degree In

Finding the right University to meet your needs is actually a fun and easy process. Many online schools will be eliminated based on whether they have your desired degree program. Making some Google searches for your degree program can help turn up potential schools, but I recommend first looking up schools you want to attend first to see if they offer your program or something similar.

Your Future Virtual Arm

Source: scottchan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For Those Who Do Not

Some people know exactly what they want to get a degree in, but for the rest of us we just know we want to go to school. The large number of schools that offer online courses can seem daunting, so lets knock them out systematically so that you have a more manageable selection to choose from. Here is a small list of methods you could use to achieve this:

• Find a school(s) you would like to attend, and browse their degree programs. I knew I wanted to attend the University of Advancing Technology, so I just looked through their degree programs and picked the one I was most interested in. If you can't decide, ask the school for more information, or pick a general course of study and decide later (you can change your degree program any time).
• Try to imagine your dream job. Chances are, your dream job requires a certain degree of study or certification. Find out what you would need, whether it is a Bachelors in Computer Science, an A+ Certification, or a Masters in Balloon Popping. Based on this information, you can then begin searching for schools that offer your required education/training.

Once you find what you want to do, and where you want to do it, there are some things you will need that you should know about...

• Home - FAFSA on the Web - Federal Student Aid

Your FAFSA

You are going to need to fill out yourFAFSA, which requires tax information. If you do not do your own taxes, then that is ok, they account for that. Below is a demo video in case you have any questions.

• Even if you do not intend on taking out financial aid, it is required for every student to fill this out. This determines your eligibility for financial aid, and is submitted to your university. Your university will then contact you with the offers at which point you may decline. This is done regularly, so be sure to save you Username, Password, and Student Pin.

FAFSA Demo

Information On Military Transcripts

• Transcripts for Military Personnel
  ACE provides quality assurance and policy guidance to the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps for military transcripts.

Previous Education Information

Your school will most likely need to know about your previous education. This becomes very important if you intend on transferring credits from college you may have done in the past, or military transcripts which you get just for serving. Have ready a copy of the following:

• ACT/SAT Scores
• High School Diploma/GED and GPA
• Military Transcripts
• Previous College Transcripts

• YouTube
  Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Build To Render

Custom PCs are a cheaper method to getting the power you need. I will be making a guide for this soon (for beginners).

Source: JR Anthony

The Basics

You may need special tools other than an internet connection and a computer, such as a drawing tablet or special computer peripherals. These requirements should be included in the course catalogs, or you can ask the school for more information. However, a few basic needs should be met that are sometimes not included:

• Webcam: Having a webcam is very important. There will most likely be times when you will need to make a virtual presentation which requires either a web cam, or an external recording device such as a digital camera that can take video. With webcams there are typically a microphone, but check to be sure as you will most likely need one of those too.
• YouTube Account: If you are taking online classes, chances are you will need to upload a video of yourself giving a speech, and providing a demo of a project you are working on. At the least, there will be lectures and tutorials you would need to keep track of which is doable if you create an account.
• Proper Hardware: Ensure your current computer meets the projected requirements of your course of study. For example, if you are getting a degree in Digital Animation, the 3D rendering process is extremely resource heavy and requires some very powerful computing power. Keep this in mind when you are looking for financial aid so that you can be sure you get set up for success ahead of time.

One Of My Own Assignment Videos: For Example

The Internet Is Your Greatest Tool

Source: Image courtesy of sheelamohan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Resource Links

• Google Drive
• Dropbox - You're invited to join Dropbox!
• Prezi
• JourneyEd.com - Academic Software Discounts!
  Academic software discounts at up to 85% off retail prices for students, teachers, faculty and schools. Academic discount on Adobe, Microsoft, Autodesk and thousands of software titles available.
• Taking a Class? Top 3 Web Resources for Online Learning
  "Here are three of the top resources for online learners accessible anytime, anywhere."

