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laurapriceprogressionblog · 8 years

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University Q&A

Why did you choose this subject?

My first experience with photography was hours of hunting down the local wildlife and of old World War II aircraft and ships from various museums - it continued from there.

It will allow me to experiment with subject areas, such as emerging digital technologies and moving image; this will help me to develop more photographic skills.

I would also like to have the knowledge to design for new media’s - such as application websites, which would aid my work to reach a wider audience.

It will give me the chance to work with professionals and to communicate with like-minded people within the industry to create more modern and revolutionary ideas.

This course would also give me many opportunities to gain more networking skills, such as marketing and promotion and to explore more deeply into the commercial sector.

2. Why did you choose this university?

To gain as much knowledge as I can from my tutors and peers, and to achieve a positive and enriching experience.

I believe that this university can challenge me more with my further studies in photography, and with a view of a successful and exciting career in the industry.

The course within this university will give me more networking skills as well as opportunities to work alongside professionals as part of my work experience.

Help to launch me into the professional Commercial/ Digital Advertising sector of photography.

3. What are you reading at the moment?

I am currently reading “Life. Love. Beauty” by Keegan Allen.

He is an American actor, and is famously known for his role as Toby in Pretty Little Liars. However, one of his main passions is for photography.

The book is about his life and how he has grown up with being involved in photography. The book contains a large archive of his photographs from when he was a child until the present day, and he also talks about the camera’s that he has used.

I find it really intriguing to read, as it gives you a huge insight into his personal life along with the personal photographs of his family that he has published in his book. It’s also fascinating to see the progression of cameras that he has used, and how each camera has produced bigger and better-quality images within his archive/ portfolio.

4. What can you bring to the university?

I am a perfectionist when it comes to my written coursework, and I always make sure that I meet every deadline that is set.

I also want to interpret my fiery creativity into the more Commercial sector within the photography course as well as into every project that I am given.

I hope that my skills will also rub off on my peers and that it will help to motivate and encourage their more creative side which will shine through when looking through their work.

5. What are your weaknesses?

A weakness that I have is involved with employability skills.

Although I am pleased with my current portfolio, I know that by going to university it will give me a chance to produce better-quality imagery that I will be able to include in my portfolio.

This will help future employers see my progression within photography, and increase my chances of employability due to the high standards of my photographs.

6. What work experience have you done? What did it teach you?

I have gained valuable work experience in the photography field during Hot Rod events whilst assisting a professional photojournalist.

With regards to the events, I have managed to maintain networking contacts with magazine editors.

My main focus is to photograph the cars that are displayed at the events, but I also take the opportunity to document the people who attend the shows as well as the landscape settings of the surrounding countryside.

Other work experience that I have done are the live music shows at my college.

I am currently in the process of constructing a studio photo shoot with one of the musicians who requires portraiture and full-bodied fashion shots for a modelling portfolio.

7. What do you see yourself doing after university?

After university, I would like to use the contacts that I may have obtained during my time spent at the university, and try to apply for an apprenticeship/ internship with a photography company within the Commercial sector of the photography industry.

By applying for an internship, it will help me gain more knowledge about how a real photography company works and how each stage is handled: through the planning phase to the photographic work and interacting with my co-workers as well as the clients, and through the post-production phase and what kind of standards/ quality they expect for each of their photographs.

8. What achievement are you most proud of?

My biggest achievement so far would be when a selection of my photographs from Hot Rod events at Beaulieu and Billing Aquadrome had been published in two issues of Custom Car Magazine.

Custom Car Magazine is a very well-known magazine company that publishes its articles based on Hot Rods from nostalgic/ historic events to most recent years where younger generations are now building their own Hot Rods.

I was buzzing with excitement from the whole experience.

I was aware that my work was going to achieve international exposure, as these magazine copies are sold across both the UK and the US.

I received a lot of positive feedback from people in the car industry.

9. Is there a piece of work or series of images that best represents you?

I think one of my pieces of work (of my sunset) would be one of the images that best represents me.

I have a great interest in photographing sunrises and sunsets, and it’s very time-restricted, especially the sunsets as they set so quickly.

