Level 2 Creative Media 2024Level 2 Creative Media 2024

Horror Trailers

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Final Project Films

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Photography and Digital Graphics

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Dudley Zoo Carnivores CompetitionDudley Zoo Carnivores Competition

Each year, our photography and graphics students work with Dudley Zoo on a variety of exciting projects aimed at raising awareness of animal welfare and conservation.

This focus of this year’s project was carnivores, with many students making regular trips to the zoo to photograph the animals and learn more about them and their eating habits. Not only is this a good chance to put their knowledge of camera techniques to the test (as animals can be notoriously difficult to photograph) , it’s also a great opportunity to get closer to wildlife in a way that can’t be achieved simply by watching nature documentaries online or on TV.

Below is a gallery of some of our students’ amazing images – we hope you enjoy.

Phil Brooks, photography course tutor

Scafell Pike Climb 2024Scafell Pike Climb 2024

On Monday 13th March 2024, a combination of Photography, Art, Graphic Design, Production Arts, Music and Tourism students, along with the members of staff and the Students Union, took on the challenge of climbing Scafell Pike, despite challenging weather conditions.

Accompanying the group on the day was former Dudley Mayor Steve Waltho. As an experienced climber, he helped the group of 30 reach 1,500 ft from the foot of the mountain.

As the weather took a turn for the worst, achieving this height was even more impressive and a great reflection of the resolve and enthusiasm of our staff and students.

The hike was in support of the College’s nominated charities, Ronnie & Friends and Black Country Mental Health, for which students and staff raised an incredible £1,500 with photography student, Louis Simcox, raising more than £300 through his own efforts.

Phil Brooks, photography course tutor

The Refugee Project 2024The Refugee Project 2024

At last year’s Dudley Holocaust Memorial event, we were commissioned by Lord Ian Austin to explore the life stories of the current refugees and migrants who have sought sanctuary and safety in our community of Dudley. 

This project, which included photographs, video interviews and paintings, culminated in an exhibition at Dudley Archives in February this year which celebrated the resilience, diversity, inclusion, togetherness and community of our local refugees. 

Dudley College Photography students worked with local art photographer, Anand Chhabra, to produce a compelling set of images, while our technician/artist, Chris Davies, made some wonderful paintings to complement the students’ work. 

Our TV and film students also conducted interviews with the refugees featured in our exhibition to explore their individual stories and investigate more deeply their sense of feeling supported and welcomed by the community of Dudley. 

Thanks to the Dudley Archives, we also researched some fascinating historical refugees who had made Dudley their home in the past and contributed to society in often very interesting cultural, artistic and scientific ways. 

Thanks to all the wonderful people and especially to the refugees who worked with us on the project, many of whom are English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students here at Dudley College. It was an amazing and often humbling experience to meet people from Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Uganda and lots of other places and learn more about their culture, experiences and traditions. 

The opening night of our exhibition at Dudley Archives in February was a huge success, with more than 100 visitors who came to see the work on display, talk to the refugees and watch the interviews conducted by our students. It was also featured in local newspaper, the Express and Star.

Chris Davies’ portrait of one particular refugee, Mansoor, was also featured in this year’s highly-acclaimed RBSA Portrait Prize exhibition, which was on show at the society’s gallery in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, recently. 

Phil Brooks, photography course tutor
Maddison Wellsbury, 2nd year photography student
Miah Bryan, 2nd year photography student 

A-Level Photography 2024A-Level Photography 2024

AYAH ABDUL-HALIM | ALEESHA BALL | ALIVEA BENNETT | BETHAN BOWATER | ISOBEL COOPER | LUCINDA ELSON-WHITTAKER | PAULINA JONKISZ | RUBY PARKER | AMELIA PARR | GRACE TAYLOR | GRACE WARD

A-Level Photography allows learners the opportunity to express themselves creatively while exploring ideas and concepts that are personal and meaningful. This is clearly demonstrated across the wonderful work created by this years A-Level cohort. I could not be prouder of the work and achievements made by each member of the Photography group.