Great Tools I Highly Recommend (All Free)

The following is a list of resources i use almost daily. Surprisingly, it took me years to discover all of these, and really wish I knew about them sooner:

• Google Docs/Drive: I highly recommend getting a Google Docs account. Create a spreadsheet, and save your usernames and passwords here, as it is safe and reliable, and never misplaced. Just ensure you have a good password for your Google Docs account, change it once in a while, and be wary of phishing scams, much like any other service found on the internet. I also use Google Docs to share files with other people, and even turn in written assignments. With the addition of Google Drive, you can store large files too, such as project files or videos.
• Dropbox: Dropbox is an online storage program that is incredibly secure, and ensures that all of your important projects and files are safe from the hazards of PC failures. This is another good place you could chose to store usernames, passwords, and other important information. The main reason I decided to get this program was when I had to transfer a massive project file to a colleague over the internet. All I had to do was get his e-mail, make a folder inside Dropbox, and share it with him. I plopped my file into that folder and bam!, he received it on his end in minutes. It is a simple little program, non-invasive, and simple to use. I swear by it, use it for personal, business, and school.
• Prezi: For presentations, you can forget PowerPoint, Prezi is where its at. Inevitably, you will need to create presentations of some form. Prezi is free for students, which is great especially when you consider how much Microsoft products cost. Plus, everything is stored online, and since you are going to school online, this is a great advantage. You can access Prezi from anywhere since nothing is stored on your computer. This safeguards your homework from crashes and other PC wrecking events. Also, the learning curve is quite minimal, and it is a lot of fun!
• JourneyEd: This website offers the entire spectrum of software at special student prices. This is a critical resource when you are absolutely required to use non-free version of software, such as Microsoft Word instead of Google Docs. It is also a great place to buy software if you intend to pursue technical or artistic degree programs. Programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Autodesk Maya are extremely expensive normally, but student version are available for cheaper, and there is really no difference.

My Mech

This thing destroyed my laptop.

Source: JR Anthony

What To Expect

Have no fear! For some people this endeavor seems daunting, especially when delving into an unfamiliar culture. If this is you, you are not alone! Online Instructors are equipped to help people who are unfamiliar with cyberspace or the eCulture. Your first class will be an introductory class that will help you get familiar with how things work, so don't worry about being thrown in hands tied and blind. I know some people who worry they are "too old" to take online courses. There is never a wrong age to take classes. The internet actually makes it easier; nobody knows your age, or who you are, and if you choose not to want to meet anyone, then your identity will remain in the shadows.

There is an expectation of a lot of interaction between yourself and fellow students and the instructor. Do not be afraid to ask questions, ask many! Ambiguity will cause you to mess up at some point. Online classes leave out a whole lot of context, so you need to be clear of what the assignment requires from you. if the description is not enough, ask ask ask! If you have to, send your Instructor an e-mail, or call them up. They will not mind, and it is entirely for your benefit.

• Lasting relationships, professional and otherwise. A wonderful experience, and a monumental boon to those who can really take to getting their education in this manner. It has changed my life, the way I think, and how I view the world. I learned many of these things the hard way, and want to pass them on to others so that they may have a smooth transition into their program of choice. Everything I wrote about here is from personal experience. I decided to write it all down due to demand for this kind of information from family and friends who are interested in online education. Thanks to my online education, I have been able to build a small team of professionals to work together on some very neat projects that will one day (hopefully) turn into a real big business opportunity. All of this and i am still going to class, as I have yet to graduate.

• Procrastination can destroy your entire day/weekend/week. Even if an assignment is not due for a few days, get at least some of it done ahead of time. This is where personal discipline comes into play. There is an illusion that procrastination can help motivate you to get more work done in less time, but work expands to fill time, and although you may be able to get work done, it tends not to be nearly as good as it can be if you worked on it iteratively.

• Try 1 class first! If you can help it, start off by taking 1 class at a time. Online classes are condensed into shorter periods of time, but contain the same level of content as a regular campus class. This means you are working much harder during your classes, but for shorter periods of time. It is highly advisable to start of with a single class so you can judge your time management, and how it impacts your life. This goes double for you military guys, I started while I was in Iraq, and my classes never stopped, not even during command transfers and following deployments.

• There is a level of wiggle room. Classes are in the hands of the instructor for the most part. If you have a preferred way of doing an assignment, or have an idea not listed in the requirements of an assignment that you believe would fulfill these requirements and is something you are interested in doing, talk to your instructor. For example, in one of my 3D modeling classes, we had to make a model using NURBS. I made half of a mech that week. The next week, we had to make another model using Polygons. I asked the instructor if I could instead finish my mech from last week using Polygons, and he said yes. Below is a picture of that mech from class, my first 3D model, all thanks to asking the instructor if i could deviate slightly from the assignment.

I was also able to convince a few instructors to let me turn in assignments using Google Docs and Prezi versus the normal mediums.