Skills Audit
What skills do I have? What skills don't I have? How will I improve this?
Within the last year or so I would say that my independent learning skills have increased. I would often sit and ask everyone else what they were doing and constantly fear that I wasn't doing it right. Now, I have learnt that it is ok to make mistakes and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. From time to time I may ask other students what they think and whether or not I could improve or find other ways to complete something but now I tend to just get on with it and believe in myself.
I like to think I am a confident person, however throughout the course of my nearly three years at university it has proven to me that actually I'm not so confident. I'm confident to talk within a group of people and one-to-one but when we are having to present to the class I find myself rushing my words because I'm just so nervous! I only ever start to feel nervous once I get up in front of everyone. This area needs improving and I've discovered ways from such tasks as the PechaKucha which enables me to slow down and engage better with the class. For example I learnt recently that by writing word for word on my powerpoint DOES NOT help me. In fact it made it much worse because I had timed the slides and whilst panicking was rushing to meet the next slide. Usually I would write brief notes on the slide to remind me what to talk about but face the class and turn back if I need back up. Therefore my communication skills have improved but could also do with more improvement. Talking in front of a group of people becomes a challenge for myself. By putting myself in this position more often I may feel more comfortable in the situation and discover ways of making it easier for myself.
My technical skills is my weakest point. I love to take photos but my motivation to learn about new techniques and equipment is poor. From the age of 12 up until the age of 17 I used basic digital cameras that didn't need it's ISO setting up or aperture. The camera would do it all for you. When I came to university a whole new world is right in front of my eyes. I'd never even heard of ISO or anything about lighting. I always blame my previous education for this however my interests should have made me find out for myself how but again my motivation let me down. I regret this however - I would have been at a much higher standard than where I am now with my technical skills if I had of done this. It's disappointing but I have learnt from my mistakes... however my laziness is still about when motivation is at a low. But since starting university and especially within the first year I learnt so much and applied it to a couple of my projects. I don't use the studio so much now because I prefer the ambient light and working with what I have, however I have had practise with the ranger kits and lighting within a studio. I would like to go back and re-fresh my mind so that when I leave university that if a job was to come up that I could confidently apply for it. Photoshop is also an area where I could develop in. I still only know the basics but if I'm completely honest (and probably being lazy about it) that I much prefer an unedited image. Apart from the basics I'm not so sure whether I'm a fan of any heavy manipulation. I have seen some incredible work created mostly through Photoshop but for my documentary style I feel it wouldn't fit with the context. Again, another area to improve and would be handy for future careers.
I have always been terrible with my time management. Since I can remember I have always left things until last minute. Not only through education but within my general lifestyle, booking events, making plans etc I'm always rushing. This is one of my major fall downs and needs improving ASAP. For the current project I am doing I started off really well, up-to-date with my work, lots of research and image making until now where I'm starting to lose interest in my subject matter. Which is a massive shame as for once during my time at university, and especially during group crits, I felt confident and didn't feel behind! However my organisational skills are a little different. I know it feeds into time management but I am slightly better at this in comparison. I always provide tick lists for myself to make sure I don'y forget anything when it comes to deadlines. I have one notebook which records everything I do at university and I also write down the dates of these in case I need to go back to something. I've been updating my reflective journal regularly and almost update it as soon as I have something new to add to it. I always turn up to lessons with everything I need and have always been like.
I'm not sure whether I have anything to write about business skills. I've been working since the age of 15 and have developed such skills as leadership and problem solving when situations have cropped up. I have developed communication through working and this has also helped to improve my confidence. As of the photographic industry I need to build on my business skills such as networking.
At the minute my short term goal is to try my very best within my last year of university. I know I could have achieved better than I did the last two years if I had the motivation and interest. Now I feel I don't have a choice and it's basically now or never. Therefore I want to achieve the best I can so that when it comes round to leaving and graduating I will hopefully have helped myself find an area of career I'd be interested in working in. My mid term goal is to keep practising. Inside and outside of university take whatever opportunities come my way. The summer just gone I photographed for friends and families and managed to earn myself some money from all the jobs. From doing this I gain more skill in my technicality, business and communication. Even though they are people who I am very fond of it still becomes difficult and pressurising knowing you want to please and impress them because they have high expectations. Speaking to professional photographers and other students in my place they've actually said it's been more difficult photographing for families and friends than strangers. As for my long term goal, I wish to continuously look out for careers both in the photographic industry but also out of personal interest. I have always considered the career of a support worker. I studied Psychology at college but after putting all my effort into it I didn't receive as great mark which put me off unfortunately. However the idea hasn't completely left me. But I would be disappointed to have been in education for an extra 5 years to study photography for me then not to use it at all.
What do you want to be doing? Where do you want to be? What do you want to achieve?
This year I want to get university out of the way before anything. Make sure I achieve the best that I can and graduate. With only a few months until graduation there is no choice but to only do my best from now onwards.
In two years I hope to be comfortably within a full time job AT LEAST. I'm going to need some income obviously so whether it be a job just to get me by or my dream career. It would be nice to be in a career which I know I will want to do for the rest of my working days but this isn't always easy.