Learners often choose issues within society as a means to connect their Photography to an audience. The course consistently challenges them to problem solve and improve both quality and concept as they progress. This ultimately prepares them for both industry and Higher Education.

Industry-standard software and equipment are embedded throughout the course to again support progression, exploring the Creative Cloud Adobe Suite with programs such as Photoshop and Lightroom for image editing, along with InDesign to create their stunning portfolios and project work. To allow for a deeper understanding of photography, learners are encouraged to work with both modern and traditional techniques such as darkroom and Cyanotypes. This 2-year programme builds theoretical and practical knowledge to allow our learners the creative means to express themselves through Photography.

I hope you enjoy exploring the work from this year’s Photography learners.

Simon Morris, A-Level Photography Tutor, Dudley Sixth

Ayah Abdul-Halim

During year 13 I experimented creating imagery which represented the feeling of hope using a digital camera. I used a variety of photographic techniques like street, portrait and still life photography for my shoots developing a range of outcomes. After my A-Levels I will be taking a gap year to discover myself more before returning to education with the potential route of becoming a lawyer.

Aleesha Ball

The concept of my project is to create images that convey motion to reflect the high energy captured within them. My main inspirations are metal and rock music as I enjoy them the most and the bands I saw played these types of music. I did this by taking long exposure photographs to capture lots of movement and edited the colours to be brighter and more eye-catching.

I also edited a few images in Photoshop to add a motion blur without doing it on the camera to showcase different uses of effects. I photographed both live music and studio shoots with instruments as props and I think the mixture of both works quite well together.

I am currently working towards doing a foundation level in arts and I plan on going to Nottingham Trent University the year after to study photography further.

Alivea Bennett

For this project, I focused on the techniques used and the components which develop and make up product photography as a whole, techniques such as the use of gel lighting, shadows, and the use of water droplets along with a range of other techniques. I also intended for this project to have a focus on the use of vibrant colours in my work particularly complimentary colours.

I experimented with various skills/ techniques in order to develop my skill range and capture my intentions in my work. I found particular success through the use of negative space, shadows, contrast, depth and colour in my work which brought a focus to the object of the image and created a more professional outcome to my outcomes.

After A-levels I intend to go to Warwick University to complete a degree in Law and Sociology.

Bethan Bowater

For this project I explored the concept of individuality by forming characters to showcase the distinct separateness between people and how each person has their own identity. My initial starting point of this project was table, and it is through a table that I have presented the different personality types of an individual by giving them their own personality trait.

For the layout of the images, I wanted to capture all of the models together in an arrangement to further accentuate the uniqueness of each of the characters. Overall, my images are successful as they extenuate the difference between each person through the simplicity of a table and incorporate a variety of skills such as cinematography which is the art of photography and visual storytelling in a motion picture. I used this to build a narrative for each of the characters to help further underline the individuality of a person.

In the future I am to go to the University Of Birmingham to study sociology and education.

Isobel Cooper

My collection of images explores the human presence in everyday life. These are some of my final results for one of my projects which follows a documentary style of photography to show my perspective of how I see the people around me. In this project I was able to develop my work as I moved through different locations and found new places and people to photograph. These are some of my favourite images in showing my view of the people around me.

I am unsure on what I will do next however I am going to continue my photography further in the future.

Lucinda Elson-Whittaker

These are some of my final images from a project where I wanted to explore the unseen struggles that people may experience in their lives in comparison to how they project themselves to everyone in day-to-day life. I explored the ways my mom portrays herself at work, whether that be with colleagues or patients, in comparison to how she may truly feel because of her work environment. Furthermore, I thought it would be interesting to investigate the ways she attempts to work through this stress as well as know why she continues this job despite the negative impacts.

I plan to study photography at Manchester Metropolitan University in September.

Paulina Jonkisz

During the second year of my photography course, my main intention was to explore and experiment with the use of a diverse range of mixed media techniques. For my Component 1 project, ‘Cyan Reminiscence’, my project was centred around the alternative cyanotype photographic process, partnered with the creation of stop motion. During this project, I created cyanotype stop motions presenting a range of themes, mostly consisting of nature, freedom, and escapism.

