My Photography Instructor HATES Me!

Todd.Hanz said:
well...what did you say that made her mad?
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That's a good question. 🙂

For a particular portfolio, a student decided to focus on the recurring theme of chaos which was to be played by a bevy of dolls.

This student had mentioned having color prints (Lomo Colorsplash pictures) with him that day. Upon hearing that he did, my prof. asked him to show it to the class. She decided that it was a good idea to alternate both the color and black and white prints to help with his recurring theme of chaos and wanted our opinions.

I simply said that though her idea was good, mixing and alternating both color and b&w prints (it is strictly opinion here), created a false feeling of transition - like, moving from one subject/ theme to another. I also said that varying brightness (saturation) as depicted in those pictures would have a negative effect on the overall mood of the portfolio. I could be wrong though, I'm currently just an economics major. 😱

For what it's worth, my professor seems to be frustrated when we (I am now speaking for all her photography classes & myself) don't structure our portfolios in accordance to her recommendations. She also seems to be annoyed when we ask her to clarify her answers. What should she be bothered about? We aren't purposely giving her a difficult time. All we wanted to understand are the thought processes behind particular actions. If it's perfectly fine in academic classes, why not photography?:angel:

P.S. - Thank you ALL for your thoughts; Bill has a point as do many others here! 🙂
 
you know what they say?

"Those who can, do.....Those who can't, teach.....those who can teach, teach Phis-Ed."

Personally I couldn't give a flying !^@$ and rolling donut for academia. It's only a stepping stone for me. There are some professors who are complete assholes and there are some that are truly brilliant, but mostly just egocentric people who are out of touch with reality. You don't have to put up with they're BS if you don't want to but it's better to pretend that you agree with 100% of what they try to shove down your throats and that gets you the degree which you need to get a job which = income/happiness/utility or whatever it is you want.

Don't get me wrong and no offense to people here who are university professors. You do what you like and the happiness will follow. Just my rant for the time being......
 
Talk to your teacher straight, and then you should probably be able to get a straight read on if she still has it out for you or if she will change her mind. I'd tell her that you didn't want to put down any ideas, but rather you just wanted to participate in the discussion in order to put as many thoughts as possible out there. I assume that's close enough to the truth, and should be agreeable to her ears. Throwing all the ideas into the air is what critiques are all about anyway (IMO).
 
bmattock said:
Sometimes I forget and say what I think at work. It has always had repercussions I'm unhappy with.
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Thanks for this, Bill - it's certainly something to think about. I'm particularly wondering what it means that I'm perversely satisfied by the repercussions I create...

To the original poster, I offer the following anecdote:

I was "asked" to leave a course during my third year in college, while doing a degree in mechanical engineering. The professor called me into his office after class and said, "Joseph, drop my class or I'm going to fail you."

Okay; in the interest of full disclosure, I was failing at the time - but there was more than enough material left in the course to give me a chance to pass. Besides, that wasn't the point.

The point was that he just didn't want me to share his class with him any longer. And on that point, believe it or not, I think he was brilliant. Now that I have 13 years perspective (sheesh), I realize that he was, perhaps, wiser than the photo professor that you're currently in conflict with - he had already known that he couldn't reach me.

And he was right - I'm not a mechanical engineer today. Okay, okay - I'm still an engineer, but partially because of the course I took to replace his, I'm actually working in the aerospace industry.

...with NASA, as it turns out - which, by the way, would probably rather not be known as "the toilet seat people". But that was funny.

Good luck with your prof. But think about where you'll be in 13 years, and let it change your perspective.


Cheers,
--joe.

ps. but don't get me wrong. my professor was a total a$$hat, and i thank him for nothing.
 
If you are in economics take the w get your tuition back and wtf. I don't see how an elective of photography means anything to someone graduating from economics. Matter of fact I'll guarantee that only one in a hundred people interviewing you and reading your resume will care.

You don't really need us on this one. Ask about who makes the best 50 mm lens that's the ticket here. Go focus on your demand curves.
 
