TAOP - Classmates
"I got by with a little help from my friends"
Its true - No face to face with my tutor and no studying / working in the classroom with my class mates. This is one of the biggest draw backs of distance learning despite all the advantages it gives me and how it fits in with my busy life. I work away from home mid-week and am unable to take my equipment with me so that means I have a lot to try to fit in at the weekends - including my photography hobby and degree study - in addition to my family and friends and weekend jobs.
However I must thank a number of people both "class mates", fellow bloggers, forum posters, authors, photographers with images on the Internet and of course my tutor. Support, inspiration and assistance has come in a number of ways from kind words, advice, suggestion , observation of other bloggers work Of course the support and confidence given to me by my tutor who has gently critiqued, observed, encouraged and pushed me to further explore, experiment, and challenge my photography skills has been instrumental.
Looking back at my early work I can see faults, issues, and elements I could now perhaps improve upon. I feel my more confident and have more skills both technical and observant, and I have more inspiration in terms of fellow students and of course the photography experts whose work can be found in books and on the Internet. Whilst I have most definitely progressed it has opened my eyes to how much more I can learn, understand, experiment with. My hunger to continue grows more and my enthusiasm for my hobby also accelerates. I have had challenges, slowed down at times and occasionally stopped. on occasion I've asked my partner and my children for ideas or bounced ideas off them - the kind nudge they given at times has maintained my momentum. No path is easy but I guess that's what really makes the journey enjoyable.
In addition I've progress my photography in other areas producing images for fun that friends have given kind comment to that has also been inspirational. Some minor achievements over the last 12 months such as selling an image on a stock library and making the front page of a local newspaper with an image have also been very rewarding and inspire me to continue.
Hahaha - I mustn't get too carried away as this is only module 1 completed with 6 more to go. I need to expand my knowledge of photography more, I need to critique my work more and I need to continue to push the boundaries of what I currently can do. I also need to get a lot better! I also need to reference more material and how this may or may not have influenced my progression
I can't list everyone but I will list a few forums I regularly use and list a few of the blogs I view on a regular basis and in addition list locations where other students work can be found. This will serve as reminder for me of where to go and hopefully give additional locations for other students to consider looking.
Forums
I contribute to these groups as FrattonFreak as well as seeking help and assistance
OCA The Art of Photography Course Discussion Including Assignments and
Submissions | ||
http://www.flickr.com/groups/ocarts/
(Over a Cup of Coffee)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1959765@N24/
(TAOP Newbies)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1803287@N21/
(OCA South West UK)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1803287@N21/
(OCA South West UK)
TalkPhotography and TAOP Forum
Blogs
I follow / look at many but here is a selection:
Michael Freeman Blog
http://thefreemanview.com/
Rob
http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/
Jeff
http://freedomtolook.blogspot.co.uk/
Bianconero
http://bianconerotaop.wordpress.com/
Lucy
http://lucyslearninglog.wordpress.com/
Suzy
Mark:
Ashley:
Ian:
Sites
http://www.flickr.com/
(The very many groups on Flickr where I may join in conversations or simply admire images)
The OCA and of course the student forums:
http://www.oca-uk.com/
http://oca-student.com/forum/3002
OCA Classmates:
http://oca-student.com/course-mates
The luminous landscape
http://www.luminous-landscape.com
Michael Freeman Blog
http://thefreemanview.com/
Thom Hogan
http://www.bythom.com/
Talk Photography:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/
Good old Ken Rockwell:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/
Phil Steele:
http://www.philsteele.com/
Strobist:
http://strobist.blogspot.co.uk/
And of course many, many others..... thank you all
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