In a world growing more used to visual depictions of people, places, and things, the art of photography is becoming ever more popular. Photography can play a key part in grabbing people’s attention and making them focus. It can help with marketing for businesses or promoting charities across the world while making a difference.
To become a photographer, would you need a degree? Or can years of experience make up for that knowledge? Some argue that photography comes as an innate skill, but there are many people who became good at it after working on those skills for years. Studying photography abroad is a great way to instill yourself in new cultures and learn from different perspectives. No matter how good you are at something, there is always room to grow and learn.
However, simply choosing the first photography college you come across may not be the best fit. You want to be learning the latest trends and ensuring that you’re learning from people who know what they’re doing. Photography schools can even have unique qualities about them which can attract certain types of people. So to help you decide which one to go to, here is our top 5 list of the best photography colleges in the world.
1. Rhode Island School of Design, United States
In the RISD school, you are offered either a four-year undergraduate Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or a two-year undergraduate Master of Fine Arts (MFA). The courses have been comprehensively designed to cover almost all aspects of the relevant subjects. These come with real-life applications that will give students some idea of what to expect.
The course starts with learning the fundamentals of processing and developing films. It will then move on to other areas such as digital photography and video. RISD places emphasis on understanding and highlighting culture, society, and history in all the work the students do.
Each class is typically kept small and is well-managed. They promote community amongst the students through their programs and collaborative workspaces. They even offer internship opportunities that give students a better chance of landing a job once they leave college.
2. Ontario College of Art and Design University, Canada
OCAD University is one of the largest art, design, and media universities in Canada. It is quite a popular option among the local college population due to the opportunities and facilities it provides its students. Students receive a BFA at the end of the course which focuses on fine art rather than casual photography. It is one of the only colleges in Canada that has both a black&white and color darkroom.
The college also takes a more comprehensive approach to learning. Rather than cramming their students with only media-related subjects, the first year has a more general course of study. This year includes art history, learning the fundamentals of color, and animation just to name a few. Students can get working knowledge in these areas and then decide for themselves which avenue they want to continue on.
The final three years of college are where most emphasis is put on photography-related subjects. Students will learn about the history of photography, how to develop concepts, as well as the various parts that make photography what it is. So, in truth, this college is one of the best for beginners. If you want to understand the market and trade more before committing to any avenue in photography, this is a good choice.
3. Royal College of Art, United Kingdom
The Royal College of Art is one of the best photography schools in London, England. It is highly acclaimed for its master’s program which goes on for two years. Students are not only taught about the art of photography but also how to improve their critical thinking skills. The focus is to improve their own development as unique artists.
Each student is assigned a personal tutor from the first year onwards. Students will spend most of their first year mastering their skills, attending workshops, and taking part in group events. The goal here is to bring out the unique skills that each of their budding artists has. Every student will have to pass a test at the completion of the first year to move on to the second.
The whole of the second year will be focused on creating work that is produced by the students themselves and evaluated. This process is continued for the whole year, and the final piece of work is displayed at Royal college’s graduating show. Well, if you are finding the excuse to run there and study in that institution, study English in London can be a great one. In this way you can handle improve two skills simultaneously.
4. Barcelona School of Design and Engineering, Spain
The Barcelona School of Design is among the best photography schools in Spain. They offer a Master’s degree in Photography and Design that is issued by the Pompeu Fabra University. What’s unique about this school is that the school promotes the collaboration of over 17,000 students from all over the world who attend this school.
They love to focus on using new innovations and experimenting with various methods to improve the student’s learning. Rather than simply providing them with information, they make the students get involved in the actual work. There are always guest lecturers and professional photographers holding seminars and workshops there. Students can greatly benefit from their experience by communicating with them.
5. Paris College of Art, France
Paris is known for its beauty. This college actually draws inspiration from the various locations around it to look as great as it does. By attending this college, students can gain a BFA in Photography. During the course, students will work on improving their “artistic vision” while also working on their manual motor skills.
They provide a lot of opportunities to gain experience and become one of the best photographers out there. Students are even given a choice of learning photography immediately from the first year or taking a more general course first. The degree is four years long, and during this time students will spend a lot of time entrenched in the local culture.
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