As I reach the end of my final year, I have been reflecting on the past year and how much I’ve grown professionally as a photographer. This year has been a lot about learning and experimentation, and over this year, I have developed many transferrable skills that I can carry forward as I transition from working on personal projects to pursuing photography as a career.

A very important lesson that I have learnt within this project is how to approach and portray sensitive topics through the medium of photography. I have used the camera as a tool to share my own experiences whilst creating a visual story that can be shared with others and that holds a relatable message. Concerning this, I have learnt the importance of listening to different people’s perspectives and opinions whilst trusting my instincts and doing what I feel is best within my project. 

I have enjoyed working on my photobook over the year, and the process has taught me a lot of perseverance and allowed me to work on a project very close to me. However, I have realised that as much as I enjoy creating photobooks, it is not something I envision myself doing full-time. I want to continue this hobby within my spare time as a personal passion, something that I can do and create without pressure.

Relating to my final year project and the family theme that runs at its core, I have developed a passion for family photography, and this is what I would like to continue with professionally. This project has shown me the importance and impact of creating emotion-filled images that capture meaningful and sentimental moments. It has also encouraged me to capture small details, which is a further aspect that I would bring into doing family photography. Photography can be used as a very personal tool to capture one’s feelings and memories, but it can also be a tool to capture memories and moments for others too.

This project has given me the perseverance and motivation to step out into the professional world, whilst still making sure to enjoy photography as a hobby and remember my passion.