I teach one on one classes

[Damaso]

Last year I started offering personalized instruction in photography. What started as a lark has become an interesting part of my artistic practice. I was always interested in sharing my knowledge but was never happy with the idea of a classroom setting. Having gone to school for photography I know what it is like to be a frustrated student who only gets a few minutes of my teacher's time during each class.

I've been surprised at how quickly my students learn in a one on one setting. I've also been surprised at how rewarding it has been for me. As the old saying goes you don't really understand something until you have to teach it to someone else!

 

[swoop]

My first photo related job was as a Teaching Assistant my junior year of college. It was fun and I kind of surprised myself because two years before that I didn't know a damn thing. And then all of a sudden I'm teaching people. It was rewarding. That and freshman girls in a darkroom is just about the easiest place in the world to pick up dates.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Damaso,

Fascinating idea. Is it actually profitable, or just fun?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

My first photo related job was as a Teaching Assistant my junior year of college. It was fun and I kind of surprised myself because two years before that I didn't know a damn thing. And then all of a sudden I'm teaching people. It was rewarding. That and freshman girls in a darkroom is just about the easiest place in the world to pick up dates.

It's a bugger in high school though because you have to fight 'em off... As soon as they show any signs of friendship you have to speak to their moral tutor/class teacher, and then their parents, then warn them off, in that order. Not that I have any experience of that in the last 1/3 century.


Cheers,

R.

 

[Damaso]

Dear Damaso,

Fascinating idea. Is it actually profitable, or just fun?

Cheers,

R.

It is both fun and profitable. I limit the amount I teach so it won't get in the way of actually taking photos. In reality the students are doing all the hard work! 😀

 

[Roger Hicks]

It is both fun and profitable. I limit the amount I teach so it won't get in the way of actually taking photos. In reality the students are doing all the hard work! 😀
[/IMG]

Hmmmm.... sounds righteous. Much like journalism: better than working for a living! I've not been a wage slave, dragging my arse in to someone else's office in the morning, in 30+ years.

Congratulations on making it work, and on retaining a sense of proportion.

Cheers,

R.

 

[hans voralberg]

Haha Damaso actually have lots of good photos with uncut heads and good compositions, so I think it's perfectly natural for him to be earning money from it.

 

[Damaso]

Damaso, your images are underwhelming with the cut heads and general uncompositions... Unless i fail to see the artistic merits. Just my opinion.

Who are your students and do they pay you money?

To each his own, of course having shown exactly zero of your images do you really feel like you should be commenting on other people's work? 😛 My students range from novices to people who are fairly advanced but are stuck in a bit of a rut. Generally they are people who feel they need to learn more about how to express themselves photographically...

Of course my work isn't everyone's cup of tea. I strongly recommend people only study with teachers whose work they admire or from whom they feel like they can learn something. That said I certainly don't try to produce a bunch of clones of myself... one of me is MORE than enough! 😱

 

[robklurfield]

maybe I need a lesson. since when are we not supposed to be chopping off heads???😉

damaso, I like this shot. keep chopping 'em off.

Norvenka, did you forget to add an emoticon to demonstrate this was intended to be facetious? If not, I hope you'll lighten up. Criticism is welcomed by most folks on RFF WHEN it's constructive. When it's nasty, it ought to go to some other forum. Freedom of speech is a right that carries with it responsibility. Try to raise the level of discourse. Anyway, this thread was posted to talk about teaching, not about the quality of anyone's art. Or, as generations of mothers have taught, "if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." I have posted more than my share of poorly executed images here. I've been fortunate to have them met with either kind words or no words. Telling someone your opinion or offering advice need not descend into trash talk and cheesy invective. Moral of the story: try to play nice; it makes the board a more enjoyable forum.

Don't make back alley visit this thread with his famous, "Don't make me shut this down...."

To each his own, of course having shown exactly zero of your images do you really feel like you should be commenting on other people's work? 😛 My students range from novices to people who are fairly advanced but are stuck in a bit of a rut. Generally they are people who feel they need to learn more about how to express themselves photographically...

Of course my work isn't everyone's cup of tea. I strongly recommend people only study with teachers whose work they admire or from whom they feel like they can learn something. That said I certainly don't try to produce a bunch of clones of myself... one of me is MORE than enough! 😱

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Damaso, you're work on your website is incredible and many steps above the ones you posted in this thread. I can't blame the guy who said it sucked if all he had to go by were the first 2 pics. I do think the third was is a powerful image, the cut off head works for it.

I've taught several people one on one too and it is fun. I have had a very hard time finding students now that I am living in Indiana again but I made pretty good money doing in in New Mexico when I lived out there.

 

[Krosya]

Originally Posted by Norvenka
Damaso, your images are underwhelming with the cut heads and general uncompositions... Unless i fail to see the artistic merits. Just my opinion.

Who are your students and do they pay you money?


I sort of agree. Yet I have not looked at that many of your photos - so could be mistaken. I also wonder - do you have Photography background to be able to teach? Or just based on you hobby/experience?

 

[back alley]

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Damaso Reyes has worked for institutions and his work has appeared in publications including: The United Nations Development Programme, The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Far Eastern Economic Review, New York magazine, Vanity Fair Germany, Der Spiegel and Time Asia. Previous assignments and projects have taken him to countries including Rwanda, Iraq, Indonesia, Tanzania and throughout the United States. His images are also featured in the monograph Black: A Celebration of a Culture and the book Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers go to War.

