Teaching Photography

by Glenn Rand, Richard D. Zakia

Finally, a book for you teachers! Because making great photographs does not always translate into an ability to teach effectively. Teaching Photography will show you how to help your students expand their knowledge and abilities in the techniques, the aesthetics, and the way photography fits into a greater world of knowledge, by providing ideas for inspiring conversations and critiques, as well as insightful pointers regarding the learner's perspective in this new world. Teaching Photography approaches photographic education from a point of view that stresses the how and why of the education and not the technique to be taught.

Genres: Photography, Teaching

378 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've taught photography at the college level, and have taught photography field workshops. I've had the good fortune to learn from some excellent teachers over the years, and also worked at a school that provided coaching to improve my teaching technique.

I wish I could recommend a resource to those starting out as photography instructors. Unfortunately, I really did not relate to the writing style of this book at all. I found this book to be unnecessarily obtuse and rambling. Maybe this style would work in a lecture format, but not in a book that purports to contain "tools for the imaging educator." If you're looking for practical techniques to use in the classroom, you'll need to look elsewhere.

I suppose, in a way, that a text of this nature will help prepare you for the trappings of academia. I'm certainly not against philosophical ramblings - some of the best writing on photography falls into this category. But I found neither inspiration nor practical techniques here. And the generous sprinkling of new age style quotes also did not help my enthusiasm.