Time to get cracking - Using 2D images for professional promotion

With a new busy schedule I have found that, with regards to my BAPP work, my structure has gone completely out of the window. My blogs bare no correlation to the suggested order of tasks and despite already being well into my journal writing and other aspects of part 2, there are elements of part 1 which I am yet to write about! I guess I have been working and writing about things that are relevant to me at the time, even if it means skipping ahead slightly and I think it's time to get back on track. I had a little panic the other day, looking at the time limit on module 1 and how far I had to go, so I feel I need to crack down and get some work done. It's funny how time can run away with you and you suddenly find yourself lagging behind. As someone who is not long out of school, I'm used to a strict timetable and structure so this is perhaps one of the things I have found most challenging about the course. Anyway, enough ramble... time to get a move on.

The use of 2D images in the professional world

I briefly touched on this in my latest blog about the use of social media, discussing the use of 'instagram' in my professional practice, however for this I had decided to use a new application that I am unfamiliar with to develop my understanding further. I am the first to admit I am a prolific 'instagram' user! I am not someone who posts several times a day, however, I will scroll through my "newsfeed" often and will upload something myself weekly. As a dancer, I think I like working with visuals and the use of 2D images is no exception. With 'instagram' being my go-to forum for post images on social media, I decided to set up a 'Flickr' account and explore an alternative medium with regards to my professional development as opposed to personal and social also. 

Getting started

I began by downloading the 'Flickr' application onto my iPhone which took a matter of seconds. Getting a new app is always exciting but it is always clear how it all works at first. I set up and account and gave myself a profile photo, which is known as an "avatar" on this particular programme. As I have decided to keep this purely professional, I used my dance headshot as opposed to an ordinary photo of myself or dare I say, a "selfie'! Just this one simple decision completely changed a number of factors in my approach to social media, such as:
1) My market and following
2) The way I will be viewed by others
3) The style of my profile
It just shows how many different ways a programme can be used and simple decisions like your choice of profile photo can determine the direction of your experience. My next step, was to use the search bar to follow other accounts related to my field of interest. I typed in a couple of words which I felt were relevant to myself as a professional.

DANCE, ART, MOVEMENT, MODEL & PERFORMERS were just some of the words I used and I began following accounts that I found captivating or interesting and others that I feel I could utilise in my professional journey. This is a very important part in making the most of social media in a professional manner and it can enable you to connect and communicate with individuals within your area of practice.
My third and final step was to begin uploading images! I started by posting my dance portfolio photos as I feel these are the type of images that would promote myself as a dance in the best light. They say "a picture is worth a thousand words" and in the performance/dance industry that really can be the case. I think the use of 2D images can have a great effect and advantage professionally if used appropriately and it is something that should be used and encourage more widely. The danger comes, when people blur the lines between using social media as a platform for their careers, and using it for social climbing. By all means social media can be used for personal reasons and I myself use it alongside friends and family, however a professional account should remain professional in order to avoid negative views from prospective clients or employers.

Here is a screenshot of my new 'Flickr' page, admittedly there is  a very long way to go but I am happy with the layout of it so far and I am excited to see how it progresses and helps me professionally. Last week, I did a photoshoot for the new IDS (International dance supplies) catalogue. This consisted of two full days modelling a large amount of dance wear and costumes for the new catalogue that is coming out. This is a prime example of using 2D images to in a professional capacity. The images will be used world wide to sell dance wear to dancers and without this the products would fail to sell. Clothing and dance wear is the type of product that MUST be seen before it can be bought, so the use of images in this instance is a vital part of the business. Not only will these images be used in campaigns and catalogues, but they are what the business website consists of. Once I get the a copy of the images, I will no doubt post a few on various social media platforms to help promote the products and this is where 2D imagery on social media is most useful.

I decided to use my personal 'Instagram' account to post a photo of some of my BAPP work. I took a picture of my blog page and posted it on 'instagram' to encourage other dancers to read about my journey and hopefully inspire them to look into and consider the course. Social media can be very powerful in that respect and although this was a task given to me in the module, it can spread the information about the course and I think that it is a great promotional tool.


Generally speaking, I think the use of 2D images can be very helpful in a professional forum, particularly in the dance industry as it is primarily a visual art form. 'Instagram' and 'Flickr' along with other image based social media sights are useful tools for professionals and ones that I feel should be utilised much more.