Sustainable Prospects

Mod 2 weeks 1 to 5

Well at long last I can put pen to paper! It has been a difficult start for me with modal 2 as in the first place I could not get on to it, despite some frantic emails to Jess and then when I did it appeared I was a week late!!! Then I went away for 3 weeks with the England cricket team to Sri Lanka on a pre arranged trip to shoot there 4 one day internationals for my agency. So putting me 5 weeks behind.

I’m now caught up with the course and just putting my CRJ down and catching up.

This modal has been interesting, and good that I can look back on it after my 5 week abstance. Giving me a great overview of the past 5 weeks rather than putting down my thoughts at the end of each week.

I am unusual I think on this course and in particular to the past 5 weeks. I do not wish to get a job within the industry, other than the one I have already, nor do I need to grow my business. I only wish I had had this course and its information 30 years ago and I would be in far different place. I am very happy being where I am today, having been planning it for the past 9 years or so. I aim to semi retire in November of this year giving me two days a week to give the MA my all 3 days of work and two days a week to peruse my particular field of photography. The taking of this MA is to get a photographic qualification in photography and be able to send a picture to my mum of me in my mortarboard and gowns when I graduate, to put on her mantelpiece.

Weeks one and two I found interesting and I identified where I sit in the levels of the types of photographers that there are. Plus keeping abreast of copyright Law is always a good thing as stuff changes so quickly.

Week three seemed to happen for me quite by accident while I was away. I use social media, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Although not as well as my son seems to, think it might be an age thing. However I seem to fulfill the task set as I seem to be doing it as an ongoing process, which was heartening for me to see. The biggest threat to me and others I assume is time, having and making time to do all these things and keeping them up to date, then following trends etc plus I still struggle with the #!!!! I was delighted to see that I gained over 30 new followers across a three of the platforms I use, some of them just saw my work and others were people I talked to and met while I was in Sri Lanka. I always have believed that if your work is good and people have an interest in it they will want to find out more and in doing so will start to follow you.

As I said at the start of this piece I am very happy with where I am in terms of my photographic career at the moment. I feel this modal is focused towards those just starting out on their journey and career. I understand that and so feel some of the topics are not relevant to me but make for useful reading just as a top up.

At the end of my trip away I met someone new. Which coincided with week five, quite by chance. I am an outgoing sort of person so am constantly asking questions as I want to learn and find out why, what where etc. I use this a lot when I am lecturing; buy telling the audience that I still make mistakes but am always looking to find out why and how to get it right next time. I enjoy meeting with people and hearing their stories of how they are where they are and how did they get here. For me it’s the photographers I find most interesting and today have always been happy to supply the information and advice.

Week 7 Strategic Choices

Week 7 task from Amy was a day in the life of ………………. Me as a sports photographer.

 

So below are the pictures of my journey for that day.  The selection of kit I need to take and ensure its all in working order.  The venue itself and where I work and what I have to work with.  The day started as a potential wash out even after all the sun we had had.  Plus I also did not want to post the usual sports pictures I take for the agency but with motivation from the MA I started to look behind the scenes, and also the structures that are in the stadium.  This gave me a new view of an area I have been to many times but now look at it with fresh eyes and a new appreciation of the structures, people within the stadium.

 

The final pictures show what I am for there.  To get pictures published (and get paid) the screen shots show the BBC used two of my pictures on their web page during the day.Page 1

Page 2Page 3

 

Week

Week 5

It’s been a great week, as its given me a chance to reflect on my own practice.  I think we all get into the blinkered way of doing things and just crack on!  With having had the opportunity to stop take a step back and reflect on what and why I do what I do.  On the whole I seem to being doing it ok, need to get my “risk assessment” sorted and keep on top of it.

 

Did try to arrange a group call with two other students but due to time zone and work commitments this did not happen.

 

Now the planning starts for the oral presentation for week 6 trial run.  I’m used to speaking publicly but having trouble with how to upload it with sound to the web!  But have arranged a 1 to 1 with Paul.  So all positive and I keep going.

Week 4

What a great week, so good to have a chance to work with 2 other students.  This would not be the usual way that any of us would choose to work in such a shot time frame, and also over such distances.  However we all enjoyed the experience and got the results we set out to achieve.

