J O E C L I F F O R D

Wrote by joe

I'm trying to make these tasks realistic for myself being a university leaver, I've seen a few jobs for a full-time junior photographer for High Street brands such as WHSmith and Topman both of which accept recent graduate applications. I feel like if I could land a job like this it will be a gateway to bigger things, getting my foot in the door of the photography world with the added bonus of working with a well-known brand. The role of being a junior position would mean I can learn hands-on from others with years of experience in the business of photography. A job like this would also offer me financial security, which is something that puts me off being a freelance photographer.

So what do I need to do in preparation to apply and get accepted for the role? I found a position opening for a junior photographer for WHSmith in Swindon, first of all, would I'd have to be prepared to relocate, which is something I've been thinking about for a while because the thought of moving back to my home time and working from there isn't something I want to do. A house share in Swindon averages around £450.

The Job description is as follows.
What you’ll do As our Junior Photographer you’ll report to the Head of Marketing and support the social media and wider business marketing with all photography requirements. You’ll support the marketing plan, delivering social media photography requirements across our high street, travel and online businesses.As well as photography you’ll also be able to diversify your skill set with relevant content creation in line with the marketing plan. Our photography won’t only be to promote products, you will work closely with the Group PR Manager providing content and photography expertise for our external PR campaigns also, ensuring the WHSmith brand is well represented at all times.Who we’re looking for A passion for photography is a must, and you’ll need to know your way around photography equipment and be adept with a variety of photography methods. You may be a College leaver or University leaver with studies in Photography behind you, or already have some practical experience; either way the passion or drive to deliver exceptional photographic will be at the top of your agenda. Ideally you’ll understand retail, and have worked in shop floor retail in the past to be able to understand how and why we promote as we do, however this isn’t a must have, but the ability to keep an eye on what and how our competitors leverage photography is.What’s in it for you? You’ll be at of the hub of an incredibly fast-moving function and you’ll be trusted to make decisions that benefit the business. It’s a serious responsibility – which will seriously motivate you. You’ll thrive on the freedom and the chance to use your skills and will be supported with plenty of training and development opportunities. What’s more, you can expect some fab rewards, including an achievable annual bonus, 24 days’ holiday (and the option to buy more), contributory pension plus the perks
of your birthday off, an early finish on Fridays, and lots more!

Well, the description looks ideal and fun and I've got an advantage as I've worked in retail for the past 5 years, I've also got an interest in social media. The only thing I'd need to do is brush up my studio skills particularly with product photography, as I don't have anything relevant in my current portfolio to support this. I've got some studio lights at home but it might be easier to see if I can get a space in the studio before I graduate to have a play and test my skills. A job like this would be perfect for me to gain confidence in the professional photographic industry, its also full time and paid which is good because stress is leading me to consider apprenticeship roles just so I can get my foot in the door

I've applied online using my basic CV, so I will have to wait for a response before I can submit any a good time to build a portfolio which I'll inevitably need regardless.

Wrote by joe

In this day and age, it's actually possible to make a living off being a social media influencer. I'm constantly checking Instagram so I'm kind of fascinated how you can make money off being an Instagram personality as many professional photographers I follow are paid to advertise and promote brands and content on their pages. I thought it would be interesting to research what it takes to become a brand ambassador. Nikon and canon pay photography influencers to test products and advertise them. So if this is actually possible what would it take for me to do it?

1. SELL MYSELF (not literally)

A brand will be looking for someone who best represents its values and personality. You need to let the brand know what makes you a good fit. This means

for example; f you're applying to a bikini company, it might find someone who spends a lot of time at the beach, travels extensively and has a decent photographer on-hand to be an ideal brand ambassador.

If you are a loyal supporter of a brand -- such as being a past customer or an engaged follower who likes and shares the brand's posts on a regular basis -- you'll be sure to score some bonus points.

2. BUILD FOLLOWERS AND ENGAGEMENT.

If you're well-liked by your followers, it's obvious: not only through the number of likes and comments you get, but also by the type of comments left on the posts.

When your followers give you genuine compliments that are related to the current post, it shows they are attentive and care about what you're showing them. If they're curious about where you got your clothing or accessories from, that's a good sign. It shows that your fans look to you for fashion advice.

This is a major selling point, as not every Instagram model has the same type of following. Be sure to respond to comments and messages, in order to build up a “super fan” base quickly.

3. CREATE A COHESIVE LOOK AND FEEL.

The most appealing accounts are those that are easy on the eyes and have clear, concise personalities.