He is the recipient of several awards and fellowships including a Fulbright and Arthur F. Burns Fellowship and two first place awards for international reporting from the New York Association of Black Journalists.

Damaso is also the principal photographer on The Europeans, a long term photographic documentary project examining the changes that Europe and its people are experiencing as the European Union expands and continues to integrate. Kodak is the official film sponsor of The Europeans.

You can see more of his work at www.damaso.com

 

[Krosya]

Thanks for the info, Joe - I'll have a look!

P.S. I was actually thinking to swing over to Dayton, OH to check out his exhibition too - so it may be a good idea.

 

[robklurfield]

this thread is headed in a ludicrous direction.

unless I'm mistaken, there is no universally-accepted definition of artistic merit. whether or not you like someone's artistic choices has no bearing on their ability to teach. damaso's credentials or qualifications for teaching may have nothing to do with the images he graciously chooses to share with us. I'm sure most of us on RFF could stand to learn many things from each other. I'm equally sure that there as many opinions about what is good or bad as there are members on the site. no doubt, whether or not you agree with or enjoy his aesthetic is completely apart from his ability to impart knowledge on his students. furthermore, what qualifies any of us to be a critic? do you have credentials for that apart from your opinions? to impune someone's ability to teach based on a disagreement with their style, technique or choices is illogical. a good teacher in fact will impart sufficient knowledge on his or her students so they can develop the skill to evolve their own styles, which often will diverge quite radically from the teacher's own aesthetic.

Damaso knows how to make images. If you don't like them, that's your perogative. To say that he doesn't know what he's doing is baseless and rude and really has nothing whatsoever to do with this thread. Your opinion is your right and in and of itself it is valid... as an opinion and nothing more.

Norvenka and Krosya, I've seen work from both of you on the site. Some of it I like, some of it not. That's nothing more than my own humble opinion. Before you offer up your opinions, please consider for a moment how you would like people to respond to your work. Then, offer your opinions up with a little more respect and dignity. Let's try to be nice, even when we disagree.

Telling someone that you see no artistic merit in their work and then adding the self-evident qualifier, "Just my opinion," is kind of like handing someone a pile of dog crap as a gift after first putting a cherry on top. It's still a pile of crap.

 

[robklurfield]

Joe, thanks, as always for stepping in here.

Even if Damaso lacked this impressive list of credentials, there's still no reason for anyone on this board to be slamming him. If you don't like his work, that's cool. But, please, please, please act dignified and respectfully when you post here.

Anyway, I liked Damaso's work immensely before learning about his achievements.

 

[Krosya]

this thread is headed in a ludicrous direction.


Norvenka and Krosya, I've seen work from both of you on the site. Some of it I like, some of it not. That's nothing more than my own humble opinion. Before you offer up your opinions, please consider for a moment how you would like people to respond to your work. Then, offer your opinions up with a little more respect and dignity. Let's try to be nice, even when we disagree.

Telling someone that you see no artistic merit in their work and then adding the self-evident qualifier, "Just my opinion," is kind of like handing someone a pile of dog crap as a gift after first putting a cherry on top. It's still a pile of crap.

Since you bring it up:
This is a forum. If someone choses to advertise what they do here - they at least should expect to hear ANY opinion on that subject.
I understand that , my photos may not be all that great, but I also DO NOT advertise here that I teach photography. I have another profession that I'd like to think I'm good at, but photography is just a hobby. However, if I chose to go out and make some money from it, I'd expect to be questioned about it. Nothing wrong with that. If you are too sensative about this - well, tough, thats how real world is - either roll with the punches or dont play at all.....
Plus what I said in my comment is nowhere as bad as you made out out to be. I was NOT "not nice". Just objective.

 

[Krosya]

Joe, thanks, as always for stepping in here.

Even if Damaso lacked this impressive list of credentials, there's still no reason for anyone on this board to be slamming him. If you don't like his work, that's cool. But, please, please, please act dignified and respectfully when you post here.

Anyway, I liked Damaso's work immensely before learning about his achievements.

I think Damaso can defend himself (if it was even needed, which I dont think). Who gave you the right to tell me what I should and shouldn't say, exactly?

 

[robklurfield]

Krosya, I'll defend your right to say what you think with the same vigor I defended Damaso. I'm merely suggesting that we try to not get nasty. I don't mean to offend or censor anyone. However, I think a little self-censorship is sometimes a good thing. That goes for you and me both. So, let's not start an argument here. I have intention of offending or impeding you. One of the diffences between RFF and some of other boards is that thing don't descend into trash talk quite so fast or so deep here.

 

[robklurfield]

Krosya, you weren't being "objective;" you were being subjective. We're humans; that's what we do when we criticize. It's always subjective. To say I'm fat is subjective. To say I weigh xxxlbs is objective. By the way, just so you don't think I take myself too seriously: I am fat. That's an opinion. Of course, I am an expert on the subject. So let's be friends. No harm intended here. Plenty of my shots suck.

 

[amateriat]

Haha Damaso actually have lots of good photos with uncut heads and good compositions, so I think it's perfectly natural for him to be earning money from it.

And I could only think of John Mellencamp's album title, "Cuttin' Heads." 🙂


- Barrett