BEDFORD COLLEGE Photography Certificate College Life

Project One: College Life

The project is about college life. Having carried out a brain storming exercise I decided to concentrate on trying to create a banner which represents college life and could be used in advertising.

COLLEGE LIFE MIND MAP

Photos subjects
range of courses approachable staff Students Facilities Student work Leisure facilities Environment Buildings/Architecture friendly people/environment Welfare The College The town - Bedford

students

great facilities

Location/Transport links safe and secure environment

architecture:

BEDFORD COLLEGE Photography Certificate

Project One: College Life

My starting point was my own company banner which was created by my graphic designer and comprises a number of photos that have been Photoshop merged to create a single image as a banner. See below.

The ESP Banner used to market my company to Bedford based clients I set about taking a number of photos from around the college using the techniques we had been learning in classes. Choosing the subject, composure and exposure trying to get representative photos of what the college is about. Trying to get across that Bedford College is a great place to learn, in a safe and friendly environment. In the photos I took I tried to get images that represent the best of the buildings/architecture at Bedford college, the people that work there, the people that study there and the message that it is safe, friendly and in a great location. I researched the website for imagery to see how photography is being used a present. It struck me that many of the photos on the website seem to be photos of people with little made of the place or the facilties. Many of the photos could be anywhere, any college with goups of students sat talking or holding study materials. See materials Pages 1 to 3. I thought the Front page of the Website could hold a banner such as I have tried to create. The banner could also be used in Printed material such as short course brochures, newspaper advertising and finally a large display advert could be created. To hung in a foyer, reception or other public space such as the banners in the main reception.

BEDFORD COLLEGE Photography Certificate

Project One: College Life

Locations that a banner could be displayed in.

BEDFORD COLLEGE Photography Certificate

Project One: College Life

BEDFORD COLLEGE Photography Certificate

Project One: College Life

Banner One: The first banner I did I felt did not represent college life enough with 2 of 5 images being of Bedford town. 1. The 1st photo shows the market with the church in the background. Ideally I would crop the traffic light out of the image in the final vers. 2. Bedford College 6th Form Building entrance, an image with Bedford College in shot but with the benefit of a student walking upstairs. 3. The 3rd photo shows students in the canteen and is brightly coloured and could be also mistaken as a classroom or library. 4. The 4th shows students walking downstairs in main reception. I was not happy with the back view of a student wearing his hoody. 5. The 5th photos shows the river and whilst it looks a lovely blue it doesnt add anything to the banner or to the theme College life.

Banner Two: This second banner was an improvement I had taken a photo in the South Bank art block entrance of two students walking out with their cameras this was cropped to show a close up image of the students cameras in hand walking past a display of student work. A much improved view and shot representing college life.

BEDFORD COLLEGE Photography Certificate

Project One: College Life

Banner Three: The final version. I have replaced the photo of the student with his back to the camera wearing a hoody with one of the rtespetion area. The banner now shows; Bedford town, Bedford College then the people, the facilities and to some extent the architecture.

Conclusion: Whilst I have not been able to emulate the merging of the photos as in the banner my Graphic designer prepared using Photoshop, I am happy with the final result. I still feel that I have a lot to learn in the art of taking photos, exposure, light etc, selection of photos and formatting using Photoshop. I enjoy taking photos and am always looking at scenes to see if they would make a good photo. I see photography as an art form. I would like to study photography as an art. To create photos that are seen as art whether realistic imagery showing landscapes or figurative with people either as posed portraits or as groups involved in everyday activities. I would like to develop to an extent where I can combine photography with other media such, as paints, mixed media photos, collage and organic materials, and would like to explore three dimensional photography. End 19-01-12