Leaving College, what to do next??

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Connors37

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Connor
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Hi everybody,

I am currently studying my Photography Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma (Year 2) at college however I will be finishing the course around June 2014. I have not long finished writing my CV and hoping to look for a photography (full or part time) job. I live in Birmingham, United Kingdom and was wondering if anyone could advise me on what to do. I am interested in all types of photography so I'm not just looking into a specific area.

I have had photographs published in magazines, online and also recently on the BBC weather forecast. I have also created my own website and Flickr account.

If anyone could advise me on what to do next involving a photography career I would really appreciate it.

Many Thanks

Connor Owen Skidmore
 
First of all.. there are very few "jobs" in the photographic industry... and I'm surprised your tutors haven't made this clear to you. The VAST majority of photographers are freelance, not employed. There are a few opportunities out there though: Large portrait studios like Venture employ graduates as photographers, but it's a sh*t job and photography is way down on the list of priorities when they interview. They're far more interested in whether you can act like a clown all day to entertain children in the studio. The Police still employ photographers I think. The RAF still sometimes recruit photographers, but you these are not civilian posts.... you'll have to join the RAF :)

There's always assisting. Be warned though, photographers want someone to assist... not someone to train. If you can't set up lighting, use a light meter, retouch, do workflow and admin, and also carry bags and make tea... you'll be given your marching orders pretty damned swiftly.

The fact is.. you make your own way in the photographic industry, and you are as good as your work, and how you network socially. Having a Flickr account and website alone will not really mean much unless you find ways to make people see the work.


Options are study at HE level where the education is geared more towards professional practice instead of just completing college briefs set by your tutors. You'll get plenty of opportunity to network with industry if the course has industry links. You could also do a HND if you prefer the technical and commercial aspects (BA (Hons) courses tend to be more editorial/fine art/advertising/fashion based rather than technical).

If you have a good portfolio... you could of course just go for it... but no one will come to you... no one will "discover" you... unless your work is phenomenal. You'll need to advertise yourself socially (by clever and careful use of social media), and you'll need to know the industry you want to go into very well indeed and get contacts in it.

What do you shoot? What is your style? Who would want to commission you and why?

Looking at your Flickr feed, it's predominantly planes, trains and cars. Is there a market for that? You'll get the odd pic in a magazine, but you're highly unlikely to make a living from shooting that I'm afraid unless you really study the market for publications for stuff like that. Even then, I know what editorial photography pays in that sector... and it's not much.

You seem to be a technical photographer rather than a creative one... meaning that you shoot technical subject matter, and do so in a technically proficient way rather than any experimental way (although the shots you did of model planes was interesting). If I were you, I'd work on a portfolio, or body of work that brings something new to the table, because what's on your Flickr is pretty much the same as you'll see on any train, or aviation enthusiast's website/Flickr and while this sounds harsh, you're very unlikely to make a living from work like that. No one pays for it... they'll just look for creative commons licensed work that's already out there on the web, or convince an amateur to give up the work for free. The market for work like this is dead and buried I'm afraid.

You need diversity in your portfolio... you need more examples of creative work, and FAR less images of trains and planes.
 
Op. You should have studied something else mate not photography. It's hard to get in and you don't need qualifications for it
 
jonneymendoza said:
Op. You should have studied something else mate not photography. It's hard to get in and you don't need qualifications for it
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Bloody hell, what a useful response. Just what he needs to hear.
 
jonneymendoza said:
Op. You should have studied something else mate not photography. It's hard to get in and you don't need qualifications for it
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jonneymendoza said:
Pookey said same similar thing.

It's a harsh world we live. Not some fairy tail crap.
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I did NOT say a "similar" thing at all. I told him the truth. I said there are hardly any "jobs". I never said there was no work: There's a difference, and I certainly never told him studying photography was a waste of time. My advice was to diversify his folio into something that people want... not give up entirely!! I agree that giving people false hope is pointless, but to tell him he's wasting his time studying it is not really helpful, or accurate.

I'd agree with Simon. The AoP are a useful resource, and worth the membership fee. RedEye are another useful, and very supportive organisation too.

Above all else though... you need to get out of the little bubble you are in. You like trains and planes... sure.. but there's an extremely limited market for stuff like that, so it's not ding you any favours. Develop a body of work that shows your unique skills and talents, and displays more creativity, as shots of planes and trains just don't I'm afraid.
 
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Pookeyhead said:
I did NOT say a "similar" thing at all. I told him the truth. I said there are hardly any "jobs". I never said there was no work: There's a difference, and I certainly never told him studying photography was a waste of time. My advice was to diversify his folio into something that people want... not give up entirely!! I agree that giving people false hope is pointless, but to tell him he's wasting his time studying it is not really helpful, or accurate.

I'd agree with Simon. The AoP are a useful resource, and worth the membership fee. RedEye are another useful, and very supportive organisation too.

Above all else though... you need to get out of the little bubble you are in. You like trains and planes... sure.. but there's an extremely limited market for stuff like that, so it's not ding you any favours. Develop a body of work that shows your unique skills and talents, and displays more creativity, as shots of planes and trains just don't I'm afraid.
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What are you chatting about? Never said job? Work?

