And so it begins

So, my first post on my brand new blog. What should I say? I guess I should introduce myself.

My name is Emma. I'm a 20 year old photography student in the heart of south wales, and I love what I do. Not only that, but I'm also quite a geek and love anything to do with computers, modern technology and I have a soft spot for Star Wars. An avid Doctor Who viewer (I didn't want David Tennant to go either!), occasionally known to watch programs like Star Trek: The Next Generation and all that other sci-fi stuff like Firefly and Stargate SG-1. Anyway, why am I telling you about all of that? Moving on...

I found out that I liked taking photos when I got my first camera from my Dad's mother and father when I was quite little. It was awesome, all green with 3D cartoon sheep sticking out of it. It's now been donated to church as a toy, since I have a much better camera now ;) I went through all of school and high school not doing anything with photography apart from taking family snaps, classic "I've been here" photos and admiring photographs taken by established photographers.

My high school had a dark room, small though it was. It got knocked down before I ever got a chance to use it though, and I was guided away from the notion of considering taking up a photography brief for my modules due to the low marks I'd apparently inevitably get. So fine art it was up until year 13. Then I took a foundation course in art and design, and everything changed.

I had no idea what I was going to be for ages. As you do. For a little while I had my heart set on being an architect, but it never came to fruition. I was entirely up for the 7 years training it would take, too. Three out of a possible five days of work experience though told me otherwise and I came back in tears at the end of the third day. It was awful...so boring. It could have just been because I'd been haphazardly placed with the local council's architectural department, but it put me right off of architecture. Anyway, back to art college.

After my flirting for years with the idea of being an architect, I decided I'd like to be a graphic designer and indeed, I still have a large liking for the subject which I practice regularly. It was at the very end of my foundation year however (literally, I'd gone through UCAS and applied and gotten accepted to do a graphics design course) that I finally realised that I'd been doing a lot of photography. "Maybe I should do a photography degree instead..." I thought. No! I can't think that! I've gone through UCAS! It's too late! I slept on it more than once and irritated many with my questions of "Do you think I should be a photographer or a graphic designer?". I finally made my choice after about a weeks indecision. I was applying for the same college, which made things easier, and after a quick chat with the tutor and a flick through my work, he said he'd be happy for me to enrol on the course. I don't regret it at all :D

I'm now in the middle of starting my business, and have my first client already, with one or two others in the wings. Seems it's already started without me and I'm running after it! Fine by me, I can do with the exercise.

So, now you know about me. This blog will be about my life on my degree course, a first hand account of what it's like starting your own business, and a few other things inbetween. Hopefully it'll make for good reading ;)