When I travel abroad - I normally visit Cyprus - there is a place named The Sunset Point in Paphos. Every night, I would sit there for a at least an hour or so, waiting for the sunset to go down.

Photographing this particular type of scenery makes me feel at peace with myself and makes me feel happy - nothing can disturb me - and that’s who I am as a person. I have a calm and happy personality, which radiates onto others around me.

I also love to people-watch whilst I’m waiting for it to set and to also capture some unique and unusual shots of my surroundings; to get a sense of what the environment looks like around me.

10. What are your strong interests or hobbies?

One of my main interests is performing and singing. Throughout previous years, I have auditioned and performed at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford as part of their SYP (Summer Youth Project) team.

I performed in the shows: The Wiz and Bugsy Malone.

I have also been teaching myself how to play the guitar in the last few years, as well as the clarinet from a young age.

Most importantly, I have a huge passion for photography and when I attend Hot Rod events and/ or when I travel abroad on a holiday, you will alway see me photographing all of my surroundings.

I usually photograph things, such as: the people, cars, the local architecture and the scenery.

I also have a big interest in photographing sunrises and sunsets; I always make sure that I get up early so then I won’t miss the sunrise in the morning, as it’s amazing how fast the sun rises in the matter of minutes.

11. Why do you take photographs?

Photography has always played a major role throughout my life, whether it has been capturing a picturesque sunset or photographing a family gathering.

The reason as to why I take photographs is because I’m always cautious about time and how much time I may have left with a few people. So, I make sure that I capture a photograph of them or of my beautiful surroundings, as by photographing that, it freezes it in time.

In a sense, I’m capturing a moment once experienced and now once gone.

I can always look back at them to just remind myself of how I felt during the time that the photograph was being taken and what life was like then, and how I may have changed and grown as a person as well as the people who are now in my life.

I’m a memory-hoarder, and love to look back on events that have occurred in my life.

12. What photographers/ artists inspire you and why?

Charlie Waite - he is a landscape photographer.

He mostly photographs nature, architecture and the environments in which people live in.

I am really fascinated by his photography work, as in each photograph he manages to radiate a sense of serenity and calmness through his imagery to his audience.

I want to successfully achieve a similar goal when pursuing my photography career, as Waite is able to make his audience feel a variety of emotions just by looking at a singular photograph - it’s a great interaction between his imagery and the audience, and it allows them to use their imagination and to create their own opinions/ stories based on what they see within the photographs.

13. What exhibitions have you been to lately?

I had recently visited the Tate Britain with my college friends to see the Turner Prize exhibition.

It was fascinating to see the different artists work, and it also gives you an insight into how these people think.

You get to see and appreciate what art looks like from their perspective.

I really liked Josephine Pryde’s photographic work that was displayed in the exhibition, as he had purposefully shot the model’s upper body and their hand gestures as well as the objects that they may have been holding, such as: phones, computers, notebooks etc.

It was interesting to analyse how our bodies react to touching inanimate objects and also to see the movements that our hands make when interacting with people.

14. What gets you up in the morning?

I have a big interest in photographing sunrises and sunsets, so when I wake up I always make sure that I get up on time so then I don’t miss capturing the sunrise in the morning, as it’s quite amazing how fast it rises in the matter of minutes.

Afterwards, both my classmate and I quizzed each other on the different questions that we may be asked during a university interview. In my opinion, I think that I confidently answered a few of the questions that she asked me, however I will need to read through my answers properly so then I will be able to remember when in the interviews.

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UCAS Personal Statement

Personally, I believe that my biggest achievement so far would be when a selection of my photographs from Hot Rod events at Beaulieu and Billing Aquadrome had been published in two issues of Custom Car Magazine. I was buzzing with excitement from the whole experience and also knowing that my work was achieving international exposure; these magazine copies are sold across both the UK and the US. I received a lot of positive feedback from people in the car industry. I am therefore applying for Commercial Photography and/ or Digital Advertising. Both of these courses really interest me as it would encourage my fiery creativity and help propel myself into employability within the photographic industry.

