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Savannah Dodd: Photography Ethics Centre

Savannah Dodd

My name is Savannah Dodd, I’ve studied for my PhD in Anthropology, that’s in the School of HAPP and I am the founder and director of the Photography Ethics Centre.

Tell us a bit more about your business idea.

I’m passionate about photography ethics because photographs are immensely powerful. They shape how we think about the world and this means that when we take and share photographs, we are shaping how others think about the world. So this is, like, a huge amount of power that we have as image makers and this power comes with a lot of responsibility, so I think it’s really important to think about ‘how can we use that power of image making responsibly?’ and I think a really good way of doing so is to think about it through the lens of ethics.

How did you get the initial business idea?

I founded the Photography Ethics Centre because I realised that my background in anthropology and the things that I’d learned through doing a Masters, and now a PhD in Anthropology has really prepared me with an important set of skills and these skills have helped me be more effective in my photography and more ethical about how I approach my photographic practice. So, I realised that anthropology has helped me a lot with my photography with building skills, but these skills that I’ve built are not universal. So, what I’m really trying to do is to sort of translate these skills that I gained from anthropology and make it applicable and useful for photographers who might not have the same background.

How has the business developed since your initial idea?

In some ways, not a lot has changed with the organisation since I started and in some ways, it’s changed a lot. I think the biggest change has been, really, in terms of my expectations. I think I needed to temper some of my expectations, but that’s not always easy when we’re participating in a culture of startup pitching because you really have to think in terms of best-case scenarios. So, I think tempering my expectations and maybe being happy with smaller, more marginal successes was really important. I think, on the other hand, things haven’t changed a lot because I, sort of, have come full circle back into my original idea which, I think, the lesson there is just that I need to trust my gut a little bit more.

What activities at Queen’s helped you get to where you are?

I was really fortunate that when I first had the idea for the Photography Ethics Centre, I was able to participate as part of a cohort of students to do a Kickstarter Accelerator programme through the Graduate School at Queen’s and that was just a really great opportunity to, sort of, spend time on business development with some support. I was also accepted into Dragon’s Den one year and that was a brilliant opportunity, really great practice at building my confidence and pitching and it’s just always been really beneficial to know that there’s somewhere that I can go for advice because, inevitably, I’ve run into hurdles or questions that I haven’t known how to answer so it’s been great to have the resource at Queen’s.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I think the most important piece of advice that I wish I’d had when I was first starting out is that, you know, blocking out time for other things in your life or taking breaks or relaxing on the weekends or in the evenings is that’s not a reward but that’s an important part of how you divide your time. I think by not taking time for myself to really recharge, to relax to, sort of, put the laptop away really lead me to a bit of a burnout so I think that really the biggest, biggest lesson I learned there is that, you know, breaks are not treats, you deserve them, inherently, you don’t have to earn them.

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advice AHSS Arts sector Career planning Careers by sector Commercial Awareness consultants consultations Creative Creative careers Creative jobs Creativity Freelance Future Skills Course Portfolio

Choosing modules for next year?

Emma Lennox, Careers Consultant

As it’s time to choose modules for next year, you can use this time to think strategically about what you want to gain over the time you have remaining at University.  While it might be tempting to find the module that best suits your train timetable, try to think about what skills you want to leave Queen’s with.  This is not the time for comfort zone thinking, what will your future self need to know? 

One of our Careers Consultants, Emma Lennox, spoke with some final year students from the School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen’s, and uncovered some insights about things they wish they had known earlier in their degree. 

Get experience. 

Try to build up work experience as a student

‘A degree is great but it just tells an employer you’re a good academic.  You want to work in TV? Marketing? Creative Arts? Teaching? Public health?  Get experience, start in first year and build that portfolio of evidence.  Don’t tell an employer you’re passionate, show them.  Don’t know where to start getting experience?  Ask your Careers Consultant, you can find them on MyFuture.  I wish I had more experience going into the work place now.’   

Final Year Creative Writing Student 

Build your understanding of the sector you want to work in 

Do your research to understand your target industry

‘I think my big ideal expectation when I first started was I was maybe going to finish my study and go straight into working for a studio, I didn’t really understand just quite how complicated the industry is and how difficult it can be to get secure work.  And I didn’t realise how much I still had to learn.’  

Final Year Film Student  

Emma’s Advice: “It can also be useful to think about freelancing, self-employment and entrepreneurship as part of your career planning. The industries that Arts graduates tend to want to work in, are often characterised by short-term contract work rather than permanent graduate roles or graduate schemes. 

According to the 2023 What do graduates do? report, Arts graduates are three times more likely to be working in freelance or self-employed roles than graduates from other areas. The report also shows that entrepreneurial creative arts graduates are more likely to be working in creative sectors aligned to their subject. If you are planning to pursue a career that uses your subject knowledge, you may need to consider freelancing or self-employment/ entrepreneurship as possible options and to prepare for what that might mean.

Arts, English and Languages students have the option of taking the Creative Enterprise module in second year which takes you through the process of creating, running and growing a creative company. Students in other years can find some information on the Future Ready Skills Course and help available from SU Enterprise.”

Find your people outside of your course. 

Extra-curricular activities are a great way to build up skills as a student

‘I spent all my time with people from my course and only discovered the programmes with Enterprise SU in final year.  Those are my kind of people, I could have been around entrepreneurs and innovators for three years instead of one.  I have a lot of catching up to do.’ 

Final Year Drama Student 

‘One of the best things I did at Queen’s was get involved with women’s sport.  I feel I’ve made a real difference there and can use all those skills in the recruitment process.  I just wished I’d got involved earlier and looked at other societies as well.’ 