My Component 2 photography project, ‘Essence of Identity’, consists of mixed media exploration, with the central aim of this project consisting of exhibiting alternative and unique identities. I have decided to explore with the use of a diverse range of materials in order to fabricate a range of creative textures that emphasise the identities presented.

In September, I am planning on studying Film, Photography and Media BA at The University of Leeds.

Ruby Parker

In this project, I explored the concept of identity and how it can become fragmented and distorted. I placed a key focus on editing photos in a glitch-like style, this reflected the broken, multi-faceted nature of identity. Throughout the project, I also explored collaged outcomes in the style of Photographer David Hockney, these collages reflected the multiple ways people may present themselves in society and their online personas.

I utilised a range of techniques throughout this component from simple coloured portraiture to black and white collages, this allowed me to explore many concepts in order to create my final piece. To conclude my project, I combined my glitch style outcomes into a short video clip showing the slow and gradual process of distortion through the use of social media.

After A-Levels, I intend to study Psychology with criminology at Birmingham City University.

Amelia Parr

In my A-level photography projects, I showcase work that encourages viewers too see things differently. Through one project, I reveal the hidden elements of natural forms, highlighting its often-unnoticed details allowing my audience to appreciate them more. In the other, I explored different ways to view architecture, challenging typical perspectives and offering new ways to look at everyday buildings.

My aim over my projects is to inspire my audience to take time to observe and find beauty in the ordinary, to realise there are many ways we can perceive and appreciate the world around us.

I plan on studying a degree in photography at Birmingham city University

Grace Taylor

The first three images are some of the final results taken from my project which explores the relationship society has with technology nowadays. I used old devices from the 90’s and early 2000’s to create irony and highlight the almost strange dependency we have on our phones compared to 20 years ago.

The next three are my final pieces taken from my exam project, which focus on the starting point of layers. The three collages, constructed in Photoshop, highlight the similarities and differences between natural, human and animal form with a focus on grunge as a visual aesthetic.

In September I plan to study Graphic Design at Birmingham City University.

Grace Ward

For the first project, my learnt interests in photography grew into exploring and seeking deeper meanings about our reality through photography. My concept was based upon depicting change within the urban environment in black and white imagery outcomes to express the change between the original colour format used to document early development of towns and cities. Applied to the modern day to put an emphasis upon our ever changing and developing urban reality. I further worked with capturing and developing my own B&W film to further emphasise the classical link I was seeking within this project.

When it came to the next project, I wanted to focus on my personal reality. A camera gives you the ability to freeze a moment in time, something you can look back and be nostalgic, sentimental or even grateful for. This understanding made me want to seek out my reality and capture significant moments in my life in relation to the set topic of table. In my final I understood that; the table became a symbolic reference to what was important and held importance within my life.

My plans are that I intend to study photography at university. My chosen university is Birmingham City University.

Studio Photography Evening Class 2024Studio Photography Evening Class 2024

ROBERT BALL | HOLLY BEVINGTON | DEREK DANKS | JOHN FOXALL | DARRYLL GARLAND | SHAUN HADLEY | ABBIE HORTON | STEPHEN HUGHES | ISHTIAQ HUSSAIN | HELEN MILLARD | MURRON MORTON | DENISE NOCK | CHARLOTTE OLAYINKA | JAMES ORDWAY | SAM ORDWAY | ANITA PATEL | NORMAN SMITH | PETER TURNER | JOSIANE UMURUTASATE | TETIANA VERGUN | JORDY WEBB | GEOFFREY WESSON | JESS WESTBURY

