Seminar: Strategy

It is important to start planning what I will be doing after I graduate in July now. Whilst I still have the facilities and tutors available to me to discuss potential options. Until todays session I hadn't really gave it much thought. Therefore having the sheet to fill in and think about these things was really helpful today. I hope that when I finish university that I have planned and organised what I will be doing next. 

Since I started university I was never sure of what I wanted to do. I always thought I would become a freelancer as I didn't know what other jobs were available to me. However working outside of university and assisting photographers I am not so sure whether that is where I want to be anymore. I dislike the pressure, especially if I was to photograph a wedding. And don't think I can have the patience and motivation to sit and edit images on Photoshop with the little skill that I have also. Obviously this is an area I can improve but I simply do not enjoy editing images. As I am down to my last 4 months at university I am wondering if I want to work in the photographic industry at all. I feel it would be a massive shame if I didn't... the money and time wasted for me not to use it is disappointing. I need to start speaking to the tutors and Sebastian to help me find where I want to be after university. Even if I do end up deciding for definite that I don't want to work in the photographic industry, I still need to have a plan of action. 

Following from todays lesson we was given a sheet to fill out to help us with our planning. I have re-written the sheet out below followed by my answers...

How are you going to get to where you want to? What will your strategy be?

Your task:

Plan what I will be doing after I graduate in 4 months time. Start looking at what I would like to do.

The situation/scenario:

4 months left of study

The target:

Assisting, preferences documentary photographers. (Laura McCluskey? Need to find more whose work I like) Get experience with photographers and start to build contacts.

Contact professional photographers for advice and their views on my own work.

Complete images/work to a high standard. 

The considerations:

Time

Money

Be more organised

Be more confident and contact people

Feedback from peers and tutors

Timing and Concerns:

Exhibitions - Planning and showing between April-June

MRC - fill in release form sheets to get equipment for longer to ensure work is up to date and developed each week. Achieve 2-3 shoots per week to get the best results.

Money - travel costs, exhibition costs, etc.

Library - resources that will help me with research and new ideas

Output:

A complete portfolio

Job - photographer/assistant/something else that is within the photographic industry

Contacts

Find my preferred area of practice - Documentary/lifestyle Photographer

These are the things that differentiate you...

Ammunition/Tools:

What do you bring that is specific to you/different/new/exciting/challenging?

Technique/idea/personality...

Create very personal images

Documentary images that challenge my emotions 

Personality - friendly, helpful, positive, polite, enjoy creativity 

Insights: 

What do you see that others maybe don't? How are you driving things forward?

Using family to document my life and experiences in photographs

Being able to create personal work within image making

Driving things forward - expanding the people that I photograph and making my work more about my own experience a well as my family.

Leverage:

What do you want to get out of this? How will you make it about you?

A degree and possible career in the photographic industry. Photographer or another job that still has that element of photography. 

A handful of contacts that are of professionals that could help me find a future career/get me started.

Inspiration:

What drives you and your work?

My mother

Family

Experiences

Images for keepsake

Relationships