John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

I am a retired advanced amateur photographer looking to improve and thinking of taking some classes without any desire to get a degree. Was wondering what you all think of the options of buying a set of CDs, doing an online course from some place like NY School of Photography or maybe attending a local jr college for a class or two. I line in an area without much in the way of infrastructure. If I want a club I would need to start it.
Thanks

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

John, you are in luck in your search. There are many different types of training available today. You will probably hear from people here who have used one or two and like them enough to promote to others. For starters I will recommend CreativeLive.com. Video training in many facets of photography. They offer an instructor named John Greengo who has created a series of videos designed to quick teach several different camera bodies. Most of the more widely used bodies can be found here. There are several courses in the more directed area such as landscape and national parks, boudoirs, babies, street, you name it, they teach it. Their menu is quite sufficient to get your feet wet, and then some. Also on my preferred list is Lynda.com (Notice the Lynda spelling). This site charges by the month and offers lots of different subjects. You pay a flat fee and use it as much, or as little as you wish.

Both sites offer courses in Lightroom, Photoshop, Aperture, and other photo programs. Each site allows the user as much time as is required. The instructors on both are very good at what they do. Some will relate to students in different ways, but most are worth your time and effort. Each site continues to develop new courses and builds entire programs designed to allow the student the total learning package.

There are many other site available. Others here at the Hog can and will fill you in on them. Good luck in you quest, it can be very rewarding.

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

Thanks davidrb!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

John, I'll start by saying that anything you do will of course help in some way. You cant go backwards, I don't think! :lol:
You mentioned a JC. If you have access to a JC with a good pro program, THAT would be the way to go! Not community service classes but a real pro program with college, transferrable unites.
I am almost through a professional curriculum at a JC and I can tell you, WHAT I have learned there, you cannot learn on the internet, the street or in any club( yes, I do those as well). A good program is designed to enter as a novice at one end and spit you out as a pro on the other end.
It's not about whether you want to work as a pro or not, it's about fine-tuning your photography skills so that you can shoot at that level and understanding what it takes to do that. And are you willing to sacrifice what it takes to do that.
That's my two cents. Good luck!! ;-)
SS

DonBump

http://www.thegreatcourses.com/
Has three good programs with National Geographic Teachers

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

Like SharpShooter above, I highly recommend a community college program if there is a good one available near you. SS and I live in the same general area, so we have both taken advantage of the same program; however, while SS has been completing the full program, I took only the part of the curriculum that was of prime interest to me. Either way, programs like this are great ways to effectively improve your photography skills.

My feeling is that JC programs are effective for a number of reasons. First, most people who make a commitment to enroll in a course(s) tend to stay with it and take it more seriously than they might do with a "self taught" program on CDs or Internet. Second, the course will be spread over a college term providing you with a pace where you can digest and master what you are learning. Most courses will have assignments that reinforce what you are being taught, but unlike most self directed programs you will get weekly feedback from your instructor as to how you are doing. Additionally, because you are learning in a group environment, you will get and share information, feedback, stimulating viewpoints, and motivation with your classmates (often both young and old).

If you have this option available to you, it will be worth considering.

bweber Loc: Newton, MA

I agree that taking courses in person can be very helpful. I have taken a number of evening 12 week seminars at the New England School of Photography in Boston. I am sure you will find similar courses in your local community colleges. For me the best part of the courses was watching others set up shoots and work with models. Everyone has something unique about their vision and it is great to observe them work. In addition, the course allows you to share your work with like minded photographers and learn from their suggestions and criticisms. I do not think you can obtain this kind of interaction by taking an online course sitting at your computer.
Good luck.

James Slick Loc: Pittsburgh,PA

While some may "poo poo" online or correspondence courses, The New York Institute of Photography has existed for more than 100 years, as it is a for profit school, they must be doing something right!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Here are some useful links:

http://www.rangefinderonline.com/index.shtml
http://www.photovisionvideo.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/DiscoverMirrorless/
http://www.jkost.com/
http://www.lynda.com/
http://www.scottkelby.com/

YouTube is FULL of videos on how to make equipment, reviews of cameras and lenses and lighting, instructional commentaries, and other photo/video related topics. You can spend weeks watching them, until your eyeballs bleed.

Also check out PPA, WPPI, and PMAI. Various certification courses are available through them, or sub-organizations they support.

Community college and college courses can be wonderful or terrible, depending upon the school's resources and the instructors' collective knowledge, training, viewpoints, and experience. They vary WILDLY across the country.

IMHO, in 2015, photography should be taught and learned as a branch of digital imaging. MOST people in the USA create and share images digitally now, on computers, smart phones, and digital devices.

Few of us print much of anything, any more. So learning to expose, process, and print film is generally a quaint art form (still a relevant, possibly fun, and impressive art form, to be sure!), but it is certainly much less *practical* than it was 30 years ago.

If you do want to print, I'd focus on working with commercial labs, or learn to do your own high end inkjet printing from digital files.

One last thing: Much of your choice of approach should be based on your own learning style. Do you learn best by reading? Watching? Doing? Do you need the "push" of a structured approach and an instructor with assignments to complete, or do you need the creative freedom to forge your own path at your own pace? Some learn best by combining all these approaches, with a "little bit of everything from everywhere." A little soul-searching will help a lot!

chazz4623 Loc: Prairieville, La

Excellent summary and suggestion (as usual) thanks for your contribution(s)

JoBear Loc: Pacific Northwest

Another good site is KelbyOne, with a wide variety of courses offered by a number of different pros. I also have checked out two "Certificate Programs" in my region, UW in Seattle has a few classes that go on for nine month and culminates with a small "show" and a certificate. Bellevue College in Bellevue also has a certificate program with a wide varieties of classes.
Good luck!
John

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

James,I don't see that anybody has poo-pooed the online resources. Many are convenient and free.
Just that several have vouched from personal experience with brick and morter schools as being a very strong experience.
I assume you yourself have attended the NYIP.
Maybe you can give the OP and those that are interested in it, your personal account and reasons for vouching for it!! ;-)
SS

larimarpugs Loc: california

I did the community college route and was hooked -- went on to get a MFA at the local state college....did not want to be a photographer but wanted to learn all I could about photography.....

jandon

I used Lynda.com over the 2014/2015 winter and I was very happy with the wide variety of photography related subjects and the presenters. It cost $25 a month-to-month and you can stop on the monthly anniversary. I just discontinued the service because the weather has allowed me to get outside an practice much more making the study time more difficult. I plan to do it again as more time permits. They also have a course list along with sample courses on their website.

larimarpugs Loc: california

Had opportunity to see Lynda.com in one of my community college classes -- very good web site....