Robert Ball

Holly Bevington

Derek Danks

John Foxall

Darryll Garland

Shaun Hadley

Abbie Horton

Stephen Hughes

Ishtiaq Hussain

Helen Millard

Murron Morton

Denise Nock

Charlotte Olayinka

James Ordway

Sam Ordway

Anita Patel

Norman Smith

Peter Turner

Josiane Umurutasate

Tetiana Vergun

Jordy Webb

Geoffrey Wesson

Jess Westbury

Artsfest Photography Yr2 Gallery 2024Artsfest Photography Yr2 Gallery 2024

LEXIE BAKER | MIAH BRYAN | HOLLIE CARRINGTON | COREY CHALLENGER | JOSHUA HARPER | BETH HEWITT | JESSE JEWKES | GRACE JONES | MEGAN NOCK | SARAH RALPH | CHARLIE SOUTHWELL | MADDISON WELLSBURY | CALLUM WOODALL | VALENTINA ZIVANOVIC

Lexie Baker

For as long as I can remember, I have had an absolute passion for baking, so this was the main reason I chose to photograph a selection of my creations as it combines two of my favourite hobbies, baking and photography. Having recently been diagnosed as gluten-intolerant, my eyes have been opened to the possibilities

and endless trial and error that gluten-free baking involves. My project focuses on displaying a wide variety of my favourite baked treats which I have managed to adapt the ingredients of, to show people that being gluten-free does not have to mean boring!

I feel very strongly about this topic as the price of gluten-free products in all supermarkets in comparison to standard products are astronomical. Food intolerance sufferers have no choice but to pay! Furthermore, the majority of supermarket gluten-free treats I have tried are somewhat lacking in taste which motivated me to get in the kitchen and experiment with different flours, raising agents and extras to see what worked and what didn’t. Many alterations resulted in failed attempts but after months of persevering, I believe that I have found many great substitutes to replace ingredients that I would have used before my gluten-free journey.

In a world where dietary restrictions can sometimes feel limiting, I want the world to see that having dietary restrictions is not the end of the world and that it just means you have the opportunity to get creative and experiment with different recipes!

Miah Bryan

My final major project aims to showcase the progress and development of my photography skills. During my time at Dudley College, my confidence levels have significantly increased, leading to an increase in my photography knowledge and proficiency in various techniques.

The theme for my final major project is called Pure Essence. I produced this name because the work uses light painting and expresses the individual’s essence through light. My theme for the final major project highlights the use of light painting to create a spiritual aesthetic in the images. The colours used in the photographs evoke a sense of one’s essence or aura emanating from the body, making each person’s essence unique and intriguing.

My work is characterised by its artistic nature, captivating viewers with its vibrant colours and calming effect. My work was created to appeal to a wide audience. My photographs encourage individuals to interpret the images in their own way which gives a sense of connection and appreciation for the diversity of one’s essence.

Hollie Carrington

Photography, for me, is more than just capturing images, it’s a means of storytelling, a way to freeze moments in time and preserve emotions, experiences, and

perspectives. Through my lens, I seek to uncover the extraordinary in the ordinary, to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

My approach to photography is deeply rooted in observation and connection. I am drawn to the light and shadow, the colours, and textures in everyday life, Whether I’m documenting landscapes, portraits, or street scenes, I strive to capture the essence of each subject, to convey its unique character and narrative.

I believe that photography has the power to evoke emotions and provoke thought. Each photograph is a reflection of my perspective, a window into my vision of the world. Through my work, I aim to inspire curiosity, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our planet and its inhabitants.

Corey Challenger

Roots and Reflections: Faces of the Black Country 

All my photography is an exploration of the vibrant and diverse community of the Black Country. Through my lens, I seek to capture the essence and spirit of the people who call this region home. Each photograph is a window into the lives, stories, and emotions of individuals who contribute to the rich tapestry of this unique cultural landscape.

In my work, I aim to celebrate the resilience, strength, and beauty of the people of the Black Country. From intimate portraits to candid moments, I strive to portray the authenticity and depth of human experience. Through the interplay of light, shadow, and composition, I invite viewers to connect with the subjects on a profound level, to see beyond the surface and into the soul.

