OCA The Art of Photography Course Discussion - Part 2

Thank you both very much or your comments. I'm going to read up as much as I can on the course and peoples blogs from it and go from there.

The time hopefully shouldn't be an issue, I work 12 hour shifts 15 days a month where I have little to do (yay internet) and plenty of time off as a result.

I shall follow the thread with interest in the mean time!
 
Wind back through this thread. I think I've posted twice a link to everyones blog...
 
I've been reading http://lucyslearninglog.wordpress.com/ for the last 90 minutes or so! Very enlightening.

My friends and family are all telling me to do the course as they think I'll do well which is nice.
 
Here you go Darren. These are the Students on this forum studying with the OCA



Byker28i: http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/
HeWhoKnows: http://mattgilesphotography.blogspot.com/
DubCat: http://ocalog.blogspot.com/
BenJ: http://benclist.co.uk/oca/
Muz: http://futurephotoltd.blogspot.com/
LucyB: http://lucyslearninglog.wordpress.com
AlfyB: http://bushtography.wordpress.com
Essexash: http://www.ashleycottle.co.uk/MyBlog
NurseLou: http://louisephotoart.blogspot.co.uk/
FrattonFreak: http://warrenjonesphotography.blogspot.co.uk/
Reidy36: http://markslearninglog.wordpress.com/
Faddius: http://acephotographic.wordpress.com/
VaguelyFamiliar: http://www.imlee.co.uk/learning-log
GillG: http://gillslearninglog.wordpress.com/
GerCam: http://gerricampbellphotography.wordpress.com/
CarolS: http://carolstreetphotography.wordpress.com
Alet: http://alettaop.wordpress.com
ScubaSuzy: http://theartofphotographybysuzy.wordpress.com/
Polum2 : http://annettejohnsonphotography.wordpress.com/
Robsea: http://robsea.wordpress.com/

the OCA blog how-to yet? It's at http://ocalearninglogsample.wordpress.com/ and contains detailed instructions.


Apologies if I've missed anyone, feel free to add to the list
 
Use mine as a base, some of my stuff I struggled with, but it is a learning curve.
Your tutor will see things differently, and I took all feedback constructively and tried to amend those "issues" so to speak in the next exercises/assignment. At times it is annoying when things don't go how you want, but there are plenty on here who will help you.
 
Quick question on TAOP part five (narrative and illustration) guys and girls please.

For the assignment I need to illustrate a story for a magazine, with a cover and several inside pages inside (between 6 and 12 images). I would really welcome some tips on how to do the actual layout of images ie what software people used, as I've never done any layout work before. I'm not thinking of producing a book at this stage, just using different-sized photographs with captions and possibly some text.

I currently use Lightroom and have Photoshop CC although don't really know my way around the latter yet, so any pointers would be really welcome.

Thanks in advance and regards

Carol
 
Byker28i said:
Well, my big box turned up with the new course. I need to sit down, read through it, have a quick plan and then email my new tutor. I've read his bio on the OCA website and he's an award winning documentary photographer - no pressure there then...
Click to expand...
That's great Byker; glad you've got going on the Level 2 road. Really hope you enjoy the journey and good luck with documentary; think you'll be good at that from the pictures I've seen you take.
 
I used Photoshop to do mine, Carol. I created a blank page the size and colour I wanted it. Then, from Lightroom, export the images you want and once in PS, drag the image to your page and resize.

If you then select the image layer and click the FX button, you can start to add borders etc.

I was/am still learning the basics of PS so sure there is probably a better way but I was really pleased with my end result.
 
Hi Darren,

Agree 100% with what Byker and Reidy have said. To add my tuppence-worth; I've just started the final part of TAOP and find that I spend around 12 - 15 hours a week on it - it's not just the photos, but the other necessary stuff - writing up exercises, reading, visiting galleries and exhibitions, watching tv programmes etc. Would love to spend more time on it but work full time at the moment so impossible. Be aware that it can grow to fit any spare time you have ... I must admit that I believe that you will get out what you put in to this course so it depends really on what you want from it.

