Made a website to deposit the final show work from the FDa Photography grads of 2008 at Newcastle College. And less than a year on, the consensus among the cohort was that they really didn’t need it any more, so the domain name payment, a measly £5, was allowed to lapse. Looking through the remote view of this site, the individual pages are all still there, and since every now and again someone Googles (probably looking for themselves), the decent thing is to make these pages linkable again. And with MA degree shows coming up, it’s a chance to sift through their work again.
Links here are to final degree show images. In brackets is what we think they did next, or are doing now…
It’s interesting on a number of levels to revisit those pages.
Of course the work is awfully studenty. These are students, most of them just turned 20. There’s a narrow world view naturally, with inherent stylistic influence from television and the games world. Some of the work draws on the zeitgeist of national and international photography competitions, some echoes the documentary style of the region’s beloved Amber collective. A surprising amount of the work is darkroom based, and shot using 5×4 film cameras. Hooray for Anthony Downie and Wayne McIntyre, for Holly Miller and Craig Stephenson.
A Google search on each of the names reveals little, more than a year on. Several of the students have gone on to further education, and another handful are assisting or are in other parts of the industry. A degree, any degree, has to be a good thing, hasn’t it? How many geographers have geography degrees? Does a photography degree provide the beginning of a good all round education, educare meaning to draw out? It’s as good a start as any, surely?
John Kippin of Sunderland University (speaking at this summer’s Redeye symposium in Manchester) describes photography degree courses as carpet warehouses: piling them high and serving them cheap, so we know this doesn’t just apply to Newcastle College, there is an awful lot of it about. Too many students, too few resources micromanaged by dilettante technicians and delivered by tutors with big egos and little talent. It is good to be able to count on the fingers of one hand the helpful and the wise of those years. One doesn’t easily get to five.
So, if you’re looking at applying (late) to do a photography degree, look up the names and reputations of the people who are going to be teaching you. And if all you find are fleeting mentions on the pages of this blog, go somewhere else.
Under the circumstances, many of these young people have done remarkably well. If you’re one of the above, and can say where you are now, please comment. We’d love to hear from you.
Class of 2008
Made a website to deposit the final show work from the FDa Photography grads of 2008 at Newcastle College. And less than a year on, the consensus among the cohort was that they really didn’t need it any more, so the domain name payment, a measly £5, was allowed to lapse. Looking through the remote view of this site, the individual pages are all still there, and since every now and again someone Googles (probably looking for themselves), the decent thing is to make these pages linkable again. And with MA degree shows coming up, it’s a chance to sift through their work again.
Links here are to final degree show images. In brackets is what we think they did next, or are doing now…
Abi Turner [traveling in US]
Amy Roy [recently graduated, now possibly working at Venture.]
Anthony Downie [maybe involved in Red Stripe Photography]
Brenda Burrell [exhibiting lots, now also with improved pro site]
Craig Stephenson [also Red Stripe Photography though their site isn't built yet.]
Danny McCrann [great Beneath the Sheets blog: unique view of fashion, Japanese style, now sadly gone. Tumblr here.]
Debbie Sanders [has an account on Photobucket, we think]
Emily Wardhaugh [oh unrestrained joy - a proper website!]
Gemma Gray [last seen working wageslave hours at the Journal's photo retouching desk]
Hayley Welch [working somewhere in the industry, but where we know not]
Holly Miller [BA Grad, not the Holly Miller Photography with the top pagerank]
Janine Phillips
Joanne Miller
Kris Stewart [opened a retail studio in Shiney Row]
Laura Jayne Turton
Laura Weatherburn [another friendly website]
Lee Arkless [made a start, then stopped.]
Louise Henesy [recent BA graduate]
Mark Slater [assisting in Newcastle, we think Dan Prince]
Michael Flowdy
Sam Jeffreys
Sarah McNally [working for print/reprographics company]
Sara Jayne Walker [combining childrens' portraiture with childrearing]
Steph Clarke
Stephen Ives [working in catering industry]
Stuart Busby
Vicky Turnbull
Wayne McIntyre [a third Red Striper]
It’s interesting on a number of levels to revisit those pages.
Of course the work is awfully studenty. These are students, most of them just turned 20. There’s a narrow world view naturally, with inherent stylistic influence from television and the games world. Some of the work draws on the zeitgeist of national and international photography competitions, some echoes the documentary style of the region’s beloved Amber collective. A surprising amount of the work is darkroom based, and shot using 5×4 film cameras. Hooray for Anthony Downie and Wayne McIntyre, for Holly Miller and Craig Stephenson.
A Google search on each of the names reveals little, more than a year on. Several of the students have gone on to further education, and another handful are assisting or are in other parts of the industry. A degree, any degree, has to be a good thing, hasn’t it? How many geographers have geography degrees? Does a photography degree provide the beginning of a good all round education, educare meaning to draw out? It’s as good a start as any, surely?
John Kippin of Sunderland University (speaking at this summer’s Redeye symposium in Manchester) describes photography degree courses as carpet warehouses: piling them high and serving them cheap, so we know this doesn’t just apply to Newcastle College, there is an awful lot of it about. Too many students, too few resources micromanaged by dilettante technicians and delivered by tutors with big egos and little talent. It is good to be able to count on the fingers of one hand the helpful and the wise of those years. One doesn’t easily get to five.
So, if you’re looking at applying (late) to do a photography degree, look up the names and reputations of the people who are going to be teaching you. And if all you find are fleeting mentions on the pages of this blog, go somewhere else.
Under the circumstances, many of these young people have done remarkably well. If you’re one of the above, and can say where you are now, please comment. We’d love to hear from you.
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