Moreover, each image is a testament to the power of visibility and the importance of honouring and amplifying marginalised narratives. I hope to showcase how great the older generation were and are, in terms of their work and credibility, to the younger generations. I also want to be able to reach to the older generation and have them reminisce on a previous time.

Ultimately, my photography is a testament to the resilience, beauty, and complexity of the human spirit. It is a tribute to the strength and diversity of the Black Country community, a celebration of identity, and a call to action for greater inclusivity, compassion, and social justice.

Joshua Harper

This project highlights the decline of analogue watches in recent decades. Analogue watches have lost relevancy to the youth as learning digital has been the dominant clock face to learn as analogue is left to the dust. The younger generation will look to their phones for the time instead of analogue watches.

This project has been one where I had fun in the creation as it allowed me to play with different aspects of brand photography, especially experimenting with different styles. I think this project has fully engaged my creativity, as it has pushed me to play around with different techniques and has been an adventures experience for me.

The challenges I had along the way were understanding how to approach this style of photography, as it can be very meticulous with its small details. I have taken inspiration from Edward Fury as he has dabbled in this range and has been an influence on me and this project.

Beth Hewitt

This project draws attention to the problematical nature of the world around us and as we see it. Involving different boroughs of the Black Country, the intended purpose of the project was to unite our community by allowing people to be heard and what they feel the United Kingdom could work on. My inspirations come from photographers such as Phil Loach and Daniel Meadows due to their incredible work ethic in terms of social skills and digital storytelling.

The gratification theory has been used to identify the target audience and develop the intentions for the project. This specifically fulfils the needs of others identifying and relating with the work (Personal Identity), learning (Information) and encouraging social integration. The specified target audience is directed at 18+ and aims to encourage a deeper perspective of our country and how it affects everyone.

I have thoroughly enjoyed tackling this final project and seeing everything come together in the end. I am most proud of stepping outside my comfort zone and getting stuck into the humanistic approach most photographers use. I stepped aside from my typical studio photography to focus on the art of documentary and ‘The world we live in’.

I have faced challenges such as a lack of willing participation in communities, which only deepened my appreciation of different areas and supported the nature of the project. This project is a significant step on my journey as it has initiated my path to studying journalism at university and becoming more confident, a great listener, creative, compassionate etc. This project has also helped me fulfil the role of the person I aspire to be.

I think my target audience will take valuable information away from it about the world they live in and how they identify with their community. My project explored a range of topics such as the heritage/history of the people I got to know, opinions on our country and advice for our generation. It is a powerful project as not only were photographs taken, but I also took time to hear the individual’s stories. My documentary images exhibit a place we call home and draw beautiful pictures of the world around us.

Jesse Jewkes

I believe in the power of the still image, I feel photography is a great way of capturing momentous occasions, times of joy and is fundamental to the way we express

ourselves. I enjoy capturing the fun times and taking pictures of deep meaning as well as showing beauty in the ordinary and mundane.

The idea I decided to go with for the final major project was to use a technique called projection image photography, this is a technique where you use a projector to project images on to a subject or model. This is a remarkably interesting type of photography and I think you can get interesting images from it. I decided to give it a go because it was something new that I had not tried before.

I came up with the idea to project colourful words onto someone which evolved into using numbers not words. This project gives the feeling of humans becoming increasingly in contact with technology and how they are starting to almost blend seamlessly with technology as humans technology are becoming inseparable integrated. The target audience for this project is people who enjoy projection image photography.

Grace Jones

In my photography, I strive to capture the profound beauty that resides within the solitary moments of life. My work explores the complex layers of loneliness, presenting it not as a state to be feared, but as a powerful and beautiful aspect of the human experience.

Through intimate portraits, I delve into the inner words of individuals, revealing the silent strength and vulnerability that often goes unnoticed. Each subject, framed against minimalistic backgrounds, tells a story of solitude and introspection, inviting viewers to find a piece of their own reflection in the quiet spaces between light and shadow.

In contrast, my landscape photograph offers a broader canvas, where vast, untouched terrains become metaphors for the expansive nature of solitude. These serene and often desolate environments highlight the inherent beauty in isolation, suggesting that there is a certain peace and clarity to be found when one is alone with the world.