Aspects of the course that I would find beneficial for me is to experiment with related subject areas, such as emerging digital technologies and moving image; this helping me to develop more skills. I would also like to have the knowledge to design for new media's - such as application websites, which would aid my work to reach a wider audience - as well as having the chance to work with professionals and to communicate with like-minded people within the industry to create more modern and revolutionary ideas. Furthermore, this course would also give me many opportunities to gain more networking skills, such as marketing and promotion and to explore more deeply into the commercial sector.

I had previously studied Art & Design for GCSE's - I had used a selection of my photographs to help create my final piece of GCSE artwork, which I achieved a grade A in. I am currently at North Kent College Dartford studying UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma Art & Design (Photography). I have already achieved distinctions in all of my projects from the first year of college.

I have gained valuable work experience in the photography field during Hot Rod events whilst assisting a professional photojournalist. With regards to the events, I have managed to maintain networking contacts with magazine editors. My main focus is to photograph the cars that are displayed at the events, but I also take the opportunity to document the people who attend the shows as well as the landscape settings of the surrounding countryside. Another side of my photography is live music shows, which the music students put on at my college, and I am currently in the process of constructing a studio photo shoot with one of the musicians who requires portraiture and full-bodied fashion shots for a modelling portfolio.

Over the past couple of years, I have had work experience in my Father's office where I liaised with clients and have good communication skills with co-workers. At the Orchard Theatre Dartford, my work experience included interacting with members of the public in my various roles of working in an office environment and usherette in the evening - my creative enthusiasm has also given me the opportunity of performing in two of their summer productions.

In my spare time, I enjoy singing; dancing; and composing my own music. I attend various car/ bike events, which involves travelling to different parts of the country where I have accumulated a large portfolio of photographs and interviewed the owners of some of the vehicles.

My goal for attending university would be to gain as much knowledge as I can from my tutors and peers, and to achieve a positive and enriching experience, which will help to launch me into the professional Commercial/ Digital Advertising sector of photography. I look forward to being challenged more with my further studies in photography, and with a view to pursuing a successful and exciting career in the industry.

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laurapriceprogressionblog · 8 years

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My Photography CV

LAURA PRICE

Personal Statement:

I am very hard-working and ambitious. I work really well in a team and have good communication skills when interacting with clients. I also stay focused on the work that I am given. I am adept at maintaining light levels, and setting up equipment both in studio and outdoor settings. Furthermore, I am looking for a company that will give me the opportunity to gain as much knowledge as I can, and to achieve a positive and enriching experience, which will help to launch me into the professional Commercial/ Digital Advertising sector of photography. I look forward to being challenged more, with a view to pursuing a successful and exciting career in the industry.

Education:

Dartford Science & Technology College – my GCSE grades are:

English - A Mathematics - B Additional Science - B French - A Art & Design - A Music - C History - B

Currently at North Kent College Dartford studying UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design (Photography). I have achieved distinctions in all of my projects from the first year of college.

History/ Key Skills:

I have been lucky enough to obtain an understanding of working in an office environment. My Father works at Flint Insurance and I have assisted in various duties from a young age, such as: filing, outgoing post, data input and much more. For my Year 11 work experience, I spent four days at the Orchard Theatre Dartford where I assisted in day-to-day office work, advertising the upcoming shows and being an usher for the final evening.

I have attended drag racing and hot rod events with my Father where he works as a commentator and have enjoyed helping with collecting relevant information such as the cars racing times and details about the cars. I also have a portfolio which consists of hundreds of photographs of varying subjects.

