Posted by Curtis Knight on October 10, 2006 at 11:11 AM
I'm going to try something this fall/winter that I hope I can pull off... I'm really nervous about it and I hope you guys can give me some advise...
Vernonia recently opened up the Vernonia Community Learning Center and they are still looking for people to teach a variety of classes, both accredited and non-accredited.
I'm going to call later this morning and talk to the person in charge about teaching a few beginner camera/photography classes. I want to keep them informal and the only criteria for "passing" the class is that students actively participate.
I expect the cost is going to be ridiculously low, but money isn't the object here. Half the tuition goes to the learning center and I get the other half. I want to allow all ages and I'm thinking of allowing Vernonia School District students to take the class for free.
For those unfamiliar with Vernonia, Oregon, it's a tiny little town of just under 3,000 people. It's a struggling logging town with a lot of folks that make ends meet, and not much left over.
Why am I doing this? I have four main reasons (in no particular order):
- I hope to learn something from the students
- I hope this will get me more involved with photography
- I want a few extra bucks in my photo gear fund
- My father spent his entire life giving back to his community. I'd like to try to do a little bit of that myself. I’ve never really done anything significant to give back to any of the communities I've lived in. I like to help people; I'm just not very good at it most of the time. I think this will work for me because it's a subject I feel very comfortable with, and competent to teach.
So, if anyone has any advice for me, from structuring the class to the mechanics of teaching people, please reply to to this thread, or via email. Remember, this is not a profit adventure. It's something I want to do to become more involved in photography and my community, without getting involved in politics.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Posted by Rick Lamb on October 10, 2006 at 1:51 PM
Hi Curtis,
I guess the best bit of advice I can give is endless patience. Folks in this kind of open class structure are going to be all over the map on previous knowledge of photography. And you will get all kinds of gear too. So expect to be fuddling around with all types of cameras for which said owner may or most likely NOT have a owner's manual and they will ask YOU to make the dang thing work for them. Take it slow and easy and let it grow. Once folks experience "success" they'll really run with it!!
Don't try to do a full darkroom kind of setup. It doesn't sound like there is budget for that. Focus more on camera skills and composition/light. Let the students take their film rolls to the local film developer or print their digital images at home or again at the local developer - Costco, Ritz's, Kit's, Walmart etc...
Be extra careful to NEVER volunteer up your printing resources, gear etc for free. That really opens up a pandora's box... They will expect it to be there once they've tasted that. You "can" bring in your Photoshop PC and printer to "demo" such a setup and that might prove quite educational but NEVER give it out for free.
Maybe the community center can foot the bill for some books?? Using a common text book really helps to lay the groundwork for the next week's lecture material... John Hedgcoe's "The Photographer's Handbook" is and excellent choice (ISBN = 0-679-74204-2). Some of it is dated but there's plenty of chapters to cherry pick through the set a solid ground work on the fundamentals.
Create an outline for each classroom session and print copies for the students to take home the week prior. This helps both the students and you to be properly prepared.
And last - patience!!! These folks aren't going to have the basics and will have all kinds of "odd" pre-concieved notions of what they think fotografie is!! Beginners always do, we were all there once many eons ago!! Oh DO ask at the first day what each student hopes to walk away with once they complete the class. This will REALLY help you to set the tone for the rest of the classes.
Be cautious of class size too. I'm thinking no more than 10-12.
Have fun!! If they see your passion it will help to motivate them!!
Posted by Curtis Knight on October 10, 2006 at 2:33 PM
Excellent advice Rick, Thanks! Great stuff to think about...
Posted by Doyle Thomas on October 10, 2006 at 9:16 PM
Chris Burkett used to live in Vernonia, I would bet that he would be willing to help.
Posted by Curtis Knight on October 10, 2006 at 11:08 PM
He's in Portland now (or Millwakie maybe) but his Grey Dawn Gallery is still here. I've actually already got an email to him. He's on his annual Fall color shoot. I hope a few of this years Fall prints end up in there so I can get a gander at them. His office did take time to reply to my email, and said Christopher would respond in person as soon as internet connectivity permits.
Discussion
4 repliesVernonia recently opened up the Vernonia Community Learning Center and they are still looking for people to teach a variety of classes, both accredited and non-accredited.
I'm going to call later this morning and talk to the person in charge about teaching a few beginner camera/photography classes. I want to keep them informal and the only criteria for "passing" the class is that students actively participate.
I expect the cost is going to be ridiculously low, but money isn't the object here. Half the tuition goes to the learning center and I get the other half. I want to allow all ages and I'm thinking of allowing Vernonia School District students to take the class for free.
For those unfamiliar with Vernonia, Oregon, it's a tiny little town of just under 3,000 people. It's a struggling logging town with a lot of folks that make ends meet, and not much left over.
Why am I doing this? I have four main reasons (in no particular order):
- I hope to learn something from the students
- I hope this will get me more involved with photography
- I want a few extra bucks in my photo gear fund
- My father spent his entire life giving back to his community. I'd like to try to do a little bit of that myself. I’ve never really done anything significant to give back to any of the communities I've lived in. I like to help people; I'm just not very good at it most of the time. I think this will work for me because it's a subject I feel very comfortable with, and competent to teach.
So, if anyone has any advice for me, from structuring the class to the mechanics of teaching people, please reply to to this thread, or via email. Remember, this is not a profit adventure. It's something I want to do to become more involved in photography and my community, without getting involved in politics.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I guess the best bit of advice I can give is endless patience. Folks in this kind of open class structure are going to be all over the map on previous knowledge of photography. And you will get all kinds of gear too. So expect to be fuddling around with all types of cameras for which said owner may or most likely NOT have a owner's manual and they will ask YOU to make the dang thing work for them. Take it slow and easy and let it grow. Once folks experience "success" they'll really run with it!!
Don't try to do a full darkroom kind of setup. It doesn't sound like there is budget for that. Focus more on camera skills and composition/light. Let the students take their film rolls to the local film developer or print their digital images at home or again at the local developer - Costco, Ritz's, Kit's, Walmart etc...
Be extra careful to NEVER volunteer up your printing resources, gear etc for free. That really opens up a pandora's box... They will expect it to be there once they've tasted that. You "can" bring in your Photoshop PC and printer to "demo" such a setup and that might prove quite educational but NEVER give it out for free.
Maybe the community center can foot the bill for some books?? Using a common text book really helps to lay the groundwork for the next week's lecture material... John Hedgcoe's "The Photographer's Handbook" is and excellent choice (ISBN = 0-679-74204-2). Some of it is dated but there's plenty of chapters to cherry pick through the set a solid ground work on the fundamentals.
Create an outline for each classroom session and print copies for the students to take home the week prior. This helps both the students and you to be properly prepared.
And last - patience!!! These folks aren't going to have the basics and will have all kinds of "odd" pre-concieved notions of what they think fotografie is!! Beginners always do, we were all there once many eons ago!! Oh DO ask at the first day what each student hopes to walk away with once they complete the class. This will REALLY help you to set the tone for the rest of the classes.
Be cautious of class size too. I'm thinking no more than 10-12.
Have fun!! If they see your passion it will help to motivate them!!