Immediately after art college I broke my leg in a motorcycle accident and was in and out of hospital for about 18 months. Eventually I ended up in London where a visionary had persuaded the education authority to invest in lots of audio-visual equipment. He was recruiting people (media resources officers) to work in schools and colleges helping staff and students to use it. I was one and we were given training in the use of audio, video, reprographic and photographic technology. Photography was taught by Albert Watson* in the period between him leaving the Royal College of Art and moving to the USA. It was a revelation to me to discover that, if you understood how a camera worked, you didn't have to hope that the picture would "come out" - it could also become a creative tool. I liked his attitude that a photographer should be able to get the best out of any camera, however humble. He would discuss camera types, but not the manufacturers.
After training, I worked in a girls' comprehensive for 6 years and then for 20 at a polytechnic, which later became a university. It was the perfect job for me - early on I remember thinking I would do it for no pay! At the poly I was able to use multi-projector tape-slide and video to produce teaching material with a team of technicians. I did a part-time teaching qualification and taught photography and other techniques myself. The only drawback there was the internal politics. My main success in that respect was to negotiate early retirement at age 51. I was good at the job, though, and did it with an enthusiasm which was missing from my time at college. I know I went to art college simply because I could draw.
* albertwatson.net/all-photos
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