College.

'B/W country.'

Above; Me.

Below; My college application, Not too sure if its the final draft I did (out of about twenty of them) but its defiantly one of them. This is quite personal but I think I can share it.....

'Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.' - Yousuf Karsh.

Hello, here goes my best shot. I want to go to college to learn. But this time I get to choose what I want to learn, and its photography. That's it, that's all I want to learn and all I have ever wanted to learn. Photography is more than just an interest or taking photos to me. Taking a photo is creating art. Pausing time forever and having a memory that will last a lifetime. I remember the first time someone told me that a photo I took (with no prior knowledge of photography) was good. That person has been my inspiration and since has pushed me to believe in myself, leading me to where I am now. I believe that I can give everything, everything creative that is inside of me. I believe I can bring my own individuality to the course. An individuality that is fresh, bold and leaks of my personality. Black and white is certainly my strong point, absolutely my favored aspect.

I want this experience and I want it here. I want to be in an environment with like-minded people who can encourage, inspire and teach me.

I want to burst my bubble and broaden my horizon, but most importantly spend the rest of my life doing what I love. I believe that this environment can provide me with the opportunity to do so.

I will be working on my portfolio over Christmas that will either make or break my chance of doing what I need to do .This experience will inspire me and further galvanize my belief that photography is truly the only path that I must follow.

Last summer I got the amazing chance to be the main photographer at a local wedding. This gave me the confidence that I needed to get out there and create! I am currently designing a portfolio for a friend who is a hairdresser and spent hours taking creative photos for a local design shop helping promote their decorative hand crafts, also for work experience I was also employed at a local photographer's. At Christmas I will be working with a film camera and hopefully get the chance to develop photos from a 1930's brownie in my very own dark room. For the past two years I have been working in a restaurant. I think this environment has given me experience with the public. I have learned to keep a cool head and relax under pressure. I have spent the past couple of years taking the time to catch some brilliant photos, developing my own style and most importantly learning! The next few months I will be engrossing myself in the world behind the camera to push myself further. Anyone that knows me knows that I would love to surgically attach my camera to my hand and have it everywhere I go. This is the only place I want to go, or in fact need to go, my mind is made up! I'm positive photographers, artists, curators and writers of the university will supply me with knowledge and inspiration. This for me is overwhelmingly exciting. With so many ideas constantly floating inside my head I sometimes find it hard to keep up.  I feel that the tutors can supply me with the focus I need to channel my true creativity one project at a time. I want the experience of working 'hands-on' with photographers and these tutors. I have read through graduate profiles, emailed them and looked at their photographs on countless occasions. I know I am capable of reaching a high standard. I think I have the ability to see things from an abstract angle and think outside the box, seeing something that is essentially normal and making it into a piece of art.

I need to be around creative people and I want to be understood. Everything I know about photography is self-taught through absorbing every piece of information possible and now I hope you will teach me more.

Anyone can pick up a camera and take a photo but a huge amount of heart and determination is needed to fully succeed. I believe I have these key characteristics. I believe I am ready for this. I need to take the next step.