Any opinions/experiances?

[DKMsport]

Morning all,


Currently I work for boots in their main photo processing lab working the night shift. I've been with boots for 2 and a half years and I'm starting to get really frustrated with the job. When I joined it was a well paid job (for my age and qualifications) and for a while it was quite interesting but now I'm bored and worried I'll be stuck there for far to long. So really I want a new job, the problem being that I dont know what I want to do for a living. ATM I earn a little over 18k a year so considering I'm only just 21 I dont think im doing to bad.

I'm getting quite into this photography lark and I think it could be the way forward but I dont have any qualifications and going back to school is something I cant afford to do if it means not woking/part time work. So I have been considering joing the RAF as a photographer, I would still be earning 16k+ a year and I cold get my self a useful qualfication at the same time.

So what are your thoughts? Is there another way to solve my problem? and has anyone here experianced life in the RAF?(prefferably as a photographer but any insight is welcome)

Thank you for reading.

Dan K

[Fetchez la vache]

The wife works for Boots and hates it as well, so it's not just you

[DKMsport]

Fetchez la vache said:

The wife works for Boots and hates it as well, so it's not just you

Im yet to find someone who does like working for them, except the big cheeses in head office who get a 40% bonus every year lol.

[mikee boy]

DKMsport

Life in the RAF's not too bad. As a photographer you'd probably get a lot of passenger trips in fast jets like Typhoon and Tornado (the RAF loves publicity shots) but also a lot of very routine 'group shots'.

PM sent

I can't send you a PM as you seem to have declined them. If you'd like RAF info PM me. I see you're at Nottingham, not too far from me.

Edited by mikee boy on Monday 5th January 13:54

[JimNotJon]

A mate of mine called Gerry is a photographer in the RAF and loves it. Gets to buy new equipment on RAF's accounts and can use it in his spare time whenever he likes. He also uses their studio for private work. Takes him to new places and pays him well.. good choice id say!

ETA...

Mikee .. being from Lincs and knowing the RAF I bet you know him. Tall ginger bloke lol!

Edited by JimNotJon on Monday 5th January 14:01

[DKMsport]

mikee boy said:

DKMsport

Life in the RAF's not too bad. As a photographer you'd probably get a lot of passenger trips in fast jets like Typhoon and Tornado (the RAF loves publicity shots) but also a lot of very routine 'group shots'.

PM sent

I can't send you a PM as you seem to have declined them. If you'd like RAF info PM me. I see you're at Nottingham, not too far from me.

Edited by mikee boy on Monday 5th January 13:54

Yes I'd like more info please so I'll PM you my e-mail address as I dont know why its declining PM's

[pixelpimp]

Both my father and ex-brother in-law were both RAF photographers and would not advise it.
It's a deadman's shoes career.
I would freely recommend that you consider what I did.
After working for Kodak in the back of Supasnaps for a few years in my late teens doing what you are now, I got a job on the ships!
Get yourself on a cruise ship as a photographer, hard work but a lot of fun and when I was at sea well paid too.
Lots of travel, loads of totty and you will see the world, and get paid for it.
When you are earning money from taking photos it concentrates the mind as to what sells and what doesn't.
Try P&O or Princess Cruiselines down in Southampton. I did four years on 9 ships and sailed the globe.

[cirks]

DKMsport said:

Im yet to find someone who does like working for them,

does enjoying working for them as my first job 26 years ago count?

[The Tea Boy]

DKMsport said:

Fetchez la vache said:

The wife works for Boots and hates it as well, so it's not just you

Im yet to find someone who does like working for them, except the big cheeses in head office who get a 40% bonus every year lol.

well my ex/on/off mrs works at the head orrifice in nottingham but she works in pensions and loves it but it is quite well paid as she moves up the ranks, so think id be happy with a 100% pay rise if i were to move to the next step!

Matt

[EmmaP]

What about being a photographer with the Royal Navy? That's a path I've often wished I'd followed.

I imagine that you have to do a lot of mundane work as that is part of any photographer's day-to-day work. I think that all too often people think that photography is a glamorous and exciting profession. I think you'll have to be in for quite some time before you do the sexy stuff.

Best thing is to do more research and go to some recruitment events with the RAF or Navy.

Maybe also consider being a photographer with the police. You'd be a civilian.