 

In my practice I usually have an event to attend and with a brief outline of what the agency requires from me.  Then sending the pictures down the line and then await the picture editors to choose the pictures they wish to use.  On this occasion we had to email each other and discuss the required pictures we wanted to produce for the end of the week.  We had the chance to see each others work and either amend our own work or compromise on what we submitted.  Then left to one of our group to put it all together ready for the webinar.

 

Then during the webinar I got to see other groups work and submissions.  This gave me a chance to comment on their work and see how they had got on.  Was so glad to have been in my group as we all seem to have the same train of thought, making the project easier to do.

Position and Practice week 3

Week 3 and so far for me this has been the most enjoyable.  Why? well the questions asked at the end seem more relevant to my own position and current practice.

How are professional photographers viewed?  I have a full time job (I drive a bus!!!!) as well as running my own photography practice, plus finding time for the MA!!!!!.  So I hear on an almost a daily basis, “why don’t you go full time?” and my reply is always the same.  30 years ago if I knew then what I know now I would, but I am too long in the tooth and have bills to pay each month so am happy to pick up the odd commission here and there and be picked for a sports job on my terms and not be a slave to having to do them.

Most of my work colleagues love my work and some have commissioned me to do their weddings, family shoots and every other year I do the staff pass shoot!  So I must be doing something right.  Plus my work with my camera club has enabled me to do lectures at clubs all over the north west of England and have been invited back again and again to some to do another lecture and presentation.

 

Now if you were to talk of other forms of photographers you would get all sorts of different reactions.  The paparazzi would not fair well in most peoples eyes, as intrusive low life, with no moral compass to speak of.  Yet the sort of publications they supply seem to cater for the masses and the very same people who criticise their actions.  But other photographers would come out in a more favourable light.

Ansel Adams, for his amazing landscapes and pioneer of the modern nature photography.

David Baily, with his iconic images from the 60’s to the present day

Annie Leibovitz, portrait and celebrity photographer

Don Mccullin, for his iconic war zone shots

All the above have inspired me along the way to my current position in the photographic world.  But two lesser know photographers from the YouTube and digital era are well worth a mention

Gavin Hoey – http://www.gavtrain.com who explains photography in such a pleasing and logical way.

Karl Taylor – http://www.karltayloreducation.com is much to be admired in his work and education for photographers

These two are my first port of call if I want to try something new or I don’t know how to do something.

When I moved over to digital I had some reservations and a little fear.  I had been brought up on black and white 35mm film, spending many a happy hour in the dark room at boarding school and my bedroom at home.  I always loved the point when the picture came through on the developing dish and felt that sense of ownership.  Would I ever feel the same about an uploaded picture on my computer?  Well I am happy to say I do.  The technology today allows me not only to take pictures and send them down the wires to my agency within seconds, but in my office allows me to change and manipulate  (to a very small extent) my shots. (My choice to, as I only do a small amount on the computer, as I like to get it right first time in camera)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position & Practice Week one!

So my first ever blog, here goes.

 

After finally getting everything uploaded and struggling to find where everything is plus starting a week late, I found the first week interesting to say the least.  Initially the question of “what have you learnt?” my first answer was nothing!!!  But I have been thinking it over during the day, and its surprises me when I can now say, loads.

 

The image of the young girl running towards the US troops after her village was bombed, and the Viet Cong shot in the street, are images I have grown up with.  I first saw these back in the early 70’s and then at school in the 80’s & 90’s, they are powerful emotive and have stayed with me, however I do not remember as well the film of the same.  These seem to have past me by.  Showing that one still images can be imprinted on our minds for many years and the film footage is almost a throw away.

 

As a photographer who has never done reportage photography I take my hat off to the two photographers and the many like them that have been in the right place at the right time with all the settings on their old 35mm cameras to get the perfectly exposed shot, plus with the added danger of being in a war zone.  I will never complain again when I am shooting a football match on a cold Saturday in November in Wigan.

 

So the three questions asked “what has surprised, challenged and have you learnt?” Is now “a great deal.

 

I am surprised at the impact one still image has and still has on me, if its in the conscious or sub conscious part of my brain.  I am able to remember these pictures even to the exact moment I saw them.  Much like “we all remember where and what we were doing when Kennedy was shot, Lennon was killed or Take That split up!”

 

The trick now is to try and do that with my own work, have an impact and hope to capture the moment.