University Portfolio

[Ryan W]

I'm looking to study Photography at University next year so I figure I should start building up my portfolio!

I haven't done a Photography A Level but I found out that this isn't necesary for most uni's so I should be okay as long as my portflio is awesome.

I was thinking of submitting it on a range of mediums i.e. A1 boards, a photobook or two?, Even a couple of convases? I'm not sure.

Any ideas on the best way to do this? What did you do? What would you do?

Any help would be awesome!

[DocFrankenstein]

Schools limit this usually.

The two I know accept prints only, 10 images max and 8*12 is the max size.

I would advise taking a class. This will at least give you an idea as to what the judges look for in the photos. Without a class, it's a blind shot.

[Ryan W]

Yeah I do an even class at my local college, however the tutor isn't exactly 'up with it' - very traditional etc. I'll see what he says ... I hve asked him what's best and oer here it seems that A1 Boards are the way to go ...

[DocFrankenstein]

Yeah I do an even class at my local college, however the tutor isn't exactly 'up with it' - very traditional etc. I'll see what he says ... I hve asked him what's best and oer here it seems that A1 Boards are the way to go ...
You shouldn't equate being traditional to not being "up with it". A good school is learning tradition first, and then learning the current trends.

[Ryan W]

Sorry, I didn't mean as in not with the current 'photographic trends' more to do with it's about 40 years since he's been to university, and he said himself that things have changed dramatically.

Sorry about that.
Ryan

[ryandavid__]

Sorry, I didn't mean as in not with the current 'photographic trends' more to do with it's about 40 years since he's been to university, and he said himself that things have changed dramatically.

Sorry about that.
Ryan

Where are you applying for? Are you staying in Newport? they have some good courses there, fashion photography and documentary photography if I remember rightly.

I'm going to Birmingham in Sept. to study Visual Communication, and I was stuck between applying for the fashion course in Newport and that one, but Visual Communication gives me the option to sit modules in graphic design, moving image, animation and illustration too.

One of the main reasons I didn't want to study 'Photography' at uni is because it's nearly always art-based, which will contain art history and 'traditional' photography as you put it.

Back to your original post, all I did for my portfolio was some nice A3 prints, about 20 or so, and that got me a place. It wont matter too much, they're just looking for potential, and a stronger interest in the course, as long as you're paying the fees and wont drop out, they're happy.

[Ryan W]

I'm not sure where I want to go yet! lol! i've been told the courses here are very good and they're currently building a new uni to take over from the old. I live about 5 minutes away from the new uni. I'm not sure if i wanna move out and get abit of independence though! ARGH! so confusing lol.

Thanks for your reply, it ive me a better idea. How did you present them? Did you mount them on anything?

Cheers,
Ryan

[ryandavid__]

I'm not sure where I want to go yet! lol! i've been told the courses here are very good and they're currently building a new uni to take over from the old. I live about 5 minutes away from the new uni. I'm not sure if i wanna move out and get abit of independence though! ARGH! so confusing lol.

Thanks for your reply, it ive me a better idea. How did you present them? Did you mount them on anything?

Cheers,
Ryan

Mine didn't look as nice as I wanted it too, I just got one of those plastic display cases and put them in there. If I was to do it again though, I would either get a proper photobook printed (I don't know much about this sorry) or get them printed through jessops/jacobs or one of the online alternatives, at say 10X12, luster finish, and then mount them into some display case.

I take it you've not applied for this year then?

Yeah, Newport is pretty good for photography, but the whole point of uni is to start your life on your own. There is lots of other alternatives, if you wanted to do normal photography Nottingham Trent offers a very good course - not easy to get into though. London College of Fashion does a photography/fashion course, which is a very good course, again hard to get into though. Look into my course as well though, I chose it because I wanted a wider variety of skill than just photography because at the rate photography is going, there's going to be more photographers than clients when I'm looking for work.

[Ryan W]

No, I haven't applied this year, doing A-levels (starting Sept) and then be going on to do uni in sept, '09. I hadn't looked at Nottingham before, looks like a brilliant course :) Thanks! I think I'll go to the open day in september :)

I'm looking on the nottingham uni site ATM, and they say they welcome portfolio's on a rane of mediums and using different technologies ... So I'm thinking a photobook would be a good idea ... I'd love to use canvasses too ... something that'll make me stand out a bit, as I haven't done an a Level in photography - for various reasons.

Thanks,
Ryan

[ryandavid__]

Do it. Maybe produce some flashy digital graphics/slideshow thing, I'm guessing they'd love that sort of thing.

Good luck with what ever you do. Ry.

[motion_projekt]

Build a website.

What type of photography do you do? For me, I'm a photojournalist. To showcase my work, i submitted a portfolio to SportsShooter.com and got that approved by photogs from different areas of the photojournalism world. I then submit that as my online portfolio. (Sportsshooter is predominantly for photojournalists.)

[Ryan W]

I'm mostly Portrait Photography and I LOVE doing it so much. I got a blog which I kinda turned to a site ...

www.rtwphotography.wordpress.com (buying the domain this week) - www.rtwphotography.com or .co.uk OR,
www.rtw-photography.com or .co.uk lol!

I'm so confused!

[Zilly]

Ive gone the nctj route of education for next year

the portfolio I used for the interview can befound here (http://root.modernpics.co.uk/content/downloads/Portfolio/enter.html)
that was good enough for me to be offered a unconditional offer and to be exempt from the entrance exam

[ryandavid__]

Ive gone the nctj route of education for next year

the portfolio I used for the interview can befound here (http://root.modernpics.co.uk/content/downloads/Portfolio/enter.html)
that was good enough for me to be offered a unconditional offer and to be exempt from the entrance exam

I can see why! Very, very impressive, especially since I've just read you're 17.

[Ryan W]

Entry exam? Didn't see that on nottingham's website ...? or was that about the ntcj route?

Thanks,
Ryan

[Zilly]

nctj route (possibly th ebest route depending on what area you want to do )

pm me for more details and the such like

thanks ryan yep 17 just about to turn 18 and saving for a second body and a few more toys when ever one elts is out partying, oooh its a hard life

[ryandavid__]

Haha, you have to party too!

Keep up the good work, man. Can't wait to see where you'll be in a few years.