13 posts tagged “study”
I'm in the process of relaunching my flickr page so that I can share my portfolio there, particularly as my body of work grows during my studies and future career.
This week I've made the first batch of photos public - a series of shots taken at Castlepoint, here in New Zealand, on Boxing Day (December 26, 2009). I'm working on various older photos and these will also be made public in the next few weeks.
My page's URL is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iainscott/. Please do swing by there from time to time and have a look.
I now have just seven working days left before saying farewell to a more than two-decade-long career in journalism and embarking on a new chapter in my life. It's getting exciting, and quite intimidating at the same time. But at this stage I'd say the excitement outweighs the nervousness that results from a midstream career change. I am raring to get stuck into my photographic studies.
I received a letter from the head of the photographic school at UCOL at the end of last week impressing upon me the fact that, with 12 papers in the first year, next year is going to be a busy one. Of course, having worked in newspapers for many years, I am no stranger to being busy! And seeing that I did earn a four-year bachelor degree before, I know that fulltime tertiary study is no breeze. But I believe I am ready.
This will probably be my last post for this year, so let me take the opportunity to wish all the readers of this blog a very blessed Christmas. Be safe and remember the reason for the season! See you on the other side.
Here is my current main kit. I really cannot wait to begin the diploma! At this stage, I have 15 working days left, as I leave my job on New Year's Eve. I plan to use the equipment quite a bit between ceasing fulltime employment and the start of my studies on March 1, so hopefully I'll have some good photos to share and also be fully accustomed to the camera by the time I start at UCOL.
This morning I took another big step towards my career change.
During the morning I received notification from UCOL that I had been formally enrolled and was sent the invoice for my first year of the Diploma in Photographic Imaging. So I took the plunge and handed my resignation letter in, informing the company that I would leave on December 31.
In a sense, it is quite a relief now that it is done. It's public now, and my colleagues have been informed. So I can spend the next few weeks without the burden of keeping it secret.
Phew! Things are moving.
Since the photography equipment arrived, I have not had much opportunity to take serious photos because of work commitments, but I have been learning as much as I can about it all and have played around a little to familiarise myself with it all.
I am very impressed with both the camera and the lenses, and what little fiddling around with the flash I have done has impressed me too. I'll post some photos as soon as I have some time to do some serious shots.
In the meantime, I acquired, today, some new photography books I thought I'd mention. They're hardly professional, but they do offer some nice tricks and tips in a nontechnical way. I am looking forward to getting into them. They are a three-volume set by Scott Kelby and come highly recommended.
So far I have just browsed through them, and they certainly look promising - easy ways to get great pics without all the jargon that you read in so many other photography books, of which I have plenty.
I have also taken out a subscription to Practical Photography magazine. Can't do enough reading and learning ahead of the course next year!
Despite the dreadful delays and bad service, my goods arrived this afternoon!
I am thrilled, as you can imagine. This equipment is the seed that will, God willing, grow into a successful photography career once my studies are over.
Here's what came in the box:
Now that the camera question is settled, I'm looking at lenses and a flash. This is what I am seriously considering at present (prices in NZ dollars):
- Sigma AF17-70mm f2.8-4.5 DC $695.00
- Canon EFS 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM $1,395.00
- Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II $175.00
- FLASH: Canon Speedlite 580EX II $775.00
A very good friend, who is also a professional photographer, has given me some good advice following yesterday's post on choosing a camera.
Among other valuable insights he offered, he said the following:
"I know the 5D would be a great camera to get ... but my recommendation would be to consider the 500D and buy two really good quality lenses and possibly a hotshoe flash with the rest of the money ... The general feeling is that you will always be buying new camera bodies, but a good lens can last a lifetime so make the investment in the lens rather than the body."
I take his advice seriously, because he is a good photographer and knows his business.
The 500D it is!
I contacted UCOL to ask what equipment I would need for the diploma programme.
The information I received was to get my own camera, and the Canon EOS 500D was recommended.
I had for some time been eyeing the 5D, which is a considerably more expensive camera. The best price I could find was a 5D Mark II, body only, at NZ$4,495, still a hefty price tag. The best I could find for a 500D body was NZ$1,205.
That's quite a price difference.
Decisions, decisions.
I still would want a camera along the lines of a 5D, but there are other factors to consider at present. Price is important given that I am not going to have an income for two years. Whatever I spend on a camera now will affect what lenses and other equipment I can get. I certainly would need a wide-angle lens plus a versatile lens, say 18mm-200mm or something along those lines. Plus a decent flash and whatever filters I would want.
So I am leaning towards the 500D, which will allow me to spend more on other equipment. I could always use my initial income from photography to invest in a better body later, but the 500D will at least suit me for diploma purposes.
What do you think?
The wait was shorter than I expected. I received a letter from UCOL today stating that I had been accepted into the Diploma in Photographic Imaging programme.
So from next year I shall be a fulltime student again. It has been a long time since I last studied fulltime (I was at university from 1987 to 1990), but I am very excited about it.
The dream is coming true!
