Applying for College - Mature Student

J

jpwild

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I've recently been laid off from my office job I've had for quite a few years and I am still able to sign up with a couple of local colleges near me. Being laid off is perhaps as a good thing as I can fully evaluate my life and where I want to go. I am aiming to do A-Level Photography and A-Level Business Studies. Though I am 27 I feel those are two good routes to go down. I also not only want to learn about the photography process itself with the aid of a tutor, but to also learn about other photographers past and present.

I would love, to one day, be a photographer as it's the one thing I am passionate about. Of course doing a business course would mean that it is a very versatile option in that it can assist me in life if the photography thing does not work out - i.e office job

Mainly I have done landscape work. I have shot people very, very little as the people that I know personally don't really like being on camera at all and I've just bought a flash a couple of months ago to learn how to use light and apply it to objects or people.

Also I'd like take a portfolio to any potential college interview. I am reading about what to include, not to include and so on. Just wondered if any images in my Flickr were worthy of being in a portfolio: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpwild1984/


Thanks for advice or whatever. :thumbs:
 
Good luck in your new venture Jon. Had a look at your flickr, some interesting shots.
 
feek said:
Good luck in your new venture Jon. Had a look at your flickr, some interesting shots.
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Thank you very much. It's something I need to do in life. Maybe even do an access course for Business Studies instead I am not 100% sure, but I am mulling over all various options.

The shots I've uploaded to Flickr are my main favorite shots, so if there's nothing on there that's interesting or whatever then of course the photography idea will be dead in the water. So am glad you found them interesting :)

I just wish I had access to people who liked being photographed as I find portrait photos to be highly emotive than images of trees or whatever that I seem to have on Flickr, lol.
 
jpwild said:
I just wish I had access to people who liked being photographed as I find portrait photos to be highly emotive than images of trees or whatever that I seem to have on Flickr, lol.
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model mayhem, netmodel, purestorm.

Or friends, family, etc.

Or think of a constant theme or project of interesting people and ask them if you can take their photo. Set it as a challenge to yourself.
 
Checked out the Flickr pics. Start putting your port together. It's not permanent and you can end up seeing things that haven't been apparent along the way shooting. Just do it. Anything is possible.
 
Think I may stick to landscape and urban shots and not really have any people in the portfolio unless I catch someone interesting in city centre. Just need to vary up the urban shots with something interesting i.e lighting or an interesting situation.
 
If I can give you my 2p worth...

Doing A levels Photography, as far as I'm concerned, is probably a waste of time, if you already know how to focus, exposed and press the shutter on your 5D2 :) It's going to be literally a walk in the park, and a waste of your valuable education resources.
You might learn a few tricks that you wouldn't otherwise, but that will likely not be relevant in making it as a working photographer. Concentrate on doing the business course, and learn photography at your own pace, in your own time. Talk to other photographers, join lots of internet forums, read books, reverse engineer photos you like, and really think about how the photographer came about the shot. Then most of all, SHOOT, SHOOT, and then SHOOT some more. Make mistakes. Make more mistakes. All those mistakes will make you a better photographer in the long run.
 
im nearly finishing my ncfe level 2 in creative digital photography and my tutor told us last week that its only worth gcse d at best, as the a -c would involve paperwork! im not too impressed but she recommended the whole class sign up for the as level in sep and then the level 2 (full a level) the following year, im going to do it anyway as it gets me out the house at the kids bedtime (its good for daddy to do it once a week lol) and ive learnt loads already. good luck with whatever you decide
 
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