College is supposed to learn you how to investigate a topic thanargument and defend your thoughts in a manner that will be understood by your counterpart.
If your honest opinion had a taint of irony, arrogance and was based just on a "IMHO" with no argumentation (basically based on what your sister says), well then better shut up. If you want to give this kind of opinions, go to the museum with mum and dad.
Yet if your opinion was humble, constructive and well argumentate, the teacher should be fired, she does not get it and is not in there for the good reasons.
 
This is horrifying. Not the original exchange: that's not unusual, though a competent teacher will try to build bridges. In my experience on both sides of the counter, disterssingly few teachers are competent. (EDIT: distressingly many can't type either).

What's horrible is the idea that you have to snivel and cringe your whole life; that the teacher is always right; that you won't get a job unless you always do exactly what you are told. This is a self-perpetuating system of obedient cowards.

I heartily second the advice to go to the dean. His/her reaction may give you some idea of which of you (you and the teacher) overstepped the mark, and by how far. After that, you can make the decision about principle over expediency.

FWIW, I've always favoured principle over expediency. One of the measures of the quality of any job for me is whether I can say "F*** You," either literally or more politely, to someone who deserves it.

As a result, at 58 next birthday, I'm not a rich man, but I own my own house outright (and have done for 5 years); don't owe anyone a penny; live in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe; and don't have to knock myself out working all the hours God sends, or waste time licking the backsides of people I don't like and for whom I have no respect.

Cheers,

Roger.
 
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yanidel said:
College is supposed to learn you how to investigate a topic thanargument and defend your thoughts in a manner that will be understood by your counterpart.
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I note that you are in France -- as am I, though I studied in England.

My wife, who is American and has degrees from two American universities, firmly believes that the idea of encouraging dialogue, argument, etc., is foreign to most of the American educational system, even though it should be the bedrock of all education after you have learned your alphabet.

From my own very limited experience of the USA (5 years living there, almost 30 years visiting) and from acquaintance with American teachers, students and college administrators (my wife's last job was in a US college), she seems ro be right.

The question is, therefore, is it better to perpetuate the system, or to try to change it? I do not find it hard to answer this question.

Cheers,

R.
 
i'd rather lick a$$ if it means the possibility of not owing anyone money after I'm 28. I'm a firm believer in going with the flow even though you may not totally agree, but as long as you know you're right even though they're wrong and the rewards are far greater than your own pride, then just swallow it.
 
Roger Hicks said:
I note that you are in France -- as am I, though I studied in England.

My wife, who is American and has degrees from two American universities, firmly believes that the idea of encouraging dialogue, argument, etc., is foreign to most of the American educational system, even though it should be the bedrock of all education after you have learned your alphabet.

From my own very limited experience of the USA (5 years living there, almost 30 years visiting) and from acquaintance with American teachers, students and college administrators (my wife's last job was in a US college), she seems ro be right.

The question is, therefore, is it better to perpetuate the system, or to try to change it? I do not find it hard to answer this question.

Cheers,

R.
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Roger, You make a good point that I did no bring up. I did study a year in a US university (in Texas) and I found the educational system to be completely different. Basically the US system is as follows : "Here is your Photography 101 book". Read a chapter every week and take a multiple choice test at the end of each lesson. Your final grade will depend more on your capacity to memorize what you have read than do synthezise. Of course, might be different in the Ivy league schools, but they are a small minority. In Europe (I studied in Switzerland) meanwhile you are basically suggested the books at the beginning of the year (its up to you to read it or not) and have to present a research on the topic at the end of the year. The teacher will help you throughout the year by teaching you how to think and tackle the problem and make a few test (multiple choices strictly prohibited). You can voice any opinion, as long as it is argumented, demonstrated and your attitude remains humble.

So maybe our initial poster needs to take a year off to Europe. 😀
Finally, by no means I want to depreciate the US educational system as I find it way superior to the European ones one many other sides : facilities, social activity, sports, ... I had a great time. In summary, I would say that the US system teaches you to live while the European to think.🙄
 
bmattock said:
I would be honored. Detroit when I am working, and Wilson, North Carolina when I am at home with my wife, twice a year or so.
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That sucks.