Beauty, in my work, is not confined to the traditionally picturesque but is discovered in the raw, unfiltered moments of life. By embracing both the starkness of empty spaces and the nuance of solitude, I aim to create a visual dialogue that resonates with the universal human condition.

My photography is a celebration of loneliness as an essential, enriching part of our existence, where both portraits and landscapes converge to illuminate the understated elegance of being alone.

Throughout my work, I invited my models to reflect on their own encounters with loneliness and find solace in the shared nature of this deep human emotion.

Megan Nock

My project, ‘See the music’ includes an artistic approach to album covers. Every photographic cover represents a song and its lyrics somehow linking to the image. This project allowed me to step outside the box and think on a deeper level as well as expand my style of photography to a more expressive genre.

My target audience are collectors of album covers, music lovers and people with a creative eye. I want my audience to listen to the music and view the images from my perspective. People outside the intended audience could still benefit from my work as it is an activity for all and can create a brand-new experience for music itself.

Inspirations for this project comes from artists such as Jack Bridgeland on the SN37 Agency or album covers in general because there is always some sort of theme or underlying aesthetic included.

My final project represents all the new knowledge of photography that I have been shown throughout the past two years at Dudley College. It will represent how my editing photography and research has improved and how my ideas have a new perspective. This will benefit me in the future to grow as an artist, not just a photographer and support me to explore new themes.

Sarah Ralph

Product photography is the art of capturing high-quality images of products for use in various marketing and promotional materials. It is a crucial element in magazines, advertisements, and social media campaigns, it showcases products in their best

light to entice potential customers. Effective fragrance photography involves meticulous attention to lighting, composition, background, and post-production to highlight the bottles intricate designs, luxurious packaging, and the brand’s essence. High-quality images can significantly enhance a fragrance brand’s online presence, create a sophisticated and desirable image, and ultimately drive sales by providing customers with a clear and attractive representation of the products.

By accurately depicting the elegance and allure of perfumes and aftershaves, excellent product photography can influence purchasing decisions and elevate customer satisfaction, leading to increased sales and brand loyalty.

From the beginning of my photography journey, I have always had a keen interest in product photography. I find I am often drawn to images that experiment with vibrant colours and unique compositions.

Throughout this project, I have explored and tested a range of techniques and methods to produce images that have the same captivating effects as the ones that inspired me. This included the use of coloured gels, multiple lighting setups such as wrap around lighting and a range of interesting compositions created using a variety of props.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this project and I believe my final images exemplify high-quality product photography and effectively showcase my skills in this field.

Charlie Southwell

My final major project is titled Imagining Tomorrow’s Magazines Today, and it consists of creating magazine covers in the style of well-known magazine brands, putting my own twist on the images. I aim to show magazine covers designed in unique ways that do not correlate with the norms of cover design in today’s media and push people to use unusual techniques more often in the future.

My intended audience includes artists and graphic designers as I wish to inspire them to use unique techniques in their work. Others outside of my target audience can still benefit from my work as they can see the simple aspects of graphic design and photography and learn that it is okay to use different techniques no matter what people think about them.

During the creation of my final major project, I am most proud of planning and executing my first idea and seeing how well it turned out after post-production. The first challenge I had to overcome was during my first shoot, where I did not have access to a black background, so I had to use a white background instead which did not fit with my vision. I overcame this by changing my planned colour scheme so it would fit with the background and not look out of place.

This project has played a big part in my development journey as a photographer as it has helped me to understand the world of fashion photography and how important photographers are for the fashion industry. This work has also helped me develop my skills for my career as a fashion photographer.

My wish is that any artist or designer will view my work and understand that you do not have to abide by the standards of today’s media industry to fit in and that you should follow your own ideas and explore unique styles that suit them.

Maddison Wellsbury

For my final major project, I wanted to explore a theme that I really enjoy doing but will also increase my confidence in my photography skills at the same time. This project has allowed me to edit and manipulate my own images in a way that also shows off my editing skills and also demonstrates my type of photography.

