A Level Decisions

beethebee

beethebee

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Abbie
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Hey, this is my first thread so I'm not really sure on how to work this whole thing, but I'm looking for advice so here goes nothing.

I'm in Year 11, and I'm going through picking courses and such for college. I really like the Media Production (worth 2 A Levels) and Photography (A Level) courses available at the college I'm interested in, but I'm worried to pick solely creative courses since if I did those courses I'd have no plan B, if that makes sense (teachers at my school keep insisting we need a 'plan B course').

I'm also insecure in my creativity sometimes, and my photography skills aren't really that developed I just enjoy having my friends walk around places I find cool and letting me take photos of them, or taking pictures on holiday and stuff. I'd love to learn more because I really really enjoy taking them (with my media GCSE coursework I did a magazine and a print advert I took photos for and they turned out really nice) but I'm just worried I won't be good enough for it I guess?

I don't really know, but if anyone has any advice for either of my worries, it would be much appreciated. :)
 
At your age I felt the same. I took the safe option, did business studies. Got nice steady and reasonably well paid career. Always regretted it.
The idea of learning is you improve your knowledge and skills and then your confidence will improve.

You only get one life, make sure you spend it doing what you want to do. Just work hard at it.
As for your teachers plan B, that's why they're teachers. All IMHO of course.
 
I did A level Photography at 6th form in my free periods, it wasn't a first choice per se... merely something to fill the time. I'd never picked up a DSLR in anger before year 12, and finished year 13 with an A*. It's a bit of a moot point for me as I went into engineering anyway (which was my priority at 6th form) so how much of an impact it would have further down the line I can't answer.

As regards your second question, when I did it (2013) a lot of the marks came from the the words that accompany the photographs, it's not necessarily marked on the quality of the photography itself, but you probably already know that having done it at GCSE? Your milage may vary but I found what little input I had from my tutor was more with regards to 'creative' side of it, along with finding suitable reference artists (and/or photographers) from whom to draw inspiration for the assigned topic (I had Mechanical Objects and Machinery). I was taught very little of the technical aspect in honesty and just taught myself by doing research on particular subject areas and then getting out there and putting it into practice. That said I imagine by now the course has changed, but if you want to ping me PM I'm happy to show what I produced for my final coursework.

Harry
 
Listen to the teachers and have a Plan B, maybe a C too, never a good idea putting all ones eggs in one basket

Best laid plans can and often do change, my daughter was all set to do statistics at LSE, but ended up being an Optometrist.

Being a boring oldie now, try to pick something with a distinct career path, what you do at A level should lead to your degree choice (if that's your aim)
 
Start from your goals and work back.
What's your ideal job
What's your 2nd choice.

Now for 2 reality checks against those 2:
1, nowadays people have much more varied career histories than us old figure have enjoyed
2, most pro photographers have no formal qualifications, most people with photography degrees never work in photography.

Photography is a great hobby or a great job, or somewhere in between, or both.

As above, work out where you want to end up and work back from there.

Personally, I wouldn't waste my A level choices on photography. I'd go for something more serious to understand how the world works.
 
Phil V said:
Start from your goals and work back.
What's your ideal job
What's your 2nd choice.

Now for 2 reality checks against those 2:
1, nowadays people have much more varied career histories than us old figure have enjoyed
2, most pro photographers have no formal qualifications, most people with photography degrees never work in photography.

Photography is a great hobby or a great job, or somewhere in between, or both.

As above, work out where you want to end up and work back from there.

Personally, I wouldn't waste my A level choices on photography. I'd go for something more serious to understand how the world works.
Click to expand...


I saw the OP's post yesterday when there were no comments and I thought for some time how to reply - but I couldn't

Phil has nailed it here

I've had people with Photography A-levels and Degrees on both my photo shoots and business courses, NOTHING of what they studied was any use whatsoever in being a Pro photographer

Nice one Phil :)

Dave
 
All successful Photographers are Good business men. Some are quite good Photographers too.
nearly all photographers that fail are Poor business men.
Go figure.............
A good business and marketing degree, is far more beneficial that a PhD in Photography.
You can learn all you need to know about photography in your own time.
I learnt far more by myself and on the job, than I was ever taught.

And that is from someone who did study photography at college, and spent their working life in photography.

About the only genuine use of a photographic degree is to teach Photography.
 
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Am I the only one who's not read that the OP actually has a desire to run a photography business?

It's not explicitly the case or even implicit as I read it.
 
