Students Focus on Photographer

Here at Notre Dame we’re proud of the many ways that we enrich our students’ learning. Not only do our teachers and careers staff arrange countless trips out to universities and employers, but we also invite visiting speakers from industry and higher education into college to inspire our students by sharing their experiences.

On 16 January, it was the turn of A level Art, Photography and Media students to benefit from an industry expert. Professional photographer Jason Shipley visited Notre Dame to provide a lively and engaging insight into his work and career.

Based in Hull, Jason works primarily as a ‘street photographer’ and is completely self-taught. Past projects have included work with an FGM charity, raising awareness of the practice by taking photos in African communities. He’s also documented the homeless community in Hull, and UK holidays. More recently, he has photographed the ex-mining community. You may be able to spot a member of Notre Dame staff among the resulting images ( https://otjc.org.uk/miners-photography-project/).

Jason talked to our students about the ethics of a photographer and the relationship that you build with your subjects. He then worked with the lower sixth A level Photography class, sharing the tips and techniques that he employs to create the distinctive aesthetic of his work. The students took portrait photographs using each other as models, working collaboratively with Jason on the shoot and when editing. You can see the results below.

See more of Jason Shipley’s work on Instagram @jason_shipley_