Personal Development Skills
CAREER/EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY
Photography and my future
My aims and objectives for taking this course was always to introduce photography into my (fine) art work. Although I would like to continue to do further advanced courses in photography, I have no plans to become a commercial photographer but instead a fine artist with a photographic bias.
Since taking this course, photography has opened up a whole new world and raised my interest in pursuing the subject in it's own right. Experimental photography aroused my interest and potential with the work of photographers like Stephanie Jung, Dan Mountford and the like. While at the beginning I attempted to replicate their style, I eventually found my own approaches to multiple exposure and photographic montage.
My Specialist Location has also opened up the area of landscape and gave me increased confidence in my abilities. Although I feel I have potential, I also feel that I lack greater knowledge of cameras, equipment, the art and methodology of taking photographs on locations. Educationally, I would like to go to the next level but a degree course requires time and commitment I cannot give and if I did, it would be to the detriment of my other art work which I will not sacrifice.
After the course, I will continue with my fine art with photography.
General Assessment of my Personality
I often start my day at six or seven o'clock in the morning and work through to about ten or eleven at night. This is sometimes governed by the condition of my back at any one time. I suffer pain 24/7 just as I suffer tinnitus which is ringing in the ears also 24/7 and this can and does effect my productivity.
I am in the process of changing my career from graphic designer to artist but graphics provides my financial existence which also affords me freedom to pursue my art. I am hoping that very soon I am able to be sell my art and possibly my photography. It is an independent pursuit but will need the cooperation of others like agent(s), galleries and others to help in this end.
Personal SWOT Analysis
Task 1:
LO.1.1
Strengths:
- single-minded
- ambitious
- confidence in my creative
- professional
- qualified and experienced graphic designer
- can handle pressure
- research (books, internet, art galleries)
- open to new ideas and
- sense of humour
- supportive
- good software knowledge
> photoshop, illustrator, indesign, quarkxpress and a few other softwares
- good printing knowledge
> with graphics I manage briefs to final stages of printing
eg lithography, silk-screen; papers, binding, finishing
- have handled advertising (press, radio, television)
- have handled exhibitions and conferences
- in graphics, worked with clients all over the world
My Weaknesses:
- I work in cycles
- loss of confidence
- health (slipped discs and a few other issues)
- generally unsociable (I don't like to sit around for hours talking about nothing)
- I can't tolerate unreasonable behaviour
- I can't tolerate people who can't handle a situation/pressure and become personal
- business skills
- need to learn more software
My Opportunities:
- qualified graphic designer
- art and photography
- new markets for art and photography
> internet selling
> greeting cards (variety of subject matter)
> digital printing (canvas and large scale printing)
> others
Threats:
- new markets: lack of experience of what's involved
- are my ideas good enough
- my photographic equipment not good enough
> need to move to medium and large-formats
- others stealing my ideas
I work in isolation and a good day is when I produce one or more good image(s) (both in art and photography) and I believe I've made progress. A bad day is when I just can't seem to get myself going: my mind is devoid of inspiration and research has not sparked a grain of a workable idea. Sometimes, on these occasions I go back and work on an old idea and try to develop a variation on a theme. Sometimes it works, on others it doesn't. When it doesn't work at all, I get a bit low but I know that these days occasionally happen. There are bad days, mediocre days, okay days and great days and it depends on my state of mind which of those days I have.
My biggest area of concern is embarking into areas that I have no experience in and I need to learn or develop a methodology of handling these. For example, once I have a reasonably decent collection in my portfolio I need to find an outlet for them. Do I need to find an agent first, a gallery, or do I need to set-up for myself? What holds me back is my fear of missing a trick or right action that might mean losing out financial or building a reputation with the wrong move. I also don't want to sell myself short because I missed something fundamental.
I seem to have no problem recognising a potentially good idea or composition I produce and possibilities of developing it. I consider a variety of directions I could take an idea too. Being an experienced designer, I recognise this almost immediately.
