Photography

   Casting my mind back to 2012 when I first began my Photography GCSE, I wouldn't have been able to anticipate how much of a passion it has become for me. I bought my first "real" camera (DSLR) in the summer of 2012 before the course had started so I could get a feel of the camera and how it began to work. Realising now, this was a huge leap for my parents as they invested £500+ into something I hadn't begun yet and had no idea how to use - looking back, what if I hadn't enjoyed the course and dropped it? Would the camera have been a waste? So in some sense, this camera is what tied me to the course as I would have had a lot to loose had I not stuck it out. However if I'm honest, the thought of abandoning the course very rarely crossed my mind - I loved it from day one - which in comparison to my peers must have been unusual as the 12 or so of us who started out together ended with only 6 of us finishing the exam.

   I then had the difficulty of finding a school that would provide me with the opportunity of taking Photography at A Level as the course was very new to my 'academically-driven' grammar school. I looked at other schools local to me and found that only 2 provided Photography at the level I wanted to pursue it to, so I visited their open days and applied immediately. After having interviews, I was accepted into both schools but neither really drew me in as I loved the students, the teachers and the lessons at my current school. It was a tough decision to make but I wanted to stay at my school so comprised by giving up Photography. However there was a light at the end of the tunnel - my teacher had pulled several (or maybe hundreds) of strings with the senior staff and persuaded them to run a Photography course. She had previously taught Photography at other schools, so let they let the course run and I could stay. I have to admit, I was incredibly fortunate and have to applaud my school for getting this right.

   Myself and two others are now on the course and although we have very few lessons with teachers (it would only fit into the timetable this way) we knew it would be like this and instead work with each other very well. The equipment the school has provided me with has helped me so much over the past few months of starting the A Level - something I never took advantage of at GCSE. I have refined many of my skills and have been able to take more mature and developed photos which I hope to regularly share on this blog along with my thoughts on recent photographers work and exhibitions that I visit.