• June 2016 – my FMP was displayed at an exhibition in my college • July and September 2016 – a popular company named Custom Car Magazine published a selection of my photographs from Hot Rod events at Beaulieu and Billing Aquadrome in two of their monthly issues. • I have gained valuable work experience in the photography field during Hot Rod events whilst assisting a professional photojournalist • I am currently in the process of constructing a studio photo shoot with a music student who requires portraiture and full-bodied fashion shots for a modelling portfolio • February 2017 - I am also preparing for an exhibition to be held at Chatham Dockyard

Personal Skills:

• Possessing an enthusiastic and friendly personality • Enjoys learning and personal development • Previous work experience with computerised software, including Photoshop, Edexcel and Microsoft Office • Familiar with photography studio equipment and darkroom work • Works well with co-workers and within teams • Conscientious and completes set tasks • Reliable, optimistic and positive • Good communication skills when liaising with clients

Hobbies/ Interests:

I have always had a passion for performing, singing and dancing. Throughout previous years, I have performed at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford as part of their SYP (Summer Youth Project) team. I have performed in the shows: The Wiz (2014) and Bugsy Malone (2016). I auditioned and was cast in the company where I sang and danced. Being brought up attending drag racing and hot rod events has made this of great interest to me.

As I am interested in photography, and when I am at hot rod events or on holiday, I love to take photographs of my surroundings, including: people, cars, local architecture and scenery. This benefited me when I studied GCSE Art, and now Level 3 Photography at college.

Referees:

Michelle Gould – Office Manager Flint Insurance 0208 309 3441 Photography Tutor - Ms Clare Bottomley North Kent College Dartford 01322 629400

Personal Details: DOB: 14.05.1999 Mob: 07703733686 Email: [email protected]

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Portfolio Evaluation

I am really pleased with my portfolio so far, as I have already started to build an online portfolio where I have displayed a vast selection of my best photographic work - each image has been categorised into either the ‘Landscape’ or ‘Commercial’ page on my site. I chose these two particular topics to include on my online portfolio, as these are the two main topics that I want to focus on when pursuing a career within the photography industry; this helping for future employers to see my quality of work and to also decide if my work fits into their job criteria.

However, although I like the layout of my online portfolio and how I have set out all of my favourite photographs, if I had to improve my online portfolio, I think that I would try to include more information about myself and also add more details to each individual photograph and/ or project that I did. By doing this, it will give potential employers a bigger idea on the type of locations that I travel to and how I shoot my imagery. In addition, in the next 4-6 months, I would like to improve my photographs by capturing more landscape images whilst on holiday abroad and/ or commercial shots in the studio - I will then upload and replace a few of my photographs which are currently on my online portfolio; replacing them with better-quality images for my portfolio.

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laurapriceprogressionblog · 8 years

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Portfolio - Photographic Review

Whilst looking through my online portfolio and seeing what I have done so far, here are a few of my best photography work that I display on my site.

I categorised this photograph under ‘Landscape’ on my online portfolio. I really like how I’ve edited this image as I only adjusted the brightness/ contrast levels of the door in my composition; this creating a more striking blue-coloured centre piece for my composition, which will really attract the audience’s attention.

In my opinion, I really like this photograph as I love the contrast of the blue colours within the composition as well as the sunset reflecting off of my camera - this will be included in the ‘Landscape’ section of my online portfolio.

I used Photoshop to edit the contrast and saturation levels of the ocean; this making the diverse colours of the sea stand out more, and also displays my editing skills.

I really like this landscape photograph due to the darkness which silhouettes around the evening sunset; this making the brightness and intense contrast of the sun become very eye-catching.

I categorised this photograph under ‘Commercial’ on my online portfolio. I really like this photograph as I edited the brightness/ contrast of the car; this making the Hot Rod’s exterior colour really stand out more from my image’s background.

In my opinion, I like this landscape photograph as the reflection of the sun really highlights the main subject in my composition - this will be included in the ‘Landscape’ of my online portfolio.

This Hot Rod photograph will be displayed in the ‘Commercial’ section of my online portfolio. I like this image due to the way that I positioned my camera when capturing this particular shot; this allowing the audience to see the entire body of the car and it’s body design.

I really like this photograph as it is a great example of a landscape shot; the vibrant colours of the beach huts are really captivating, and you can also see the different tones of blue within the ocean in the near horizon.

In my opinion, I really like this image as I manually focused the lens on the flower’s petals; this magnifying the more intense and radiant colours of the flower.

I like this Hot Rod photograph, as it presents the full body of the car within the image’s composition as well as it’s vividly coloured body work; this becoming very eye-catching to the audience.

