The Year 11 Photography students embarked on a trip to central London as part of their externally set assignment, exploring the project theme “Found”. The day offered students the opportunity to gather first-hand visual research, experiment creatively and immerse themselves in professional photographic work. To begin the day, students roamed around Carnaby Street, cameras in hand. As a creative warm‑up, they were set a colour challenge, in which each student was assigned a specific colour and encouraged to photograph anything they could find that matched it. This challenge not only sharpened their observational skills but also helped them think more intentionally about composition, lighting and subject matter.
After gathering a selection of images from the streets of Soho, the group made their way to The Photographer’s Gallery. Here, students explored a range of powerful exhibitions, including: Boris Mikhailov: Ukrainian Diary and Zofia Rydet: Sociological Record
These exhibitions allowed students to engage with contrasting photographic approaches and consider how photographs can be transformed when displayed in a gallery setting.
The walk back to Charing Cross provided yet another opportunity for students to gather images. Many continued photographing as they moved through the city, capturing the unexpected details they encountered along the way.
Following the trip, students planned to review their images and begin developing outcomes in response to the theme. They have continued experimenting with their photographs using Photoshop and Lightroom, refining their ideas and translating the day’s visual discoveries into creative, personal work. This visit not only enriched their research for the externally set assignment but also broadened their understanding of contemporary photography and its ability to reveal the extraordinary within the everyday.