TESC Photography Course Recommendation

[studyingathome]

I took Thomas Edison’s online “Introduction to Photography” course, with Kevin Davidson as my instructor. This course is definitely an “introduction”; anyone who has experience with your manual settings, aperture, ISO, bracketing, and that sort of thing will find this course familiar content. If you have some photographic experience and are looking to go further, this might not be the course for you, but if you are looking for something interesting and fun and some photo critique from a teacher, this is a viable option.

This was my first experience with a TESC online course. I had a fantastic time. I love photography and had a lot of fun with the assignments. Mr. Davidson was an encouraging and nice teacher, and willing to clarify any assignments and answer any questions.

I needed a TESC course because I needed one for my GPA. If anyone needs to take a class and it doesn’t matter what, has an SLR camera and an interest in photography, take this class.
-Allison

[burbuja0512]

I don't have a need for this personally, but with DS starting to study and his younger siblings eventually likely at least getting an AA at one of the big 3 before they move on to a B&M school, you just never know when info like this will come in handy.

Thanks!!

[ryoder]

Cool. I know nothing about photography so it would probably be a little challenging for me.

[Westerner]

I'm about to register for this class now, taking it in October.

1. Any recommendations as to professors? Options are P. Keisow and P. Light.

2. Do I need the most recent book editions (running ~$100+)? Buying one edition previous would save some $$$. Anyone who has the required book and is willing to sell it to me? Thanks!

[cookderosa]

I took Thomas Edison’s online “Introduction to Photography” course, with Kevin Davidson as my instructor. This course is definitely an “introduction”; anyone who has experience with your manual settings, aperture, ISO, bracketing, and that sort of thing will find this course familiar content. If you have some photographic experience and are looking to go further, this might not be the course for you, but if you are looking for something interesting and fun and some photo critique from a teacher, this is a viable option.

This was my first experience with a TESC online course. I had a fantastic time. I love photography and had a lot of fun with the assignments. Mr. Davidson was an encouraging and nice teacher, and willing to clarify any assignments and answer any questions.

I needed a TESC course because I needed one for my GPA. If anyone needs to take a class and it doesn’t matter what, has an SLR camera and an interest in photography, take this class.
-Allison

Hey Allison, that's great to know! I have a son that might be interested in taking that course in a year or so.

[Ladyplf]

I'm about to register for this class now, taking it in October.

1. Any recommendations as to professors? Options are P. Keisow and P. Light.

2. Do I need the most recent book editions (running ~$100+)? Buying one edition previous would save some $$$. Anyone who has the required book and is willing to sell it to me? Thanks!

I registered for the October class and I have Kiesow as a mentor. I started this class years ago before I dropped out so I still have the outdated book and I am just going to use that. I remember thinking this class boring way back then and I am only taking it now because I'm broke and I might as well get my money's worth for that dumb book along with 3 elective credits. :o

One thing I learned during my time at TESC back in 2006 was that some courses hardly use the expensive textbooks they expect you to purchase, and since most assignments are essays you could easily do the work from outdated editions and never miss a beat. Most of my research for my essays was done on the internet anyway and the book was just to study for exams.

Get the book the cheapest way you can and don't worry about needing the newest edition. You'll probably end up finding much better reference to photography on the internet and from better books.

[Westerner]

I registered for the October class and I have Kiesow as a mentor. I started this class years ago before I dropped out so I still have the outdated book and I am just going to use that. I remember thinking this class boring way back then and I am only taking it now because I'm broke and I might as well get my money's worth for that dumb book along with 3 elective credits. :o

One thing I learned during my time at TESC back in 2006 was that some courses hardly use the expensive textbooks they expect you to purchase, and since most assignments are essays you could easily do the work from outdated editions and never miss a beat. Most of my research for my essays was done on the internet anyway and the book was just to study for exams.

Get the book the cheapest way you can and don't worry about needing the newest edition. You'll probably end up finding much better reference to photography on the internet and from better books.

