Courtney Mitchell: Photography from a College Student's Perspective

Courtney Mitchell 

Courtney Mitchell, from Rhode Island, is currently pursuing photography at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I found her on Model Mayhem and had a chance to meet her recently for a shoot. In this exclusive interview, she talks about photography and shares tips with aspiring photographers.

What is your background and experience? 

When I was 14 I went to an after school program that focused on helping teens express themselves through art. At first the photography program had no interest to me but after going to a few classes, I realized I loved it. I have been a film photographer for 5 years and digital for over a year.

Why did you decide you wanted to become a photographer? 

I am a creative person in nature. I have a lot of hobbies that I like but photography was something I fell in love with. I noticed that photography was meant to be a career choice for me when someone asked me if I could see myself doing anything else. I realized I like coming up with creative ways to tell a story..

What do you want to achieve as a photographer, your long-term goals? 

I really want to work at ModCloth, it’s a vintage clothing store, so I’d do a lot of catalog work. Meaning I would be taking pictures of clothing items by themselves or on a model. If that doesn't work, I’d like to try a bit of everything, Fashion, Nature, Portraits etc. Eventually I want to open a non-profit art studio so people can work on their art and display it to the community.

What are your short term goals currently? 

Hmm, right now, to get a steady paying job. As it turns out my field is really expensive, so having a job is pretty much on my mind all the time.

What are your experiences with working with models? 

So far I have only worked with 2 models who I haven’t known previously. You and another female I met on a social networking site. Actually, on Saturday I have another photo shoot that I am pretty excited about. My experiences have been good so far, nothing to crazy, but then again I have only recently started to work with models.

Do you find it easier to work with models or inanimate objects? Why? 

Inanimate objects. They don’t move quiet as much for one and you can make them so much more complex than they really are. For example, a leaf, you can stand a foot away and take a picture and if someone were to look at it they would know what it is. If you take that same leaf put it in front of a light and get really close to it you might not get the same recognition. It has a more Fine Art feel to it that I think is cool.

Any inspirations? 

Cig Harvey. She does a lot of self portraits but what really catch’s my eye about her work are the colors. They are usually so vibrant and it seems so surreal. Even though she does self portraits she hardly shows her face in her images which I think says a lot about what she thinks about herself.

What are your tips for aspiring photographers?

Make sure you have a passion for it. Don’t think that “oh I’m a photographer because my profile picture is really good, and my friends think it was done by a professional”. The more you think about what you’re going to shoot, how the light will reflect off the subject, or what story is it going to tell the viewer, the more you come to realize that there is a whole other world you can explore through your lens. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Don’t get me wrong, you can start off with doing it for fun, but you don’t want to end up in school for it one day, paying almost 100 grand, and then realizing it’s not what you’re passionate for. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it in the end.

You have anything to add that I did not ask? 

Don’t be like me and not know what you want to do when high school is over. I got my cosmetology license before I realized that it wasn’t going to make me happy. Even if you don’t have a plan, go to community college and take Gen. Ed classes that way when you eventually figure out what you want to do, your classes will be a little more focused on it.

If you have any other questions I'd be happy to answer if I can, email me cmitchell1989@gmail.com 

My Long Hair Journey: The Viewpoint of the UK Hair Blogger MoHair

MoHair, a hair blogger, offers insight into her own hair journey. She co-writes in her blog My Long Hair Journey along with her friend Tola. Their blog's url is  

http://www.mylonghairjourney.co.uk/ 

Of her hair journey, MoHair says:

"I decided to start my hair journey because I have always wanted to have long hair and I wanted to know for myself if it was possible for me to grow my own hair long or if I was doomed to using extensions for the rest of my life.

Advantages of my journey are -  enjoying the process; learning about my hair and learning about myself. Disadvantages are - waiting for my hair to grow, I'm not patient and I make mistakes cause I'm still learning.

The Internet (is the best resource for starting a healthy hair journey)! Articles & stories (true and false), medical journals, You tube - other people

I'm British by nationality and west African by ethnic origin. I think I understand better the social pressures on African American women to conform to a certain look or standard of beauty. Especially when that standard or beauty is the opposite of how God made you - i.e - shorter kinky hair versus long straight hair. I don't face (in the same way) the same pressures nor do I have to cope with the prejudices that come from slavery.

I am am motivated to continue my hair journey for myself and also for every person that has looked at my natural hair in disbelief. I want to prove all the doubters and haters wrong.  Black hair is beautiful no matter how it is styled and it does grow.

My regime is on the blog: http://www.mylonghairjourney.co.uk/p/mohairs-regimen.html.

It changes periodically based on the weather and my styling needs but the basics don't change. 

I would recommend using all the resources available on the internet and in books and articles. Talking to people is also invaluable and you can learn lesson from other people's experiences. Ultimately, once you acquire knowledge and understanding, you must also apply wisdom. You have to try things out for yourself - don't trust everything you read or everything you hear. Experiment and see what works for you."