You will also need to check the minimum entry requirement with regards to qualifications. I was at uni with a girl who went into the Navy. I've also taught A level and City and Guilds students that went into the RAF and police forensics respectively. A BTEC ND or A level might be the minimum. The RAF do their own training.

Edited by EmmaP on Tuesday 6th January 10:03

[malc350]

Holy Moly Batman, wish I was your age with an opportunity like that!

If I had the chance I would go for it - it sounds like the most exciting thing ever and imagine saying to your old mates at Boots "Oh, I'm a photographer with the RAF flying around in Tornados one minute, then off to some wxotic location" while they're watching their lives tick away with the highlight of life being "would you like a CD to go with those photos of your cat, madam?"

I'd have a bit of trouble not barfing into the paper bag if the pilot goes a bit mental with the manoeuvres but other than that...

What a great start in life that would be, do it, do it!

Malc

[kybo]

Police/forensic photographer sounds good - not from a gory perspective but by the fact that I wouldn't be away from my family for months on end. Might look into the minimum quals for that, myself.

All options given sound really exciting though. Let us know how your research goes and/or which you decide to do.

Oh, and good luck

Scott

[toasty]

kybo said:

Police/forensic photographer sounds good - not from a gory perspective but by the fact that I wouldn't be away from my family for months on end. Might look into the minimum quals for that, myself.

I have a friend who did 8 years of forensic photography with the Met. You need a very strong stomach for that sort of thing and put up with the dregs of society and their produce on a daily basis. Not my cup of char.

[malc350]

toasty said:

kybo said:

Police/forensic photographer sounds good - not from a gory perspective but by the fact that I wouldn't be away from my family for months on end. Might look into the minimum quals for that, myself.

I have a friend who did 8 years of forensic photography with the Met. You need a very strong stomach for that sort of thing and put up with the dregs of society and their produce on a daily basis. Not my cup of char.

I have to second that: a mate of mine was a forensic photographer and it was stomach churning to even hear what it involved (obviously he didn't give case details but just an idea of what kinds of things were photographed.)

I actually found the idea of photographing details of victims of sexual assault deeply disturbing but it had to be done to produce visual evidence for use by the police and in court. And I can't even repeat his descriptions of "suspicious deaths" where details had to be photographed, without my wanting not to eat again - ever. In fact just typing it here has brought back some of the things he said....

Apparently it isn't like CSI where they find bodies with a trickle of blood coming out of the victim's mouth: evidently a body that has been lying around dead for a while, especially where the neighbours haven't seen the person for a while and call the police when they smell "something horrible coming from next door". By that time it sounds like the victim is hardly recognisable as human.

It's an essential job and someone's got to do it but I value keeping my breakfast down too much...

Malc

Edited by malc350 on Tuesday 6th January 15:45

[DKMsport]

EmmaP said:

You will also need to check the minimum entry requirement with regards to qualifications. I was at uni with a girl who went into the Navy. I've also taught A level and City and Guilds students that went into the RAF and police forensics respectively. A BTEC ND or A level might be the minimum. The RAF do their own training.

Edited by EmmaP on Tuesday 6th January 10:03

When I was looking on the RAF'S website it said you require 2 GCSE'S (english and math) grade C or above and you can get yourself an NVQ 3 when you sign up. The Police, I beleive require more.

I have been told though that whilst in the forces your a fighter first and specialist second, there is where my problem lies as I do not wish to join so I can fight and I suffer with back problems so I couldnt go through all the physical training.

[EmmaP]

DKMsport said:

When I was looking on the RAF'S website it said you require 2 GCSE'S (english and math) grade C or above and you can get yourself an NVQ 3 when you sign up.

That's not so bad then.

DKMsport said:

The Police, I beleive require more.

No idea, but Tuscan Rat's friend is a photographer in the Met so I'll ask him to find out.

DKMsport said:

I have been told though that whilst in the forces your a fighter first and specialist second, there is where my problem lies as I do not wish to join so I can fight and I suffer with back problems so I couldnt go through all the physical training.

Have you seen a specialist about our back? I used to have problems as a result of weak lower back mscles, but changed my camera bag to a ruck sack style and spent 15 months concentrating on building my core stability, strengthening lower back and abs under guidance of final year physio student. I've been doing pilates for two years too. I have had no issues for two years now