Sample Photography Personal Statement
For as long as I can remember, visual and performing arts have been at the centre of my life. From drama productions, to after-school ceramics groups and learning Cello and Piano, expressing myself creatively is my passion. My interest in Photography was sparked through my love of fashion, and it has become my ambition to one day have my own work commissioned for magazines such as Vogue.
I am currently undertaking an Arts Foundation Course in preparation for university study. I have been building on my extensive and varied Photography portfolio that I created for my Art & Design A-level, some of which was displayed publicly through a college exhibition. My recent experiments with textiles have helped me appreciate the use of different textures and materials in photographic compositions, particularly the differing ways that light reflects off them. This has helped to develop my own unique style of photography, from which I gain inspiration from the natural surroundings, my family and friends, my travels and the fashion media. I have been particularly motivated by the exhibits of Alexander McQueen and Yoko Ono at the Royal Academy’s recent AWARE art and fashion identity exhibition. A visit to Barcelona to view the work of Dali and Miro also had a lasting effect on me.
Over the past three years I have also compiled a number of scrapbooks, incorporating photographs, cuttings and materials. These projects display my belief that photography can capture a life span in one shot, that it can see through the outer layers that we all portray through to the very soul and true emotion of the subject matter. I find Corrine Day’s work from the early 1990’s inspirational because of the way she manages to delve beneath the surface of her models and convey strong emotions. I spend a lot of time studying fashion photography in magazines such as Vogue and ID. I want to learn how to produce such powerful images during a Photography degree, so that my work will in the future be recognised and appreciated.
I also look forward to building on my editing skills during a Photography degree. I have completed a Key Skills Certificate Level 2 in Information & Communication Technology, and am already competent with the use of Photoshop, so am equipped with the basic technical skills to learn more complex post-production techniques.
I am currently seeking part-time work with a professional photographer to compliment my academic studies. I also spent 7 months in 2009 working in TKmaxx, which gave me a valuable insight into fashion retailing and enabled me to buy my Cannon ES, which is now never far from my side. In my spare time I have taken music and drama exams and dedicated time and effort to charity work.
I have been on two pilgrimages to Lourdes to help elderly and disabled people visit the shrines there, competed in two charity bed races to raise funds for children with Muscular Dystrophy and sky dived in aid of Alzheimer’s. These experiences were challenging at times but the friendships I have built and the satisfaction I have gained from making a difference to other people’s lives made the hard work all worthwhile. I developed patience, independence, excellent communication skills and the ability to work well in a team. I am a highly self-motivated individual who has a clear vision of where I want to go in life and what I need to do to get there. My dedication to a Photography degree is the necessary next step to achieving my ambitions, and one I look forward to with excitement.
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