Come to Australia. I'm not kidding. I'm sure we could do with some more Software Engineers. We are very short of skilled labour in many fields.

Now we've got rid of Howard (and not a moment too soon), I'm sure you can do better than that. And if you fall on hard times, the Government sends you a cheque. Not much but it helps. And health care is still free for all. Once again not perfect, but universal for all.

No one should have to live apart from their family just to make ends meet.
 
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bmattock said:
I spent several months in Perth - well not exactly Perth, but at HMAS Stirling near Rockingham/Fremantle back in the 1980's. Loved it. I would love visit again at some point.

Not sure I could emigrate, though. I am going to guess my 81 year old mother in law would object to being that far from the rest of her family, and of course, they'd never let me in with my substantial arsenal of unregistered boom-sticks.
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They'd welcome you with open arms in the Top End. Lots to hunt as well. Darwin's a great place if you can handle the wet season.

Seriously, guns aren't as acceptable here as they were when I was younger. Port Arthur put an end to those days. But recreational and sporting shooters still have plenty of opportunity to be involved in their sport. The best thing is that nobody in Australia buys a gun for self defence and never have.

BTW, if you don't like the old girl, perhaps a bout of deep vein thrombosis on the flight over?

And the beers ok.
 
With a certain amount of trepidation, I chime in here.... This is a GREAT thread, please keep it going.... I don't want to be self- flattering, but in bits and pieces, I seem to be reading the story of my life here... "squeaky wheel," autodidacticism (had to look that one up..🙂), college ( and not letting school interfere with one's education as per Mark Twain), even bmattock's propensity for "boomsticks..." And "caving in" in order to take care of the family (family is the most important and lasting legacy any of us will likely leave... so I would submit that if you're doing that, you aren't "caving in.") Might I add a mildly self- destructive streak and possible "fear of success"... probably due to relentlessly independent thinking in many cases..... and possible other psychological influence, though hopefully not terribly bizarre......

I'm no artist. Repeat, I'm no artist. I have absolutely no art training whatsoever. I think I failed "Crayola I" in first grade. But I know what I "like" and am learning how to achieve it. I also try to see what others see and understand how others think... to an extent. And somehow I manage to get a "keeper" photo once in a while. So I'm happy. That's what photography does for me, and it's enough.

As to the original topic, my wife (who happens to be an artist and a musician) were having a discussion about photography and art in general in of all places a Wal- Mart parking lot the other day.. My position was that there are a lot of styles which more or less pass for art.. paintings with distorted and mis-located features, photos that are out of focus, poorly exposed and precariously composed in many cases (but only according to what I see in them, I hasten to add), music that aggravates my mild tinnitus, and subjects that bring offense to some or many. Add to that a piece I recently read about the fixation with "bokeh" being something of a cultural phenomenon relating to the individual's perceived relationship to the "group." My position was that I want my subject to be tack sharp and could care less if green trolley cars appear to be running through the "bokeh." The "western" view.

As to whether one is an "artist" or not, or something is or is not "art," I told her that if enough people exhibit the same neural connections and agree that an image or style is "great" (and perhaps go "oooooh," or "ahhhh" when they see it) then it's art. If nobody does so, then it's "junk." If it's yours and you don't care but it makes you happy anyway, then see above.......

(I'm going to get flamed for this, aren't I?)
 
infrequent said:
@johnmcd - i am an australian republican...small 'r' though. i hope that doesn't disappoint you too much!
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I'm a republican in the fact that I want a 'Republic' but as Labor as they come. My parents were staunch Liberals but I soon changed when I entered the workforce.

You're still young, perhaps with enough time, you'll see the truth 🙂
 
Pablito said:
Astounding that this homophobic, stereotype-reinforcing comment has gone unanswered. Perhaps the majority-male readership of this forum thinks its perfectly ok.

As for the generalizations about higher education both in the USA and Europe, they are just that: generalizations. Not even accurate ones, if a generalization can be accurate at all.
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I saw it and ignored it. It was written for effect so I don't empower it by replying.
 
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