An integral part of our students learning at PSC is developing the skills needed for real work opportunities and creating networks within the photography industry. It’s great to be able to share their stories and see them rewarded for their efforts out there in the industry!
Photojournalism graduate Amy Paton has just started working for the Warrnambool Standard and shares her experiences below.
My name is Amy Paton, a 2015 graduate of PSC having just completed the Advanced Diploma of Photography, Photojournalism Specialisation.
I found out about the jobs at Fairfax through my Photojournalism teacher Bill Bachman and another photojournalist (who happens to also be a former graduate of PSC) who was good enough to pass on that Fairfax Regional had positions available. I immediately applied, was lucky enough to go along to an interview and got the job!
I started at the Warrnambool Standard Newspaper in June, having moved down from Melbourne and into a share house just off the main street, very close to the office. So, a tree and sea change plus a new job all together!
I'll eventually be one of three photographers at the paper. As part of my job, I get a new iPhone 6 and a laptop for work purposes!
It’s a 0.8 of a full time position, perfect for me. I will be working four days a week, including two weekends on and then one weekend off.
Every day at 9am we have a staff meeting to bounce ideas around for that day and assign tasks. Apparently I'm welcome to contribute to that meeting, but I may just watch for the first few until I settle in.
After the meeting I go out, shoot a few different jobs, come back to the office to edit and file… then I can head home. Sometimes I edit and file on location instead of going back to the office – the convenience of technology.
There's a lot of editorial work, so environmental portraits, light on location and such - glad I learnt all about that at PSC! They asked me in the interview if I was okay with seeing death and other disturbing scenes, so it’s likely I’ll eventually be sent out to cover the breaking news.
As part of my role, I also have the opportunity to write some articles to go with my photography. The Write for Publication unit we did last year as part of the Photojournalism Specialisation will come in handy!
There will be a lot of sport to cover with the Warrnambool Standard so I’m grateful for the experience I gained with my folio on Northern Blues VFL football club! [Amy’s 2014 Photojournalism folio was about a suburban VFL football club]
Future plans are to try to pitch a review of a big music festival I'm attending in a month, see if I can get a media pass and some photos I can use too! Otherwise… watch this space!