ocadU

I feel right now I have the opportunity to rant and to justify to my friends, fam, fans & buds why I have decided to go to Ontario College of Art & Design to take the four year degree program to major in photography and receive my Bachelor of Arts.

A lot of people look at me confused when I tell them about my plan to attend school for photography, not understanding why I would waste thousands of dollars and four years of my life improving something I am already good at. Well I understand that I am pretty educated in the ways of photography, technically and creatively. Working at Henry’s has taught me a lot about photography, in terms of my camera/lenses/softwares/etc. that I never imagined would quite define me as the photographer that I am now. And as well, four years of shooting, studying and practicing photography on my own I have learnt quite a bit. Being a self-taught photographer has been quite the adventure and a successful one at that. Not only has being creative with the photographic medium come naturally to me, but growing up I was nothing more then a simple girl with an artists eye and mind which began to grow naturally as I shot more. 

In terms of the business aspect of my photography career, I would say I must thank my mother for teaching me such fantastic organizational skills along with my father for teaching me such determination to work as hard as I can. In the past year I have successfully started a business, booked many photoshoots, generated income and advertised myself through building my own website & blog, and on my way to shooting at a professional level.

Now why am I going to school, you ask?

Well I am missing one of the most important parts to being an artistic photographer. It’s one thing to take a good picture, sell it and then do it all over again. There is an emotional side to this art that you gain through experience, through studying and analyzing art more then just looking at it and saying “that looks sweet”. I feel in order to further myself as an artist, I need to have an art-based foundation in which to understand the kind of photographer I am and the work that I feel I should convey. I feel in order to properly expose and show off the photo, an amazing photographer must have a good sense of critique and a natural ability to explain how this photo came to be.

A saying that is completely over used and has lost its meaning comes to mind:

“A Picture Says A Thousand Words”

Then why is it, that all I hear lately is… awesome! Beautiful! Looks so sick!

I want to be the photographer that has those 1000 words plus more, who takes the images and has a firm artistic foundation for photographic work that evokes emotion and question. I want to convey more in my photos then just sweet lighting-newest gear-coolest editing. 

OCAD is a fabulous art school that not only will teach me to be a better & educated artist, but as well toss me in a crowd of artists and really push me to find the photographer that I am. This school stands for creativity and I am honoured to have been accepted amongst the many talents that have come out of that school. Thanks.

Enjoy.