Over Christmas I had really been thinking into what I'm going to do when I finish my degree. I still don't know what type of photography I want to do but what I do know is that I want to get as much experience as possible. Below are all the jobs I have applied for and why since Christmas.
2nd January 2019 - I got in touch with my cousin who works in London as an events organiser and planner. She runs her own business and is very successful so I got in touch with her and asked her if she knew of anyone that could help me. I told her the basic information about what stage of my degree I am in. She asked me what type of photography I was into and I said I was just trying to gain as much experience as possible so she took it from there. She emailed six photographers that she thought would be willing to give me experience. I was aware that all of this experience was going to be in London so I said I would be willing to go up one weekend every month to London to do some work for anyone that could help me.
3rd January 2019 - emails were sent out to six photographers
4th January 2019 - Paul Toeman replied and said that he would be more than happy to help me. He initially wanted to meet me for a coffee as he thought I lived in London but I replied back and said that I didn't so we stuck to just emailing. He gave me what I believed to be an invite to help at a barmitzvah that my cousin had helped to organise but a few weeks later a week or so before the bar mitzvah he emailed me back and said that he feels his team is where he wants it to be and he doesn't really have the volume of work to bring on anyone new. Even if he was to give me work experience to me it would mean his existing staff has less time at each job. I was grateful for his reply but I had got my hopes up and was ready to go to London but I completely understand his decision and respect his honesty.
5th January 2019 - Robert Shack replied to my cousin personally and said for me to get in touch with him direct so I sent him an email. He gave me some hope. His initial reply was really positive:
"Hi
Lovely to hear from you, be my absolute pleasure to help. We haven’t got a very busy start to the year, just small shoots. The 24th February, we have a big wedding at the Dorchester, if you would like to come and help"
Since this reply we have been in regular contact and are in the stages of organising me going up to help for the wedding in a couple of weeks.
8th January 2019 - Chiko replied to me and asked me to phone him on the coming Friday. I was busy on the Friday so never got round to phoning him in person so I emailed him. He asked me if I was free to pop into his office for a chat but because I don't live in London I said I could pop in and see him when I visit London in February.
9th January 2019 - Sam Lane was next to reply. She said: "I'd be happy for you to gain some work experience with me, however, my current way of working is often quite last minute eg I can have no bookings for next week and then three come in on the Friday before, so it is tricky to plan a suitable 'day'.
Is there anything particular you want to see, photograph or experience? 95% of my photography business is not actually taking photos, but doing Business Development, editing, invoicing etc... That said there are some interesting projects that can happen... depends on where your interests lie...people/events/products etc etc
Let me know what your interests are, and where you are based..." I replied to her email answering all of her questions but as of yet I am yet to hear a reply...
18th January 2019 - Anne Goodwin was the final person to reply. She had again replied to my cousin directly and was another person who asked me to email her direct. My cousin told me about Anne's daughter. She is setting up her own clothing line and would possibly need someone to do some shots for her advertising which she suggesting I may be interested in so to email Anne to ask her about that more, which is what I did. Anne replied with "Becky's brand won’t be coming out with her second in house collection until later in the year. I suggest that you should try and gain some initial experience with street photography with piers and fashion students. Also offer your services to second/third year fashion students for any work they need photographing. As you’re in Plymouth I would imagine there are many local photographers that you could job for free of charge- weddings etc are a good starting point. I used less experienced photographers to take pictures of the venue etc where it was less pressured.
Keep in touch and send me your social media links so I can see your work and progression."
I replied to this email but again am yet to hear a reply back.
I am really grateful to my cousin for helping get in touch with these contacts as they're her work contacts and really didn't have to put me in touch with them but she did. I think originally I got my hopes up expecting everyone to want to help me but since all of the communication I've realised it's not going to be easy.
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