OCA The Art of Photography Course Discussion - Part 2

i was just looking at the L1 modules as i need to sign up to my 3rd after xmas. Its a shame they took Art of Photography out as i thought that was a really good starter module. That Expressing your Vision seems a bit arty farty so i'll probably do context and narrative, unless they change them around again by Feb!
 
Glad you got your first one submitted Alex, would you mind if I made some observations to you about your website? (via pm of course)
 
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I have submitted my assignment today, no ideas how it will come out but i enjoy the whole process from the start. is there a rough time to know when will we get the feedback from tutor?
 
Well got my email back from tutor for assignment 1

this is what i received

Well done with this assignment, a few ‘housekeeping’ items to keep in mind for future work but overall a good start.

pretty happy thought it was going to be bad but better then expected a few things i need to sort and read through etc before i carry on

part 1 looks interesting hoping to start next weekend on this all been well
 
wegotitugetit said:
Well got my email back from tutor for assignment 1

this is what i received

Well done with this assignment, a few ‘housekeeping’ items to keep in mind for future work but overall a good start.

pretty happy thought it was going to be bad but better then expected a few things i need to sort and read through etc before i carry on

part 1 looks interesting hoping to start next weekend on this all been well
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Well done you:clap:

I sent the assignment on Monday night and am waiting for the feedback.

I hope to hear from him soon, so that I know what went wrong on my work, then I can correct and go from there. On the other hand, I am worried I will be disheartened if he points out my work is s***e even in a polite way:eek: nail biting now:nailbiting:
 
You will be fine I'm sure

he given me deadline of January for next assignment which should be easy to do by then

Now I know what is wrong and what I have to sort out I'm happier

He sent me a few other course guidelines to adjust a few things and also suggested a book to read through

Too
 
wegotitugetit said:
You will be fine I'm sure

he given me deadline of January for next assignment which should be easy to do by then

Now I know what is wrong and what I have to sort out I'm happier

He sent me a few other course guidelines to adjust a few things and also suggested a book to read through

Too
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It will be glad to know what went wrong and what need to sort out. just starting this course, sometimes feel a bit confused as don't know where to start.

keep on the good work and hope the next time you hear from me I won't be crying:D
 
U won't be crying u will be smiling in sure if it

I was thinking same as u I'm a complete disaster

My tutor actually wants to know more behind my theme on Hessle road and the fishing industry. Which I thought was cool

Looking forward to hear from your response you revive fingers crossed it will be better then u expect
 
I started reading The Photograph by Graham Clarke tonight, it comes in the box of materials on the old TAOP course. I feel like an idiot. I thought I'd check some peoples blogs about their thoughts on the book and they're all "so easy to read, great introduction, started here". After reading the introduction I'm actually considering leaving it until the end of the course! It's been in my bag for 10 days and I've been putting it off and putting it off.
 
Hi Darren, you are not alone!!! I got the different book from OCA, it is called The Photography as Contemporary. Quite frankly, I tried to read it and more or less every sentence I have to read at least twice to try to understand what it means. At some point, I start to think do I need to go back to do an English course first.
 
Hi,

I struggled with Clarke at first as I was a culture ignoramus when I started TAOP - the answer for me was to pick a chapter that I thought would interest me and started with that - think I started with 'Fine Art' as I liked the pics. A good dictionary is useful too. The reading does get easier as you do more - six months down the line you won't believe where you are, and stuff that was totally incomprehensible at day one will have fallen into place. The other trick is to make a note when you come across photographers that you like and do some additional research - I 'found' Ernst Haas' colour work through Clarke - reading around puts Clarke's points into context and you've also got some research stuff for your blog.
 
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Yeah it's slow going! The introductory segments where he talks about the different cameras and techniques was very interesting for me and something I'll read more on, but when he shows a picture and then comments on it I'm just sitting here thinking "Nope, it's a pair of twins staring at the camera. One is happy, the other indifferent". I'm writing my comments truthfully and stating how I felt before I started, my apprehension about reading it and then I'll continue until I'm done and then reflect.

I don't think it's wrong to say how you feel with these things, I may end up looking like a buffoon, but at least a buffoon who writes what he thinks!
 
I'm doing the History of Western Art module at the moment which is massively book heavy, the one thing the tutor said to me which applies here i think is that you don't need to read every page of every book. This is just level one so don't bog yourself down. Focus in on areas that interest you in the books and report on them.
 
hoftwi said:
Hi Darren, you are not alone!!! I got the different book from OCA, it is called The Photography as Contemporary. Quite frankly, I tried to read it and more or less every sentence I have to read at least twice to try to understand what it means. At some point, I start to think do I need to go back to do an English course first.
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can you please confirm you received a book from the oca other then your main folder as only got a folder a pen and a book to write in that was it

thanks
 
essexash said:
I'm doing the History of Western Art module at the moment which is massively book heavy, the one thing the tutor said to me which applies here i think is that you don't need to read every page of every book. This is just level one so don't bog yourself down. Focus in on areas that interest you in the books and report on them.
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there is a post on the oca think it is in the sale section and its about books one course on hpotography has a reading list of 72 books i think

one poster put his tutor said you do not have to read every book and read every page just read what is relevant
 
hoftwi said:
Hi Darren, you are not alone!!! I got the different book from OCA, it is called The Photography as Contemporary. Quite frankly, I tried to read it and more or less every sentence I have to read at least twice to try to understand what it means. At some point, I start to think do I need to go back to do an English course first.
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have you got your assessment back yet if so how did you do


just updated my blog as i have had to start a new blog just for the oca

here is the new link

http://massive183.wordpress.com
 
wegotitugetit said:
have you got your assessment back yet if so how did you do


just updated my blog as i have had to start a new blog just for the oca

here is the new link

http://massive183.wordpress.com
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Hi,

I am still waiting for the feedback from my tutor. and yes, i received a book from oca, as I read on the forum, other EYV student got one as well. but i supposed to receive the British Photography Journal too but I didn't. may be you should ring or email oca about the book.
 