I'm not creative by any means and am a banker by trade so no creativity there either (others may disagree, given the bad press ...lol) so although I find the arty side difficult at times, I've also found it to now be an essential part of my life balance, if that makes sense. It also does get easier - a year down the line I'm finding it much easier to understand photos and books that twelve months ago I would have dismissed as 'pretentious cr*p'. So well worth doing in my opinion.

My blog is http://carolstreetphotography.wordpress.com if you are interested. My tutor is great and encourages me to follow my interests. The exercises and the assignments can be what you make them - in my assignment three (colour) I basically tore the brief up and left out the bits I didn't want to do - I got good feedback from my tutor and also the lead tutor. Saying that, it hasn't been submitted for formal assessment yet ...

There's loads of helpful info on here and also the previous part to this thread (not quite sure where that lives now - Byker?) Also a good Flickr discussion thread here https://www.flickr.com/groups/ocarts/discuss/72157623176501273/

Hope this helps and good luck in whatever you decide.
 
AlfyB said:
I used Photoshop to do mine, Carol. I created a blank page the size and colour I wanted it. Then, from Lightroom, export the images you want and once in PS, drag the image to your page and resize.

If you then select the image layer and click the FX button, you can start to add borders etc.

I was/am still learning the basics of PS so sure there is probably a better way but I was really pleased with my end result.
Click to expand...

Thanks Alfy, that's a real help; appreciated.
 
Mine was an article based on a car. I actually wrote the article and inserted the pictures, although I've seen others use gibberish for the wording.
I researched lots of car magazines and based mine on a magazine, in which the article was actually printed.

I submitted mine as a pdf, then blogged about the images, the making etc.

This was the PDF: http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Assignment 5 new.pdf

My tutor said I shouldn't have included the last page about photography. Just looked and I made it in publisher.

My background
http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/?cat=17
 
I think I got 54% for TAOP. I think I did well in all areas except for one where I got 3 out of 20 which was attending exhibitions / reflecting on other photographers work. I also got a 7 word feedback in this which I complained to OCA about and was politely told to shut-up.

Anyway you are doing a degree and TAOP is at the start so you are very much still developing. Taking photographs / images is one aspect of it. On the plus side if you are marked but fair then understanding your weaknesses you will if you work hard strengthen them and get better.

Additionally this is a degree, not GCSE or A Level. This is going to be hard so expect nothing else but also expect to learn how to develop. I'm now about 1/4 through DPP. I am enjoying it, but would I if I found it easy...probably not
 
FrattonFreak said:
I think I got 54% for TAOP. I think I did well in all areas except for one where I got 3 out of 20 which was attending exhibitions / reflecting on other photographers work. I also got a 7 word feedback in this which I complained to OCA about and was politely told to shut-up.
Click to expand...

Was it a general lack of going to exhibitions and reflecting or just the quality of your reflection and writeups?
 
I think I got 64% or 68% for TAOP, my low score was 8/20 for context so I questioned whether it was my digital scrapbooking rather than physical, but they wouldnt give additional feedback. I did point out it was difficult to improve if they didnt give you pointers
 
Byker28i said:
Mine was an article based on a car. I actually wrote the article and inserted the pictures, although I've seen others use gibberish for the wording.
I researched lots of car magazines and based mine on a magazine, in which the article was actually printed.

I submitted mine as a pdf, then blogged about the images, the making etc.

This was the PDF: http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Assignment 5 new.pdf

My tutor said I shouldn't have included the last page about photography. Just looked and I made it in publisher.

My background
http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/?cat=17
Click to expand...

Well Byker, you certainly raised the bar with this, no wonder you got a really good mark for TAOP. Stunning :) Thanks for the info; really helpful. I like the idea of writing a proper text rather than gibberish - making more effort really pays dividends I've decided. I'm thinking of basing my photo essay around the redevelopment of the docks at Ipswich so lots to write about there ...
 
I think I got something like 3/20 for context on TAOP so luckily I did OK elsewehere to carry me through.

