Watch This Video of Our Upcycling Fashion Shoot with Andy Kruczek – January 2023
This creative cohort endured testing times through the COVID-era, at school, but have now built their confidence, cohesiveness and created a collaborative, supportive ethos. In terms of inter-department collaboration, they have photographed most college dance, musical theatre and drama events since the summer. All 2nd years are currently making promotional images for music students. Only one of our students considered going to university at the start of the course. Now 7 or 8 out of 11 are going to university and not only local ones. This year we have organised many talks, including from Gloucester University, Staffordshire University and Coventry University. We have travelled for workshops to The University of Wolverhampton and Hereford College of Arts. Also, previous students from Falmouth University, BCU, etc, have come back to work with us and inspire us.
Since Christmas, we took part in a special cross-curricular upgrade fashion shoot, inspired by Andy Kruczek’s talk and mentoring, later exhibited at the YMCA shop. Recently, we exhibited across 3 campuses for the college’s Equality and Diversity Day, as well as having a Conservation Photography exhibition at The Dudley Archives. Last year’s student Zoo Book raised hundreds of pounds for the orangutans of Indonesia. Following our work with Anand Chhabra, for Historic England, 3 students have been selected to exhibit their High St Heroes work across England, including London and Derby’s Festival of Photography.
This creative cohort endured testing times through the COVID-era, at school, but have now built their confidence, cohesiveness and created a collaborative, supportive ethos. In terms of inter-department collaboration, they have photographed most college dance, musical theatre and drama events since the summer. All 2nd years are currently making promotional images for music students. Only one of our students considered going to university at the start of the course. Now 7 or 8 out of 11 are going to university and not only local ones. This year we have organised many talks, including from Gloucester University, Staffordshire University and Coventry University. We have travelled for workshops to The University of Wolverhampton and Hereford College of Arts. Also, previous students from Falmouth University, BCU, etc, have come back to work with us and inspire us.
We are currently working with staff and students at the IOT, pioneering an educational app for students with communication difficulties, to be used across Dudley Schools. This year, one student won Dudley Young Photographer of the Year and another won a top 10 UK student award, for an image, later exhibited at the national Photography Show. In addition, one student has had a very fruitful work experience engagement with Thomas Dudley. We are currently making a ‘Ronnie and Friends’ Baby Loss Awareness book as well as this excellent yearbook. Following our work with The Holocaust Education Trust and the Dudley Holocaust Memorial, we recently had a meeting with Lord Austin, who together with the Mayor of Dudley, is commissioning us to photograph local refugees to celebrate their contribution to the community, for a forthcoming exhibition. In so many ways, this group have exceeded expectations and we wish them continued success in the future. We’re proud of you! Keep in touch – Class of 23!
Phil Brooks, course leader, photography
Watch this Video Gallery for the Dudley Zoo Exhibition Created by Dudley College Photography Students
Watch this Showcase Video of The Diversity Project
Our recent Diversity project sought to celebrate diversity and inclusion, whilst raising awareness and challenging prejudice. Next year’s Diversity project will be judged by The Photography Show, Europe’s leading imaging trade show.
I wanted to show the rich texture in my images and the depth of nature growing within the empty, destructed buildings. This is because I wanted to incorporate the life of nature in my work, which is shown in my images by seeing the gradual growth of plants surrounding the buildings inside and out.
The abstraction and texture used in my images is the result of experimenting with techniques and colours around this idea – the colours popping out of these images wanting to catch the eyes of viewers, allowing you to place yourself in the environment as you are exploring it yourself in the beauty of nature taking its space back.
Abandoned buildings are a feature of our urban landscape which represent a post-industrial era of abandoned factories. These buildings have a history and a story behind them. It’s like I’m showing an historic landmark that has been standing for years, where the communication has been made accustomed to this and has allowed nature to grow and die around inside and out, year after year. The beauty of this can shout at you.
‘Colour’ explores the relationship between colour psychology and fashion photography. Each colour has its own characteristics associated with it that can alter viewers moods, thoughts and feelings upon viewing it. I have created a character associated with each colour portraying the feelings and emotions attached to it. The colour red is often associated with passion and sensuality but also can refer to danger. The colour blue has been known to lower both blood pressure and anxiety yet have little emotive connotations. Starting from left to right, the work attempts to alter viewers emotions. Red, the colour of emotion has physiological impacts that will raise the viewers’ heart rates. Orange, a colour known for its tension, discomfort and negative energy. Finally yellow, a representation of the sun, a colour of fun, warmth, happiness, and inspiration. The work intends to take the viewers on a journey of discomfort to comfort.
During my time at college, I have completed a number of projects ranging in different themes and technical skills. For my FMP project, I decided to photograph key locations and landmarks around the Black Country. It became clear that whilst I was photographing the key destinations that are popular with both tourists and locals, this project will be important for capturing the Black Country during a socially and financially difficult time. This year’s project reflects the domino effect of the pandemic on Dudley’s attractions. I think along with everyone else, I didn’t expect the pandemic to go on for this long, so I thought I’d make the most of documenting such an isolating and surreal time. Therefore, I have created a collection of monochrome photographs in the hope of proudly showcasing the heart of the Black Country, whilst also showing how the world we are so used to, has been paused and changed indefinitely.
I have always grown up near and around cars as many of my family members have modified their vehicles or worked in garages. So, I got to see how cars could be changed to suit the owner better. I think this has always intrigued me as it is a way of expressing yourself right from the start, when you choose the make/model and colour of your vehicle. I feel a car represents the owner and makes a statement. We are what we drive!
In the western philosophical tradition, the gendering of nature as female can be traced back to the writings of Aristotle. I have explored the romantic, feminine perspective prevalent in the 19th century Pre-Raphaelite movement and feel a need to re-imagine this tradition from a modern perspective, through the lens of a less gender binary society. In addition, technology advancements in our world have lessened the need for artists in some ways, and photography can sometimes be considered an ‘easier’ way to capture the details we wish of memories remembered for a long time. Therefore, I wanted to bring back to life the aesthetics and importance of the details that are hard to capture in paintings whilst also combining all that I have learnt about photography as they are both mediums which keep the creativeness in our lives apparent.
My project explores the zodiacs. Ever since a young age, I have been fascinated with astrology and the stars. I wanted to bring this interest forward and produce a project relating to it. Through mixed media, I have been able to represent the twelve astrological signs. I have chosen to display my monochrome portraits on canvas, to enable mixed media stitching, relating to each star sign. Each model falls under a different astrological sign therefore every part of the zodiac is displayed in my work.