The theme for my Final Major Project is architecture and landscapes. The name of my project is Urban Architecture. I have chosen this theme as I want to display to my audience that styles of architecture and buildings can change over time due to manmade or natural reasons. I have used and applied skills that I have learnt, using Photoshop over a long period of time. While going along with this project I have demonstrated times where I’ve had to solve problems such as how I wanted to achieve types of images and that I wanted to create and show how my images will be manipulated and edited. I hope by creating these types of images it will make the audience appreciate the environment we have around us.

My work is inspired by a few landscape based photographers, such as Paul Brogan who is a town based architectural photographer.

Callum Woodall

The theme for my final project is about hidden disabilities which builds upon past projects such as Diversity. My project, Hidden Surface, encourages the audience to reflect on the subject’s disabilities. I want to show that those with disabilities are not alone, and they should express their differences (where most hide). My aim is to showcase and celebrate these differences through my work. Some of the photographers that inspired me to do this project are Alex Ten Napel and Zoe Proctor because of their cooperation of monochrome to express more details of their subjects’ facial features creating a more emotional connection within their work.

This project has allowed me to become more independent and develop a flexible approach to my work, expressing creativity and maintaining full control over the project, from developing consent forms, holding meetings, and working with models for each shoot.

Whilst studying at Dudley College my three greatest achievements are:

> Working alongside international photographer Rob Hornstra and Arnold Van Bruggen as I received a worldwide published acknowledgement (book about the Black Country) for my assistance and knowledge around the Black Country

> Helping raise over £23,000 for a baby-loss awareness charity by climbing the highest mountain in England (Scafell Pike)

> Becoming the diversity representative for the whole college

Valentina Zivanovic

I think photography is a powerful tool to express yourself – it can help us to appreciate and enhance other people’s work even more. I personally love working with musicians and music, and this is what my project is based on.

I enjoy playing around with Lightroom and Photoshop to enhance my images. I’m pretty good at studio photography, but really, I prefer taking pictures of natural and spontaneous moments. Ross Halfin is a big inspiration for me when it comes to photography. In the future, I hope to work with bands to photograph gigs and help produce images to promote their work.

This project is my interpretation on many styles of album covers, seeing what ground I could cover and what worked best with that. Each piece of media should evoke a different feeling however, most are based around a form of censorship or psychedelia. There is also a use of AI in certain images but not all – for example, some of the borders I created were partially created using AI to make them appear more spontaneous and psychedelic.

I chose to place all of the mock-up CDs into physical cases and place them on a rotating display to give a more tangible feeling to my works. All these works are fictional, although some display actual musicians.

Artsfest Photography Yr1 Gallery 2024Artsfest Photography Yr1 Gallery 2024

THOMAS ASHFIELD | AMBER ASTON | INDERDEEP BASRA | ELOISE BEARD | LUI BRAHIMAJ | DANNI JADE CRUICKSHANKS | TOBI DEGG | MARIA LATEU DALTON | BONNI JAY DUDLEY | CONNOR GRIFFITHS | ANGEL REYNOLDS-HAILING | LILLIE HARRIS | JORDAN HINTON | ALEX HUMPAGE | MADISON HOLLERON | CONNOR JAY LAWRENCE | WANESSA LOBODZINSKA | SYDNEY MICKLEWRIGHT | SHANNON MOLOUGHNEY | BETH MOGG | MADISON MOUNTFORD | JULIA MULEWSKA | LIBBY LEE MYRING | MASON WILD | EMILY WILLIAMS | LUCY WILLIS

Thomas Ashfield

Amber Aston

Inderdeep Basra

Eloise Beard

Lui Brahimaj

Danni Jade Cruickshanks

Tobi Degg

Maria Lateu Dalton

Bonni Jay Dudley

Connor Griffiths

Angel Reynolds-Hailing

Lillie Harris

Jordan Hinton

Alex Humpage

Madison Holleron

Connor-Jay Lawrence

Wanessa Lobodzinska

Sydney Micklewright

Shannon Moloughney

Beth Mogg

Madison Mountford

Julia Mulewska

Libby Lee Myring

Mason Wild

Emily Williams

Lucy Willis

Photography BTEC National Diploma Level 3 2024Photography BTEC National Diploma Level 3 2024