It is a waste of time studying doing a degree etc on photography as you can learn it yourself like many pro photographers.

And as you blooming pointed out many pros are freelancers.
 
Here's a thought, look at the AoP awards for 2013, go through the pics, note the photographers you like and the check their websites,
bearing in mind that most people in the AoP have specialised to certain extent.
This will give you an idea of what portfolios can be, and you are only as good as your portfolio when it comes to freelancing. ( not the entire truth but a good starting point ). Oh and network.
 
jonneymendoza said:
It is a waste of time studying doing a degree etc on photography as you can learn it yourself like many pro photographers.

And as you blooming pointed out many pros are freelancers.
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Pretty much ALL pros are freelancers, yes.

You don't study at that level for a piece of paper or a qualification. No one in the photographic industry has ever asked to see any of my degrees.. ever. That's not why you do it. It's not about getting a qualification. If you think it is.. you're missing the point.... by a country mile.
 
After university, most people need to learn the pharse "do you want fries with that".

Take a job, any job just to get some money and to have something to put on a CV. Then work out what you really want to do.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
After university, most people need to learn the pharse "do you want fries with that".
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I don't believe I've ever had a job where I was required to say that Steve. I think "most" may be a slight exaggeration. Like anything in life, education is what you make of it. If you go to uni.. sleep walk through three years chasing grades and not engaging just to get a piece of paper at the end of it, yeah, you'll probably wind up in McDonalds.
 
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Pookeyhead said:
I don't believe I've ever had a job where I was required to say that Steve.
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What I meant was, it's better to go out and get something even if it's just to show that you didn't sit around waiting for a job to come to you.

Often it will be a dead end job at McTastesLikeFriedCardboard but it's still worth putting on a CV.


Steve.
 
See my edit above.

You're still generalising terribly though. If you sit around waiting for anything just because you have a degree then of course you'll fail, but the same is true if you go to Uni or not.
 
I would not be putting a lot of eggs in the photography basket to be honest. More and more hobbyists are willing to work for free, which is devaluing the industry.

Anecdote: a friend of a friend runs an online fashion store. She used to employ two photographer contractors to take photos of models showing off her range. About six months ago she asked if I would do some work for her (I have no ambition whatsoever to turn pro). For free. I turned her down, mainly because I can't be bothered and I'm not really excited by that kind of photography.
She eventually got another hobbyist in to shoot for free after advertising on gumtree or similar and a few student union noticeboards. They shoot on the occasional weekend. He enjoys it, gets to practice his hobby with her kit and studio. She's happy with his work and gives him some free clothes if he wants them but he's not that interested. He doesn't want to be pro (I think he's a university lab tech in his day job). And getting rid of the two pros hasn't affected her sales, but has substantially reduced her overheads. They're both happy.

When he gets bored she'll get someone else on similar terms. She had no shortage of replies to her original ads.

I can only see things like this getting more common.

I think the answer if you're dead set on a stable photography job is to get further qualifications in a technical field - policework, medical, etc. Although there is massive competition in these roles too. A close friend is a medical photographer and it took him around 8 years to find a full time permanent position (although he did get frequent medical photography work during that 8 year period).

The other option is to think about your photography degree in terms of transferable skills. Eye for detail, technical/IT skills, creativity, etc, etc. And go for a different career.
 
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jonneymendoza said:
What are you chatting about? Never said job? Work?

It is a waste of time studying doing a degree etc on photography as you can learn it yourself like many pro photographers.

And as you blooming pointed out many pros are freelancers.
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That - and that is a very good reason not to do any further study in the field. Spending another 3 years and christ knows how much cash on getting a degree in a field where you don't need a qualification at all is not a wise investment.

My advice would be - if you have another employable skill, get a job doing that to support you while you develop your 'freelance' business part time - if you don't have another employable skill then look at getting one either through degree study or vocational training depending where your interests lie, then use it to get a job to support you while you develop your part time business
 
I wondered when the usual suspects would show up :)
 
Surely you do a photography degree to make contacts, get industry insights, take advantage of opportunities, network, develop all kinds of visual art skills, amongst other things.

If you're determined to follow a career in photography you'll work at it and produce a body of work. Otherwise, transferrable skills become important.

After all, very few people read for a History degree to become historians.

We have some significant industries in this country that may be interested in photography graduates, one of the biggest being the games industry.

Just my take on it.
 
simon ess said:
Surely you do a photography degree to make contacts, get industry insights, take advantage of opportunities, network, develop all kinds of visual art skills, amongst other things.

If you're determined to follow a career in photography you'll work at it and produce a body of work. Otherwise, transferrable skills become important.

After all, very few people read for a History degree to become historians.

We have some significant industries in this country that may be interested in photography graduates, one of the biggest being the games industry.

Just my take on it.
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All can be done without a degree!
 