Final Year English Student 

Emma’s Advice: “The Future Ready Award website is a useful place to find extra-curricular opportunities that will enable you to meet other people and develop useful skills.”

You are responsible for you. 

Be proactive and chase down opportunities

‘In school we had a careers class every fortnight and I thought that would be the same at uni.  I know now that it was up to me to chase down opportunities and be proactive.  There’s so much going on, I need another year to catch up with what I missed first time round!’ 

Final Year Broadcast Production Student  

Leverage the Careers service. 

Access Careers support through MyFuture

‘I wish I’d used MyFuture and the Careers website more, I’m only discovering internships and programmes and employers now that I’m too late to do.  And some stuff is only for first and second years.  I could have been going to events and building up contacts for three years instead of the last six months.’ 

Final Year Film Student 

Open your emails. 

Take advantage of free opportunities to develop your employability

‘I spoke to a careers consultant who mentioned a programme and I said I’d never heard of it.  They asked if I’d opened my emails because it had been sent to me.  Well that was all kinds of awkward.  Lesson learned, I’m accessing all the support now for recent graduates!’ 

Final year English and Spanish Student 

Emma’s Advice: “You can access careers support through MyFuture, the careers website and careers information through the Future-Ready Skills Course.

“All Arts, English and Languages students now have access to the Future-Ready Skills Course on Canvas (AEL4001). In that course you’ll find lots of useful information including a full section on Career Management Skills which will help you to think about your future plans and the gaps that you might have. And it’s tailored specifically to Arts, English and Languages students.

The course is completely optional and non-credit bearing, but you can get a certificate at graduation if you complete it in full.”

Find out more about the Careers, Employability and Skills service at Queen’s.

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Creative careers cultural careers Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employers Networking not for profit work experience WORK EXPERIENCE AND PLACEMENT FAIR

Expert Guide to Networking as a Student

Throughout the academic year, the Careers service at Queen’s host employer events, fairs and industry insight opportunities. These are a great networking opportunity and offer the chance to ask questions of some key players in your target industry. 

However, often the word ‘networking’ can fill you with dread. Don’t fret – it’s something you do every day. “Networking is something we do everyday, often without realising it!,” says Emma Lennox, Queen’s Careers Consultant. “It’s about reaching out to people, sometimes with an objective in mind (potentially employment-related) and sometimes not.

It’s about connecting online and in person. If online, be professional, join groups and post meaningful comments, expand your network and be curious!” she says.

Before the sessions

Emma suggests doing a bit of desktop research before attending an employer event so you know who is going and what you might want to ask. While the guest speakers will be doing much of the talking, it doesn’t hurt to have a short bio prepared in case you are asked. According to Emma, this should answer three key questions: Who are you?

What do you do/study? What are you looking for?

At the sessions

Emma has prepared the following cheat sheet of questions you can ask employers at networking events:

How did you start in this area of work?

Where do you see a person like me fitting into this field (industry, company)?

What professional associations should I join?

What professional publications should I read?

What are some of the problems and issues your organisation faces?

What are the most necessary skills for these types of jobs?

What are the trends affecting your business?

What’s a typical career path for someone coming in at my level?

Can I keep in touch with you and let you know my progress?

Read next:

Managing your LinkedIn Profile

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Creative careers cultural careers Employer Engagement Employer Panels Employers international careers Networking not for profit WORK EXPERIENCE AND PLACEMENT FAIR

Networking Opportunities Ahead of the Work Experience and Placement Fair

The theme for the Work Experience and Placement Fair on 24 February is #ExperienceMore and we are giving you the opportunity to do just that with four amazing employer panels taking place in the run up to the fair. Designed to give you access to networking opportunities and to provide valuable introductions to key figures in your target industries, here is the who, what, where and when you need.

Want a career with international travel?

Join our expert panel to talk about their international career paths, their road to success and valuable lessons learned along the way. Hear from Michael Barton, Invest NI Regional Director for Canada, and Exchanges4Peace Jessica McClearn on working in NYC.

Date: 19 February 2021, 1-2pm 

Register here

Interested in conservation, heritage and museums?

Whether you want a career in environmental conservation, heritage organisations, archives, museums or galleries, our expert panel will feature Louise Smyth from NI Museums and Kim McMonagle from the National Trust. They’ll be talking about the skills and experience you need to move into the sector. 

Date: 22 February 2021, 1-2pm

Register here

Want to work in the Public or Not for Profit Sector?

Perhaps you want to work for a charity or an NGO, or forge a career as a public servant. Our panel features representatives from The Probation Board for Northern Ireland and the Community Foundation who’ll be discussing their own path to success and how you can move into the sector.

23 February 2021, 1-2pm 

Register here.

Interested in a Creative Career?

From arts & culture, music, publishing and film industries, you’ll need a portfolio.  Join our panellists and find out what skills and work experience are needed to build your body of evidence successfully to move into the sector. Featuring employers from ALT Animation, Hypixel Studios, film production company Retinize and writer and director Rebekah Davis, this session will be packed with top tips on breaking into the creative sector.

Date: 24 February, 2.30-3.30pm

PLEASE NOTE: THIS SESSION WILL BE SCREENED WITHIN THE WORK EXPERIENCE AND PLACEMENT FAIR ON 24 FEB. ONCE INSIDE THE FAIR, LOCATE THE CREATIVE CAREERS STALL.

REGISTER HERE

Read next:

How to network ahead of the Work Experience and Placement Fair