After receiving an interesting talk from the Principal of the University of Cumbria earlier in the semester, I have increasingly thought about further study – in particular, the Photography MA. Achieving an MA in photography would advance my photographic skills and my theoretical knowledge; making my skill set greater and therefore more attractive to potential employers. I had always intended to study photography, but after studying my BA (Hons) Photography, I have a desire to learn more.
During the talk, Roddy Hunter (Head of Department, Institute of the Arts) explained and explored the benefits of the an MA, as part of the Futures Festival. He introduced the other courses at the university which had an MA on offer. These included MA Contemporary Fine Art, MA Creative Practice and MA Fashion Textiles. As my background is predominantly photography and fine art based I believed it would be sensible to pursue this root. Although the courses were interesting and would give me ample opportunity to study and work with other mediums – I enjoy practising photography too much!
I decided to bite the bullet and apply for MA Photography. The link to the course outline can be found at the end of this post. The course is split into two sections, 70% practical and the remaining theory based. This means that I can continue to explore disability in photography further and continue to increase it’s position in photography.
The application required details on past experiences and qualifications, as well as a personal statement. The statement that I provided is shown below:
Photography is a subject that has been an interest for many years – whether it be producing photographs or researching and exploring the topics. Using photography allows me to communicate my ideas and make them accessible to the wider population, and change public perceptions.
As a woman with a physical disability, photography has been a successful way to communicate my view of the world to the world. Disability and photography is something that has not been greatly explored until recent years, and I would like to participate in this investigation. During my studies at the University of Cumbria, I have begun to investigate the relationship between photography and disability and how it can be improved. This was carried out both on a photographic level through challenging the way in which we perceive disability and a theoretical level through carrying out an extensive dissertation exploring this concept.
Exploring and expanding my photographic skill and knowledge is something that I wish to achieve by completing the MA Photography course. This would then enable myself to tackle topics with more vigorously and communicate the ideas and concepts more effectively.
This also would open doors to potential teaching careers to help young photographers, who are in the same position as I once was.
The feedback on whether or not I have been successful is provided in 4-6 weeks. Following this news, I will either be offered an interview or declined a place. I decided this is the better option due to my health, as I will be able to achieve the best I can whilst also receiving the medical help I require.
https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/photography/
Rachel Buxton Photography 