Getting fed up now

Digi59

So, the comments arise again that if you have a good camera, you can shoot weddings. And as for undercutting existing photographers, that is what is causing the industry to take a nose-dive, and in the end hardly anyone makes an income from photography any more.

How do I know? Well having been a keen photographer for many years (from back in the day of film) I started my own business following redundancy a couple of years ago. It is harder than you think. Just because you have a good camera, this does not make you able to take good images - I have taken landscape photos for the most part, but photos of people are a completely different matter. I tried, on the limited funds I had, to do some workshops, and read loads of websites, and after a year I felt ready to do some portrait sessions. I am not even contemplating weddings!

To begin with, I made the images into mounted prints, and my husband (who worked for the same company that went bust so we were both out of a job), started picture framing and we did craft fairs and local markets, but again this has not been enough to live on.

Luckily, I have recently managed to get a job so it is not as critical as it was, but photography is not a way to earn a good living any more. The digital age has made everyone and their grandmothers into 'photograpers'.

dizzyrascal

If you have been in touch with your Careers Service you will have now discovered that you can't do a PGCE with your degree. You need to have a t least 50% of your course in the subject you will train in. So for English, you would need at least 50% of your degree in English.
You could look at citizenship but it is very popular.
You could also look at primary but again you have not studied a core subject so, although they accept any degree, it would have been better to have an academic subject.
Photography is a vocational subject with an obvious career path. Employers are always a little suspicious when people apply for jobs and have not pursued the intended career path. It makes them think that you either took any easy option or that you have wasted 3 years on something you're not interested in. This is not the same for academic subjects that have a wide application in many careers.
There is a big call for teaching people to use a DSLR. We had this course at the university I work for as a course for the public and it was always oversubscribed. Perhaps you could develop a portfolio career and develop different ways of working. You might have a number of freelance projects on the go at once. Blog about photography, contact specialist cinemas, do talks on the subject and teach photography skills or sell some work. Get yourself a blog or a website and then get yourself in the local newspaper or better still, colour magazine. (we get 2 or 3 of these a month)

dizzyrascal

Oh, and if you did want to follow up on the teaching you would still need a maths GCSE. They do not care that you are a mature student, just that you have a measurable ability at maths.

Who?_me?

For teaching you HAVE to have a C or above in English and maths. There are catchup courses available, but you have to pay.
Teaching is harder to get onto, and even harder to get a job. You have to pay fees for the PGCE, or you can get onto what was the GTP which is paid (but I think it has been replaced). You would need your C in maths, also science if you wanted to do primary, then experiance in the stage you want to do, and then try and get on a course, with chances of getting a job at the end low. WIth your low maths level you will not be able to get a Cover Supervisor job either. You need to get that aMaths sorted for any job really, though for some you would probably get away with the L2 Numeracy which will be free. You could always try to get a PGCE / PTLS in adult / post 16 education to teaching FE colleges. This will also cost you, and you willl need to be working to get it, and again, jobs are far and few between and generally hourly paid, no contracted hours. You will also need your maths, though for this you may get away with the L2 Numeracy adult test.
I really don't wish to be all doom and gloom, but you need a honnest view of the situation before you commit to further debt. Good luck in what ever you decide to do, but remember, it's not you, there are millions in the same position.

1940sGal

Going back to the idea of Clinical Photography, i've enquired in to that as it sounds very interesting. I've got to call my two local hospitals back tomorrow so will know more then.

dizzyrascal

Speak to your local university and medical/dental schools too as they use the services of photographers all the time. May have some staff positions
You may also need some high quality equipment for this job though and you will definitely need to be digital

1940sGal

dizzyrascal wrote: »

Speak to your local university and medical/dental schools too as they use the services of photographers all the time. May have some staff positions
You may also need some high quality equipment for this job though and you will definitely need to be digital

From what i've seen the equipment is provided. I'll know more though after i've spoken to the managers at the hospitals. But it's not a freelance position so providing your own equipment would seem unusual.

dawyldthing

You definately would need a C in Maths, but night schools have only just started so there could well be chance to enrol now to get your C ready for the end of the year