Throughout my time in undergrad I endured several different levels of critiques. These were physical in person critiques with prints on the wall. Every class I took had around 13 students and our critiques often took up nearly the whole 3 hour a day allotted class time.

In addition to those critiques as part of the BFA program, I had to have BFA critiques/ evaluations each semester. These were 30 minute critiques with faculty members from different areas, other BFA students and MFA students. The student would talk about there work, then the critics would ask questions and make comments about the work. The student would also attempt to defend and explain their work during this time.

My first BFA critique was awful. The faculty were the two of the toughest people in the department, a painting professor and an art historian. They tore my work apart for at least 20 minutes, telling me that my work did not reflect my intentions and needed to printed better. They were correct. The next semester my work was far better and the critique went far better.

I also was one of the few BFA students that sat in on the end of semester MFA critiques. These were similar to our BFA critiques but far more intense and BFA/ MFA students were prohibited from comments. The faculty would critique the students work and they would answer questions and defend their work and concept.

These highly intense and critical discussions are the crux of art school. They are certainly not for those that are thin skinned. One cannot receive such feedback through videos and it is difficult to get it through forums such as this.

Here is the description of the BFA program that I went through: https://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/art/degrees/bachelor-of-fine-arts-art-studio.php
https://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/art/areas-of-study/photography.php

Here is the description of the MFA program I will be starting this fall: https://soaad.indiana.edu/academics/graduate/mfa.html
https://soaad.indiana.edu/academics/areas/photography/index.html

Precisely. I got my BFA degree three years ago. It gave me a more in depth view and knowledge of photography far beyond exposure and composition. I applied to several schools this year for their MFA programs. Several of the schools accepted me and I visited them and sat in on their seminar class which consists of discussion and critique. The discussion during the critique had very little to do with composition and nothing to do with camera technique. It was all about the why behind the photographic series being critiqued, whether or not the message was communicated well through the photographs and thoughts on how the work could better.

I was very fortunate to get an in depth meeting with a potential professor. He was giving a lecture at the University of Arkansas where I went to undergrad. I had already had my official phone interview with another instructor but he is the program chair and he wanted to meet me in person since we was in my town that week. During the meeting he casually asked me if he could see some of my work first hand. I went out to my car and found that I did not have a portfolio but rather just one of my print storage boxes. I had a second set of prints from my most recent series so I showed them to him. It wast different than the work I had submitted in my application portfolio. They are night scenes around Northwest Arkansas in b&w. I had received positive feedback from many people including my undergrad mentor and a professor at another school I was interested in.

However, the professor I was meeting with and showing the prints to didn't care as much for them. He told me they were beautiful prints, very well crafted but that he didn't understand why I made them. He wanted to know what I was trying the say with these images. The concept behind the images was far more important to him than the composition or how well the images were made.

The market for film has been increasing over the past few years. The problem with new cameras like the EOS-1V and the F6 is that they are expensive and the market is flooded with good used film cameras going for far less money.

The AI schools, to be honest, don’t have the best reputations in the academic art community.

I’ve only known one person who went theough one of their programs. He is a sucessful fashion photographer. It really depends on what one wants out it and how much they are willing to put into.

Again, camera skills are not the largest part of these programs.

It isn’t just about skills and techniques. These programs teach critical theory and conceptual thinking. This is gained through critiques and group discussions. While much of these concepts are in books it is very different compared to the discussions and hands on learing that occurs in art schools.

AI schools tend to be a bit more commercially focused than many other programs. As they are private rather than state institutions they tend to be rather expensive. Here is a bit more info and review about the institution: https://www.niche.com/colleges/the-art-institute-of-raleigh-durham/#academics

How many years and credit hours does the program require?

Depends on what you want to get out of it. BFA programs at art schools while teaching technique, are more about conceptual thinking and learning to communicate complex ideas through visual media. Keep in mind that these programs likely require studies in other fields such as drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking and sculpture. They also require courses in art history. For me, my BFA degree was highly valuable. I learning a lot but mostly it other things besides techniques. I am uncertain what the other certificate would consist of but it is possible that it most of trade school type of education. Which school are you looking at?

For the most part I use my darkroom (not software).

For rest of my work, digital and scanned film/ prints, I use Photoshop CC

Here is a good link: https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2018/sally-mann-a-thousand-crossings.html

Also, here is her Instagram Page for the exhibition: https://www.instagram.com/a_thousand_crossings/

I am 27, very close to being 28. I got into photography in 2003 when I was 13. My father bought an AE-1 earlier that year and gave it to me for Christmas. His father was an amatuer photographer and had a darkroom in their apartment. My father and his siblings all picked up photography as a hobby.

On a trip to Maine in 2007 I go more serious about photography. When I entered college in 2008 I planned on majoring in Anthropology. During my second semester I switched to Art.

I'm guessing he used Amidol, like his father did. It will do that to your fingernails. I spent several days studying with Alan Ross in the darkroom. He uses his bare hands to develop pints. I used to do that, but I now use gloves after having developed a skin reaction to Metol.

Given that I spend 20+ hours in the darkroom a week between work and home, it has become my cologne. Some of my photographer friends notice and often comment about it. I've ceased to notice the smell.

I wish but it is unlikely given the different base needed for coating. Though they are talking 120 if demand is good. 120 film has a different base thickness than 35mm. Ilford does an odd size run every year and I've never seen them offer Delta 3200 in 4x5 at that time. Not sure if anyone has ever requested it.

The interesting thing about this conversation and surprise from people is that Ilford has Delta 3200 in 35mm and 120. It has never been discontinued