Southdown Studio Blog

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.

My name is Kate and I’ve been doing work experience at Southdown Studio. When I was first told by my teacher at school that we had to go out and find work experience, I got quite worried because I had a slight idea in my head what I wanted to do as a career in the future but there was more than one idea and none of them were really that clear, so I didnt really know where to look for work experience.

A lot of students in my year found work experience that actually had nothing to do with the career that they were looking into for the future which seems a bit pointless seeing as the whole point in work experience is to experience work that you actually want to do. A lot of my friends did something to do with child care, like being a teachers assistant for a week or working in a playgroup, even though they wanted to do something completely different. They knew what they wanted to do and obviously this whole week was a bit of a waste of time for them.

I knew that I wanted to do something involving photography or fashion, and when I found the Southdown Studio website I knew that I wanted to do my work experience week there. I filled in my placement form at school, after finding out if I could or not, and everything worked out perfectly. Between finding Southdown Studio on the internet and coming here for a week, me and my mum came to meet Jon Silver. So obviously, before coming here I wasnt too nervous because I’d already met who I’d be working with.

Throughout the week, I’ve been taking photos of basically anything- taking something boring and making it look interesting. Also, I have learnt how to actually use a camera to create better photo’s, I’ve learnt different terms that can affect the pictures that I take for example I have learnt about aperture, field of depth and more terms just like those. Jon’s a great teacher, it was really easy to pick up on different things, when usually at school its hard to remember anything my teachers say!

After this week i have a clearer understanding in photography and I have a proper idea of what career I do actually want to do. I’ve really enjoyed spending this week in Southdown Studio and I think that going back to school, I’m going to be one of the only students that has actually learnt something in this week and wanted to persue the work experience to a future career. Its gone so fast and only feels like I’ve been here a couple of days, I don’t Want to go back to school!

Kate Dewdney

So far this year our work experience programme has once again been enjoyed by several students from Sussex schools, some of whom have demonstrated great natural flair for photography, and potential as future professionals. One of them has already taken a paid job, though still in full-time education… she’s Kate from Steyning Grammar, and as she has expressed an interest in writing a blog, perhaps the next post will be hers..! Kate…?

Get in touch if you’re interested in a Brighton/Sussex work experience placement or personal photography tuition in Brighton.

My name is Lucia – I’m aged 16 and I live in Brighton. This week I’m doing photography work experience with Jon Silver at Southdown Studio. I get to spend my week here with Jon, asking silly questions, eating left over Chinese and taking a few photos every once in a while!

This place is immense, as long as Jon stops nagging me to step in front of the camera.

I’d definitely recommend this place to everyone, customers and work experience students… I don’t want to leave on friday!

Thanks to Jon & co for everything! I’ve really enjoyed it so far.

Byeee xxxx

Hello, this is Ellie, Ella and Jaz.

We’re doing work experience at Southdown Studios for the week. And so far it’s been GREAT! (more…)

Here at Southdown Studio we place enormous importance on education, and we’re just about the only photographic studio or photographers in the Brighton & Sussex areas who offer placements to school work experience students. So far we’ve played host to students from loads of different schools around the area, including Hattie, Alice, Adam, Alice, Charlotte, Sam, Sophia… and this week, it’s the turn of three students from Cardinal Newman School – Ellie, Ella and Jaz. So far they’ve been lovely, and they seem to be enjoying their week. Hopefully they’ll write about their experiences here…