I absolutely love your photography! Any tips for someone starting out/studying? & are there any photographers in particular that inspire you creatively?
First of all thank you so much for the kind words - means a lot xx
As I get older, I find myself becoming less and less thrilled about the idea of going to school “for photography.” From my experience, most art schools do little to truly prepare you for what it takes to make a living as a photographer. That, combined with the outrageous pricetag that comes with attending these places, makes it difficult for any recent graduate to truly jump into the field without some serious pressure (student loans). And realistically, you shouldn’t expect to get a job if you graduate as a Photography major - you should expect to CREATE your job. The bottom-line: If you want to become a photographer, create a portfolio that demonstrates the kind of work you hope to get. Simple as that. Going to school doesn’t necessarily accomplish this. Am I saying everyone that goes to art school for photography is a sucker? Absolutely not. But there are thousands of people out there that have paid $120,000+ just for the opportunity to work at Starbucks. And considering the plethora of online resources out there to help people get started (Phlearn and CreativeLive for instance), I’d say you’re better off going that route. If you’re totally determined to go to college (or if your parents really want you to), I’d say study business and art history at a traditional university.
As for photographers that inspire me? The works and careers of Brooke Shade, Aaron Nace, Gregory Crewdson, and Miss Aniela are all very dear to my heart.