Creating content that people can relate to is the best way to gain an engaged following. This will allow the brands to recognize your account's identity, and will help them gauge whether or not you represent their vibe.

4. UNDERSTAND THE GUIDELINES.

At the end of the day, this is a business transaction. The brand you're representing will expect you to bring in new potential customers, in exchange for products or payment.

Each collaboration is different, but you might expect to gain bragging rights for working with that company, as well as free products and commission on your sales. Some programs even offer discount codes for your followers.

Wrote by joe

Magazine photo editors manage the selection placement contact editing and overall use of photographs and publications may also assign projects to photographers Direct photoshoots and write captions these professionals should have a strong understanding of photography as well as strong management skills this sought-after career allows for individuals to express creativity however as with many upper level editors they hours of overtime in high stress under deadlines.

Despite this creativity is a hallmark of magazine photo editors like other editorial jobs this position requires attention to detail the ability to work with a team and strong communication skills, as well as the physical and mental stamina to work long hours including nights and weekends magazine photo editors, are comfortable using Photoshop and other photo editing software programs

the US Bureau of labour statistics reported vermillion salary for editors was £44k per year. Zine photo editor requires a company education in hands-on learning complete best program for the publication and I tend to know how to match images to text in magazines.
Degree programs in photography (like the one im doing) teach students how to capture subject on film and use photo editing software photojournalism programs and self management of photography experienced students can learn about the magazine industry through internships at local national or online publications interns may work with photographer's and riders assist with chutes and revise images working as a photographers Apprentice assistant allowance for direct experience taking and editing photos
University newspapers (milk magazin e bsu) typically have openings for photographers or photo editors as well aquaskills photo editors may be expected to work on both of print and online versions of the magazine student should use their time in school to build the skills and online Publishing and social media photographers use portfolios to Showcase their strongest work and give prospective employers and idea of their ability and skill level magazine photo editors may be assigned tasks in various Fields so demonstrating an understanding of different types of photography such as news and sport is crucial include work that shows their proficiency in image editing and layout in work orange photo editors can start out as photographers assistant photo editors and newspapers or magazines the duties of an assistant editor may include scheduling photographers finding appropriate stock or commissioned photos merging photo libraries and pitching story ideas photographers my freelance or work part-time full-time position tiny professional organisation professional organizations such as the national press photographers association in PPE provide mentorship continuing education and job listings for photographers perspective photo editors can use these organizations to strengthen their industry knowledge and build contact photo editors learn about the creative and technical aspects of photography for print and online publications through bachelor's degree programs in photography or photojournalism internship and entry level work as demonstrated by a portfolio.

Wrote by joe

Personal Portfolio Development

This lecture offers advice on the things I need to be doing and thinking about to develop a portfolio tailored to my identity as a photographer and the path I want to be taking in my career.

Aims for portfolio:

clarity of voice: show intentions and my own identity as a photographer

Stand out from the rest: how do I do this?

be unique and concise. USP- Unique Selling Point.

an object you are proud of and that you can talk about

sum up your practice in a few lines. have a niche.

Address the following questions:

what sort of photographer are you?
where do you situate your practice in relation to past and contemporary photography?
what is the best way to present yourself to be true to your identity as a photographer?

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT POINTS

SET ASIDE TIME TO DEVELOP OWN IDEAS- WHETHER COMMERCIAL OR PERSONAL.
DO YOUR RESEARCH WELL SO TO UNDERPIN YOUR IDEAS EFFECTIVELY AND HELP TO GENERATE AND MATURE IDEAS AND APPROACH.
HAVE A REGULAR SLOT IN THE MONTH TO EVALUATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR AND PLANS FOR THE NEXT STAGE.
USE SPACE TO CURATE A SELECTION OF YOUR STRONGEST IMAGES.
THINK ABOUT VISUAL LANGUAGE AND HOW YOUR IMAGES RELATE.
VARIETY OF EDITS FOR A VARIETY OF SCENARIOS (I.E: THINK ABOUT DOING AN EDIT BEFORE HAND WHICH IS TAILORED TO THE PERSON YOU ARE SHOWING THE PORTFOLIO TO)

NICHE/ SPECIALISM COULD BE:
A SUBJECT MATTER
A STYLE
A TECHNIQUE
MARKET/ CLIENT AREA

Find examples of portfolios
examples:
webber represents
vue photographers agent
lisa pritchard
flowers gallery

Avoid the generic add pictures that have weight and value. if i know my portfolio is good, it will, in turn, make me more confident with reviewers.
if you focus on one area you are more likely to become an expert.
You can concentrate your efforts in one area and not be distracted- although be careful not to be too specialised.

demonstrate clear intent:
Reviewers respond to work that show focus, integrity and direction.
ask your peers to tell you how they read your work and decide if it matches what you are trying to say.
be aware of your audience- different people like different things, don't take things too personally.

