That's it then - Final Integrated Assignment

I have been putting off writing this last entry for as long as possible. Once I hit the publish button that's it, my three years at UCBC are over. Now, some students will be elated at finishing their course work for the very last time, some won't. I find myself in the latter group. People talk about life changing experience fairly easily these days, and you have to wonder, are they! really. Have I had one? Well I believe I've a strong case. I commenced the Photographic Media Course and the University Centre at Blackburn three years ago. I had no preconceived  idea what job I would come out with or what genre of photography I would be attracted too. When students commence a course they generally fall into two categories. There are the ones that choose a course for its job prospects, and there are those that are not overly concerned about job markets but want to study a subject because of the love of it. My experience was slightly different, I found that I had always liked photography but once I began studying it  at a high level it released a passion for a subject that I had not experienced before.I became engrossed in art history and how as humanity developed so did technology which led  to photographic practices. This then provided interest in researching further the different photographic movements and leading practitioners of the time. I became increasingly interested in alternative photography processes which led to experiment in Wet Plate Collodion, Salt Printing and Gum Bichromate. I further researched this area when completing my dissertation looking at both digital and analogy processes and how they intereact. All this was the lead up to this final set of images that have been submitted for the Final Integrated Assignment. This has been quite a hard semester, I finished the foundation degree on a high with the collodion prints being received well. This has always been in the back of my mind and I knew I had to challenge myself further to equal that standard of work. Although the gum process has a different look and feel to collodion, I feel the images submitted are of equal standard and I would be happy to exhibit side by side.


I have to say a big thank you to the Photographic Dept lecturing staff a UCBC. Without their encouragement and support I would not have attempted many of these alternative process over the last three years. Also, my peer group, what a fantastic bunch, we have been through the normal highs and lows (not so many lows), we have all supported and encouraged each other which led to a fantastic exhibition in London. It hasn't quite sunk in yet but I'm going to miss the Monday morning lectures with the staff and students. I  will be green with envy as the new first year group commence the course in Sept.


I also have to thank my family, as a mature student going back into education they have had to give quite a bit up and I thank them for being so supportive and understanding.


This is one of those bitter sweet moments, I will be really sad to leave UCBC but with my new passion (hate using that word) for the subject I can't wait to get started on my next project.


Now all there is to do is push the button!!