We live in an age when photography is more accessible than it has ever been.

Not so long ago, portraits were a rarity, an hours-long event that a person might experience just once or twice in his life.

Within the span of a century, technology has changed this so dramatically that powerful photography equipment can be carried in your pocket, and it's possible to take a photograph of anything from your reflection in the mirror to what you've had for dinner and share it instantaneously with the world.

It's a landscape that photographers a few generations ago could have never imagined, and it's a little dizzying to behold.

Aside from the accessibility of cameras themselves, a budding photographer also has access to myriad photo editing programs and apps. Mashing a few buttons or swiping between screens can now accomplish what once required hours of exacting work in a dark room. When taking, storing, editing and sharing photographs is so simple, is there any room left for professionals? Is there still value in taking photography courses, such as the ones on offer here? The short answer is yes; if anything, there are many new opportunities for creative professionals today than ever.

Technology Can't Replace Skill

Every professional knows that the best technology is worth nothing in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it. Photography is no different. Although a layperson might think taking a photo is as simple as pointing, auto-focusing, and snapping the picture, professionals know that more goes into every shot. Photography courses can teach things like composition and color theory, the skills that make up the backbone of visual arts, and a natural eye for the perfect visual can be cultivated into a valuable skill.

The demand for high-quality, interesting visuals is higher than ever. Images are the backbone of viral news sites, and designers creating book covers, websites, advertisements and more seek them after. More than that, truly great photography stands out in the crowd. With so any amateur snapshots crowding the Internet, people have a better appreciation for the magic a professional can work with a camera. Weddings, pets, children; People hire photographers to capture these images because they cannot do justice to the subject themselves, no matter how many apps they download.

When you look at it this way, it becomes clear that the modern photographer doesn't just record moments in time. He's an artist, and his most valuable and marketable skill is his unique artistic vision and ability to communicate through captured images. While snapshots might be cheap and numerous, excellent photography is every bit as valuable as it's ever been.

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