National photography competition success for Horsham students

The young photographers from Collyer’s joined those from schools and colleges from all over the UK in entering the contest which asked for their favourite portrait, landscape and still life photographs.

Collyer’s year two A Level photography students Berhan Arslan and Freya Milligan were shortlisted for their work, along with Lauren Booth and Ricardo Lima Castaneda whose photographs were selected in the highly commended category.

Year one photography student Josh Lowe, who came to Collyer’s from Durrington High Schoo, produced a surreal landscape double exposure image, which was also highly commended.

Both Freya, a former Millais student, and Lauren, who joined Collyer’s from Midhurst Rother College, were lucky enough to have two of their photographs selected in both the shortlisted and highly commended categories.

Lauren said: “Out of all the people that entered, I was so happy to have my photographs selected. It was so lovely to see my work on the website with all the other entries. It’s amazing to have my work highly commended by this great university.”

The competition – which was open to students of photography and visual arts subjects aged 16 or over and in full-time further education – was judged by a panel including London Met Photography BA (Hons) alumni, photographers and lecturers,and a panel of current photography BA students.

All the judges commented on the quality of images, how hard it was to make decisions and how much they enjoyed seeing the work from the 260 entries they received.

Berhan’s Arslan’s atmospheric image of the train was one of those to catch the judges’ eye.

Berhan, who attended Hazelwick before coming to Collyer’s, said: “I found the location whilst out on a bike ride and I was inspired to create the final image with this ominous atmosphere.

“I have loved studying photography at Collyer’s, it has been an inspiring environment to learn in. I have made some great friends and we have enjoyed sharing our work and ideas with each other. Being shortlisted for this competition is a great way to end the year.”

Ricardo Lima Castaneda, previously at Ifield Community College and who is going on to study a degree in photography at Ravensbourne, was ‘honoured’ to have been highly commeded,

He said: “I have loved studying photography at Collyer’s over the last two years, my work has developed so much, and the course has given me the skills to take my photography further.”

The students’ work will be printed in the London MET BA (Hons) photography magazine – ‘Socket’ – and shown on the BA (Hons) photography website at www.ldnmetarts.photography/ypypyt2021

Head of photography, Laura Andrews, said: “We are so proud of our students’ hard work and dedication. During the toughest of times, they continue to inspire us with their outstanding creativity.

“Well done to all of the photography students involved, it is so wonderful for them to be recognised in this way.”

Collyer’sdeputy principal, Steve Martell, said: “Our outstanding photography department is quite rightly widely regarded as amongst the best in the country.

“Laura Andrews, the teaching and technical team, and our gifted student photographers are an absolute credit to the Collyer’s community.”