YEAR 1

YEAR 2

EVENING CLASS

Here in Dudley, our students’ journey towards professional image-making has seen them seeking to find their own creative voice, whilst building meaning into their photography, growing in confidence, becoming a supportive community, learning to articulate their work as well as dealing with responses to their work, all whilst maintaining enthusiasm, inspiration, and motivation. 

We have sought to promote kindness, community, and diversity. We have continued to strengthen our close relationship with Dudley Zoo, Dudley’s Gentleman’s Songsters and Dudley Remembers and Dudley Holocaust Memorial Day. One of our students is now Diversity and Inclusion rep for the whole college.

As well as exhibiting our diversity project at Dudley Town Hall last October, we have recently had the pleasure of working with local refugees from all round the world, who have made Dudley their home. It has become a local yet international collaboration. This has been our biggest, most important project to date – The Dudley Refugee Project – It was a year in the making – commissioned by Lord Ian Austin – featuring many of our ESOL students and other refugees, including a number from Ukraine.

Our recent exhibition at The Dudley Archives was attended The Mayor of Dudley. This work exposure involved students working alongside art photographer Anand Chhabra, who won the Mayor’s Civic Award for art last year, for his work with us, which involved a collaboration with Historic England, celebrating High Street Heroes, for our national touring exhibition, featured in the Guardian newspaper.   

This year, two students worked in their own time, photographing with Dudley Caribbean and Friends Association, helping them with their own photography and raising awareness of the social welfare needs of the elderly African Caribbean community in Dudley.  

During the course, we have raised money for The Royal British Legion, Children in Need and most notably for Ronnie and Friends, for whom we helped raise over £22,000 towards building a baby bereavement room at Russel’s Hall Hospital in Dudley, by abseiling off the college and climbing the highest mountain in England, in winter.  

Frequently these students demonstrate their drive and aspiration by staying late and are often still working when the evening class arrive and sometime even help teach them. From our shared induction in the sports hall, on day one, onwards, we try to break barriers between curriculum areas and levels. We have visiting speakers most weeks, often old students coming in, to give back and inspire.         

We aim to enable a supportive, intrinsically motivated community. My students don’t need commendations or stickers; they work through their lunch or volunteer to photograph college events at weekends. They feel they are working, not just for their own skill-development, personal experience or portfolio-building but often for the greater good.  

Phil Brooks, course leader, photography

Photography Class of 2024 Highlights

SCAFELL PIKE CLIMB FOR LOCAL CHARITIES

DUDLEY REFUGEE PROJECT

DUDLEY ZOO CARNIVORES COMPETITION

Level 2 Creative Media 2023Level 2 Creative Media 2023

Horror Trailers

Amber Aston – Solus

Jessica Oakley Crawford – The Seance

Danni Jade Cruickshanks – Whispers

Bobby Deegan and Dominik Toleikis – The Wheelie

Abigail Foxall – Revenge Bites

Aqib Islam – The Man

Daniel Joe – Revenge Bites

Sebastian Lewis – Whispers

Final Project Films

Asim Ajmal – Montage

Yi Fan Chen – Drunken Master

Liam Clark – Talk Tonight

Warren Dudley – Let U Go

Daniel Joe – The Doorway Into Esports

Sebastian Lewis – Scrambled

Daniel Shirley – The Decision

Jamal Taylor – Animation

Photography and Digital Graphics

Amber Aston

Jessica Oakley-Crawford

Danni-Jade Cruickshanks

Bobby Deegan

Abigail Foxall

Fahad Hamidi

Toya Marie Harvey

Wanessa Lobodzinska

Destiny Makubuya 

Libby Lee Myring