Sign InRegister

Alumni Interviews

Morag Livingstone

Documentary Photographer

What have you been up to since leaving University of the Arts London?

Since leaving the University I have developed a number of streams of work. Namely:

• www.nutmegimages.com - an ethical photographic consultancy
• www.livingstonesphotos.com - social documentary and multimedia advocacy tools for the third sector
• Wildlife safari, lectures and one-to-one teaching
• Conference photography and annual reports
• Writing a book on how to leave the corporate world behind and earn money doing what you really want to do.
• Various social documentary bodies of work relating to children, youth and poverty

While conference photography appears to be “bread and butter” it actually provides me with contacts in government, corporates and in the social documentary field – which I follow up.

What has the transition from your studies into your current life been like? What expectations, if any, did you have?

Initially it was tough. I expected to jump in and be accepted. I soon realised I was competing against everyone else and there were better photographers than me phoning the same people. Initially I took the traditional approach of “please hire me” but now I apply my business background and approach potential clients with “I have some ideas that can help your business/NGO [Non-Governmental Organisation]”. I get many more meetings as a result. I needed to find a different way of competing in a saturated market so I wish I had found the decision makers earlier (while still at the University), put myself in their shoes, and picked up the phone with a clear, concise message about how I could help them rather than how the could help me!

Did you feel prepared when you graduated? If not, was there anything else you wish you’d done, any opportunities you wish you’d seized?

Overall, yes, but I wish I had applied my business background earlier and developed the above, taken advantage of networking opportunities and been able to articulate in 2 minutes my unique selling points. I would like guidance on the first 20 seconds of cold calling, so some practical role playing maybe!

If there’s one thing you would tell a current student to do right now that would help them when they leave the University, what would it be?

Enjoy it! Be relevant (i.e. while I have a portfolio of businesses I only talk to a client about the relevant one). Realise that you are a business and organise yourself accordingly. To do this you need to remain professional and positive, every opportunity leads somewhere else.