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Social Media

To help me make my audience more aware of my photographic work, I have made a Facebook page and Instagram account that I specifically use to post my imagery into the photographic world.

Here is my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/laurapricephotography

Here is my Instagram account:

I have created a Facebook and Instagram link on my online portfolio, so when possible future employers wish to look through my portfolio, they will be able to see that I am trying to self-promote myself on other social media’s to make my imagery more well-known and popular within the photographic world. It will also give them an idea on what type of photography I am more interested in, and if I have the potential to fit into their specific criteria of an employee. Furthermore, I have also had a lot of positive feedback from other users on Instagram about my most popular photographs.

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My Online Portfolio

I have now started to create my own online portfolio using one of the world’s most popular web builder sites, named: Wix. Here is the link to my webpage:

http://laurapricephotos.wixsite.com/portfolio

Personally, I think that Wix (as an overall website) is pretty easy to use when building your own website as I managed to understand the basics of how to use the web builder really quickly; it also consists of a ‘Help’ section so if you’re confused by anything when constructing your webpage, it can easily be solved. However, the website has a quick and simple process which allows you to start presenting your chosen images in a matter of minutes.

Furthermore, I noticed that Wix provides its users with a wide range of webpage templates which fits into different types of industries; I really like this as although my webpage layout is quite simple - with just 2 columns of photographs on each page - I believe that it presents each image to its highest standard. Once you have selected one of your images, it then turns into a continuous slideshow that runs through all of your photographs.

In conclusion, my simple process of web-building has been very effective as it perfectly presents each image to potential future employers, and with the use of a white background, it allows my photograph’s colours to really stand out more and to catch the viewer’s eye.

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Examples of Photography Portfolio’s

I am particularly interested in Commercial and/ or Advertising Photography. Here are a few examples of different photographers who work within these categories along with their online portfolio’s:

Timothy Hogan - http://www.timothy-hogan.com/index

Timothy Hogan’s work mostly consists of Commercial photography which displays various branded products, such as: jewellery; alcoholic drinks; electronics; accessories etc. from very popular and high-quality companies. Looking through Hogan’s portfolio, he has included a lot of information based around the history of his photography career and also consists of his contact details for both the US and the UK - this indicating that he wants to pursue his photography career further but internationally, and wishes to co-operate with people from all around the world.

In my opinion, I really like Hogan’s website as when you first enter the site you are greeted with very eye-popping colours of products that he has shot in previous photoshoots, as well as editing them through software’s such as Photoshop - enhancing the colours of the products. Furthermore, I like how Hogan has categorised all of his photographs; this making it an easier process for employers to find the specific type of imagery that they want to see, for example, during an interview. Also, Hogan has created a link on his portfolio to his photography shop website, where you’re then able to buy his produced work - I really like this idea.

Luigi Bussolati - http://www.luigibussolati.com

Luigi Bussolati’s work mostly consists of Fine Art Photography and Commerical Photography which presents various aspects of photography, such as: architecture; corporate (industrial); people etc. Looking through Bussolati’s portfolio, he has included a small summary about the history of himself as well as a few contact details. He has also created a ‘News’ section which consists of a continuous feed that presents various articles dedicated to different photographers from all around the world - this making Bussolati’s viewers more aware of other artists.

In my opinion, I quite like Bussolati’s website as he has sorted his selection of photographs into different topics; helping viewers to find the certain type of his produced work really quickly. When you first enter Bussolati’s portfolio you are welcomed with a simple yet colourful wave which streams across the background, however it doesn’t present a slideshow of his favourite pieces of work like most photography portfolio’s do - I found this quite plain and boring as it didn’t really attract my eye as much as there was none of his work to draw me into his website.

Rob Grimm - http://rggphoto.com

Rob Grimm’s work mostly consists of Commercial Photography which presents images of food and/ or beverages that are produced at various restaurants from different parts of the US and Europe. Looking through Grimm’s portfolio, he has included a slideshow which displays all of his recent commercial work; creating an eye-catching website for viewers to scan through. He has also created a ‘Blog’ section that consists of a daily feed which notifies the viewers about new competitions and articles based on different photographers and their recent work.

