Graduate showcase - Scott Booth

Insta: scotttbth
Website: scotttbooth.com

I’m Scott Booth and I graduated with a First Degree, BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and Multimedia from the University of Worcester in 2017. The course consisted of the fundamentals of design, including web-design, typography, and green design. The output of my work is design work for both print and digital, as well as photography and videography.

What first interested you to pursue photography?

My interest in photography stemmed from the desire to artistically document the places that I had traveled to. Following primarily from a graphic design background, I already understood composition and editing software quite well, I just didn’t know how to expose a photograph. I attended a module in second year for the basics of photography and couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. I persisted (through frustration) until I had a better understanding and at that point, it had become a major passion of mine and something I had found to be quite therapeutic.

How would you sum up your ‘style of work’?

I like to vary the kinds of photographs I take and I don’t really have a preference as to what I shoot. My style’s changed over the years due to looking at various forms of inspiration. I mostly take photographs of a documentary-style such as street photography, candid portraits, etc. but try not to limit myself to that. I’ve photographed in studios for both my workplace and for personal development and my editing style usually changes depending on what feelings I want the photograph(s) to evoke.

Has your photography taken you to any exciting or unusual places?

Photography actually helped me edge my first job as a Junior Graphic Designer because I’d shown a variety of skills beyond what was required. In a similar fashion, I traveled to Paris for an internship in 2017, which was initially a graphic design position working for a non-profit organisation. Further to this, I’ve also photographed weddings in both Spain and Austria. The buzz of getting the right shot and also the desire to create has helped to push me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to travel independently to both Copenhagen and New York.

What tips would you share for anyone interested in taking up photography? 

Photography is a highly-saturated industry and not everybody’s work will be a favourite of yours. Equally, your work will not be the favourite of everybody else but so long as you create something that you’re happy with, there’s no better feeling. Use other people’s work to inspire you, not to deter you and understand that there’s a beauty in the process of always trying to see things differently.

Do you have any short-term or long-term goals for your work? 

Personally, I’m hoping that someday I can live in Canada, working as a Multimedia Designer, photographing the country at the top of my bucket list. I think as a short-term goal, I just want to make my next photoset better than my last.

P.S. Post-production is a blessing, not a curse, you can save some real average photos and some you didn’t even look at twice may turn into some of your favourites.

Meet: Libby - Graphic Design graduate (BA)

Self-portrait illustrated by Libby

Hello. Bonjour. Greetings to my fellow members of the graduated-and-now-what club (and those soon to join). Firstly let me start by saying that it took me far longer than I care to admit to formulate that initial sentence, and I haven’t written anything “properly”, apart from the odd cover letter, since my dissertation which I submitted in July 2017. So there we are. Maybe bear this in mind when reading what I am about to haphazardly scramble together and subsequently let my friend Rebecca publish to her wonderful brainchild that is One Oh One magazine.

“Who is this rambling creature I am subjecting my brain cells to?” I hear you ask. Well, my name is Libby, I am 23 years old, and I got my bachelors degree in Graphic Design from The University of Huddersfield in November 2017.  And what a long, hard slog it was too. The best three years of your life, my bum. Although I do recognise that those words do indeed ring true for many, allowing many to gain independence and carve out an identity away from parents, and allowing for a chance to explore new environments and subjects et cetera, but for me, much to my sadness, my time at university was not so great. I was plagued with self-doubt, extreme anxiety, physical and mental health issues, unhelpful tutors, course uncertainties, a flatmate whose degree may well have been in how to get away with stealing and making communal kitchens a hazardous waste zone, loneliness, the list could go on – but I’m not here to spread misery and woe you shall be grateful to learn, but to appraise you all with gallant and fanciful tales* of my life post graduation.

*Disclaimer: my life has not been gallant or fanciful in the slightest since leaving university but please read on nonetheless.

Graduating from university was a weird one. A mixed-up mixed bag of feelings, if you will. For all the reasons mentioned above, a big part of me was elated to be free from the place that had caused me so much misery and I felt like a new beginning could be just what I needed to focus on getting back to myself and would allow me space to -as corny as it sounds- ‘heal’, find enjoyment in my hobbies again and centre my energy on becoming mentally well, while moving back home and being surrounded by my family. On the other hand, however, graduation signalled a very clear End to my whole life’s identity as a student. I love to learn, and up until university had generally thrived in an academic setting and put all my self-worth into good academic results, so this was a hard pill to swallow (another hard pill to swallow: No more student discount). An existential crisis was on the cards, but as I’d already been having one for about three years, this one didn’t hit too hard. I did struggle though most of the following year after graduating - beating myself up about not already having secured a job (if only I’d done a placement year!) wondering why I didn’t enjoy university (was it me, my over-thinking brain, my course, my tutors? I’m still unsure) feeling sad I didn’t get a First Class degree (Hello Perfectionism!) and just generally feeling a bit lost and disappointed in myself. Inspirational Instagram quotes became my best friend: “When you’re in a dark place you tend to think of yourself as being buried. Perhaps you’ve been planted. Bloom.” Feel free to scorn.  If any of this is sounding familiar to your situation, then you have my sympathies, but also perhaps slightly selfishly I’m glad not to be the only one having felt this way.

I am yet to Bloom I feel, but for all my negative feelings, I am starting to feel more positive about my life post-graduation. I had my first proper job interview last year, and it went well – not so well I got the job – but I did get positive feedback from the people who interviewed me, and as someone with an anxiety disorder that requires medication, this was a Big Deal. I’ve started to draw frequently again and found the confidence to share my work online through Instagram, which has been met with a positive response. I feel lucky not to have a family that are constantly pressurising me to get a job, even though it would help them a lot financially, but who understand for the most part and realise that I’m trying my best, and doing things in my own time. I’ve regained a mental clarity of sorts and for the first time in a while actually feel like I may be capable of achieving my goals and living the life I’d like to live.  

Things that are helping with this uncertain phase of my life are: Knowing it won’t be like this forever, speaking with friends I made at University (the best thing to come out of my time there!) and realising everyone is on their own path and feels a bit unsure, re-connecting with old friends, engaging in things that I enjoy, going for long walks, working on improving all aspects of myself – oh, and feeding my desire for gleaning knowledge by learning French on Duolingo (r.i.p my 399 day streak, Feb/2019).

It’s a struggle, but I know I’ll get where I want to be in my own time, and so will you.