Through the Camera Lens: Voices from NBCCD's Photography Program

“NBCCD allowed us to experiment and to fail without it being detrimental to our careers because we were building in school. Going through the photography program shaped me into who I am today.”

—Hailley Fayle, Content Creator and Staff Photographer at CreatedHere

 

With a cellphone in every pocket, the photography market is saturated with Android and iPhone images, but NBCCD knows it takes more to be a photographer. NBCCD’s two-year Diploma in Photography provides students with opportunities to experiment creatively while gaining a comprehensive knowledge of photographic technologies, the history of the industry, and the confidence and skill set to flourish in numerous workspaces.

Kate Giffin, Korry Hill, and Hailley Fayle, recent graduates of the program, are grateful for their time at NBCCD and what it has meant for their futures.

 

Hailley has been working for almost a year as a content developer and staff photographer for New Brunswick’s CreatedHere magazine. Hailley planned to work for a magazine by age 28 but with an NBCCD education, she advanced her career quickly.

“I’ll be 26 this year and I’m already working for a magazine. I skipped three years of my five-year plan.”

Nearing graduation, Korry was considering career options, but after being inspired by a class project, he has laid the foundation for a boudoir photography business.

“We had to do a nude study . . . Because I was doing a bit of outdoor nature stuff, I thought it would be fun to go out into nature and do a nude study there and the business has developed from there.”

For Kate, the program helped her photography and YouTube business. After reaching the subscriber count to make her eligible to monetize videos on her YouTube channel Kate Audrey, Kate is putting her skill set to good use. As Kate explains it, “I don’t think that my visions for videos would be the same without my knowledge in photography.”

Hailley, Korry, and Kate’s career ambitions may be different, but their time at NBCCD left them with the same sentiment: NBCCD is there to support you.

Korry’s journey with NBCCD began while attending NBCCD’s open house. After showing the instructors a selection of his photos, Korry got a glimpse into what his classes might be like.

“They gave some really constructive criticism and liked my shots. That was the springboard.”

Before he left, the instructors taught him how to use the metering tool on his camera, which made him want to attend the diploma program to learn more.

 

Kate enrolled in the Photography program after graduating from NBCCD’s FVA program. Though a lot of factors came into play, Kate remembers the encouragement she received from her instructors during an introductory course in photography.

“It really inspired me to do it.”

“I knew what exposure was. I knew what aperture was, but I had no idea what it actually meant. Now I actually understand it to a technical point.”

 

Hailley also completed the FVA program before applying for NBCCD’s Photography Diploma. It only took one visit to NBCCD for Hailley to decide she wanted to enroll. The welcoming atmosphere she experienced on her first tour carried through her Diploma, and the support and understanding she received from her instructors was a welcome change from her experience at other learning institutions.

“I think a lot of us are alternative learners who go to this college because it is a safe space to be different. I’m grateful for that.”

Though different aspects of the program, like access to the College darkroom, set NBCCD apart from other colleges, NBCCD’s true value lies in the relationships fostered between faculty, students, and the larger creative community.

“Instructors helped me see my worth,” explained Hailley. “Everyone has bad days. They helped pick me back up and they taught me how to be resilient. Sometimes you make a mistake and so what? Next time you won’t. You learned.”

 

Aspiring photographers come to NBCCD to gain the experience and confidence they need to be successful in a wide range of careers. While gaining that experience, students benefit from an education built on both academic and emotional support. NBCCD is not about pushing diplomas; it is about building a stronger art community with every graduating student.

—Meaghan Laaper, Staff Writer for NBCCD

To start your journey in Photography/Videography, apply now for the Foundation Visual Arts program. This one-year certificate will prepare you with the skills you need to excel in any of our two-year Diplomas.

Cover photo by Kate Giffin, featuring Aurore Pelletier