Roger Taylor
Certificate in Visual Design specializing in Photography
Roger Taylor was excited to find photography courses available through University of Calgary Continuing Education.
"Photography has been a long time interest of mine," he says. "But I always knew there was room for improvement. So when I discovered these courses and the Visual Design Certificate program, I decided to take one photography course first, and then consider the certificate later."
After a successful classroom experience, Roger enrolled in the Certificate in Visual Design specializing in Photography. He hoped that by taking the certificate program he would be more focused and would reap a sense of achievement on completion.
"For me, knowing I would be graded in the certificate program was very motivating," he says.
At first, Roger had qualms about some of the required courses that were not specific to photography.
"Some of the courses that I was particularly concerned about turned out to be very enjoyable. For example, drawing. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I actually really liked it."
Roger took his courses at a comfortable pace, fitting them around a busy career in IT software in the oil and gas industry. Typically, he took one course per session with summers off. From beginning to end, meeting the certificate requirements spanned approximately three years.
Having completed the program, Roger looks back now and sees a change in his skill level.
"My photographs have improved. Of that, there's no doubt," he says. "I would definitely recommend this program to others. For me, the acid test was that even at the end of a long working day, I would always look forward to going to a class."