Christmas Wish List

With Christmas coming on quickly, here are some Photography related tips for you to print out and leave lying around where Santa might see them. Feel free to circle or check the ones that most appeal to you.

1. A camera. This will be the “best Christmas ever” present if you can swing it. We have posted earlier about suitable cameras (and the under $500 amateur models just won’t cut it). The Nikon D-7000 with a 18-105 lens will run about $1500.
2. Okay, so that won’t work. How about a tripod? You can pick up a useful one for a tad over $100, and fairly good ones at about double that. Things to look for are the ability to pan, for taking motion pictures, and the ability to get the camera on and off the unit quickly. Portability is important ... you need to be able to lug this around easily. And durability is important as well. A tripod gets tossed into a car trunk and jostled about. A cheaper unit will just have to be replaced sooner.
3. Software is always cool. Getting a copy of Adobe CS 5.5 is probably out of the question at $899 student pricing, but Lightroom is only $99 for students. It has a wealth of features designed for professional photographers, and getting started on the program will be a plus for students.
4. If you already have the software, how about the book? A really good series for learning the Adobe programs is Classroom in a Book. Lightroom 3 is available from Amazon for $40 (also available at better bookstores). Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book is even cheaper, at $30.
5. Our final suggestion is for buying a camera back or case. You can spend anywhere from $100 to over $1000 in this area, and it really is a matter of personal preference. So the tip here is to get a gift card at one of the major camera stores, like Carman’s or Henry’s. Then the budding photographer can make his or her own choice.

Time to Apply

As we approach the end of 2011, it is time to think about applying to your college choices. You do not apply directly to Lambton College to attend the Digital Photography program here. Instead you want to apply through the OntarioColleges.ca website, which allows you to apply to any of Ontario’s community colleges. You will be able to apply to up to five different programs, with a maximum of three at any one college. You do not have to apply with all five choices.

It is important that you apply before February 1, which is known as the Equal Consideration Date (ECD). This means that any applications in now, or that are added up until that date, will be considered equally (not first come, first served). After that point, colleges will track the date of application, and earlier applicants will be preferred over later ones. This is important in Photography programs, which historically fill up quickly.
Fanshawe, Mohawk, Georgian, Algonquin and the Toronto area colleges tend to fill up by the Equal Consideration Date, or soon after. You may be “wait listed” with these colleges if you apply late, only getting a spot if someone who applied before February decides not to attend. Newer programs like Durham College in Oshawa, which started last year, and Niagara College in Welland, which started a few years ago did not fill by the ECD, but there is no guarantee that this will happen again.

As a brand new program, Lambton’s Digital Photography program is not expected to be full on the ECD, but it still makes sense for you to use Lambton as one of five choices you make, in case you are not selected in any of the other programs. In early December five colleges (Fanshawe, Humber, Seneca, Niagara and Algonquin) all had more than 50 applicants. This is still well under the numbers that will be enrolled in those programs, but there are nearly two more months to enrol.

To learn how to enrol in Lambton and other colleges, select the 22 minute Applicant Tutorial video tutorial on the Apply tab of the OntarioColleges.ca website (in the upper right corner of this page).