Interview preparation and reflection

Component 1 for the Professional Practice is a portfolio review. My portfolio review was set for 15th March, with photographer team Steve McCoy and Stephanie Wynne.

The first thing I did to prepare for this interview was to research my external interviewers. McCoy Wynne is a commercial photography partnership with a strong reputation for supplying high quality, professional and creative photography to clients in the UK and internationally. Established in 1997 by photographers Stephanie Wynne and Stephen McCoy, the company has built up a wide client base, including advertising and design agencies, direct clients, government departments and multinational companies. Their work has also been displayed in many galleries. Their work is both commercial and project based.

Once I knew more about them, I picked out the images for my portfolio. I wanted to show a good range in my work; that I, like McCoy Wynne, have covered both personal projects and commercial projects. I wanted to seem professional, so chose the order carefully, knowing there was a flow. I decided to print them all C-type, A3, and ended up printing about 32 images. The photos I decided to display were firstly my studio work at Stretton Studios, to show commercial work, and that I could work well in a studio. To continue the flow, I then showed another side of commercial work I'm proud of - Weddings. I felt it was important to show them, as they show I am capable of adapting to any environment with any challenge. Next was a project I did in second year, which was about my Grandad, who had passed away after suffering from Parkinson's. The series was about remembering him and reflected on the now empty feeling house that my Grandma lives in. I finally showed my current project, the Flowers work. This is one of my strongest projects. McCoy Wynne did comment on this work, agreeing that it was my strongest.

Overall the interview appeared to go well. I talked for quite a while but didn't feel anxious. I feel that this experience has really helped me to understand what I will need to do in a real interview. I was very grateful for the feedback that I recieved.