How do i combine business, art, design and photography?

Question

I know I want to study somewhere in the business field, but I just don’t exactly know what kind of business. I can’t really explain it, but I want to do more than just sit in an office counting numbers. I have a big interest in art and photography, I plan to keep doing this in my years in college, but I just don’t know how to put business, art, design and photography together. Anyone want to enlighten me?

Answer 1

I come from a similar place and have freelanced and ran a graphic design firm for years.



Your education should focus on Marketing, Entrepreneurship and business, in that order.



Minor in Photography/Art if you like (I did) but keep in mind that paying someone else to show you how to be creative is not necessary, what it does teach you is how to be open and create to OTHER peoples visions, not just your own. Which is important if you think you can be a commercial artist , you dont get to do your vision all the time



all these answers are great though



I would focus on web design before graphic design, but thats up to you

Answer 2

Yes! Be a freelance graphic designer. You'll be the boss, accountant, art director, photographer, production artist, and much much more!



Having photography skills helps you as a graphic designer when you can take your own shots instead of having to pay for stock photography, or pay a photographer to shoot for you. Art and design of course play a big role because those are part of the foundations of graphic design. The other half is business: you need to know what people want, how to manage clients, how to solve problems, etc.



I wouldn't recommend running right out into the world as a freelancer though... I'd recommend working with a small agency at first, maybe as an intern, to learn the ins and outs of the business before striking out on your own. It'll help immensely, and it'll much better prepare you for the day-to-day of the business.



Just my two cents!

Answer 3

I would double major and take business as my first major and photography and art as my second or minor. In photography you have to be a good business person first and then a great artist. Most artist don't make it because they don't know or care to take care of business. Photography,design and computers go hand in hand now when you go for an arts degree. It is often the business part which goes missing. Most all art school will teach one basic business course which is not enough to cover the complex world of business. Be worried when a school claims they have a good business course offering for the artist degree.



Freelancing sounds good but is a hart business. If you start a business in any field which has to do with the arts you need to be a very,very good business person first. Your clients will try and use the fact that you are an artist business to take advantage of you. If you do not know how to run your business and know your rights and contract language you will loose lots of money due to the lack of that knowledge. Freelancers do not have a union to fall back on. Large corporation know they don't have the funds to pay attorney and go after them. Many freelance businesses have gotten burned when it could have been avoided with proper contracts and paper trails.

Answer 4

Open your own graphic design business. You should have experience operating a business or have a degree (or someone to help). Get a degree in Graphic Design (the degree I am looking into offers Photography and other classes that are mandatory for the BFA) and you can actually take some of the photographs needed by potential clients. There is always a need for those who use direct mail advertising, billboards, even yellowbook spaces! Honestly, a background in marketing would really round you out!

Answer 5

Interesting thought...

In college if I wanted to have this goal...

Very liberal arts kind of classes.. a rich mix with business as a core.

Art history, photo, graphic arts and deeper history of art/painting.

Thus being able to get into a number of art linked business.. publishing, sales of graphics, art, photography as art . Editor of and or graphic design of print or broad cast media.

Be open to much more.

Answer 6

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