Just a little update about where I'm at, photographically. I'm busy doing my year project for my final year.. (then I get my degree whoohoo!) ... even though I'm not doing my project on my passion, but rather on something that'll please my lecturer and thus get me through my year. Our lecturer comes from a very photojournalistic background, and she loves to focus on all the social-political issues that can be adressed through photography, which is mostly negative stuff, either pretentious or deep.. or totally not of interest to me. As she has told us numerous times: "Your job as photographer is to go and change the world, to make commentary.." I tend to disagree.

Sure, many photographers do that or make that their own personal goal - to somehow reach some precious few individuals and maybe change something in them through their photography. BUTTTT... not meeee... and I hate the fact that it's being forced upon me. But, I'm over it, and I'm only having to do what my lecturer wants me to do for another few months and then I'm OUTTA the academy.

I'm sure going to MISS that place like stinks though, just because of the crazy environment, friends, doing basically nothing all the time.. .. next year I'm looking into doing my honours in journalism. That depends on a number of things though, whether I get accepted, and whether I can somehow get a bursary. I'm trusting God to put me where I need to go so where ever I go, I'll be happy to be there. Otherwise, I'll start assisting.. taking things easy. I'm also considering doing an internship with the church, filling my year with awesome fun times and super growing. That'll be awesome. But then somehow I'll also have to have a part time job, thing. Ah, I'm not worrying though, God will provide if I stay obedient. He's been amazing thus far so yes. Uhmm.. what eelllssee.. oh yes, my photography.

My year project is about students, more specifically students within Stellenbosch. I'm investigating the preconceived ideas that people have about certain types of students, and also poking fun at the stereotype.. those types of students would be:

Engineers
Agriculture students (aka die boere)
Art students
Beauty students (aka isa..)

Anyone that knows anything about the people within these fields of study would know about the stereotypes attached to them What I've found thus far is hilariously overwhelming evidence to support the stereotypes. I mean I stay in Isa's hostel so I'm surrounded every day by the... mmm, very girly girls, to put it lightly Also, I was amused when I stumbled across a dark cave-like room with five 7th years engineers lurking inside (I got lost in the engineering faculty) .. these guys hardly knew how to receive this random GIRL paying them a visit. It was cute. I like engineers.
Finding a biltong-drying cupboard in a Agricultural student's room, along with a random dried out babboon arm (with the hand still attached) also spoke volumes to me. As for the art students, the mere fact that their black boards were covered in everything and anything that was non-academic (I.E 'I like ramfest it is nice' and 'remember quad party tickets!!' was funny, especially when compared with a blackboard found in the Engineering department (incomprehensible little letters and numbers and symbols) and at ISA ('remember tomorrow manicure and pedicure and facial anal - I'd prefer not to know what 'facial anal' could be) ....

SO. Yes. Very interesting stuff I'm finding, I haven't taken any 'final shots' yet as its only due in the fourth term. What I ACTUALLY wanted to do this year was along landscape photography lines.. my actual passion.. since I love nothing more on this earth that creation and nature.. BUUUTT guess what, my lecturer didn't like ANY of my ideas. I did have this one idea that she liked though, but it was impossible to do seeing as I do not have my own car OR the petrol money I would require to support this project. It would have involved travelling to the most far off, unheard of little places in SA with very rich history.. those little places that seems to be stuck in time, missing the rush of the rest of the world heading off into the future. Ahh, little places like Matjiesfontein, Die Hel, Rhodes in the Drakensberg (the entire town is a monument!) .. Sutherland.. Orania (now THATS a long story.. a whites only town..) .. and so many other places that I would have discovered. And then to investigate their history, unravel the town.. the people.. OOOOH I *loved* that idea but it was a bit beyond reach. I still want to do it one day though, it might be a project stretching out over a couple of years, but eventually I'd like to bring out a book about these little places, these little cultural treasures.. that no one is really aware about.

Ok, I just realised that I've typed far too much. Excuse me. At least this is sort of a decent update Wheeeee!