So far on LCC’s MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography…
I think my practice has strengthened. My understanding of the elements which make up ‘story telling’ has vastly improved. I now realise that up until the first assignments earlier this year I was only applying my own set of criteria to what I was shooting. Sometimes it worked effectively, sometimes it didn’t. I now have a more thorough knowledge of how to create a visual story. My extended photo essay allowed me to put into practice this new understanding and new skill and I fused this with my own style, my own way of approaching story telling. The feedback I’ve received so far confirms that I have to an extent successfully combined my new knowledge with my own approach to story telling. What I don’t yet know is the commercial value of my style of work. This is what I would like to focus on from now on. I need feedback on where my practice might sit in the documentary world, feedback on how to tailor what I do to increase its commercial success without compromising my methodologies too much.
Practically, I would also like to develop my relationship with my equipment. I feel I am not in as advantageous position as I might be due to lack of equipment-better DSLR and lenses, MF camera. A fast, really wide-angle lens for example will create more opportunities for me to explore subjects I am shooting. I know low light conditions have prevented me shooting scenarios in the past. I would like to see what work would come out of me when I use other lenses. This isn’t a case of a bad workman blaming his tools rather I should be experimenting more and at the same time getting to know the limitations and benefits of my tools…
My academic work was received well by Paul in terms of the mark but there was little in the way of ‘positive’ feedback and mainly it consisted of constructive feedback pointing out weaknesses and areas to improve on. This doesn’t really matter I suppose as what matters is that the feedback received enables me to take my academic practice forward. I would like to be researching academic writings that compliment/challenge areas of the documentary world I am interested in examining and I feel I need help identifying what these might be. I don’t want to be researching for research’s sake just to ‘answer an essay question’. I also want to feel that what I am researching will contribute to current debates. I am aware that some of the debates we have touched upon regarding photojournalism and documentary photography don’t thrill me an awful lot so I want to know that I have the flexibility to focus on an area I am really passionate about but one that is also meaningful to current debates. By ‘rejecting’ certain areas I don’t want to feel that I have missed the boat or that I am not part of something.