Thank you! I'm in P. Light's class starting in October (really bummed I didn't get P. Keisow, as he has WAY better reviews than Light, who has terrible reviews ) But I'm getting a previous edition (10th) of the book for $60.

[Westerner]

"Photography 101" was a TESC class I'd been eyeing, but wasn't sure I'd get to do, until I got the Pell Grant that paid for a year of classes there. So I'm getting to do it, praise God! I'm about a month into it.

There are 6 2-week modules.

There is 1 required book, "Photography" by London, Stone & Upton. I got a pretty recent version, costing $65, but you might be able to make do with an even older one. I'll just have to see when I get to the stuff about darkroom vs. digital—you'll need to be up to date on that. In the course, you're provided with links to websites (like Kodak's) that have photo-taking tips. Quite a bit of it was review for me, of things I'd heard before, from friends and through independent research.

The main thing you'll be doing is reading a chapter of the book, then getting your camera out and practicing 1 or 2 of the techniques. It really forces you to learn about your camera, practice with the controls and take different kinds of pictures, which is great! Also, the other types of assignment is "personal," like showing what types if photography you like or are drawn to, what you like to photograph, things that help you "get in touch with your artsy side" I guess

My professor is Paul Light. He didn't have good reviews on ratemyprofessor.com, and he's living up to the mostly unsatisfactory reviews he does have. He doesn't grade fast, or give particularly good grades. I know photography is subjective, but when I had to write papers in other classes giving my opinion, the professors were happy to hear it and I got As. Here, I haven't gotten one 100 on a photo assignment yet. :confused:

Module 1—learning about your camera. Taking pictures from different distances.
Module 2—aperture and shutter speed. Taking pictures while changing these settings.

That's as far as I've gotten. I'll post again later.

[Westerner]

In week 10 of the course now.

Module 3—metering and bracketing. Experimenting and getting the best picture. Practicing with ISO.
Module 4—no photo exercise. Discussing the history of photography: wet dark rooms vs. digital workspace.
Module 5—lighting. Taking photos in different lighting conditions and times of the day. Also, in this module, the class looks at famous portrait photographers; every student picks one. DO NOT pick Annie Lebowitz. Her famous photos are quite obscene. Yousef Karoush, Ansel Adams, and Dorothea Lange are good options.
Module 6—up until now, you've only been required to post 4 photos/week. In this module, you collect 16 photos that demonstrate techniques you've been learning throughout the course.

And, I hope you don't have to take this course with Paul Light, but if you do, his main thing is to take creative pictures. I have been getting Bs on the photo exercises (except on 1, which I got A-) and on the corresponding discussion forums. On the creative exercise forums (in which you write about your personal inspirations and such), I get 100s. But since those don't count nearly as much as the photo exercises and DFs, I asked him about how to improve my photography so I could get As, but all he wrote in his return email was a copy-past from the instructions and his original post with his expectations (namely, to be creative). I could've gathered that much and would've liked a more personal response (after all, what's a professor for if not to help his students?) but I guess I'm not getting that from him. I agree with other students of his who say that he expects too much from people taking an "Introduction to Photography" class.

[JBtesc]

Also, in this module, the class looks at famous portrait photographers; every student picks one. DO NOT pick Annie Lebowitz. Her famous photos are quite obscene. Yousef Karoush, Ansel Adams, and Dorothea Lange are good options.

I don't know who this thread was directed towards but I think it's odd to instruct someone else as to who they should and should "DO NOT" pick as their personal choice for photographer.

It's very odd indeed.

Maybe you have the wrong person in mind? Because Annie Leibovitz's "famous photos" are actually quite tame.

If you think her photos are "quite obscene" I imagine you've never visited an art museum or gallery?

Perhaps what you think is "quite obscene" is actually quite beautiful? And what you might prefer is what is in fact what is actually "obscene"? And perhaps that is why the assignment asks each student to express THEIR own personal thoughts on what THEY like?

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/...allery/19/