My name’s Alison, I go to school in Wadhurst which is quite a way away from Brighton, but I think the bus journeys there where worth it, just to have my work experience week with Jon Silver at Southdown Studio. One of the youth centre people at our school sorts out the work experience placements, and I knew that I would like to work with a photographer and I’m very interested in it and I am considering it as a career when I leave school.
This is one of the most amazing opportunities I‘ve had. Most of my friends were placed in schools, care homes and other places that had nothing to do with their career choices and they generally found this extremely boring.
I love photography so this was an ideal placement for me. Jon was a really good teacher and I learnt so much in a space of 5 days. I find in subjects at school such as art and tech you learn things but you never get to put them into practice, all week I was snapping away. At the end of each day I really didn’t want to leave. I was shown this really cool program called lightroom, I especially liked the ‘spot’ removing tool and the saturation tool which I used a lot, getting rid of all the colour except the red on the buses.
I took photos in the studios and around the estate and I also brought one of my friends in for a photo shoot which I think she enjoyed. Jon also did a photo shoot of me which was really fun. He taught me how to use the lighting and using the camera on auto and manual which I think I’ve kind of got the hang of now.
Jon is a really easy character to get on with and knows so many wise sayings! I was really upset when the work experience ended as I had a really good time; I think sometimes my friends want me to hush because I babble on about it a lot.