SimonF01 said:
It can, but I am glad I left home did a degree and met a whole bunch of varied people from different backgrounds but similar interests I would never have met in my home town. Southeners for instance :)
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Of course. There are many very good reasons other than improving your career prospects to do a degree.
 
SimonF01 said:
It can, but I am glad I left home did a degree and met a whole bunch of varied people from different backgrounds but similar interests I would never have met in my home town. Southeners for instance :)
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Do a degree in another field and you will have similar experience plus a degree that can help you get a day job whilst you slowly build up your skill and network in photography ;)
 
Perhaps look at something like a forensic science course
 
munch said:
Perhaps look at something like a forensic science course
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Noooooooooooooooo!
Not if you want it to lead directly to a job, anyway. Forensic science courses are massively popular (because everyone thinks it's sexy and cool), but there is massive competition for very few jobs.
 
jonneymendoza said:
Do a degree in another field and you will have similar experience plus a degree that can help you get a day job whilst you slowly build up your skill and network in photography ;)
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Certainly an option, and one I wouldn't criticise but my concern would be the number of graduates applying for jobs that they are' overqualified ' for, I know overqualified is a contentious term but it seems to get used a lot in these cases. So if everyone has a degree, why not get one that you enjoy.
I am trying to advise my kids on this at the moment and I am coming to the conclusion that you might as well have fun as the job market is too unpredictable to second guess.
 
SimonF01 said:
Certainly an option, and one I wouldn't criticise but my concern would be the number of graduates applying for jobs that they are' overqualified ' for, I know overqualified is a contentious term but it seems to get used a lot in these cases. So if everyone has a degree, why not get one that you enjoy.
I am trying to advise my kids on this at the moment and I am coming to the conclusion that you might as well have fun as the job market is too unpredictable to second guess.
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Yea that's true but we can mostly agree that there is massive competition in photography and at present does not require a degree
 
Photography is more a passion than a profession.
when I completed college in the late 50's some half of the students had already left to take up offers of positions.
There were far more Jobs on offer then from Industrial, commercial, fashion, Press, scientific, museum to portraiture and social. All were poorly paid and we all knew that you did not enter photography to be rich and famous. For 99% It was a career like any other.
I took a gamble and moved to Spain and found a Position in a commercial studio. (there were some excellent photographers there but no qualified ones)
Slowly these staff type jobs have dried up as have the fields they served. Almost all in-house units have closed.
Photography is now a freelance and mainly private studio profession.
No one knows quite how it will sell itself in future or what the market place will look like.
The once poorly regarded "Wedding market" is one of the few surviving meal tickets for the budding professional.

If all this seems depressing, it should be seen against the reality that more photographs are taken and used today than any time in history.
However like very many DotCom businesses, modern Digital Photography has largely not yet found a way to differentiate Professional from Amateur and generate an effective money stream.

What is certain is that Photographers who specialise and become acknowledged "Experts" in a particular field, can do very well for them selves.
It hardly matter what that field is, because however rarefied and specialised it is, its market place and interest group, are drawn together on the world web. Unlike in the past when such specialisms were rarely large enough, even in an entire country, to create a viable business.

A photographer to day must be an expert among experts, he must strive to be an expert not only on his subject, but also in the most difficult aspects of its photography.
This can not be achieved accidentally, it is achieved through study, dedication, and most of all through a professional attitude hard work.
 
The best advice the OP has had on here is to continue their education at Uni. There are plenty of photographers out there making money from the art, some trained in education and some taught themselves, but if I were an 18 year old just finishing college with the time and lack of commitments someone later in life has I would study photography at uni and give myself the best shot at having a good career. There are lots of advantages to study beyond just learning to be better, many educational establishments will have links with photographers and studios where students can go for work experience if the impress, some get jobs out of it after they leave education.

At 18 not many people will hire you as a freelancer, as a 21 year old with a 1st or 2-1 from uni more doors will open and the person will be a better photographer than if they'd not carried on with their studies.

I teach 16-19 year olds level 3 photography at college and I'm a freelance photographer so I know both sides of it and I would really advise carrying with studying and trying to pick up freelance jobs on the side.
 
I should also add that never in 25 years working in editorial design and publishing was I ever asked about my formal qualifications, nor were any of my friends, many of them graduates themselves, and the friends who never went to college were not asked either.
It was all about your book, which is why I emphasise the experience gained from a degree over the actual bit of paper.
 
Finish your course, get the best results you can but make sure you use every available opportunity to network and socialise. Attend every exhibition, evening talk and lecture you can. Meet people, get to know them. Get on LinkedIn now and get them as contacts whilst they still remember having met you. You never know when they might be useful to contact in the future.

One very important thing about modern degrees.. you will never earn back the costs of your tuition or your living costs as a result of having a degree.

Even degrees in medicine, dentistry and the law are now cutting it fine on the pay-back if you need to borrow the money to get the qualification.

If you can get some money together, travel. Meet people, experience the world, take photographs, work your way around a grand adventure. Pick up some language and cultural skills. You'll probably end up more employable than the average 21-year old with the average 2:1. Plus you'll have less debt and a broader outlook on life.
 
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