News: Photography students take over the big screen at Victoria Centre to showcase their work.

The theme of the images displayed was ​‘Local Communities Through the Camera Lens’ and the images captured a wide range of diverse communities from across the Nottinghamshire area.

Katie Searcy, who is studying BA Digital Media Design was one of those to have her work featured, after spending 5 months capturing images depicting the local community at the Old Coach Rose allotments in Bilborough. 

“We were all really disheartened when Covid restrictions meant we couldn’t hold an end of year show, so to have an opportunity to showcase my work to such a huge public audience is incredible.

​“I took my photos at the Old Coach Rose Allotments in Bilborough and the project took me five months.

​“I started at the beginning of the year and wanted to show a natural beauty in a small community. Everyone is like a big family and treat their individual plots of land as a sanctuary. This project gave me the chance to get to know the people and explore a side of the community I hadn’t seen before.

​“I started at Nottingham College studying Level 3 Photography when I left school and decided to stay and complete my foundation degree after encouragement from my tutors. They have all been really supportive and I’ve had amazing work experience opportunities and chances to showcase my work, like on the big screen with Ocean Outdoor. I don’t think I’d have got these opportunities anywhere else.”

Jade Bramley who is studying FdA photpgraphy chose to capture the communities at Beeston Marina Mobile Home Park. She told us how undertaking the project and studying the FdA course have helped improve her confidence, encouraged her to produce work outside of her comfort zone and inspired her to progress to university where, after completing her degree, she aims to complete a masters in socially engaged photography. 

“Showcasing my work to the public has been such a great opportunity and studying my course and having the chance to photograph real life communities has really helped to boost my confidence. The college have been really supportive and encouraged me to reach outside of my comfort zone and try something unique.

“The course has given me the opportunity to progress onto university to complete my degree and I would love to study a socially engaged photography masters after that” 

Reece Richards, who studies our Foundation Degree in Photography was also excited to showcase his work to a large audience. His project explored the passing of time through specific locations. He said:

“It has been fantastic experience to showcase my work in this way and the project gave me the chance to try something unique and out of my comfort zone.

Course Leader Matt Bunn said: ​“For the students to be showing their final projects on the big screen is a fantastic climax to what has been a more than tricky year. It is so generous of Ocean Outdoor to feature the work and to support our students. 

“The unique opportunity to show work on the big screen offered a way to shortcut the restrictions Covid-19 has placed on their learning and close the circle between the young photographers and the community of which they are part.”

Congratulations to: Rebecca Faulconbridge, Megan Smith, Bailie Carroll, Pola Michalewicz, Alina Moldovean, Nikita Greensmith, Adam Langley, Reece Richards, Isaac Hemstock, Matthew Seaman and Katie Searcy who all had their work featured onscreen.

As part of our creative courses, students are encouraged to showcase their work and our close working relationship with local businesses, and lectures who have worked in industry mean our students are learning from industry experts and are able to put their photography skills into practice through public exhibits.

Our creative faculties have also joined forces to produce an online creative showcase. What started as a project to share work in the absence of physical shows due to lockdown has now become a permanent feature, with students and faculties updating the site all year round.