I Got a Degree in Studio Art. I'm Still Using It.

When I was looking at colleges, I remember distinctly knowing what I wanted to do as a career: Take Photos of Horses.

Surprisingly (or not), there aren't many programs in Equine Photojournalism. Go figure. I settled for a "choose your own adventure" approach at Truman State University where I selected a major in Studio Art (with a concentration in painting), and double minors in Photography and Equine Studies. Despite what my dad would tell you, I knew what I was doing. I knew what I wanted. College is supposed to prepare you for the future, so I took every opportunity to pursue my interests in regards to what I wanted to do for the rest of my life: Art, Horses.

My strategy: lead with art. I knew I would always need a strong foundation in composition, color theory, working with concepts and emotions, and traditional techniques, whether it's in photography, graphic design, painting, or videography. At the time, my school didn't offer a formal Graphic Design or full Photography degree, but I was still able to take a plethora of classes in everything I wanted to learn about: Visual Communication, Digital Art, Illustration, Darkroom and Film Photography, working with models in Figure Drawing and Studio Photography classes, Painting, Drawing, and several years of Art History which I still draw upon (no pun intended) when I'm in need of inspiration. The photography and studio art classes tied in together for my required credits, so I practically lived in the art building during my four years at Truman State. Truman State boasts so many knowledgeable professors willing to go the extra mile for those willing to do the same, and I'll never forget the help of professors like Bob Jones, who let me sit in on model sessions for other portrait classes so I could practice painting models in addition to the required drawing techniques. Aaron Fine gave me a job managing the university art gallery where I had opportunities to learn how to display work of every media imaginable, down to the placement in the space and the overhead lighting. Russell Nelson patiently graded every mediocre watercolor and ink piece I produced until I had learned how to portray what I wanted and find my own "voice" with my brushstrokes. I still have all my notes and textbooks from Dr. Delancey's art history classes. My favorite was the JINS class she and professor Fine taught on Leonardo DaVinci, my all-time favorite renaissance artist who also loved to dabble and look beyond the surface to the inner workings of the body, mechanics, and color theory.

When I wasn't holed up in the art building, I was at the University Farm or in the Agriculture wing of the science building, McClain Hall. My equine studies classes are still some of my favorites. I had opportunities to study everything from crop production, equine specific history, equine physiology, horsemanship, training techniques (which I actually got to use baby Gilligan in), equine reproduction, and equine business. My professors were wonderful, full of knowledge and passion for their areas of expertise. Dr. Kelly Walter and Emily Costello taught the majority of the equine related classes at Truman at the time, and I don't think I could even attempt to count the ways they offered their knowledge and assistance beyond the classroom. Dr. Walter is an expert at equine nutrition, physiology, and reproduction, and I still go back to my notes from her lectures about the components of feed to focus on, the energy production process, and everything you'll ever need to know about how to bring a foal into the world. Emily was (and still is) the coach of the IHSA Equestrian team at Truman and spent hours and hours coaching me, helping me turn Gilligan into a productive member of society, and offering advice. I'll forever be grateful for them both- we need more humans like these two leading the next generation of passionate, knowledgeable equestrians.

I'm happy to say that I got everything and more from my time at Truman State University, even though I didn't pursue a degree in business or biology like my parents would have probably preferred. Technology has changed rapidly since I last took formal classes in design and marketing, but I learned HOW to learn at Truman and to continue developing the skills I need long past graduation. Having a broad education taught me that knowing how to get the specific information you need and piece it together to achieve your goals would be far more valuable than how to use a specific program or technique.

My advice for aspiring equine photographers:

Don't just focus on photography. Having a deep knowledge of composition, horses and how they move and respond to the world, business, art techniques and concepts, color theory, editing, art history (including photography as well as the world beyond), and even the human body play much larger roles in my day-to-day work than just using my camera. This world is changing faster than our education system can keep up with. There's blogs and youtube videos about anything you could ever hope to learn about, and by the time you finish school technology will have continued to change. Learning how to adapt, research, draw upon other artists for inspiration, accept criticism, work with others, and confidently present yourself will take you much farther than any degree. I'm so fortunate that I had great professors and mentors in my corner to teach me that.