A few weeks after resignation from engineering company, I came to creative discussion in Conclave. I presented myself as the one who was starting photography business. I met one guy who recommended me to join Kelas Pagi Jakarta. I've heard about Kelas Pagi before. I thought it was free weekly seminar and we can come whenever we wake up early. In fact, we have to apply for this one year free photography school program. I was so excited, the world seems so supportive. When I really want to learn about Photography more deeply, I met one guy and luckily, the submission is about one month after that event.
Being student in Kelas Pagi was such a blessing. I would try to breakdown what I got from this class.
First, it's all about technical skills.
Though, Pa'e (Anton Ismael, our teacher) always puts communication as the first important thing. Inevitably, we gained technical skill from him and whoever in this program. We learnt many things such as:
1. Triangle system in photography (about shutter speed, aperture, ISO)
2. Zone system by Ansel Adam (that reveals that there is ten zone in black and white), click here for more info.
3. How to get great exposure (no underexpose, no overespose, no "muddy" exposure). You can see my task about this one here.
4. The interesting one, salt print. The alternative printing process.
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| My work after Salt Print Laboratory :D |
5. Lighting techniques (butterfly, loop, rembrandt, split and horst). Just googling those keywords to know more about those techniques. My task for this one is here.
6. High key, mid key and low key. Here is for my task.
7. Food Photography to learn about shape, composition, color and texture. We learn about natural light and artificial light for food photography.
8. Charcoal drawing. It was so fun learning how to hand-drawing yet it's hard.
9. Commercial photography, learn how to make a picture white on white, photograph a bottle, video editing and many more.
We also learnt about printing, type of paper, mounting board and how to display the photograph.
Second, we got appreciation.
Appreciation doesn't always mean as compliments. It can be negative or harsh comments. Pa'e likes to give his honest opinion about our art based on his experience in the industry. I often got the negative comments from him, but I took it as the positive things, as the constructive feedback.
We held some of art exhibition, mostly in photography. For me, exhibition was so something. Though my artworks were so bad, having your woks in exhibition was so achievement for me, personally. We had six exhibition, these are:
2. Charcoal Exhibition
3. Pameran Gerilya (we responded Erik Prasetya photo exhibition about Estetika Banal)
4. Pameran Gerilya - Konspirasi Pagi (We print our photo on the front side of T-Shirt and we walked in Car Free Day. Genius way)
5. Being part in Jakarta Bienalle Exhibition
Third, networking.
It sounds so cliche, but it does. When I was student in Kelas Pagi, I can easily find partner for working in my wedding projects. I can learn about lighting studio from my friend who shoot for fashion. I know more rental vendors, and many more.
The renowned brand of Kelas Pagi is also a benefit for me. I had my first fashion project. I collaborate with fashion stylist who works for magazine. I honestly said that I never shoot for fashion but I want to learn about it. I told her that I was learning in Kelas Pagi at that time. She spontaneously felt so closer with me. That was a good thing for breaking the ice.
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| First fashion project |
I also got the information about job vacancy as personal assistant of TVC Director who I'm working with, from my mate in Kelas Pagi.
Fourth, having a mentor.
Mentor is a crucial thing in our career. When we have a great mentor, it can be acceleration in our career. I feel so blessed having Pae and Mba Sasha as my mentor. Initially, I apply for commercial mentoring. However, in short, it didn't work. The reason is all of our laziness. Then, I joined in Mba Sasha mentoring class. Kang Ivan recommended my friend (Nuke) and I to join her mentoring.
And ya, that was one of the best thing in this one-year-photogaphy-school-program. Personally, Mba Sasha is the one who never put the gap to her students. She teaches me how to write a review about cafes, restaurants and vacation spots. She showed how to take a picture of food, how to take a picture of a building. Personally and technically she was awesome. By joining her class, I can be a contributor in airline magazine. I was so lucky.
There are still many unwritten advantages. By this post, I would say thank to our greatest mentor, Pa'e who always share positive spirit (even in negative way). Mba Sasha who let us share our photos and gave us amazing experience as a contributor. Mba Fitri and Rara who lead us in more than one year. Last but not least my KPJ Mates who are great and nice photographer to work and learn with.
Even though, there are some people who think the reality in Kelas Pagi didn't fit their expectation. Neither did I. My expectation and reality in Kelas Pagi are so paralel or somehow even better.
NIZARLAND
"Where The Land Inspires The World"
