Photography is a profession that people often say you don’t need to go to school to learn. And that’s absolutely true – there are countless examples of successful photographers out there that make money with a camera and picked up the skillset without setting foot in a formal classroom.
I tried that route for three years before attending RMSP and I feel confident saying I learned more in the first month of PI than I did in all of those three years prior. RMSP gave me a space to practice and fail for eight months consequence free; it gave me a network of peers to learn from and with whom I still collaborate with two years after graduating; it gave me a network of instructors and mentors I still bounce ideas and questions off of; it gave me access to equipment and studio space I had never worked with before; it gave me access to shooting environments and settings I had never encountered; it gave me the confidence to call myself a photographer. The list could go on but I think above all – and the thing I am most grateful for – is it gave me the skills I need to step out and make my dream a reality.
Those are things you don’t always get while learning on your own.