Blackpool & the Fylde College – BA (Hons) Photography Degree Exhibition

Castlefield Gallery hosts the 2004 Degree Show for the final year BA (Hons) Photography students at Blackpool and the Fylde College. Featuring the work of Rachel Allen, Jo Auton, David Barton, Jonathan Blake, John Paul Brown, Graham Lucas Commons, Jo Doran, Hayley Durose, Suzanne Emery, Heidi Gordon-Smith, Patrick Grame-Baker, Jen Green, Pete Harding, LeeAnn Hawron, Rachel Liggett, Pierre Maelzer, Liam Mapp, Craig Marsden, Daniel Moss, Gareth Pinnington, Kate Potter, Samson Rickard, Ben Robinson, Anders Roeren, Emmie Smith, Charlie Staniland, Douglas Stuart, Kelly Todd and Dominic Turner.

Nationally and internationally renowned, the course is the oldest of its type in the country and attracts aspiring photographers from all parts of the UK and abroad. With a strong emphasis placed on equipping students with the skills able to enter the photographic profession, third year tutor Geoff Clark says “The course prides itself on its ability to produce photographers able to hit the ground running. Photography is a very competitive industry and our students have to know an awful lot about all aspects of the business, whether their specialism is still life, fashion or documentary photography.”

Visitors to the gallery will be able to sample a broad range of work in the exhibition, which moves on to London at the end of June. For further details on the exhibition or about the BA (Hons) Photography programme visit the course website at: http://www.blackpool-photography.org.uk/

MORE ON BA (HONS) PHOTOGRAPHY AT BLACKPOOL AND THE FYLDE COLLEGE:
Blackpool’s BA (Hons) Photography course has an international reputation for producing photographers of the highest calibre, and the majority of their graduates go on to work in photography or an allied field.

Students are free to explore any area of photography and have regular contact with practitioners through a Visiting Lecturer programme and periods of industrial release. The course embraces both traditional techniques and digital imaging, and there are excellent resources for both approaches.

The course has very strong links with several organisations in the photographic industry, including the British Institute of Professional Photography, who approve and validate the third year Professional Qualifying Examination. They are also an ‘Apex’ affiliated member of the Association of Photographers, which entitles them to visits by godparent photographers and a work experience scheme. The scheme enables a number of second year students to undertake a one week work experience with a leading London photographer.

There are a number of competitions throughout the year, which students are encouraged to take part in as an opportunity to publicise their work. They have won more competitions over the last few years than any other photography course in the country. Their prize list includes first prizes in the AoP Student Awards, the Fuji Awards, Metro Awards, D&AD and the Mitsubishi Electronic Imaging Awards.