How I got to now, and what happened along the way - First Steps, Freshers Week and the First Module

 First Steps

If, a couple of years back, anyone would have told me that now, at the age of 47, I would find myself a full time student, taking a BA (Hons) degree in Creative Media, and actually doing something to fulfil my long held ambition of trying to turn my photographic hobby into a career, I would have laughed in their face. Firstly, I would never have had the confidence to believe that I was good enough to be accepted to any university, despite the urgings of 'DH' (Which, incidentally, stands for 'Darling Husband', most of the the time, and 'Damn Husband', very occasionally), and several friends. And secondly - well, I guess deep down, I really felt I'd left it just too late.  But somehow, here I am, carting round pencil cases and notebooks and folders, and doing home work alongside my 3 kids.

Nearly 3 years ago, I took a 12 week course in photo editing - it actually took me a lot of dithering and hesitating before I could summon up the courage to go for that - but I loved it. Next, DH persuaded me to buy a DSLR camera - something I had wanted for a long, long time - and once I had it, and had gained a little confidence from dipping my toes back into the world of studying, I started actively looking for something to do next. When my eldest daughter decided to enrol in AS photography in 2009, at the local college, I went with her to find out about it - and made the decision there and then, to sign up for the same course - part time.



The main thing (actually, looking back, in a practical sense, it was the only thing) I learnt from doing the AS was that I desperately wanted and needed to learn more - so I wandered down to an open day at Glyndwr University, early in 2010, not with any idea of doing an actual degree, but just to look . . . and somehow, 8 weeks later I had applied, sorted the finance, attended an interview - and been offered a place on the Creative Media BA (Hons) Degree course, starting in October 2010.  The course wasn't pure photography, I would also be studying film, with the option to specialise in either one, a year or two into the course - but I figured that learning about the moving image could only help improve my photography, and it was just another layer of experience and knowledge, that I was very eager to grasp.

Nervous? Yes.

Worried about the debt I'd be taking on?  Yes.

Excited? Hell, Yes!


Freshers Week
 
So, around rolls October, and there am I about to take part in Freshers week - me, at my age!

I spent that week alternately confused (still not sure what the hell 'Matriculation' was all about!), nervous (the whole time I was going through the enrolment procedure, I was waiting  for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I was making a big fat mistake thinking that I could actually take this on), and in stitches laughing, as I found myself involved in everything from building sandcastles . . .

(Incidentally, that won my 'group' the prize for tallest sand structure)















- to flying paper aeroplanes off bridges . . .

    . . to making postcards . . .

     




...to being involved with a 'Street Performance' of 'Singing in the Rain'!  (and those activities meant my group also won 1st prize in the Wrexham Quest' Activity!)                                                                      

Well - if nothing else, Freshers week broke the ice!



 First Module

The following Monday saw the start of work proper - and work started on our first 'module'.  Included in that there were several storyboard tasks, a short film to make in the style of James Bond, mood boards, and a photographic unit which I really enjoyed - and which earned me an A. I found out what skins were used for, found 'faces' and 'letters' in the environment - and (My favourite bit) got into the studio to produce 3 images -

Contre Jour (why it can't just be called silhouette, I don't know!)

                  
                                        Low key lighting


                          

  ... and High key - this one caused some fun, when my 18 year old daughter passed by the pc as I was editing the pictures, and demanded to know what I was doing with 'half naked photographs of her friend, Lewis'!











During this period, we also fitted in a trip to Liverpool, for the Critical Studies side of the course - we had to find an 'object' and write a 2000 word illustrated essay about it.  I chose the fabulous cityscape, Ben Johnsons Liverpool - an absolutely stunning acrylic painting of the city, from a sort of birds eye view!

The trip also gave me an opportunity to snap some of Liverpool's stunning architecture and sights, and I indulged in my favourite past time of playing with colour, saturation and contrast on the camera, to get the most dramatic effects.

So - what did I learn from this first module?

I learnt that I'm not quite as bad at drawing as I thought I was, thanks to the storyboards - and I surprised myself at how I was able to use them to come up with far more inventive ideas than I thought I was capable of.

I sniffed at the mood boards, at first - but found them actually a useful tool when it came to story boarding out an advert.


The photographic section taught me to look a little closer at the details in the landscape around me - and allowed me to 'play' in a studio properly for the first time - being as the majority of my photographs had up till then focused on the landscape and macro shots, it was a revelation how much I enjoyed that first brief foray into the studio.

I started to pick up film language - which initially totally screwed my families enjoyment of TV and film as I couldn't help but pass on my new found information about camera techniques and filming - "Oh look - that was a POV shot", "That's called a parallel edit, you know', "I liked that tracking shot!" - I've since learned to watch and recognise - but NOT to comment!

And from the films we watched in the seminar sessions, I found out about the photographic work of Lee Miller, which I really liked. And Jan Svankmajer's film's helped me understand how lighting can be used incredibly well to create atmosphere in films.  I also discovered that animation  holds very little interest for me, in terms of how they are created and their different styles - though I did enjoy 'The Man Who Planted Trees'.

I also started to realise that being taught at Uni is vastly different from any other form of 'teaching' I had experienced - all the information and advice is there, but its up to YOU to go seek it out when you need it. And don't expect anyone to chase after you, cracking the whip and telling you to have this in on time, or that in on time - its up to you.

I also figured that being a 'Mature Student' brings with it pro's and cons. On the plus side, because I have worked for so many years, it wasn't hard to make myself get the work done to time - its just what you do, when you work. And, after 3 kids, I had at least some organisational skills! And I think maybe at my 'advanced age', I appreciate the opportunity that little bit more, because I know this is probably my only chance at this.

On the minus side, I felt because of my home responsibilities that I should constantly be 'ahead' in terms of the work schedule, and once I get given a piece of work to complete, I tend to go at it, to get it finished asap - because I don't know when the kids are going to get sick, or break a bone, or drop into some crisis at school or whatever, and I may need to miss precious attendance time - I think I must sometimes come across as some sort of 'swot' or similar, but its the only thing I can do to ensure that I don't, at some point, fall behind.

I guess another minus is my house is now a constant bomb site and my kids occasionally scream 'NEGLECT' - however, I'm too damn busy these days, to feel guilty, and by focussing on the prize - a future career (hopefully) that will not only give me a better earning potential, but also that I will really enjoy - I can ignore the dust - and sweets/extra pocket money generally shut the kids up:)

So - here ends the first blog!  Next up - The Second Module - Finding my Feet and, Finally, Really starting to Enjoy film too!