At Gather.ly we come across so much raw talent, and a lot of the time this talent is stirring inside the minds of recent grads or even students. It's so hard to discover the right path after you leave education, but with some good advice and wise words from those who have been there before you, it can become much less intimating, and eventually, more achievable.
Words by | Jess Maddock
I know how daunting it is when you've just graduated and are wondering what to do next. You have so many choices and it is hard to know which way to go. I've been there myself but have found that once you get started, it honestly isn't as scary as you thought it was and actually it’s quite fun.
Advice I would give is:
- Use all social media outlets, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr etc.
Instagram has been really useful, as a place to put my work and to promote it. It’s also a great place to make contacts and friends, and also there are a lot of independent magazines on Instagram who have call outs for submissions all of the time. My boyfriend gets mad at me for ‘being on my phone a lot’, but there’s so much cool stuff out there to be found. Submit to all the indie magazines, follow people who inspire you - I get hooked looking for hours!
- Try everything at least once.
I’d recommend trying out all styles of photography, don’t restrict yourself by just doing what you know and like. I’ve spent time photographing my friend's outfit posts for her fashion blog, which led to me doing the same for another friend of hers, then attending London Fashion Week and photographing it for Ralph Pink’s blog too. I also have a friend who is a music promoter, who asked me to photograph some bands she was putting on in Bournemouth. I was nervous thinking I wouldn't be very good at it, as it wasn't what I was used to, but it was a really fun evening and the photos came out great. So yeah, just anything that comes your way - take it and try it out!
- Email everyone!
You won’t hear back from all of them and don’t let that discourage you, as you will from some. And from one place you’ll find others, or from that, others will find you.
- Keep trying.
Finally, my best piece of advice is to not to try too hard to chase some dream of making millions from a creative job immediately. Find a part time job that interests you and in your spare time keep focusing on those skills you learnt and love doing. Life will sort itself out at a natural pace in time.
To see more of Jess Maddock's work check out her site here, and some of her previous posts with us lot:
