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Bambi'sThumper

Bambi'sThumper

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Jenny
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Hi there!

I'm wondering if anyone can help me out. I've appied for a college course on photography and for the interview i need to make up a portfolio, i have no clue how to make one, i have a range of images but im not sure what to do with them, can someone please help?

Thanks Jen :)
 
I think that at this stage portfolio is a rather grand and offputting word.

For the interview I suggest prints of your picures in a completely plain black photoalbum or small portfolio with sleeves into which you insert your prints mounted on thin card.

If you are totally confident that nothing will go wrong (many rehearses and battery charges) you could do a simple slideshow on a laptop with no sounds or effects.

Good luck

John
 
My friend recently had an interview and used his iPad in conjuction with a selection of high quality prints and a single photobook. He also left the photobook on the interviewers desk by mistake (it cost him less than 20 gbp).

He got the job!
 
It is worth making an impression.

I have a friend who was looking to do the same and I advised her to get the images printed at a local lab until I realised her portfolio was snaps of her and her friends in a pub!!

Print your best images, way of presentation is down to you but you could go for a small album or possibly even get the images mounted.

Many ways - but make sure you only show your best.
 
I think just as others have said. Be very critical and just go for it. Try posting some images on here for critique as we might be able to help iron out the odd thing too. Get a decent quality hard booked book with clear plastic inserts that are 12x8 if you can and then get the images printed. It costs 34p an image at http://www.aldiphotos.co.uk/ at the moment and they print on Kodak paper. I use them and think that the output is as good as any I've had printed in an expensive lab!. At that price maybe have your best 30-40 done and then choose.

Anyway be prepared to explain the ideas behind the image, why you shot it like that, why you chose those settings, any PP (eg why some might be in B&W) etc etc. They will not be expecting perfection not the finished article as that is what they are trying to produce but a demonstration of competence and a love of the art.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
Not sure I'd be discussing so many images as 30-40! 15 sounds more like a reasonable number - possibly a little less - do they give guidance on this?
 
I think a dozen or 15 images. Only the very best, which show your full range of subjects and techniques. A4. That's what you show.

If you have a load more, print them up too and have them to hand so that if they want to see more of something in particular, you've got it to hand.

Be ruthless in your selection. If in doubt, get friends to choose the final set.

Have ready answers for why this subject, why this approach used, outline of technique used, equipment and technical details.
 
EOS_JD said:
Not sure I'd be discussing so many images as 30-40! 15 sounds more like a reasonable number - possibly a little less - do they give guidance on this?
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No I meant at that price its worth getting 30-40 done then discuss which ones to put in the portfolio. I'd probably go for 20 making sure that there are a number of different techniques and subjects.

My son is doing A level photography from September and according to the lecturer it is an oversubscribed subject so they want to see a portfolio and if the student does not have an art subject they actually send them an assignment to do which they mark and use instead of the art grade.
 
Thanks for all the advice :)
They loved my work and got a place... on condition i get the funds! But thanks for your help :)
Jen x
 
just to let you know i had a college interview in march (i also had the best presented portfolio apparently) all i did was get 8x6 prints and mount them onto a4 black card and then put them in a wilkos a4 folder, the interviewer was really pleased that i put effort into the portfolio and even marked on the interview sheet that i was brilliant. i was really pleased but it does show that presentation is key.

EDIT: congrats on the college interview!!!
 
Congratulations. Which college/ course have you been accepted to?
 
I printed off mine at home onto tesco photo paper, no proper portfolio or anything and got accepted onto the foundation degree at Stamford, so I guess it was the image quality there?

What level is your course?
 
Yeah i printed out mine at home aswell but then the printer broke and only had a few but a good mix and they liked what they saw although the low ink problem was visable on a couple of the images .
Oh cool! I was going to try for Stamford if i didnt get to Peterborough.
Its a Level 3 full time course
 
Excellent, I would have applied to Peterborough if I didn't get onto the degree at Stamford. It's a pain driving into Stamford in the morning, and getting out of Peterborough actually...
 
I bet, if your anything like me... not a morning person! Shame you didnt go to Peterborough, I might have known someone then! Just moved down begining of Jan so still dont really know anyone.
 
Well if you ever fancy going somewhere and taking some pictures then i'm always up for that :)
 
im guessing that this is a BTEC photography national diploma course?
if so you'll love it - on second year of one when i go back in september.
 
just re-read this. I'm not a morning person, far from it. Then I struggle to sleep in the evening and am here at stupid times of day. Either that or I go out with the camera. I love doing low light stuff and just driving round at night. Trying to wake up, get ready and get to Stamford for just before 9 nearly kills me.
 
