Well this is the first time i have ever done a blog so bear with me on this one, I have been thinking about doing the OCA Photography course for several months now, i just wanted to find a course that was challenging and interesting something that would take me out of my comfort zone and get me out there with my camera taking photographs and making me really think about what i was doing, plus a course that would lead to a decent qualification at the end.
After spending several months trawling online i found the OCA course, read all the reviews, looked at the work being produced by other students and decided that this is the one for me.
I am hoping to start the course at the start of November 2010, i'm a little nervous but also looking forward to it as well, not quite sure what to expect but i hope i find it a challenge but at the same time not to technical that i get put off, i do like the idea of working at my own pace and the OCA course seems perfect for this, so roll on November and lets see what happens :)
Hi Darren. Your blog looks pretty good. Well-written and clearly set out. You've asked for feedback, and I will offer some but I feel a bit presumptuous in doing so and please feel free to ignore it. I think all the pictures you've taken and shown so far are well composed, and the clock was a clever way to do the timing exercise. My only comment is that taken together they feel a little but too much like exercises, being done to complete a task, rather than pictures that you would be naturally interested in taking. Of course every picture you take for your assignments can't be a mini work of art - you'd never finish the course - but I think that you might learn more in the long run by sometimes taking more time and care in the choice of subject. Really pushing yourself artistically as well as technically. The course doesn't formally require it at this point but Michael Freeman does suggest that people resist the temptation to take pictures of domestic objects just to fit the brief. If you're going for assignment you'll get a better overall score if you push yourself on every front. And if you're doing this purely to learn, then you'll learn more that way. For an example of what I mean, look at Dewald's assignment here. http://southlivingblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/project-19-%E2%80%93-a-single-figure-small/
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with TAOP: I hope you get as much out of it as I did.
Thanks for the feed back Eileen, you have made a good point about pushing myself and being more creative, and to be honest, yes there not the sort of images i would normally enjoy taking, but i did find it hard not to make the first few exercises look like exercises.
ReplyDeleteI am sure the further into the course i get the more creative and natural my photographs will become.
Thanks again for your feed back.