Farewell to Jose…
This is a post from the weareoca.com archive. Information contained within it may now be out of date.
Jose Navarro was an innovative and committed Curriculum Leader for Photography. He was the main motivating force behind developing the programme of study visits which started in photography and expanded out to other subject areas. He was the author of the brilliant level two Documentary course we released last year and was highly sought after by level three students. Sadly this is all in the past tense because Jose has now moved on, taking the opportunity to develop his career in a way that would help him minimise the time in front of a screen and get outdoors – something he has loved for years. You can see what he is up to on his website here. You can see he hasn’t given up on photography, in addition to outdoor navigation courses and Duke of Edinburgh assessments, he is also leading combined hill walking and photography courses and has a ten page feature on mountain photography in this month’s issue of Trek & Mountain. As someone who greatly enjoyed a day’s cycling in Wales last September with Jose I was tempted to be envious – that was until he shared a photograph on facebook of his contact lens holder with the liquid inside it frozen solid after a sleepless night up a mountain. In any event, we wish him well for the future.
..and (sort of) welcome to Jesse
Jose’s place as Curriculum Leader for photography alongside Peter Haveland is taken by Jesse Alexander. It is ‘sort of’ welcome only because Jesse has been a tutor at the OCA since 2007, so will be familiar to many students already. Jesse wrote the level 2 Landscape course which was introduced recently and is now working with Sharoon Boothroyd on a new level 3 programme for photography. He is full of ideas; I am looking forward to working with him.
Gareth Dent
Chief Executive
OCA
23 thoughts on “Farewell to Jose…”
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Well! What a surprise, I must say that I really enjoyed interacting with Jose whenever we met on study days and his input was always inspirational. As someone who one day hoped he’d be my tutor on a module I’m really disappointed he won’t be here in body, but possibly in spirit through his Documentary course, which I hope to take next.
So good luck Jose and I hope you’ll pop back from time to time to see the many friends you’ve made at OCA.
Jose was a role model in his caring and concerned approach to the tutoring and assessing of students. He was a reference to aspire to and a pleasure to work with.
Having worked closely with Jesse I’m sure he will be equally successful in the role, bringing his own unique qualities to it with vim and vigour.
Yes, sorry Jesse, I forgot to congratulate you on your new appointment, hope you’re looking forward to the challenge.
I’ll certainly miss Jose’s presence at Study Visits and on the OCA site. It’s good that he’s following his passion but I’m sorry that OCA has lost him. I’d love to do a photography course with him – if only it didn’t involved hill climbing as well!
Congratulations to Jesse on the new appointment as well. The new Landscape Course sounds good.
Maybe this time?
??????? What do you know that we don’t Peter?
I posted quite a long comment that appeared under a different name, I tried to post an explanation under my proper name but that didn’t work so I tried again and the only one that has appeared is the final enigmatic one.
I don’t intend to re post my original so:
Farewell José, it was good working with you.
Welcome Jesse it will be good working with you!
I will miss Jose very much – particularly his company on the long journeys to and from Barnsley, and the ‘victory Burger’, courtesy of a well known fast food chain at Sheffield station whilst waiting for the connection, after intensive assessment sessions. Jose started some great work which I hope to continue within the role alongside Peter. The mountains’ gain is the OCA’s loss!
Jose is leaving? I didn’t know this was actually allowed – I thought once you were in the OCA, you were in for life (like the rest of us!). I am not going to lie, this news has entirely ruined my day. Jose has been an absolutely superb tutor who has had a profound effect on my personal approach to learning and to photography, as well as being an all round lovely bloke. He will be sorely missed. Congratulations to Jesse – I am sure you will follow in Jose’s footsteps as an innovative and inspirational leader, as the OCA continues to go from strength to strength. I am going to go and cry now and shake my fist at mountains…
For me it’s more personal, I had just started with Jose on his own Documentary course and that’s when he left! I blame myself! 🙂 Good luck Jose, you were gracious to discuss the course with me before a joined and, like all the rest of the commenters here, I wish you every success in your new venture and thanks for all the discussions along the way.
Just wanted to say congratulations to Jesse. We met on the Leeds unofficial study visit and while there was a lot to take in, your talks and advice from personal projects to photo books certainly sparked off my little brain cells so I look forwards to your thoughts and ideas as I move through my OCA journey
All the best Jose – I have enjoyed your company on study visits over the years – I wish you well – hope I may bump into your one day but it won’t be on a long hill walk!!! Jesse I wish you every success.
All the very best of good wishes for the future, Jose, and thanks for your great contribution to our studies with OCA – much appreciated.
And how fortunate we are to have such a worthy successor – congrats, Jesse.
Although I have not had the good fortune to meet either of you in person, I have read many posts and viewed various videos and thorough these media really appreciated your efforts in making our experiences with the OCA rewarding. Farewells are always a conflict of sadness and joy – sadness in seeing a friend/colleague/adviser etc leaving but happiness at knowing that they are following a dream and will be happy.
So, Jose – all the very best in following your career aspirations and enjoy being outdoors and behind a camera rather than a screen.
Jesse – welcome to your new role, I am sure you bring with you new ideas and energy that will help all of us.
All the very best Jose….I hope your new career works out well for you. We will miss you. Good luck Jesse. I know you will do a great job!!
Thank-you, Jose, for encouraging study visits. The OCA is richer for them–they bring students and ideas together in a positive way. Distant learning can sometimes be isolating–thanks for opening a new window of opportunities! I did not have the pleasure of meeting you, but I wish you all the best in your new chapter of life. Onwards and upwards and good luck to Jesse as well.
I am a mere level 1 student but I have already been guided by Jose and Jesse and to me they are the life and soul of OCA Photography.
Sad to see Jose go, always interesting to chat to and always those little insights on study visits that made you think.
ATB José – and many thanks for the tutor comments on my work and the discussions on the various study visits.
And Jesse, I fear all your current hard work will be too late for me (I’m nearly finished now), but I’m sure those that follow will reap the benefits. And yes, having had both José and Jesse as tutors, I’m sure OCA will get along fine…
Echoing all the comments above! Jose, you will be sorely missed. Jesse, they are big boots to fill, but I am sure you will fill them admirably.
It is a sad day both at a personal level but also for the OCA as a whole. Jose brought a level of commitment and caring for the individual student that did much to encourage many to continue. During the period he was my tutor he was always at the end of the phone and, although we did not always agree, his advice, encouragement and wisdom kept me going at my lowest points. Like others I found his presence on study visits invaluable and always enlightening. Jose I wish you well in the future and hope that everything works out for you. Thanks to you I have climbed many a ‘hill’ that at first seemed daunting.
Jose was my tutor for awhile and we worked together on what was a highly successful SW-OCA day. It is a mark of the man perhaps that he never let on to me that he held the position of curriculum leader though there was more than one instance that he might of done. Safe Travels Jose!
Jose was, and always will be, the first tutor I met on a study visit. Jesse was, and always will be, my first tutor on an OCA course. Conratulations and best wishes to you both.