Yeah sorry, its the Btec national diploma one. Thats cool, what kind of things do you do/cover? How many days are you at college? Sorry for all the questions.

Same wi me! i'm wanting to get out more with my camera but dunno where to go around here, so far its just been Ferry Meadows and London on the odd occasion lol.
 
Bambi'sThumper said:
Yeah sorry, its the Btec national diploma one. Thats cool, what kind of things do you do/cover? How many days are you at college? Sorry for all the questions.

Same wi me! i'm wanting to get out more with my camera but dunno where to go around here, so far its just been Ferry Meadows and London on the odd occasion lol.
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3 days a week / 9-4 :)
and its pretty much a set path for all courses, so far ive donee:
Portraits in studio /
Portraits on location /
Product (like aftershave) photography /
Line & tone (went to l'pool and took photos of some buildings) /
made a "digital" portfolio (CD with a list of contents) + website /
landscape photography /
a LOT of essays (about how photographys affected by law, media etc.) /
and the one thing you will do a lot of is research, every project has to be backed up by research...

it is a VERY good course though, just put as much effort as you can into it and work hard and you'll easily get distinctions :cool:

Matty
 
That sounds brilliant! Feel loads better knowing what to expect from the course.

Thanks for that! :D

Jen
 
Bambi'sThumper said:
That sounds brilliant! Feel loads better knowing what to expect from the course.

Thanks for that! :D

Jen
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No probs :)
will give you a taster of whats on second year when im back in september :)
 
Cool. So you really like it then? What you hoping to do after the course? x
 
yeahh i do :)
and im applying for uni (start next sept 2011) to do Photography or Media :)
 
That good, so cant wait to start now!!! LOL.
Awesome.
I dont suppose you could give me a rough idea when the holidays for the course are? e.g chirstmas 2010 and summer (start) 2011.
:)
 
I'm in the same situation myself, deliberating whether to take a portfolio along or not..

Glad to hear it went well for you! Have fun at college :)
 
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Well they told me at the interveiw its best to take along one because then they can judge whether you have to potential their looking for or not, or whether you'll be suited for the course. They said that 2 other poeple hadnt taken anything along so they didnt know whether or not they was any good at photography cause they had nothing to show!
So instead of debating, i'd take one cause at least then you can say you did and not be like after the interveiw "i wish i did" type thing. Hope that helps you :)

Ahh thank you for that link much help!
 
I missed this...

SamuelHearn said:
I'm in the same situation myself, deliberating whether to take a portfolio along or not..
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For the sake of the deity-of-your-choice take one. Your flickr has some fantastic stuff on it and there isn't a single way in which having pics of that quality at hand will do you any harm at all.

Get it made.

NOW!
 
Yes agreed, just looked at your flickr and your stuff is amazing.
Any tips on how you get those effects?
 
SamuelHearn said:
I'm in the same situation myself, deliberating whether to take a portfolio along or not..

Glad to hear it went well for you! Have fun at college :)
Click to expand...

Sam, just had a glance at your Flickr. Really excellent work on there :thumbs:

So congrats on that, and just to say that whatever you're applying for, it needs to be a high level course - degree standard.

You're good bud, and obviously advanced in every respect. If you do a basic course, you will waste at least the first year while the rest of the squad gets up to speed.

Seriously, aim high. And good luck :)
 
HoppyUK said:
Sam, just had a glance at your Flickr. Really excellent work on there :thumbs:

So congrats on that, and just to say that whatever you're applying for, it needs to be a high level course - degree standard.

You're good bud, and obviously advanced in every respect. If you do a basic course, you will waste at least the first year while the rest of the squad gets up to speed.

Seriously, aim high. And good luck :)
Click to expand...

Thanks :) I'm applying for an AS photography course, but thankfully I think most of it is film based so it will pretty much be all new to me. I can't wait! Its too late to make a portfolio for my interview now though.. I'll just have to beg them :lol:
 
I may not be to late I did mine 1 hour before the interview cause the printer didnt have enough so had to rush to get some then it broke and only went with 10 pics. So you may have time!
 
SamuelHearn said:
Thanks :) I'm applying for an AS photography course, but thankfully I think most of it is film based so it will pretty much be all new to me. I can't wait! Its too late to make a portfolio for my interview now though.. I'll just have to beg them :lol:
Click to expand...

Sam, get off your butt and make a portfolio. Just put your best images on CD, shove them into a machine in Boots and press the button. Bung them in a an A4 folder from Tescos for £2.95. That's all you need, nothing fancy, and not too many.

Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn here but I have seen hundreds of portfolios over the years and you are already above AS level.

If you are serious about photography, get yourself on to a degree standard course. If you can't do that this year, take a year out (I didn't, and with hindsight I wish I had) and do things properly next year.
 
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