Reviewing the last few months, I thought it would be useful to set out what went well, what could have gone better, and what I achieved from the course.
Went Well
- Timing - managed the course well alongside daily life. Probably did average the suggested 8 hours per week, and completed in 10 months. I think that is about right for me, quick enough to maintain momentum, but without undue pressure;
- Reading around - the course provided the stimulus to find out about the history of photography and photographers - interesting and something I would not have done otherwise. I fully intend to do further courses and will continue reading in the pause before commence next;
- Managing to use the course to enhance day to day photography and vice versa. The Colour assignment is the best example of the former - some great images taken for the course while in USA that really boosted the set taken on holiday; Assignment 5 was more the other way round - using my knowledge and experience of wildlife photography to make a portfolio;
- Generally giving my photography a real boost - I had gone a bit stale and losing incentive to try something different - TAOP made me look at the subject in a different way.
- Variety - this course does demand a wide range of photographic techniques and I was forced to get out of the comfort zone.
- Getting help from tutor - relationship has been good even though we have never actually talked. I have picked up a lot from his comments. He has been very helpful with next stage (see below).
- The beginning was not great - I did not enjoy the early exercises greatly and rushed Assignment 1. Did not realize that doing a Level 4 course sort of assumes you have done Levels 1-3 and therefore know one end of a camera from the other.. This required a major rethink as documented in Learning Log;
- Confusion over whether A1 was to be included in Assessment; OCA did not cover itself in glory on this one with different messages being sent out;
- A sense of being on one's own - to a degree comes with the territory but it is a shame there is not more opportunity to network. Yes, there is the Forum, and there are weekend events, but the forum is still remote, and the events are mostly London. The one Photography student I met felt the same;
- Length - although completed in good time, I think there is perhaps too much in what is after all an introductory course. I enjoyed the last section, but think the course could have finished a stage earlier;
- Curiously, this course is a bit of misnomer - it is really the SCIENCE of Photography as set out by Freeman in his books. It is analytical, particularly in Parts 2 and 3. No harm in that, and I learnt a lot about implied lines, colour relationships and the rest, but I had hoped to get more in terms of what works in an art sense (as the name suggests). I am not particularly imaginative and had hoped to get some indicators to improve my creativity. In hindsight, I was probably hoping for too much here: you cannot really teach imagination and creativity. Tutor's comments have helped, and he has noted an improvement during the course.
- The need to improve my quality of submission meant I went on a one to one day's course; this opened my eyes to using the camera in different ways, particularly low shots;
- The need also induced me to spend more on software (saving money by acquiring at student rates - the combined savings on Photomatix, Topaz and Silver Efex Pro 2 was over £100). These have helped me produce better images;
- The Light section introduced me to indoor photography - had a Speedlite but hardly used until then - now use more confidently;
- Enjoyed taking still life in Colour and Light sections - and pleased with results. Tutor's favourable comments on A4 were especially satisfying given this was completely new to me;
- Reading around - can now happily explain to others the history of photography (Fox Talbot, Daguerre etc through to Arbus etc). The video series Genius of Photography was especially useful. I probably have documented less reading than some but view reading as very much work in progress, will continue throughout further courses, in fact intend to do either Understanding Art or Understanding Visual Culture as part of Level 4;
- Using a blog - had only limited experience of this previously.
