University Choices

Bournemouth Uni of Arts -  BA (Hons) Photography 

Westminster - BA (Hons) Mixed Media Fine Art 

Kingston - BA (Hons) Photography 

Northbrook College - BA (Hons) Contemporary Photographic Arts Practice 

Personal Statement

Sent off my Personal Statement a few weeks ago and after a few drafts and stressful moments, it was finally finished! …

Photography has always interested me; the thought of travelling and capturing moments from what I observe from different cultures stimulates my creativity. Having said that I really enjoy playing around with the resulting prints. I am increasingly experimenting with exposure and shutter speed when making work as my ideas of time have been challenged and the role of the photographer. An artist who I am inspired by is Alejandro Chailsberg who uses dramatic artificial lighting in his photographs which I intend to investigate further. I prefer digital photography as I feel I am more in control of the photograph, seeing the results immediately which builds my confidence. I also feel more in control of its outcome as I can manipulate the appearance by editing it using familiar software. However I am open to exploring the different techniques and outcomes using a film based camera as I have done previously in my foundation work. And I am surprised by the fact that I enjoy the unpredictability and the challenge to control the process.

An interest and technique I like to work with currently is monoprinting, I like to create pieces of work using my photographic prints as negatives in a layering process, which allows me to experiment with alternative printing. What I look for when I take photos is the light and I try to concentrate on the composition of a place or subject. I normally photograph landscapes as I find subtle changes in the weather are interesting as these affect the light which changes the surrounding environment. I also like working with more dramatic lighting creating silhouettes and I intend to experiment with this further as it effects the tone of an object or person and the resulting image presenting a new challenge. I am also using white card in the landscape to create a luminous quality to the resulting photograph. I am also exploring how different seasons effect the lengths of days which alters the lighting at certain times and from this I am drawn to looking at the diversity of colours and resulting changes in the photo. Light can create different atmospheres and I am working with morning mists trying to capture the stillness and record time-lapses throughout the day. Something which inspired me was during early experimentation when we were using light in the dark room I manipulated the tones of the prints by creating a handmade tube for artificial light to go through. This changed the brightness of the device which encouraged me to experiment further. 

 Learning from my mistakes has influenced my attitudes towards the creative process and has been an important part of my Foundation experience. For example I was aiming to create a face in 3D but not being confident with handling wood my original idea did not turn out as expected. However working with my mistakes and reflecting on them meant I could develop the face into something more original than I had intended. In this case the outcome better than I had expected. 

 I am keen to go to University because not only would I be able to gain ideas and inspiration from students and tutors, I would also have the opportunity to socialise with other practitioners who share the same passion. Meeting more students would also broaden my outlook. To exchange ideas, discover what style of photography I enjoy and gain more confidence in my practice with learning new skills.