Student of the Year: Bedfordview 2008
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Who or what inspired you to study photography?
I have always loved taking photos but never really took it further due to family commitments, and children. When my children became more independent and it was time for me to go back to my career, I decided the last thing I wanted to do was go back into the corporate world but rather to try and see whether I had enough, if any, talent in photography and to make a career out of it.
Why did you choose the National College of Photography?
I investigated the National College of Photography about 5 years ago, when my eldest daughter showed an interest in photography as a career. I was told the best college in Gauteng was the National College of Photography. When I decided to study, I phoned Pretoria and was told they had opened a branch in Johannesburg so I enrolled immediately before I changed my mind. I already knew it was a good choice from my previous enquiries.
Did you consider any other alternatives prior to selecting the National College of Photography?
No, I only considered doing part-time courses instead of doing a full-time course but thought it better to do it properly.
In your opinion, to what extent is a formal education necessary for a photographer?
When I first started college I never expected to learn as much as I did, in fact I had no idea there was so much to learn! I do believe that a formal education is necessary. I am a firm believer in order to reach your full potential you need to learn as much as possible about something. I also think it is necessary in order to keep the standard of photography high. I think that most top photographers have had some form of formal education.
What are the most useful skills/techniques that you have learned during your time as a student with the National College of Photography?
LIGHTING, LIGHTING, LIGHTING! All aspects of lighting from understanding how light falls, colour temperatures of light, lighting techniques, studio lighting, outdoor lighting, mixed light, and so the list goes on.
Which part(s) of the course did you enjoy the most?
I can honestly say I enjoyed almost everything but if I had to choose I really enjoyed the darkroom techniques and learning how to print my own images. I enjoyed all the fine art printing techniques, especially Lith printing. Portraiture was also one of my favourites, as were all the workshops which were always fun and informative.
What were the most challenging aspects of the course?
I would say large format cameras and architectural photography; I had difficulty getting the hang of the tilt and shift mechanism in the large format camera. I also found it very challenging to get assignments in on time.
What piece of advice that was given to you during the course continues to motivate and inspire you?
I used to get so frustrated because I couldn’t get what I envisaged onto a photo perfectly and then when a lecturer, Morné, didn’t give me the credit I expected for an assignment I had worked so HARD on I was devastated! When I went to ask him exactly why he wasn’t as impressed as I was, he told me that sometimes we have over-ambitious ideas but we have to be able to pull it off and it is therefore better to do things simply but to do them well. Now when something seems too difficult to achieve or I set my sights too high I step back and do things a little more simply but don’t compromise on the quality. Each time I do a similar shot I will push myself a little further and eventually I will get the overambitious idea onto print, but at least it will be a quality shot!
What part of the course did you find most inspirational?
I always say that I didn’t just learn about photography at college, I also learnt a tremendous amount about myself. I discovered a creative side to myself that I didn’t know existed and I look at the world with different eyes now and I always remember Fiona’s words “There is no such thing as I am not very creative, EVERYBODY is creative”. It wasn’t just the technical lessons and the fine art lessons that inspired me but also going to class with so many creative people every day and discussing your ideas and getting feedback from likeminded people that was very inspirational to me, whenever you were a little uninspired there was always someone there to encourage or lift you up and I think that is all part of the importance of going to college. It was also very inspiring to know that even as a mature student you can achieve whatever you want in life at any time in your life as long as you are willing to learn.
Which photographer do you admire and why?
Annie Leibovitz, she gets to the heart of the person she’s photographing. All her photographs are very natural and at the same time technically perfect.
Do you have any advice for aspiring photographic students?
Practice makes perfect. Don’t get bogged down with the technical aspects, remember to still follow your heart and your instincts and always EXPERIMENT!
What part about being a photographer do you love the most?
I love the creativity and love that “work” for me is not “work” but something I love doing. When I do a shoot I get so nervous and am never sure I can pull it off but all the stress is worth it because as soon as I pick up the camera and start shooting I love every single moment. I also love the interaction with so many different personalities and the challenge of trying to show their uniqueness in a photograph.
Where do you see yourself in ten years time?
I hope to see myself as a more confident and experienced photographer who doesn’t get quite as nervous before each shoot, but still enjoys it as much as I do now . I hope to have my own studio that I would like to run with a partner and do mainly studio photography. I also want to have explored fine art photography and do more darkroom work and be able to do a decent lith print!
If you were able to go back in time, knowing what you now know, would you study at the National College of Photography again?
Most definitely! I am still amazed by the amount I have learnt in such a short period of time.
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