Stock Photos

We created a short presentation to tell or tutors and the rest of our peers what our individual PDP's were and to demonstrate each objective we were asked to take 'Stock images'.

'Stock photography is the supply of photographs licensed for specific uses. It is used to fulfill the needs of creative assignments instead of hiring a photographer, often for a lower cost. Today, stock images can be presented in searchable online databases. They can be purchased and delivered online. Often, these photographs involve people, and are produced in studios using a wide variety of models posing as professionals, stereotypes, expressing common emotions and gesticulations, or involving pets. Other common stock photography niches include images related to travel and tourism, as well as conceptual photography.'

This is my stock image I took to portray my objective of wanting to be able to confidently stand in front of a crowd of people to present.

This demonstrates my objective of wanting to have a wider skill range in Photoshop.

This one shows me confidently discussing photography job prices with a client.

This one shows me researching different practitioners to get a wider knowledge of who is out there, doing what.

Stock photos are often looked upon as being 'cheesy' and overly staged but they do the job of telling the viewer a literal story. 

Brief

This module focuses attention on defining personal objectives whilst demonstrating skills, knowledge and understanding via the use of appropriate professional techniques.

We began by filling in a Personal Development Plan (PDP), this consists of writing down our objectives to get out of this year, saying what we'd have to do to achieve this objective, how the university can aid in us doing so and a deadline for each one. This is my PDP so far.

I began by writing down the broad, basic objectives that are essential to me, to achieve this year. I aim to carry on achieving these objectives even after the submission deadline for this module because I feel as though these goals that I'm trying to achieve can always be extended and improved.

I, like most of my peers, have trouble with standing in front of a crowd and speaking. I seem to get very nervous for a long time before hand. I'm not sure what it is that makes me panic so much, I don't think it's so much the worry of messing up, I think it's the pure fact that all eyes are on me and I don't enjoy being the center of attention. I do find that a few minutes into my presentation I feel more comfortable and find it easier to say what I want to say. I would like to feel more confident at the beginning of any presentation and worry a lot less before hand, I need to believe in myself a little bit more and tell myself that I can stand and talk in front of a crowd. To achieve this objective I think more practice standing and speaking in front of groups of people is needed. Uni could help my achieve this by creating more 'Presentation' style modules and getting us to have regular group crits to get us used to speaking confidently and showing our own work to different people. To me this objective is the most important one that I want to achieve because it will benefit me a lot later in life.

I very much enjoy doing artistic pieces of photography that usually require a lot of Photoshop work but sometimes I find that I'm not getting the best out of the software due to my lack of knowledge on what it can offer. One of objectives is to have a wider skill range when it comes to Photoshop because I feel as though I'm still stuck with only knowing the basics. To achieve this goal I'd need to practice on Photoshop after researching what it can do. Uni can help by offering optional Photoshop workshops for those who feel as though they could improve. The workshops could progress each week into teaching us more complicated things to ensure we get a wide range of knowledge.

I tend to always work outside of the studio when given a new brief because I don't particularly enjoy working in it. I might enjoy the studio more if I had a clearer idea of what to do whilst in there. One of my objectives is to have a better understanding of what the equipment in the studio does because with the skill level I'm at now I am no confident at all that I'd be able to produce professional work in the studio. To achieve this goal I will need to research to what each piece of equipment in the studio does then practice doing shoots in there. Uni could help by setting up an optional studio workshop in which students can practice in the studio and be given vital information on the different pieces of equipment.

When I leave university and enter the big, real world I'll need to know how much I can sell my photography for and how much different photography jobs pay out. Another one of my objectives is to have a good understanding of the current general prices for a range of different photography jobs so I know what I'm getting in to. I will have to research current markets and price trends. Uni can give me advice on where to look to find information about the current markets and price trends.

When discussing photography with anyone, for example an employer, the names of practitioners will often pop up and I will be expected to recognize the work and style of that particular photographer, in order to do so I'll need to gain more knowledge on the contextual side of photography and learn more about different photographers and their work. I'll have to use the internet and books to see which photographers are well known both from the past to now. University could send me lists of photographers who are big in the business at this moment in time so I know what the world wants and when.