In my opinion, I like Grimm’s website as when you first enter the site you are greeted with a slideshow of images from his recent work - purposefully choosing his most popular photographs, so then he can really catch the viewer’s eyes. Furthermore, one aspect of Grimm’s portfolio that has really interested me is that - alongside his contact details and a summary of the history of his photography career - Grimm has also created a ‘Studio’ section where it talks about his team who help him produce his professional-looking images, as well as the location of both of his studios in the US; this notifying the viewers that they’re able to hire out his studios for their own photoshoots, which I believe is an amazing opportunity!

Alex Koloskov - http://www.koloskov.com

Alex Koloskov’s work mostly consists of Commercial Photography which displays various branded products, such as: jewellery; cosmetics; food; beverages etc. from high-classed companies. Looking through Koloskov’s portfolio, he has structured his website very well, as he has categorised all of his images into different topics; making the layout of his portfolio neater and organised. I also like how Koloskov has included a link named ‘Photography Lessons’ on his website; this is quite an unusual thing to see in someone’s website, as this gives the audience an opportunity to experience photography lessons on a more professional level.

In my opinion, I really like Koloskov’s website as he has created a professional-looking portfolio that has a very organised layout; making it a simpler and easier way for future employers to find the type of photographic work that they are mostly interested in for their companies. However, Koloskov hasn’t included enough information about either a summary of himself or his contact details. Instead, he has included links to his various social media sites, which also include his contact details - I don’t like how he hasn’t included much about himself as I would be interested to know how he came across photography and what made him decide that he wanted to pursue a career within this industry.

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UCAS “Design Your Future”

In my opinion, I thought that UCAS’ “Design Your Future” fair at the Excel was very informative, as there was a wide variety of universities from across the UK there. Not all of the universities did Photography as one of their courses, but quite a few of them did - this giving me more places and options to look into as I am considering to go to university. However, some of the universities are based too far away from where I live, and I do not particularly want to live away from my home - I would rather commute everyday, as it would be cheaper for me to commute rather than pay the costly fees of accommodation. In addition, each university that I looked at provided me with a prospectus as well as a list of when their open days are; giving me a more visual image on what each particular university has to offer for me if I were to study there for the next 3/4 years.

I have already visited 5 universities: University of Brighton; UCA Rochester; University of West London; Canterbury Christchurch University; and Ravensbourne University. I think that Ravensbourne will be my number one choice when applying through UCAS, as I loved the atmosphere there and their course also specialises in Digital Advertising which is something that I strongly believe would benefit me when pursuing my photography career.

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Conclusion - Hard Copy OR Online/ Digital Portfolio?

Personally, I really like both portfolio methods - Hardcopy and Online/ Digital - as they are both able to present your work professionally for potential employers and/ or clients. I like the Hardcopy method because I can be as creative as I wish when displaying my photographs within the book; I also love the thought of presenting my photographs to an employer where they can physically touch and look through a book that I have proudly handcrafted myself. On the other hand, by using the Online/ Digital method, you can quickly update your website and its content - such as, your chosen photographs and your website’s fonts, backgrounds etc. - within minutes and is easily accessible for both me and future employers.

In conclusion, I think that I may try and continue working and improving on my Online/ Digital portfolio, as the simplicity of creating a very professional website with just a few clicks seems easier to do within my busy schedule. My website can also capture the interest of many different employers and can be seen by many people worldwide.

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Creating My Own Online Photography Portfolio

To help me find a web design website that would allow me to construct my own professional online portfolio, I used the link below and it’s information to help me choose the right one:

http://www.beautifullife.info/web-design/15-best-free-website-builders/

The first web design website I looked at was Wix:

http://www.wix.com/ In my opinion, I really like Wix’s website layout as their usage of fonts are quite simple but bold, and their background is of a plain white colour - however, this has been covered with an inspiring collection of photographs; adding colour to the whole website. The web design page is very informative on what their website’s purpose is and it runs through the steps on how their website works, so then you’re able to produce a professional-looking portfolio. I also like how they provide a vast variety of website templates - this helping people to create more colourful and eye-catching online portfolios. However, you must start to pay a premium if you wish to continue creating a more advanced website - the monthly prices range from £2.55 to £15.75, depending on what package you select.