Use my current network and aim to build a larger one.

print portfolios are important for:
Face to Face meetings.
publication commissions/ jobs. they will want to see prints and how your work looks in print publication.
if your end products are prints. (framed, photobook?)

when is a digital portfolio appropriate?
travelling abroad- easy to carry, logistical, on the go.
online magazine: print won't be important if the publication is predominately online.
digital agency
videos/moving image.

Commercial Portfolio: one portfolio; digital or printed 30-40 images, clever editing showing versatility yet a definitive style, show what suits the client.

Portfolio Presentations:
first page: memorable title a few words/ synopsis.
careful editing
slant it according to the reviewers like and wants.
size A4 or A3
Include business cards and contact details.
label and protect the copyright if submitting images.

The Photobook:
photo books are a good addition to a portfolio.

Rob Horsta: Pitcture Perfect

after graduation: do what you want to no and do it well, no one to tell you what or how to do things which is scary but liberating.

Wrote by joe

It wasnt until this year I found out Bath Spa has its own creative magazine ran by publishing students; I think the University should do more to inspire collaborations between courses as during my final months of university there are many facilities such as 3D Printers, Risographs and workshops I have come across from talking to students and lecturers of other courses that are openly available to me which I didn't know about. Kind of annoying.

Making Magazines is an event ran by Milk Magazine and aims to be a celebration of magazine publishing in the south-west. The event took place at the newly designed Gallery Café at Bath Spa University, Newton Park.
The free event is a collaboration between the recently launched Society of Young Publishers south-west branch and Bath Spa University's student magazine, milk. Also hosting guests from Magalleria, Bumble and Future Publishing. the event was an opportunity for networking and included a pop-up indie shop from Magalleria.
I managed to get tickets to the event after it was advertised on Milks Instagram.

Josef and Racheal of Bumble Magazine have a similar story to Lucy Saunders and her Flourish Magazine success.

Josef said that the year after graduation he was working in a magazine shop and co creator Racheal was working in a cafe. “Towards the end of the second year after graduation, Rachael had started a project for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and she came up with the idea for Bumble. Further down the line, she mentioned her idea again and said she was still thinking about it. So I said ‘yeah, so am I… so when are we doing this?’.

So it was summer last year when we just kept going with stories, illustrators and ideas, basically. When we started writing the articles and sourcing the images and things like that it started to become something… The more you do, the more you have to lose. If you’ve done all this work, you just keep going. We were doing stuff we loved: various articles about species that we both have an interest in.”

Wrote by joe

This is probably going to be one of my longest blog posts. I wanted to explain my experience with the application process in an attempt to get my foot in the door of the creative industry before I graduate.
The daunting thoughts of life after graduating are becoming ever more apparent leading up to my final months of University. I've been working weekends at M&S in Bath for 2 years now. It's a well-paid job for a student but after James lecture about career planning I decided now would be a good time for me to start looking for a job in the creative industry which is essentially where I want my career to be. I looked on a few websites and came across a job advert for a Saturday job as a "Graphic's Service Assistant" in Southgate, Bath.
The questionable looking advert was on Indeed.com and featured 2 lowly lit images which read;

JOB VACANCY

We are looking to fill our Saturday Graphics Service Assistant position.
Please Apply Within.

The advert had been live for a few weeks so I decided to email the company with my CV asking if the position was still available. I've included our email exchange it reads as below;

I received a quick response and due to me working that weekend I dropped in my Application form on the Monday.
The form was formatted like a CV asking for relevant details such as work experience, skills and abilities, the reason for applying etc.

I got a call from the store's manager on the Thursday inviting me to "come and have a chat about the position"
I was buzzing as it was promising I was offered an interview after the position had been advertised for so long. I attended the following Monday morning dressed for an interview; I was nervous but excited at the potential of getting my foot in the door of the creative industry.

I was met by the manager Steve; he took me down to the office and we began chatting about my university experience and current job. The "interview" was very quick and informal. I felt like even though I was the one meant to be interviewed I was actually leading the exchange. I had to ask him what the Job actually entailed as this was never explained online or in person.