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hoftwi said:
Hi,

I am still waiting for the feedback from my tutor. and yes, i received a book from oca, as I read on the forum, other EYV student got one as well. but i supposed to receive the British Photography Journal too but I didn't. may be you should ring or email oca about the book.
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just rang about the book seems they didn't send it and are now going to send it

as for british journal they send your details direct to BJP and they will be sorting that out might take a few weeks to sort they said
 
got a letter from BJP this morning and you have to log in to there website or something so will do that later on


recived my book this morning quick service from the oca and i was cheeky enough to ask for another pen and they sent one lol
 
You'll end up using photograph as contempory art and the photograph a few times for references, so it's a good place to start. Have a quick flick through, read bits that interest you, delve in and out.

Make room on your bookcase though as I've ended up with quite a few books. I've bought books from photographers I've researched, plus course recommended books.

I've ended up buying annual subscriptions to the printed copy of bjp. I wish I'd done it from the start as it helps to read the sort of things that are expected in'art' rather than nice pictures.
 
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Byker, how are you finding level 2?

I'm on the new Context and Narrative course and it is way more academic than TAOP with much more reading and research built in to the course (and that is without any of my own additional research). I hardly have time to take photographs these days! I think that OCA have done well with the new courses to structure them as stepping stones to level 2 (well that is how I see it anyway). But I can't see how anyone could do justice to C&N with only 8 hours study a week - or maybe I need to get a lot quicker! It's a great course btw.
 
Lots of reading, lots of research, lots more thinking, a lot less photography, although I think I ought to include some of the narrative work I've been doing. Some really interesting stuff though, huge learning curve.
 
Byker28i said:
Lots of reading, lots of research, lots more thinking, a lot less photography, although I think I ought to include some of the narrative work I've been doing. Some really interesting stuff though, huge learning curve.
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Thanks Byker, that's what I was thinking/suspecting - I think that C&N will be a good stepping stone so that life at level 2 is not too much of a culture shock. Sounds like you are enjoying it though.
 
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After the wedding I'm doing tomorrow I really need to get my first assignment done. I keep putting it off and putting it off.
 
Carol S said:
Byker, how are you finding level 2?

I'm on the new Context and Narrative course and it is way more academic than TAOP with much more reading and research built in to the course (and that is without any of my own additional research). I hardly have time to take photographs these days! I think that OCA have done well with the new courses to structure them as stepping stones to level 2 (well that is how I see it anyway). But I can't see how anyone could do justice to C&N with only 8 hours study a week - or maybe I need to get a lot quicker! It's a great course btw.
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Had a quick look at the c&n course, looks really interesting. Covering part of that with signs and symbols,etc now.

Are you going to the study visit Saturday? I've asked if there are places as I've got a free day now.
 
Byker28i said:
Had a quick look at the c&n course, looks really interesting. Covering part of that with signs and symbols,etc now.

Are you going to the study visit Saturday? I've asked if there are places as I've got a free day now.
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Yeah, I'm going to the London one - there is another one in Thatcham too (bad planning there, OCA).
 
Nice, if I get on the London one I'll give you a shout. I might drive down and park at hammersmith and tube it as it's a lot cheaper than catching the train.
 
is this the one at the science museum? im off on that one. There is a good one on over the road at the V&A too.
 
essexash said:
is this the one at the science museum? im off on that one. There is a good one on over the road at the V&A too.
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Yup, that's the one. There's also another photo exhibition there - Make Life Worth Living: Nick Hedges’ Photographs for Shelter 1968–72 - and the Horst one at the V&A that you mention. Edward Steichen, Vivianne Sasson and Erica Scourti are on at the Photographers' Gallery and there's also The Photographers 2014 at Beetles + Huxley/Osbourne Samuel Galleries. Chris Stein (as in Blondie) exhibition, 'Wounded: The Legacy of War' by Bryan Adams, and Guy Bourdin on at Somerset House, and 'Conflict, Time, Photography' at the Tate Modern (there is a study visit for this one in January). So plenty to fill out the day with - and there may be others that haven't crossed my radar yet.

Are you still doing Western Art or are you back with the photographers now?
 
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Yeah there seems to be a lot of good shows on at the moment. I definitely going to pop over and see the Horst one after this on Sat.

Still doing Western Art, just coming up to assignment 2 and its all pretty fascinating so far. Not for everyone as its purely theory based but there is so much you can apply to your photography. I will sign up to the last level 1 in Feb and do that alongside the rest of this one so i want to get one more assignment done for this before i start a new one. Ive been a bit on the slow side with the course as a whole and if i dont pull my finger out i'll run out of time for the degree.
 
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