The second web design website I looked at was Weebly:

https://www.weebly.com/uk?lang=en

In comparison, I also like Weebly’s website layout as the first thing that you see when you enter its website is their usage of very big and bold texts/ fonts, as well as the use of a blue and white mix of a background. The web design page is very informative - more informative than Wix’s website - as it also mentions about former website users and their success stories of using Weebly which has helped them advance their professional portfolio’s and/ or small businesses. However, like most web design websites, you must pay a premium if you wish to continue creating a more advanced website - Weebly is slightly more expensive than Wix, as the prices start from £5 to £33 per month (depending on which package you decide to choose).

Personally, I think that Wix may be the better choice for me when constructing my own professional online portfolio, as there is a bigger variety of website templates that I could use - these include different backgrounds, fonts, colours etc - that will help me to produce a more eye-catching portfolio for possible employers. It is also a very popular site which many people all around the world use to help give them a head-start with their small businesses or portfolios. Furthermore, Wix is better in value (money-wise) as depending on which package you decide to choose when creating a more advanced portfolio, the package and what it consists of will still be at a much cheaper price than when using the Weebly website - you would definitely save more money each month when using Wix.

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Professional Online Portfolio’s

Due to my interest of pursuing a career within Commercial Photography, I decided to research a couple of Commercial photographers and their online websites to see how they have constructed a professional portfolio to gain employers attention.

I first looked at Paul Grogan’s photography portfolio:

http://www.paulgroganphotography.com/manchester-commercial-photography-portfolio/

In my opinion, I really like how Grogan has laid out his website as he has neatly placed all of his photographs into different folders - illustrating the different topics/ skills that he has to possible employers. I like the theme of his online portfolio, which consists of a white background with turquoise-coloured fonts - although it’s quite a simple theme, it gives me a sense of sophistication within his professional work. There is a lot of content in his online portfolio, as Grogan has written an introduction for each of his photographic folders, explaining about his previous experiences in photography as well as the different ways that you can contact him if you have any enquiries and/ or job offers.

I then looked at Michael Molloy’s photography portfolio:

http://www.michaelmolloy.co.uk/commercial-photography.html

Personally, I prefer Molloy’s online portfolio to Grogan’s as I really like the layout of Molloy’s portfolio - the first thing you see when you enter his website is one of his high-quality photographs; this really capturing a possible employer’s eye as well as pulling the viewer into his website. I also like Molloy’s theme because, although the website only consists of a white background, he has managed to use the colouring of his photographs to his advantage by displaying them across most of the website; this creating a very colourful and eye-catching portfolio. Furthermore, there isn’t as much information provided in Molloy’s portfolio compared to Grogan’s website, but there is still a lot of photographic content as well as snippets of information on his previous experiences and contact details.

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Portfolio’s

What Is A Portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of documents and/ or photographs that can be presented in either a hard copy book or on an online website. By presenting your various materials, it shows your wide range of skills, qualifications, training, and experiences - all the qualities that employers will be looking for when scanning through your portfolio. Having a portfolio is very beneficial, as it provides an insight into your personality and work ethic; also illustrating your professionalism.

Hard Copy:

Hardcopy portfolios are really good for the more creative people, as you can use a range of different mediums, including three dimensional materials in your book. Hardcopy can also be presented very well; the physical presence of the materials and/ or your selected photographs gives a different quality to the presentation compared to the online version. Here are some examples of different Hard Copy portfolio’s that you can buy:

Plastic Sleeve Portfolio book - Their prices can range from £20 - £50. Although the Plastic Sleeve is quite a simple design to have as a professional portfolio, it does contain a lot of space for all of your high-quality images, and it is very practical to use; by attaching a strap to the outside of the book, you can carry it around with you as if it were a bag.