I went through this with my daughter last year, my advice? Do what you want to do now and worry about the future in the future. What ever plan you have won't last, the rate of change of technology, as well as your maturing and finding new things in the world mean you just cannot know where you will be in 10 years time. I chose a college course rather than A levels and a degree which people were very dubious about and I have never regretted a minute of it. I don't work in the field for which I qualified but I have had 4 different careers (and I mean professions with membership of professional bodies, not just 4 jobs) and have no regrets at all, I have had a rich and varied working life and never once had any kind of plan, I have just taken opportunities as they came along and done whatever interested me. The vast majority of graduates I know are not working in jobs related to their degree.

Don't be pushed into subjects you don't like or are not interested in, you won't succeed. The one thing I would advise is make sure you can get on with the people, both students and teachers, you are going to be spending a lot of time with them and I believe it can make a huge difference to your outcomes.
 
Phil V said:
Am I the only one who's not read that the OP actually has a desire to run a photography business?

It's not explicitly the case or even implicit as I read it.
Click to expand...

That seems true enough.
But as a school boy with an interest in photography I never seriously considered much else. Though I had tried to get into a merchant navy school but failed the colour test. And later thought about farming... because we had one.... But Photography was my THING.
In the 50's and 60's it was easy to make a profession as an employed photographer, and just as easy to set up for your self.
Today the self employed option is the only realistic one... albeit an extremely competitive and a tough life.

A photographic degree is pretty useless, on its own, for entry into any other field. Which is also true of almost all of the "arts " and "crafts"

As part of a communications Degree It is more useful. But there are far too many of those graduates, for many of them to find decent jobs and careers.

For too many people Photography is an easy option that leads nowhere.

Almost any of the "business and Marketing" qualifications appeal to just about all employers. and are useful to any field of self employment.

Any student need a plan or "Target" to aim at in life.
Any one can fire a shot into the air and see where it falls. But the chance of hitting a worth while target is vanishingly small.
With out an actual aim the chances of a useful hit is unrealistic, and will not happen.
Choices of what you study and the prospects that they offer is equally important.
 
All of your responses so far have been useful, thank you so much! To those saying the A Level isn't needed to have a career involving photography I get that, everything is just very stressful at the moment and that seems like a fun course.

I'm gonna keep looking at the courses I'm interested in, and if I find one that's different that I like I can scrap photography as a course and keep doing it in my own time and develop the skill that way. I've got some time to think about it though, which is good.

And as for the whole planning out what I want to do in life, I've only ever thought of doing something creative in either film or photography, but never anything specific. Thanks again. :)
 
My advice would be to take a business or marketing course, and potentially take that through to Degree level, if that's your academic plan.

You can learn the creative side of photography at any time of your life, but the business and marketing side of things will be much more important to you down the road. It's this which will make your photography business a success.
 
I am sorry if I come over as a bit thick but I do not understand modern education so please bear with me.
If I am understanding this you have just taken GCSE'S and are trying to decide what do ,either do A levels ,or go to college and you have an interest in photography/Art/Design.
Is this correct and if so can I ask what GCSE'S you have obtained?
 
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Chris, yeah I'm finishing my GCSEs this year and doing A Levels at college next year.

So far I have an A* in Media Studies, Distinction* in Music Tech, B in French, and I'm yet to take my other final exams but I'm finishing English, Maths, Combined Science, Computer Science, Film Studies and Drama this year. There is a new grading system now (I don't get them myself) that are 1-9 (1 being worst, 9 being best), and I'm predicted a 7 (equivalent to an A) for all of them.
 
If you're planning on going to university, have a look at the courses you want to study, see what a levels they want and do those, but also, pick ones you will do well in because it's pretty much based on ucas points, especially when it gets to clearing.

Saying that, I did photography a level, I got a B and it was genuinely my favourite lesson and I did well in it too so it boosted my ucas points when I applied for uni.
 
In terms of the way the world is going jobwise, something that could be done on a laptop/computer wouldnt be the worst choice. Social media marketing etc as everything is heading online if it isnt already so definitely something to consider.
 
sirch said:
Do what you want to do now and worry about the future in the future. What ever plan you have won't last, the rate of change of technology, as well as your maturing and finding new things in the world mean you just cannot know where you will be in 10 years time.
Click to expand...

That's what I did (many years ago - I started A levels in 1965). I had one really favourite subject at school (Latin, actually) but the next down the line made a logical set of A levels so I did maths, physics and chemistry and finally choose one for a degree course. The job I actually went on to wasn't really one that anyone would have suggested in 1965, so I couldn't have planned for it.

On the other hand, when at university, we were advised to pick as our area of specialisation in the third year on the basis of what we thought we'd get the highest marks in - the idea being that after graduation with a good degree we could tailor our post graduate studies to suit ourselves; with a poor degree that wouldn't be an option. Basically, go with what you'll get the best marks in. I again did my own thing and avoided the (to me) easy option in favour of what interested me.

The only caveat I'll offer in your case is that in a "creative" subject, a lot will depend on the quality of the teaching.
 
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