Arrivederci, Adios, Au Revoir, Goodbye

This post is bittersweet because this is my last post as your Sunday Ambassador. As of yesterday I posted my final assignment as a student here at AIOPD. I will admit that I am happy and sad at the same time. I have met some outstanding professors and peers that I will surely miss but I vow to remain in contact with them while I am in graduate school. Before I part ways I've created a list of things that I wish I had known before I started school here. How many can relate?

1. I had to take Science, Math, English, English again and more English.

I will admit that this threw me for a loop. I thought that I was in art school? "How dare they put me into one of these classes!" I'd say to myself. I had to get over it and push forward. Luckily I passed the Math!

2. People can be brutally honest.

Showing my work every week was not a problem until I came across an assignment that got the best of me. I was not confident in that work but I had to show something. I had to learn that feedback is not only in the form of positive comments, but also negative.

3. The IDEA Survey will email you reminders and flood your inbox if you do not do the survey.

I get all my emails on my phone so I can try to check them as they come in. Sometimes I was waiting on an important email when a reminder would come through letting me know that I needed to fill out the survey. Point is, fill out the survey and get it over with.

4. No questions are stupid questions!

As a student I found myself emailing the Professors a million different questions. At times I thought that they would find it irritating but I think that they like when a student ask questions. I think....

5. Invest in quality equipment.

In the beginning I think I had a cheap $20 flash from Amazon. I thought that was all I needed to get me through the class that I was in. The next class required more equipment on top of that. I realized that in order to be prepared, I had to invest in quality equipment that would last me as a student and professionally.

6. The closer I got to the end, the more was expected of me as a student.

No longer could I use the excuse, "I don't know how to do it." I was expected to know video, lighting, HDR, editing and so forth.

7. Finally, I never knew how much I have grown until I look back at my work and see the progression.

I love going back and seeing where I came from. I have learned so much here at this school that I sort of want to do it again. I credit this school for teaching me to really find out who I am as a photographer.

Also I cannot stress the fact how important it is to BE ORGANIZED! I have a folder name AIOPD and within that folder there are the names of each individual classes. Within that folder is a breakdown of weekly assignments. I cannot stress how important it is to maintain a level or organization because not only does it help you as a student, but as a photographer as well.

With that being said, this is my final goodbye.

Happy Shooting!

Quiana P Jackson. The Dance, 2014.