For some of us, photography and graphic design skills come naturally, but for others of us, we need some sort of formal training before we can fully realize our fullest potential as artists. There are hundreds of options for us, ranging from formal school classes at colleges and universities, to self-directed, home study classes. It would be a little ambitious to try to review all of them (especially since I have not studied at many of them), but this post will look at two of the more popular and prestigious photography and graphic design schools in the United States: the Brooks Institute Photography School and, briefly, the Collins Graphic Design School.

         

If you aspire to a career in photography, filmmaking or graphic design, and want to study on the west coast, Brooks Institute may be a good option for you, with beautiful locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. You can even go on a tour of either campus, which are conducted throughout the year on most Fridays and Mondays at noon. If you want more information, or to set up an appointment for a tour, fill out their contact form here. You can even watch a video about the campuses and programs here.

Now, their programs include Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design, but obviously most readers of this blog will most be interested in the Professional Photography programs, so I’ll focus on those. Brooks offers a variety of professional photography degree program areas including a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Photography and a Masters of Fine Arts in Photography. The Professional Photography program area offers six concentrations: Commercial Photography, Advertising Photography, Industrial/scientific Photography, Portraiture, Digital Imaging Photography and Digital Media Photography. They also offer a bunch of “specialty” courses including: Undersea Photography, Travel Photography, Nature Photography, Food Photography, Automotive Photography, Celebrity Photography, Zone Photography and Architecture Photography. And if all that doesn’t have you convinced, why not check out some of their student photography galleries. For more information, check out their website at www.brooks.edu.

As for the Collins Graphic Design School, both their campuses are located in Arizona (Tempe and Phoenix), and their programs focus more on graphic design and less on photography (though the lines between the two draw ever so close to each other these days). Collins College is divided up into three “paths”: The School of Film, Video & Visual FX, The School of Interactive Media & Technology, and The School of Visual Arts & Design. From within the School of Visual Arts & Design, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design which can be completed in as little as 30 months. Check out their “top 10 list” for attending Collins College. For more information on their programs, check them out on the web at www.collinscollege.edu.


Has anyone attended or visited either of these schools? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback in the comments!