Kieran views his life through a lens

: Created: 05 June 2018

For the past two years, he has worked incredibly hard towards producing a stunning portfolio to show employers as he begins his search for a degree apprenticeship in the media industries.

Later this month, Kieran, along with his fellow classmates, will be busy printing and framing their portraits and compositions in order to add to their final retrospective display at the Bexley Campus Art, Design and Media Exhibition as part of the Photography Level 3 Extended Diploma.

“It’s been a hard slog to get to this point,” says Kieran, “but the course has been brilliant. I have loved the whole experience.

“Being a photographer isn’t merely about knowing your f-stops, shutter speeds, and ISO settings. It’s so much more than that. I have learned that you have to take lots of initiative and do your research. You have to be very resourceful in order to get yourself in the right place at the right time; particularly in photojournalism.

“The tutors have encouraged us all to get out there and pursue a good picture and set us very ambitious projects. Quite often, we have to cover events such as Government ministers and MPs visiting the College or other high-profile events. We are given a brief and have to stay faithful to it. It means having an eye for detail and doing whatever is necessary to ensure you achieve a perfectly timed result that speaks volume to the viewer. It also has to be appropriate and act as an illustration for an accompanying news story.

“Just recently, I was asked to photograph an event that took part in the campus when Skills Minister, Anne Milton MP visited our new IT and media suite #ThePlatform.

"It meant photographing all aspects of the event and then getting a set of images to a journalist by the end of the day. I had to work fast but at the same time accurately. It was a very good experience for me.”

Kieran is now busy searching for an apprenticeship with a newspaper or online media company that will allow him to study for a degree while earning a wage. Ultimately, he would like to work as a freelance photojournalist as well as a weddings and events photographer.

If you think you have what it takes to become a media professional or build a successful career in the creative industries, we’d like to hear from you. We have a great range of courses to get you started. Come along to one of our open events.

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