Name: Shaun Tanner
Current year level: First year part time Advanced Diploma student

Describe your first impression of PSC?
From the minute I saw there was an open day I was there. I was impressed with the setup and layout PSC has. All the knowledge and resources to help grow and develop your new found skills were all contained within PSC. The perfect place to learn photography

What do you like most about PSC?
What I like most about the college is the experience and knowledge of the lecturers at your disposal. Also, the college has the perfect mix of theory and simply head out and shoot. The best way to learn is to get out there and shoot. Once you’re done, you bring your images to class and share with the class and teacher and get invaluable feedback. It’s a great learning environment.

Where did your photography interest come from and when did it begin?
I’ve always had a desire to capture images. I often thought I needed a better camera, but that all changed on a holiday overseas with my shiny new DSLR. I then realized, it wasn’t the camera. It’s me. Maybe I needed to learn how to use it and then I was completely hooked. The birth of my first child cemented it for life. I love it.

How different is your photography & conceptual skill now compared to the first week of the course?
I can see a positive change in my photography. Both technically and creatively. I have done a few short courses years before PSC and they put me in good stead, although it certainly wasn’t necessary. PSC was the perfect place for me to develop those skills further. I’ve already had some paid work using what I have learnt. It’s a great environment to learn, shoot and get feedback every week on current images in a classroom environment with your newly formed friendships and teachers with industry experience.

What has been your greatest challenge / achievement whilst studying at PSC?
The greatest challenge personally was capturing images of people I have never met before out on the street. I was comfortable technical wise, settings etc, but going up to a complete stranger and asking if I could take their photograph. This was a large part of the core work to present images such as these. At the same time however, once over the very first hurdle it is actually quite easy and a lot of fun to get images of people. I quite enjoy it.

What advice would you give to future students?
Any advice I would give would be to not sweat the little things. Take what you’ve learned and get out there and just shoot. Don’t fall in the trap of trying to learn too much at once. Only if the camera and equipment you currently own is holding your photography back should you upgrade. Learn and master what you’ve been taught with what you have. With the skills learned at PSC you can apply that knowledge to any equipment.