One great weakness I have is my inability to get out there and make the necessary contacts that could lead me in the right directions to market my work and the best possible ways to develop my reputation. This is caused by my feeling of discomfort with most people. I become nervous and stumble over my words. I need to find a way of handling this too. Most of all though, and after completing this photography diploma, I wished I had taken this course a decade or so sooner. I have found direction in photography, for my creativity and I feel that I can produce works worthy of public display, however, you can't regret these things.
I need to be more forceful with my dealing with people who could point me in the right direction without getting overly sensitive about it.
Task 2:
LO.1.1 1.2:
Skills I want to improve
Photography
I have barely scratched the surface of photography. There are still so many areas that I have very little knowledge on. This includes:
Courses
- research and consider further photography courses
Camera Equipment
- what are the best/worst DSLRs and why?
- what are the best/worst medium-format and why?
- what are the best/worst medium-format economically?
- what are the best/worst large-format and why?
- what are the best/worst large-format economically?
- which medium-format do I want to invest in?
- what are the best/worst lens and why?
- what are the best/worst lens for different situations and why?
- what are the best/worst tripods and why?
- what are the best/worst filters and why?
- what are the best/worst general accessories for photography?
Photographing
- take short weekend courses with professional landscape and architectural photographers to learn their methodology
- consider investing in a motor-home for landscape photography
Personal Photographic Skills
- set myself regular (monthly) photographic projects e.g. landscapes
- develop one or more for extended development
- end aim should always be to exhibit these projects
- visit art/photographic galleries regularly
- lean from the exhibitions, ideas for development
- make contacts with galleries and other artists and photographers
Task 3:
LO.2.1 2.2:
Future Plans
Skills I have
Graphic Design
- Software
(Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, QuarkXpress, Microsoft Word, Painter, Lightroom)
- Knowledge of commercial printing (managing and order for large scale projects)
- handled all kinds of print projects: newspapers, magazines, advertising, annual reports, brochures, leaflets, posters, flyers, logos, exhibitions, conferences, musical events and some others
- advertising (press, radio, television)
- exhibitions and conferences
-
Skills I need
- develop photographic skills further
- marketing
- salesmanship
As someone entering the world of fine art and fine art photography, I need to search out and identify people and places that can best help me to maximise my potential and help me to achieve exposure.
Because of my natural reluctance to mix with people, I will consciously need to take steps to do so. At my age though, that's going to be hard going but as the American's say, "baby steps" might help.
Task 4:
LO.3.1:
My Life
I am very much a loner and I don't mix easily. In fact, when in contact with others, I tend to over-compensate with friendliness. My interactions are generally an unpleasant experience. They are against my nature.
I make efforts to mix as I know this is going to be key to getting exposure for my work.
I am single, live in Manchester though my heart is in London.
Task 5:
LO.2.1 2.2:
My Choices
My decision to take up photography was a positive decision. My decision to progress further is also a positive decision. My decision to pursue some of the experimental themes on the diploma course is a positive immediate future decision.
The experimental themes I discovered on the course is akin to my general art projects and I already have plans to develop them further. Key to this will be to find a studio cheap enough for a couple of the ideas to progress.
Other choices I've made in my life have been to choose graphics over illustration (which is something I was (in all humbleness), very good at. It was also a choice I made over my other favourite subject (at that time), Philosophy. It was something I was very serious about taking up at degree level and above.
Task 6:
LO.5.1:
My Action Plan
Smart Targets
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)
Photography:
pass diploma course June (completed)
pass diploma course June (completed)
enter new courses:
- photography August (begins)
- 3D software August (begins)
personal July (begins and on-going)
photo-projects
additional equipment July (onwards and on-going)
Consider exhibition January 2014 (earliest)
venues (photography)
Art:
review work so far July
review work so far July
Plan of action: July (on-going)
- develop new ideas
(at least 50)
- develop existing ideas
- develop existing ideas
Marketing Sept (onwards)
- exhibitions worldwide
(MIddle-East)
(MIddle-East)
- sale outlets potentials
(Middle-East)
(Online)
(Middle-East)
(Online)
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