On Tuesday 11th June 2024 Y12 BTEC Art, A Level Photography and BTEC Media students teemed up with A Level Photography students from Hayes School to take part in some Photography workshops at Middlesex University.
On arrival the students were met by Photography course director Alison Tanner who showed them around the grounds and main buildings. In the main Visual Arts building the students were able to view current degree work spanning a number of different areas of creative practice.
We were then taken to the main Photography department in order to get involved in three different workshops, helping to developing the students' experience and knowledge of different approaches to photography through the use of both new and old pieces of technology and techniques. All the students got to experience all three workshops working in small groups and rotating around the sessions and working alongside the very experienced and knowledgeable staff in the department.
CHEMIOGRAPHY
In this workshop the students learnt how to create photographs without the use of expensive cameras or enlargers etc. Here they used natural objects such as plants, dipped in developer and then applied these to light sensitive photographic paper. The results are very abstract and all about colour, pattern, shape etc. The students worked hard and fast to produce a mass of images in a very short space of time.
DIGITAL STUDIO SHOOT
In one of the large open studios the students were entrusted with some very expensive lighting equipment, cameras and computers to capture portrait and full boy images. The camera was tethered to the computer and so the students were instantly able to view their images an then, on reflection, make adjustments to lighting, costume and poses to take further images.
ANALOGUE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
Working in another large open studio space the students got a chance to work with a large format analogue Toyo camera. This traditional approach is very precise and requires great effort and skill to set up and execute correctly. The camera was connected to two large flash lights which were used to illuminate the sitter's head.
The images were taken on positive photographic paper held in a dark slide at the back of the camera. These images were then processed in the darkroom using traditional processing chemicals.
We would like to thank staff members at Middlesex University for making our trip really enjoyable and so worthwhile. The experience that the students have gained will certainly impact on their current developing coursework and be with them into Y13 and further developments.
Please check out the links below for further details regarding Middlesex University, the range of course that they have on offer and examples of work from their recent degree shows.