The next step

I decided that the best way for me to achieve my goals is to, after college, go into business for myself. University is not something that appeals to me much, and it is not necessary to have a degree to have a successful career as a wedding photographer. I think that it would probably be beneficial if I assisted a current wedding photographer but assisting jobs are not always easy to come by, and I think that it is not necessarily vital for my career. Instead of assisting I think that over the next year I will try and get some work experience with wedding photographers. Even if it is just shadowing them for a day at a wedding to see what a wedding is like from a photographers point of view. Through my course at college I will learn the basics that I need but I know that I will need to do a lot of research and work outside college in order for my skills and business knowledge to be good enough to be successful.

Deciding on a career

Out of the four areas of photography that I looked at in more detail, the area that interests me most is Wedding photography. Weddings are something that I have always been interested in, so I think that it is something I could be good at. It also means that I do not have to focus on just one area of photography i.e. landscapes or architectural or portrait; wedding photography incorporates all areas of photography and I think that this would be more interesting than just focusing on one area, and it means that my skills in all areas would be constantly developed and improved.

Portfolio Advice

Staffordshire University included within their leaflets, a guide to portfolio interviews. I think that this is quite useful because even though I do not wish to go to University, I will be required to attend portfolio interviews for jobs.

The leaflet explains that the portfolio is a way of showing your aptitude and commitment to the chosen subject, and should show why you should be chosen with the highly competitive environment. The work included needs to be selective and you will need to be able to explain why you have chosen each piece of work. The images do not have to necessarily be ones that you like, but ones that are able to communicate something in an effective or interesting way.

As all university courses and jobs are different, there is not a set style of portfolio. You should make enquiries to the course leader or employer to see what you are going to be interviewed at, to make sure that what you include in your portfolio is relevant.

An ideal size for a portfolio is either A3 or A2, with between fifteen and twenty sleeves. The first sleeve should provide your name and a contents list of what work is included, when it was produced and why. For university interviews you will also be required to provide an example of written work e.g. an essay relating to photography/art. Portfolios should also be supported by sample sketchbooks (2 max.).

UCAS Fair Visit, Nov 2010

We visited a UCAS fair in Manchester to see and talk to universities from throughout the country. The fair housed a wide range of universities and focused on creative courses. There was lots of information available in a range of sources – prospectus’s, leaflets, examples of students work, tutors and current students. The tutors and students were very helpful and, where they could answered any questions we had. I think that it would be a valuable experience for someone who is starting to look at choices for university or possible further education, however, as I have already been through the UCAS process and to many UCAS fairs, I did not find the day very beneficial. Some of the universities did include advice about building portfolios within their information leaflets, which I think will be helpful when building my own portfolio. 

For or Against Uni

For:

·      Social life and lifestyle

·      More qualifications

·      Contacts

·      Experience 

·      People with degrees earn on average more than those who don't have degrees

·      Peer guides and advice and feedback from other students

Against:

·      Moving away

·      Fees

·      Not necessarily going to help get a job

Going to university can be a unique experience and as you gain higher qualifications can potentially give you better job prospects. I however do not want to go to university. When I applied to university during my A levels, one of the main reasons I wanted to go was so that I could move away. It was however never the definitive way that I wanted to enter a career in photography, I was always looking for another route which may appeal to me more.

The academic side of university appealed to me but the social side of it was never something I was interested in. After I didn't get on to any courses I looked more into other routes such as assisting jobs or an apprenticeship. These however required you to have experience and at least a diploma in Photography. So that I could go down that route at a later date, I came to college to complete a diploma. Working toward the diploma also meant that I could stay local, as moving away is no longer an option that appeals to me.  

Although on average people with degrees earn more than those who don't have one, there are so many people with degrees these days that often people are unable to gain a job in their chosen profession. I know lots of people who have come out of university with a degree but are now either unemployed or in a job unrelated to their degree and am finding that no related jobs are materializing. I would rather get a practical job within the industry and work my way up from an assistant or trainee photographer and gain experience on the job and then continue on to set up my own business.