Kiplinger just “…analyzed the jobless rates and salaries for graduates with the 100 most popular majors to come up with our list of the ten worst values in college majors.”
The research they did was on undergraduate degrees. Number three on their list was “Film and Photography.”
I posted this to my FaceBook page and got a lot of responses. One of my friends, Clark Hill, said:
Lots of times I’ve been out shooting video and a younger person will say “I’d like to get into video, what do you recommend?” I always tell them college prices are a complete waste to learn a craft. My suggestion is to read books on the subject, learn lighting and PRACTICE. Get a reasonably priced liberal arts degree and READ NOVELS, good ones. Learn to tell stories with words and pictures, the skills work together in your brain. Learn about people first and practice the craft.
Sadly the liberal arts degree was number seven on the list.
Faith
People of faith believe that God calls one to a line of work. The word vocation is rooted in the church. It means to be called, and when first used, it referred to being called to the priesthood.
The Jesuits outline the seven stages of discerning a call to the priesthood, which I believe is advisable for whatever career you choose, especially photography.
Seven Stages of Vocation Discernment
Attraction or Interest in serving God
Inquiry taking the initiative
Information Gathering being proactive
Discernment understanding the experience
Confirmation of moving toward a decision
Application Process submitting the application
Entrance, if accepted, becoming a Jesuit Novice
There are two parts to a call for the ministry: 1) the personal and 2) the corporate call. While one may feel they are called, the place they will serve must also feel the call to offer them a job.
It makes no logical sense to pursue the call to ministry. Most churches require an M. Div. This degree takes three to five years to earn after a four-year undergraduate degree. For many people, this is a second career, and often they are taking a pay cut even with a higher degree.
Photography
A photographer’s robust portfolio of work is essential for getting jobs. A degree is not necessary to do this as a profession. However, a college degree may be highly advisable, depending on the type of photography you plan to do.
When Tom Kennedy was the director of photography at National Geographic, I wrote to him and met with him. He had a form letter that would go to most inquirers about his recommendations.
He pointed out that most of the photographers working for National Geographic had college degrees in specialized areas. For example, it was pretty standard for someone to have a marine biology degree if they were working on stories in this genre. While the degrees varied, almost all were in the subject they covered and not in photography.
It will help if you become an expert in the subject because you will be covering the topic with experts, and the more you know, the better your coverage will be for the magazine.
You do need to know how to make and take photos. Learning these skills can be done in many ways. I think going to photographic workshops is one of the best ways to learn. These are usually taught by professional photographers doing what they are teaching.
Working as an apprentice to a photographer is another excellent way to learn. I am sure some people would pay to spend time with Warren Buffett. Imagine being there when he decides to buy stock in a company. I think I would be rushing out to follow suit. Why not learn about the stock market from the expert rather than in a classroom if you could get the chance?
Leap of Faith
Søren Kierkegaard, theologian, and the first existentialist philosopher, is credited with the concept of the Leap of Faith. Kierkegaard believed that the paradoxes within Christianity required a leap to accept the faith.
In Indiana Jones, the Last Crusade is a great clip showing the concept of the leap of faith.
I believe pursuing photography as a “vocation” is a significant leap. Even if you feel this is your calling and those around you affirm your gifts, making it a career is still a significant jump.
Learn from the ministry
While those who respond to a call to ministry will earn a degree, they never stop studying the scriptures. They spend incredible amounts of time each week preparing for the sermon.
Besides committing their lives to study, they also commit themselves to obedience. The commitment applies to the photographer as well. The ministers practice their faith, and we, too, must practice our craft daily to remain sharp and competitive.
Keep the bar high for quality. Ministers focus on God to do his will. They are not looking to other ministers to compare and measure their success. We, too, need to look to pursuing creativity at the highest standard we can achieve.
Conclusion
Kiplinger reports, “The new-grad unemployment rate for film and photography majors is only narrowly better than the rate for high school dropouts.”
The film industry is a very tough field to remain competitive in. If you are pursuing this because it seems fun to take pictures, then the odds of you working in retail are high. If this is a calling, the fire within will help you stand up to the tests coming your way.
Use some discernment to see if this is the vocation for you.
