In the short time I've been studying abroad, one thing has become very apparent to me: the term "design" is very vague. I study in a field which straddles the line between art and engineering. Being from a UK university which focuses a lot on the technical aspect of design, I find that I keep referring to myself more and more as a Design Engineer. É.S.A.D was previously a dedicated art school, and much of the artistic approach to design including their very different methods of conceptual thinking and design generation remains prominent in it's teaching. Therefore being out here should help me develop a more artistic appreciation for design, to go along side my technical understanding to make me a much more of a rounded designer (and hopefully a more rounded individual!).
Anyway, in a years time I will be returning to finish my degree at De Montfort and so now is the time to start considering my big 3rd year Major degree project.While my final year major may not carry so much mark weight as it does over here in the European diploma system, the strength of this project is likely to determine how strong my portfolio is and determine my options for getting a job or applying for a masters after I graduate. So now I feel like it is the right time to merge my two passions and focus my efforts on designing within the area of photography.
Over the next year I am going to start delving into the technical and conceptual side of photography to find a problem area and development path. I have a bad habit of sitting on my laptop and googling all sorts of photography things instead of working, yet everything I read helps contribute toward my knowledge and understanding of what will turn out to be my major project. So from now on I am going to try and focus my casual research into formal written research that will be documented on here and in my own research journal. So for those of you who can stomach reading formal text about the ins and outs of both the technical and conceptual side of photography, keep an eye out and watch this space! This may get interesting!