Now here's where things get weird. I came out of the "interview" thinking I'd actually got the position. During the end of the exchange, I asked him if I needed any to attend any training beforehand etc, he said no and that I'd be trained when I started. I also let him know I couldn't start until April 6th as I needed to give notice to my current employer and do the overtime I've been given he said this was all fine as it was only a few weeks away. I shook his hand and left ecstatic that I'd got the Job, I called my mom and let her know and headed straight to my current employer to talk to my manager about my change in circumstance.

LUCKILY, I told him Digiprint was only a Saturday job and asked if I could change my contract and still work Sundays at M&S, he said he wasn't sure if that would be possible because they have a limited number of hours to spend on a Sunday. I left this with him and he said he could see what he can do.

Since I'm in my final months of uni I was actually considering quitting M&S so then i'd have more time to do my final project and the I would just work Saturdays at this new graphics job. I was told this new job would be minimum wage so realistically I couldn't afford to do this.

My current manager went out of his way to liaise with other staff members and the roster system as he didn't want to lose me as a valuable member of the team. We agreed I would work 4 hours on the late every Saturday after my shift at Digiprint and a 4-hour shift every other Sunday. This would mean I would be doing a 12-hour shift every Saturday; not ideal but I've got to do what I can to support myself and I didn't want to pass up this creative opportunity.

So it was sorted (so I thought) I would be starting my new job on April 6th whilst still at M&S and attending university in the week.

Over a week later I revieved this email;

Safe to say I was fuming but also very confused. My instant thought was they maybe gave the job last minute to a friend of one of the employees. I rang the store to ask them to explain the situation but never got through. So I responded to the email. I wrote an angry response at first but decided I had to tone it down and be professional as I didn't know the context to the situation.

So, despite the bizarre interview situation and the company giving me the impression I secured the job and that I had a start date it turns out I wasn't explicitly offered the Job. I hadn't signed a contract of employment so essentially there was nothing else I could do. Although the potential employer shouldn't have given me an impression that I'd got the job in the first place the experience has taught me that I should have covered my own back instead of putting myself in this tricky situation. Luckily it isn't going to have any significant financial backlash and I am still employed at the current job.

Wrote by joe

Bath School Of Art And Design has been lucky enough to secure Vanessa Winship as a participant in this years list of visiting speakers. Perhaps one of the most prestigious and hyped up Photographer we've had at the University, the lecture theatre was almost full of students from a range of courses around the Art School. Photographer George Georgieu; Vanessa's husband also attended the event alongside her.

Vanessa's talk focussed primarily on her project "She Dances On Jackson" I've included a synopsis if you don't already know about the project;

In 2011 Vanessa Winship was the recipient of the Henri Cartier Bresson Award which funds an artist to pursue a new photographic project. For over a year Winship travelled across the United States, from California to Virginia, New Mexico to Montana, in pursuit of the fabled ‘American dream’. she dances on Jackson presents a conversation, a lyrical and lilting interaction between landscape and portrait exploring the vastness of the United States and attempting to understand the link between a territory and its inhabitants. For Winship this relationship is inextricable; places accrue particular meanings according to the people she meets, what she sees, and by what's happening to her personally. Each human encounter, sound and smell adds extra dimensions to her work and the resulting photographs.

she dances on Jackson marks a progression. Stylistically similar to her previous work using black and white film and a large format camera, Winship’s portraits remain arresting and unnerving but this body of work reveals her to also be a skilled landscape photographer. For Winship photography is a process of literacy, a path by which she understands life. Her intimate approach enables the reader to glimpse the world as she sees it, if only for a moment.

Vanessa's talk was fairly humbling, being such a highly rated photographer I came to the talk expecting a pretentious speech about her work and how great it is. Winship was actually quite a shy individual who read us some stories about the details of the trip and some insight behind the project and the images it included.

Winship took the photographs she dances on Jackson across 18 states in the US between autumn 2011 and winter 2012 setting out to unravel the myth of the American Dream, the road in search of empathetic small-town and counters probing ideas of race and class in the process. Photographing landscapes and staging arresting portraits of the people she met, pursued the truth of the contemporary American condition through the act of taking pictures.

Perhaps one of the most iconic portraits featured in 'She Dances On Jackson"

Wrote by joe

3. CREATE A COHESIVE LOOK AND FEEL.

4. UNDERSTAND THE GUIDELINES.

PAGES

INSTAGRAM @JOEFFORD