Uni and a Portfolio

evilswans

evilswans

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Name
matthew toms
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Hey all,

Well i have decieded i would like to give uni a go next year, i think i have left it a bit late to go for this year. But i'm looking to study photography. Looking at either Sailsbury, Farnham or the South Bank uni up in London. Any one have any experiance of these courses and these uni's?

Although my main stumbling block is the fact that i have no A levels what so ever, i only have GCSE's, will this be a major factor in if i am accepted or not?

And finally i'm guessing due to having no UCAS points it will all come down to my portfolio. I'm looking to do a photobook for this. But that is as far as i am at the moment, i'm not sure how to lay it out and should i include text?? and if so what sorta text?

many thanks for your time and potential help :)

Matt :)
 
the course you need will be BTEC as to study A level photography its down to ucas points and art and design A levels. BTEC will be your best option as you dont need as many qualifcations and then if you pass BTEC then you can study a HND and finally a BA hounary which means you'll pretty much get whatever photography job you want with the exception that you need a good portfolio. at the moment i have an A5 display book and everytime i take a nice photo, i take it down to max speilmann and print a nice 7x5 to put in there. i think the majority use A4 folio's with 10x8 prints.
 
So Btec will mean going back to college first? so that means in theory 5 years before i can finish, being 21 now will mean i will be 26 by the time i finish. long time and fair age to still be at uni. And as to your portfolio do you bother with text or do you just let the photos do the talking?

many thanks for your help
Matt :)
 
For applying to my HND course i need a maximum of twenty images at no bigger than a3. I personally think single mounted pictures have more of an impact than a book. I did have highers but nothing artistic and i got into my first year without a problem. Good luck!
 
evilswans said:
So Btec will mean going back to college first? so that means in theory 5 years before i can finish, being 21 now will mean i will be 26 by the time i finish. long time and fair age to still be at uni. And as to your portfolio do you bother with text or do you just let the photos do the talking?

many thanks for your help
Matt :)
Click to expand...

btec is no age limit, you can do a btec at uni and it takes about 2/3 years then you have the option to do HND and BA hounoury which would be another 4/5 years in in year 10 at high school and this is the path ive chosen. i have no text in my portfolio i just let my photo's do the talking, they always say "a pictures worth a thousand words" so why bother writing lol.
 
btw dont forget most of the tog work is self employment in which you dont need any grades but if you was to start working for a company eg. a press photographer for the local newspaper then the employers would like to know your a certified photographer.

my uncle knows everything there is about computer programming but he can't work at somewhere like adobe because he doesnt have that little peice of paper saying he is a certified programmer so now he's at uni doing programming and in two years he might be working on CS6 or whatever it'll be.
 
cheers for the replies guys :)

funky penguin (great name by the way!) did you put yours all together into some kind of book or just have them loose in a wallet?

and mastertrinity, i know i can take a reasonable photo at the moment, but i kinda like the idea of getting a full background to it, if that kinda makes sense :) But i see where your coming from :) I would love to end up with a job in photography and thats the main aim, i just wish now i had been a bit more sensable through skool and went to college, as i would be in a much more comfortable situation now!

cheers again
Matt :)
 
Right been looking at the South Banks site and could be some good news :) and they offer the following
"Extended Degrees

This degree programme includes a year of study that ensures students have underpinning knowledge and skills before they progress onto more specialist studies in the later years of the course. It’s an ideal entry route for students with few, or no, formal qualifications who are returning to education. It is also a good option for students who do not have the required subjects/grades at A-level (or equivalent) to be able to progress onto a Degree or Foundation Degree programme.

All school leavers without the appropriate subjects at Level 3 to be able to follow their chosen course of study would also be suitable for these courses.

We also have been part of a team of universities that have led the development of 14-19 Diplomas."

taken from there site, so in theory i could join but just an extra year as a foundation? thats the way i read it.........

:)
 
ha ha. not even as fancy as that!

i didn't even mount my pictures first time around because i only had 3 days in which to take the photos and get them printed. mines were loosely kept in a folder, bad i know...

this time i have a date with a good college/university and i know i need proper mounts at less than a3 size.

and i'm turning 26 this year and just getting into my HND (i hope)
 
Hi Matt,

You don't state how old you are, but just in case you're a mature student (over 21) some universities will offer you a place without you needing A-levels, an access course, BTEC or any other qualifications. My university was top 5 in the country for my subject (computer science) and accepted me just on the basis of an interview (and, I guess, because I seemed bright enough.

I would imagine that for a photography degree you'd need a portfolio, but don't hold yourself back from applying to anywhere & everywhere.

Stroller.
 
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