For degree study you are expected to do a lot more academic study and research but the key bit, which I didn't and still don't do vey well is to blog about it about and detail how it may or may not impact your own work and development.

Its very good to look at other photographers work in terms of style, approach and subject which can be very surprising and elnightening. I think it may actually gve confidence to experiemnt in work that is not what people could call mainstream work e.g. portraits, landscapes, citscape etc. Its the development and exploration, and of of course making mistakes and learning from them is what is encouraged...risk taking some tutors may refer to it as. I might call it pushing your own boundaries and exploring

I'm approaching Assignment 3 on DPP. I don't think there is anyone who hasn't struggled, got stuck or slowed down at some point and quite often its been at a different point to someone else.

Do have a look through people's work for ideas etc. Its no different to working in a classroom and speaking to classmates about their ideas and yours and using each other to help develop your own ideas further.

If you look at assignments and tutor feedback you could take advantage of learning from other people's mistakes. Again, this would happen in a classroom environment so don't feel bad if you do it

Good Luck!

I can look back at TAOP and realise how much I learnt but at the time sometimes I got a bit bogged down. refelection is a key element of study at this level and no development is without error - its a human trait so embrace it.

I think it takes completion of TAOP to start to understand and get up to speed in the degree pathway, assuming thats where you want to go. What seems hard todayday, was easy tomorrow but the day after you have another challenge
 
Last edited:
DBT85 said:
Was it a general lack of going to exhibitions and reflecting or just the quality of your reflection and writeups?
Click to expand...

I think it was lack of academic research in general. Internet reasearch, buying and reading books, visiting exhibitions, attending discussions are all methods of research. Its not that I dont do some of thus, I do need to do more, the problem was that i wasn't writing about it in my blog and detailing how it may or may not have influenced my own work.

The reality is that I wasn't blogging and therefore not allowing the assessors to see what I have been doing so rightly they may assume that I'm not doing it. The key is to share what you are doing
 
Yup definately. I'm learning this at Level 2, they expect, much, much more. Luckily I did lots in P&P
 
I've gone for documentary - it seemed an obvious choice after people and place and my street photography. After dunno - each of these are 18 months to two years so I might change my mind. TAOP, DPP and P&P seemed the good route for me. I didn't like DPP, but I think that was more tutor than the work. I thought I'd really progressed with image taking but ti seemed the image wasn't important.

Emailed my tutor again yesterday. I've not heard from him since I started :(
 
Got a seriously long response form my tutor, good feedback on my start and lots of things to look at, research and read. Looking good :)
 
Well, I'm aiming for my final TAOP assignment to be in by the end of May and have decided to go for the new 'Context and Narrative' course next. Any other takers on here for C&N? I had hoped the new course would have been a modernisation of DPP as my post-processing skills are not the best, however I will just have to make the effort to teach myself as there are a lot of resources online and in books - and practice! Saying that, the new C&N course does look interesting - maybe a gentle introduction to Visual Culture - and I can see that it will stretch me, both academically and photographically, which can only be a good thing but also gives me butterflies in an anticipatory way.
 
Last edited:
Whilst there is a wealth of information available for whatever processing tool you use, you will find that showing you how to do it is not the same as why you are doing it.

I've learnt quite a lot from DPP so far (preparaing Assignment 3 now) and I would say that I wasn't a novice to post processing.
 
FrattonFreak said:
Whilst there is a wealth of information available for whatever processing tool you use, you will find that showing you how to do it is not the same as why you are doing it.

I've learnt quite a lot from DPP so far (preparaing Assignment 3 now) and I would say that I wasn't a novice to post processing.
Click to expand...

I agree totally and had put it (DPP) down as my second course when I paid upfront for Level 1 before the prices went up in 2012, but unfortunately it has disappeared now from the OCA course-list. Shame as I would like to have done it, although I did hear that it needed updating in places.
 
Carol S said:
I agree totally and had put it (DPP) down as my second course when I paid upfront for Level 1 before the prices went up in 2012, but unfortunately it has disappeared now from the OCA course-list. Shame as I would like to have done it, although I did hear that it needed updating in places.
Click to expand...