Within the last year or so I would say that my independent learning skills have increased. I would often sit and ask everyone else what they were doing and constantly fear that I wasn't doing it right. Now, I have learnt that it is ok to make mistakes and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. From time to time I may ask other students what they think and whether or not I could improve or find other ways to complete something but now I tend to just get on with it and believe in myself.
I like to think I am a confident person, however throughout the course of my nearly three years at university it has proven to me that actually I'm not so confident. I'm confident to talk within a group of people and one-to-one but when we are having to present to the class I find myself rushing my words because I'm just so nervous! I only ever start to feel nervous once I get up in front of everyone. This area needs improving and I've discovered ways from such tasks as the PechaKucha which enables me to slow down and engage better with the class. For example I learnt recently that by writing word for word on my powerpoint DOES NOT help me. In fact it made it much worse because I had timed the slides and whilst panicking was rushing to meet the next slide. Usually I would write brief notes on the slide to remind me what to talk about but face the class and turn back if I need back up. Therefore my communication skills have improved but could also do with more improvement. Talking in front of a group of people becomes a challenge for myself. By putting myself in this position more often I may feel more comfortable in the situation and discover ways of making it easier for myself.
My technical skills is my weakest point. I love to take photos but my motivation to learn about new techniques and equipment is poor. From the age of 12 up until the age of 17 I used basic digital cameras that didn't need it's ISO setting up or aperture. The camera would do it all for you. When I came to university a whole new world is right in front of my eyes. I'd never even heard of ISO or anything about lighting. I always blame my previous education for this however my interests should have made me find out for myself how but again my motivation let me down. I regret this however - I would have been at a much higher standard than where I am now with my technical skills if I had of done this. It's disappointing but I have learnt from my mistakes... however my laziness is still about when motivation is at a low. But since starting university and especially within the first year I learnt so much and applied it to a couple of my projects. I don't use the studio so much now because I prefer the ambient light and working with what I have, however I have had practise with the ranger kits and lighting within a studio. I would like to go back and re-fresh my mind so that when I leave university that if a job was to come up that I could confidently apply for it. Photoshop is also an area where I could develop in. I still only know the basics but if I'm completely honest (and probably being lazy about it) that I much prefer an unedited image. Apart from the basics I'm not so sure whether I'm a fan of any heavy manipulation. I have seen some incredible work created mostly through Photoshop but for my documentary style I feel it wouldn't fit with the context. Again, another area to improve and would be handy for future careers.
I have always been terrible with my time management. Since I can remember I have always left things until last minute. Not only through education but within my general lifestyle, booking events, making plans etc I'm always rushing. This is one of my major fall downs and needs improving ASAP. For the current project I am doing I started off really well, up-to-date with my work, lots of research and image making until now where I'm starting to lose interest in my subject matter. Which is a massive shame as for once during my time at university, and especially during group crits, I felt confident and didn't feel behind! However my organisational skills are a little different. I know it feeds into time management but I am slightly better at this in comparison. I always provide tick lists for myself to make sure I don'y forget anything when it comes to deadlines. I have one notebook which records everything I do at university and I also write down the dates of these in case I need to go back to something. I've been updating my reflective journal regularly and almost update it as soon as I have something new to add to it. I always turn up to lessons with everything I need and have always been like.
I'm not sure whether I have anything to write about business skills. I've been working since the age of 15 and have developed such skills as leadership and problem solving when situations have cropped up. I have developed communication through working and this has also helped to improve my confidence. As of the photographic industry I need to build on my business skills such as networking.
At the minute my short term goal is to try my very best within my last year of university. I know I could have achieved better than I did the last two years if I had the motivation and interest. Now I feel I don't have a choice and it's basically now or never. Therefore I want to achieve the best I can so that when it comes round to leaving and graduating I will hopefully have helped myself find an area of career I'd be interested in working in. My mid term goal is to keep practising. Inside and outside of university take whatever opportunities come my way. The summer just gone I photographed for friends and families and managed to earn myself some money from all the jobs. From doing this I gain more skill in my technicality, business and communication. Even though they are people who I am very fond of it still becomes difficult and pressurising knowing you want to please and impress them because they have high expectations. Speaking to professional photographers and other students in my place they've actually said it's been more difficult photographing for families and friends than strangers. As for my long term goal, I wish to continuously look out for careers both in the photographic industry but also out of personal interest. I have always considered the career of a support worker. I studied Psychology at college but after putting all my effort into it I didn't receive as great mark which put me off unfortunately. However the idea hasn't completely left me. But I would be disappointed to have been in education for an extra 5 years to study photography for me then not to use it at all.
What do you want to be doing? Where do you want to be? What do you want to achieve?
This year I want to get university out of the way before anything. Make sure I achieve the best that I can and graduate. With only a few months until graduation there is no choice but to only do my best from now onwards.
In two years I hope to be comfortably within a full time job AT LEAST. I'm going to need some income obviously so whether it be a job just to get me by or my dream career. It would be nice to be in a career which I know I will want to do for the rest of my working days but this isn't always easy.
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