Leather-Covered Portfolio book - Their prices can range from £20 - £250, depending on the quality of the book. I think that this type of book is very good for presenting high-quality photographs. The leather cover also gives a more sophisticated edge about your whole presentation.

Box Portfolio book - Their prices can range from £20 - £300. Although this portfolio is more expensive, it’s very beneficial if you want to present very high-quality materials and/ or photographs of your work. These box portfolio’s can come in various sizes, such as: A4, A3, and A2. However, they aren’t as practical due to their heavy weight - they will be harder to carry around.

Online/ Digital:

Online/ Digital portfolio’s are beneficial for people who are more involved with the usage of social media’s and the Internet in general. Most people use online portfolio’s to showcase all of their work due to the simplicity of being able to update your portfolio in the matter of minutes - presenting your current skills and products - which is something that you can’t easily do with a hardcopy portfolio.

It is a much easier and quicker process to send a link of your website/ online portfolio to an employer or a potential client - this is almost impossible to do with a hardcopy portfolio, as you must be able to physically see your book. On the other hand, employers are able to see your online portfolio with just one click of a button.

Furthermore, an online portfolio can contain a lot of information about different topics/ elements that you cover within your line of work. You can use this ability to target specific issues with job criteria and requirements - whereas, there are limits to the amount of information that you can put in a hardcopy portfolio.

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laurapriceprogressionblog · 8 years

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My Progression Route

Recapping on all of my research that I have found out about various Universities and what ideal career path I should pursue, I have decided that I may go into more research with Commercial/ Advertising Photography. I am mostly interested in this particular topic in photograph, as you would get many opportunities to work with quite high-classed and expensive products as well as the companies who make the products. Also, your images can be displayed in various areas and/ or countries which can be seen by many people from all around the world.

It is quite a straightforward process on how to apply for this particular course, as you first must register with the UCAS website. From here, the website guides you through how to make your own personal statement and how to apply for your chosen universities. It also gives you the course requirements - what grades you must have to be able to get into the course - and what things they would be expecting in your presented work.

For most courses, they expect quite similar portfolios. Looking at universities, such as the University of West London, their ideal portfolio would be to present a lot of evidence that you have produced over a period of time; this showing how passionate you are towards photography. Also, include any previous sketchbooks which document your creative process and photographic experimentation. They are very interested in applicants who display a lot of enthusiasm, motivation, commitment, ambition, and very communicative.

Here are the UCAS deadlines for applying to your chosen university and course:

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laurapriceprogressionblog · 8 years

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Evaluation on Our UAL Lecture

University of Arts London:

UAL is the largest specialist Art University in Europe

access to all the libraries

works with over 20,000 creative students

good industry link

large university with small college fees

Camberwell UAL - BA Photography:

Fine Art Photography (you wouldn’t be able to study other topics, such as fashion or photojournalism, if you were to study this course).

You will cover many techniques in the course, like: Darkroom work; Studio Lighting; and advanced skills.

In your Portfolio you should include:

a range of creative skills & techniques, like sketchbook work and also show your developing ideas.

evidence of selected photographs & evaluations

represent your personality & life experiences

show potential for future development

work that interests & represents you - not just what you think the interviewer might want to see.

start with your strongest piece - make a first strong impression

bring in more developmental work and show how you reached the stage that you have got to

finish with another strong piece - showing the direction that you want to go next in

maybe show the dates of when you photographed your work - shows your progress

keep it clean & tidy - mount it on neutral card or paper

moving image can be presented as a story board

if you have a large scale of work, photograph it rather than bringing it in

be selective; keep it relevant; show someone else your work; allow yourself plenty of time; don’t over complicate it; annotate (title & date it)

take the interviewer through a journey

Personally, I wasn’t really interested in the courses that she had discussed during the talk, as she had quickly spoken about Fine Art Photography in Camberwell University. Fine Art Photography isn’t really something that I would aspire to doing in my future career.

She did make me consider applying to University, as I believe that I work better learning academically so continuing on at a Uni may be beneficial for me.

I think that she was a good speaker and was quite professional as she is involved with various universities that belong to UAL, so she was more informative about the courses.

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