Project
Evaluation
Introduction
The
last few months completing my Final Major Project have been challenging. I created a wedding trend forecasting website
called The WeddingForecaster. I have
learnt many things about myself during this project, both positive and negative,
including the need to improve my time management and project planning so that I
remain within a time frame and also my interpersonal skills so that I can
effectively collaborate with other photographers and make-up artists.
I
am glad I chose to design a website rather than a book mainly because the
wedding trends will change every six months, thus ensuring that my website is
future proofed assuming that I regularly update it. Working on a website also allowed me to work
right up until out hand in date, rather than having a book ready for the prints
a few weeks before. In making this decision I acknowledged my planning skills
and also took into account my health. I
have been diagnosed with severe IBS while on the course and this can have a
very debilitating effect, and leave me at risk of missing deadlines when I do
not feel well enough to work.
Positive Reflection
I
am very happy with some new skills I learnt whilst working on this
project. I built The WeddingForecaster
on Adobe Muse, a programme which I had never heard of before let alone used. I attended five IT sessions to learn how to
use the programme as I was determined to build my own website. I found it very easy to use and began
building the website. I feel very proud
of myself for building on my own with very little guidance as I now have this
skill for life. In my graduate job I am
constantly working on a computer from the company’s website so I may be able to
apply my skills that I have learnt to
improve my performance.
I
am also pleased with how well all of my photoshoots went. I have reflected this using Gibbs’ theory.
Description
– All photoshoots went well.
Feelings
– I was very nervous as I used myself as the model and was unsure how the
make-up would look. I had also never
photographed still life before so I was worried in case I could not get the
lighting right or the camera settings for that type of studio.
Evaluation
– I worked from face charts to ensure I used the correct products I had planned
to use and to check where I was applying certain products. I also attended some photography lessons that
were specifically on still life. I proactively
sought guidance on how to use the studio and the correct setting for my
camera. This reduced my anxiety and
helped me focus on the shoot.
Analysis
– I planned the timeline for my photoshoots having built in some time to
rectify images or even undertake some re-shoots if there were any problems with
my images.
Conclusion
– To avoid feeling nervous when using a model for the first time, I could have
organised some more test shoots. However,
there is always a finite amount of time available and I decided to ensure that
I had enough time at the end of the shoot in order to maximise the quality of
my final images.
Action
plan – If I were to re-do all of the photoshoots again, I would perhaps
consider using a more reliable model so that I could really focus on the hair
and make-up. As mentioned above, I could
also try and plan some more test shoots.
Overall,
I am pleased with how I managed my time.
As I usually struggle completing more than one project at one time and
putting my all into every single one I managed to write an action plan with how
I would spread my time equally.
Reflecting on this, I did manage to
keep within the time frame until I became ill which meant I lost a week of
working on my project. As this was out
of my control I knew I
had to work extra hard in the last few weeks.
Whilst I was ill, I rearranged my shoots for the week after which meant
I had three shoots in one week. I like
to give myself time to edit in between so this was a considerable
struggle. However, I worked hard and
completed all of the photoshoots to the best of my ability.
Negative Reflection
During
the last three weeks of the project I encountered two major problems that
threatened to disrupt my planning.
I had a photographer cancel the day before my photoshoot and some
products I ordered for a still life shoot were not delivered on time.
I
have used Gibbs’ reflecting cycle again for both of these problems as it helps
to action on the problem to make sure it does not happen again.
Photographer
cancelled
Description
– Photographer cancelled the day before my photoshoot.
Feelings
– I was upset and started to panic as I knew a lot of people were focusing on
their own projects, as we were so close to our submission
deadline. This again was out of my
control but I needed to proactively resolve the problem.
Evaluation
– I remembered I had modelled for a photographer who offered me her services in
return for mine. I explained the
situation and the predicament I was in, then asked her straight away if she
could assist me. I also scaled down the
photoshoot so she was not needed for a long time, enabling her to have time for
her own project too.
Analysis
– If I had planned my photoshoots for earlier in the project, I would have had
some more choice in photographers if my second photographer could not help me.
Conclusion
– Make sure I plan photoshoots in advance and collaborate better in the future
to build up new contacts, giving me more options in case of cancellations.
Action
plan – If this problem was to occur again, I would have hopefully collaborated
more with some new photographers who may be available to step in last minute.
Products
did not arrive
Description
– Products did not arrive.
Feelings
– I was very concerned, as my products still had
not arrived the day before my photoshoot.
It was also Bank Holiday Monday so not a lot of shops were open late.
Evaluation
– Luckily I was in London the day before my photoshoot and came across the shop
‘Tiger’. I got there an hour before
closing time thankfully and managed to pick up some of the same products. I had to choose slightly different colours
but luckily they were still within my pantone palette.
Analysis
– I had not planned to have a photoshoot in the last week before submission but
I had organised one extra shoot on the advice of my tutor. With hindsight, I probably should not have
ordered online just before a Bank Holiday weekend.
Conclusion
– Order products well in advance of photoshoots. This would also help me plan some shoots too
as I would have the items already, rather than thinking of an idea and having
to plan it a week in advance to make sure the products arrived on time.
Action
plan – If I were to order products again from Etsy, I would consider emailing
the owner of the shop first and explaining what I need the products for. I would check their availability and delivery
schedule, particularly if this was over a weekend or Bank Holiday. I would also consider having a detailed
back-up plan ready just in case the products didn’t arrive or were unsuitable.
I could also ask the proprietor whether I would be eligible for a discount if I
advertised his products with fellow students.
Conclusion
Reflecting
on the whole project I am really proud of myself in designing, building and
completing an entire website. I also directed and photographed all of my own
images apart from two photoshoots which I used a photographer for, this was
because I was my own model too. I prefer
to do everything myself as I have been let down in the past and do not want to
rely on anyone. I also knew how I wanted
The WeddingForecaster designed so I took it upon myself to build the website.
I
put all my skills that I have learnt over the past three years at university
into practise from my hair and make-up to my photography talents. I applied them well and the images are a key
part of my project.
Two
areas where I have developed, but still have room for improvement are time
management and resilience. With
hindsight, I think any future project timeline needs to contain a buffer to
allow for unexpected issues such as illness.
Should this time not be required I can use it to improve the final
product or even consider delivering the product ahead of schedule.
Before
completing this unit I would have struggled over unexpected problems like a
photographer cancelling or products not arriving. Now I react calmly. I focus on a solution rather than the cause
of the problem and this enables me to make further progress. I consider this a
valuable life skill that I will take into employment or business. I recognise that even with the most detailed
planning, things can go wrong and while an ‘after action review’ can help to
identify the cause of problems and avoid repetition, the initial key priority
is for the piece of work to remain on schedule for completion and with no drop
in standard.