I emailed them about DPP over the weekend, they responded today saying that if I wanted to do DPP it is possible to still enrol on it until the end of May (via telephone only) but they do recommend that students take the new course instead.

Decision time as I am only just finishing up assignment 2 on TAOP.
 
PitiedMonkey said:
I emailed them about DPP over the weekend, they responded today saying that if I wanted to do DPP it is possible to still enrol on it until the end of May (via telephone only) but they do recommend that students take the new course instead.

Decision time as I am only just finishing up assignment 2 on TAOP.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Dave, I will speak to the office and then make my decision.
 
I quite liked the look of the new course. Seemed interesting. I found DPP repeated parts of TAOP and maybe it was my tutor, but the images weren't important, it was the process that was. I guess it's a good grounding in workflow and process but I didn't find I got a lot out of it.
 
:banana:There are options on occasion to create or use existing images so I suppose its up to the student what they do.

For me post processing is an essential element of photography. TAOP focused almost entirely on creation within the frame and no doubt that is what most most of us think photography is. I'm pretty sure some of the other Level 1 courses were also not as based on taking images in the way TAOP was and so could be seen less creative and perhaps less enjoyable. I'm quite happy with the technical elements in post[processing but I'm sure for some it may be a bit more challenging subject to their knowledge befoire starting. I think that is natural in any studying and we all have different skill sets and starting places

I've yet to complete DPP but for me so far its rounding my photography skills into a start to finish process with image taking very much in the middle.
I think P & P will be the more challenging module as I will be out of my comfort zone but because of that will look forward to it :banana:

Tutors - yes they are an important part. I saw a post from someone saying they have yet to complete their rd module yet have had 6 tutors so far because of some leaving the OCA. I was less lucky on TAOP yet feel my DPP tutor is excellent
 
I loved P&P, took it because it was out of my comfort zone and ended up not wanting it to finish
 
I was dead set on doing DPP instead of Context and Narrative, but having just read the sample chapters from each course I may go for CN. It seems to have a good bit of guided research and being someone who is struggling with the extra reading of TAOP I think it might be a good idea to take it.
 
Nice - Gloucester docks, always good for tonal black and white and I think that works well. Good write up also.
Didn't realise you were so close. :)
 
Ah still not far away - yup on the edge of Swindon. We went to Gloucester and the docks last weekend :)
 
Hi
Hope I'm not jumping in on the wrong thread.
Just saying hello.
Joined the OCA last year and am on the last section of TAOP.
My blog is tracymcdermott.co.uk.

And yes, I must put up a photo of myself.....
 
I have to say, this course (TAOP) looks very interesting. I'm a sciencey (well, maths) type by training so the appeal of doing more structured learning on a creative subject is really appealing.

My photography skills are very early-stage so part of me is saying I should spend the next year improving myself, whereas the other side of me thinks that getting more formalised training now is the best time to do it - before bad habits become ingrained. I'm comfortable using my camera but I've never had any formal art training and would very much like to develop this side of me. I do think carefully about the "why" of pictures and photos already but further focus on that can only be a good thing. I've always been more of a "how" type!

Being given reading suggestions looks really helpful as there are so many books out there, it's pretty daunting to choose what's appropriate for different topics without a bit of guidance. It looks really quite appealing, all things considered...
 
I'm not sure I would call the education at degree level formal training more structured learning with guidance and self initiated development. I'm not sure what others here think. However if its progression and understanding you are after then I would definitely recommend it

I'm a non arty person and only started digital photography 5 years ago and my work has come on leaps and bounds as a result of studying with the OCA. Not sure if you have read Michael Freeman's "The Photographer's Eye" but TAOP appears to match much of this book which I thoroughly recommend you read
 
Ladies and gentlemen, I am now a student :) Signed up for TAOP on Friday! Very much looking forward to getting started and getting my website up with the blog. I start 6 weeks off work from 30th of May so I'm hoping to really get to grips with the course in that time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top