Vision On

So it's nearing the end of my first term in my second year of college. So it's time to tidy up some loose ends of work, and get it all done and dusted.

Last week, I headed down to London for Vision, a photographic event hosted every year by the British Journal of Photography, which is something of a must in the calendar of aspiring photographers.

I had also been in contact with a photographer, who came to visit our college a month ago. After a few emails back and forth, he invited me to do some work experience with him at a studio near the venue for Vision.

It was a fantastic opportunity - one too good to miss, so I jumped at the chance. I was, admittedly, a bit nervous. Lots of reasons why, mainly I feel a bit out of practice at being in a professional environment, and I also become accutely self-aware and self-conscious. Particularly as the more nervous I get, the more inclined I am to babble, and the more I really ought to find a way of stopping talking at least 30 seconds before I do.

Nerves aside, I really enjoyed it. It was great to see a professional photographer at work, even if for him its part of his regular photographic routine - it's not part of mine. He was very good actually at working with me - very polite, very good at explaining things, and friendly. And he had good taste in music, which is of course, always a bonus. There's nothing worse than being somewhere that plays really bad music, for example the time I did a temping job while I was a student, and had to listen to Wheatus. All day. While stuffing envelopes. My arms had never looked like such a mouth-watering delicacy.

After I left, I went to Vision, and met with Laura, Eilidh and James. I'd booked a portfolio review (which cost extra) and had to be there a little earlier. Unlike last year, where tickets for the portfolio review had sold out a week before Vision, this time there were still spaces left. I was pretty nervous about my portfolio review in itself. I'd planned my portfolio carefully - printing out my best images at my usual professional lab. Looking the part is something we've discussed at college, about the importance of presentation to a potential client. So I was somewhat surprised to see how others were turning up with their portfolios. One person in front of me had their portfolio in an empty photo-paper box; others came holding laptops with USBs sticking out of the side. I'll admit, I half expected some rich university art-degree students to come with leather portfolios with their name embossed on one side, and I didn't see anything of the sort.

I was nervous about my portfolio review. I knew what I really had to do, was to detatch myself somewhat from my images. Although what I had was my best work, I had to accept that any criticism wasn't to be taken as a personal criticism, but as one for advancing my work. So I was somewhat surprised when I was told little more than "it's nice!". The review was pretty poor, to be honest. My reviewer seemed more interested in discussing where I got my prints done than what I had in front of me, and only looked at the photos when we had been given a warning of our time being nearly up. My gran could have given me a better critique.

So I took the opportunity to get a second opinion. As there were spaces left in the later sessions, I was given someone else to talk to, who was much better. While the second reviewer couldn't really explain some of their feelings or opinions on my work (something that could have been helpful) they were able to give me some food for thought.

I'm not entirely convinced that the portfolio reviews were worth the extra £5, since I feel that I receive equally honest and constructive critique on a weekly basis from my classmates and tutors at college. I suppose I was aware that at college, we will receive the sort of feedback that is fitting for the work we do - student work. What I wanted to know was whether my work matched to the standards required to be hired as a professional photographer. I don't feel as if I got that from the portfolio review, which was somewhat disappointing. I don't mind people trying to encourage me by being positive, but equally I don't want people to tell me what they think I want to hear. I just want the truth, especially at this stage where I've still got the opportunity to change my work.

I also managed to get a free appointment to have my CV looked at, which was extremely constructive and useful, and I came out with lots of notes on my CV. Nobody has looked at my CV and given me feedback like that since I was 17, so I felt a little lost as to whether I'm doing the right things. This was exactly what I'd wanted - I was told what to do in terms of preparing a CV for a prospective employer. I was told what worked and what didn't work. I was told what I needed to hear, and in such a way that I didn't feel attacked or belittled or broken-hearted: it was honesty without being nasty. And it worked.

I've got a couple of extra things possibly lined up over the next few months - at least three extra projects - which I'll divulge when they transpire. For the meantime though, I'm working through all the things I have to do, and thinking about all the things that I can do to increase my chances when I leave college.