My Reflective Learning Summery- Bethany Hutchison

Thumbnail design: Bethany Hutchison

Image Credit: Bethany Hutchison (left and right) and Daisie Hillman (center)

Ripped paper texture: Adobe Stock

Self-reflection is an important part of working. By acknowledging what you have done within a project and how you have tackled any adversaries that may have come your way you are able to apply your learning and adaptations into other projects. In addition, self-reflection is also imperative to understanding where your strengths and weaknesses lie so that you’re able to refine your skills.

After only eight weeks of my BA1a Fashion Communication and Promotion (FCP) course I have been introduced to industry standard websites such as The Business Of Fashion, WGSN, TagWalk, The agents club and Streeters. By utilising reliable websites such as those mentioned for inspiration and information I have been able to completely immerse myself within my creative practise whilst also gaining a larger breadth and depth regarding influential photographers, image makers and stylists allowing me to develop skills and knowledge across the key areas in all three of my projects.

Set Design Workshop- Primary Imagery: Bethany Hutchison

Upon joining the course, I was used to working in an autonomous manner having taken three coursework-based subjects at college. However, that doesn’t mean that this project has not had its challenges. One of the challenges I faced was realising how collaborative the course is. As an individual who’s used to working independently, I initially found it difficult to integrate myself within a group. However, I can now confidently say that I am working past this initial blip. This can be most keenly evidenced in the set design workshop and Dazed climate change brief as part of my image and messaging project in which I worked in a group to create a photographic outcome. By taking the reins of these projects I was able to gain invaluable insight into working collaboratively in a mock- professional situation. A skill which is necessary for the work which I hope to obtain post-graduation.

During my BA1a project I handled my time well. After only a couple of weeks into the project I had written and published 80% of my blog posts and had the main body of my trend report completed. This evidences professional and responsible working practises alongside providing me with more time to conduct additional research into my projects and to thoroughly check the quality of my work as evidenced through my extensive bibliographies and Harvard referencing.  

As part of the BA1a project I have enjoyed evidencing my communicative and explorative process. This can be most keenly evidenced within my image and messaging supporting document. My explorative and communicate processes are highlighted in this document as my work is outlined in a comprehensive and chronological manner clearly highlighting my processes through research, mood boards and behind the scenes images. Experimentation is evidenced through my Dazed climate change test shots and makeup exploration.

Image Credits: Daisie Hillman (left)

Yas Green (center, right)

In my upcoming BA1b project I would like to further refine my collaborative skills by continuing to work in group projects as this will enable me to become a more confident and self-assured individual. Within the upcoming project I also hope to develop skills and knowledge within different specialisms. Although within this project I have keenly highlighted my knowledge and interest in photography I hope to take on a more active role in other areas. Overall, I have enjoyed my time studying FCP thus far and look forward to the remainder of the academic year.