Career Advice

EMA747

EMA747

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Name
Andy
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Guys I need some help with a tough choice I have to make.
I am thinking about applying for this Press & Editorial Photog course at Falmouth University as a stepping stone to going pro http://www.falmouth.ac.uk/201/cours...ess-and-editorial-photography-bahons-263.html I like the idea of the course as it seems to give quite a bit of hands-on experience and simulated and/or real projects. The teaching of how to go from taking photographs to actually getting clients and sales is something I really want/need to learn about. Also it might give me some valuable contacts for first paid jobs etc.

However, I have just been told by student loads that due to previous (not completed) degree study I would amlost certainly get no funding and would have to pay for the course myself in FULL. That would come to around £7900 a year in fees + living costs on to. For 3 years this would come to somewhere around £50,000 all-up!!!!

I want to ask those that have gone pro if you think it would be worth doing the course or not? Can I do any short courses that would teach me similar things ie the business/contacts/clients/selling side of things? Would I be better investing money in gear and short courses? I would love to do the course but my heart is saying do it but my head is saying it's too expensive given that you don't walking into a job at the end like you would with some degree courses. :help:

If it makes a difference the two main areas of photography that I would ideally like to go into would be travel/documentary type stuff or sports, preferably motorsports.
Also if it makes a difference I am 26 but I don't have any drains on my spare money like rent/kids etc.

I am just so lost as to what to do as I so much want to take my photography to a professional level.
 
Have you looked at courses closer to home to help reduce costs? I'm pretty sure there are photography degree courses in Burton and Derby.
 
There is one in Nottingham at Trent Uni but it's more the fine art type course. I was more interested in the Press & Ed one as it is more linked to what I want to do career wise.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
£7900 a year in fees sounds an awful lot, a law degree costs less.....
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It is a lot. I think this is the normal cost of all university courses it's just that normall the government though the student finance people cover about £4700 of it leaving the student to pay the remaining £3200. In my case they won't fund any of it so I would have to pay the lot. :(
 
I saw your other thread on this (re the portfolio) and really felt for you when you posted that you had found out about the cost.

I think that you could, potentially, find it a long road to get a return on your investment in all honesty.

Perhaps a thread alongside asking how professionals got to where they are and how they did that would give you some perspective? I have a degree in Business Studies which taught me very little in terms of the practicalities of business. I gained more experience working while completing that degree - the point is that your 'back up' plan of short courses etc may well not be the second class choice for you. You could shop around, tailor make your study plan and be in control of what you do whilst spending the time on the areas you know you need to develop. You could also add in 'modules' around marketing/running your own business if you intend to be self employed (or own your own company etc).

I'm kind of rambling, but hope you get the point (which is, primarily, that the road we initially think we should take is not always the only one available and that the other route could prove ot be best).
 
to be honest - I haven't seen a lot of postgraduate pro togs. there are a lot probably, but that's not what get's you in the market. I thinks !
 
~Sam~ said:
I saw your other thread on this (re the portfolio) and really felt for you when you posted that you had found out about the cost.

I think that you could, potentially, find it a long road to get a return on your investment in all honesty.

Perhaps a thread alongside asking how professionals got to where they are and how they did that would give you some perspective? I have a degree in Business Studies which taught me very little in terms of the practicalities of business. I gained more experience working while completing that degree - the point is that your 'back up' plan of short courses etc may well not be the second class choice for you. You could shop around, tailor make your study plan and be in control of what you do whilst spending the time on the areas you know you need to develop. You could also add in 'modules' around marketing/running your own business if you intend to be self employed (or own your own company etc).

I'm kind of rambling, but hope you get the point (which is, primarily, that the road we initially think we should take is not always the only one available and that the other route could prove ot be best).
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Thanks Sam really appreciate your message. :thumbs:


Something I am wondering is if the uni course gives experience that is hard to get otherwise in terms of real life projects etc. I think they often arrange for students to shoot things for local papers/mags etc etc and that would be experience that would be hard to get if I didn't have a uni sorting it out on my behalf. I can't imagine it's easy to get experience like that as a lone individual.
 
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