BNU’s Photography course may be only two years old but they have over 130 years’ experience in delivering expert craft, art and design education. With that much experience you can be sure to be getting the best opportunities and networking chances on your BNU course.

Guest speakers

Guest speakers, specialist workshops, industry talks, you name it we have it here at BNU. Over the last two years we've had some trailblazing professionals come in and give inspiring talks and workshops, here are some that stood out to me:

Mandy Barker

Mandy Barker is an international award-winning photographer whose work concerning marine plastic garbage has earned global notice for over 12 years. She hopes to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the world's seas, emphasising the negative impact on marine life and humans, and eventually inspiring viewers to act.

During Creative Futures Week 2020, we had the opportunity to attend and take part in an online talk with Mandy Barker. Speaking about the work she has done over the past 12 years.

I was both fascinated and horrified by her work. Seeing how much plastic we have on our beaches and in the water was a real eye opener. Mandy’s work encourages and helps people understand that we are not doing enough to protect animals from the harmful items we as humans have put into our oceans. Animals often become entangled in plastic or end up dying due to the causes of man-made waste.

Her art is stunning and has a deeper significance which really inspired me. During this session I not only was able to learn about photography as an art form but also social issues and how we as photographers can make a difference.

Stelianour Sani

Stelianour has a degree in both Graphic Communication and Photography. Stelianour has won several awards including the 2003 Trophy Winner for the National Business Calendar Awards and the D&AD 2004 Awards for his photography. Stelianour is first and foremost a Fashion/Editorial Photographer.

We were lucky enough to have Stelianour visit the photography studios. During his workshop we were able to gain an actual look at what it's like to be an editorial photographer in the fashion world.

In the morning, we set up the studio for the photoshoot and met the model and make-up artists, both of whom were BNU students. We were then able to learn from Stelianour how he approaches shoots and numerous other tips and tricks that we would one day need for industry.

Rob Parker

Rob Parker is the CEO of Assist London a company he created himself to support lighting and digital technicians in the Photography Industry.

During his visit, we conducted a hands-on lesson of what a photoshoot would look like if you were assisting on set, as opposed to Stelianour's class where we looked at being the photographer. Rob walked us through the roles of technicians in a workshop setting and we got to learn about what it takes to run a smooth and professional shoot.

Working as a technician is the greatest method to gain work experience before entering the sector, and this is a feasible path for me. So being able to do this day really helped me gain a better understanding of what would be expect out in industry.

Course trips

The photography course opened its doors to potential students in the middle of the pandemic, because of this we have only been able to go on a few of the trips that were planned. One trip that was a particular highlight for me was:

London Trip October 2021

During one of our days out in London as a class we were able to attend multiple exhibitions that were happening around the city. We started the day off with a trip to the Photographer's Gallery for the Helen Levitt: In The Street Exhibition.

Helen Levitt, one of the twentieth century's most famous street photographers. She spent decades photographing local communities in her home, New York, capturing regular city life in neighbourhoods such as the Lower East Side, Bronx, and Spanish Harlem. From the 1930s through the 1990s.

In the afternoon we headed to the Royal Academy to visit the Light Lines: The Architectural Photographs of Hélène Binet.

This show includes work from Binet's whole career and highlighted her ability to capture the key qualities of architecture. Binet's arresting, thought-provoking photos highlight the light,

space, and form that unifies building, whether it's 1970s brutalism or an 18th-century City church.

We finished the day by going to The Welcome Collection to see Chrystel Lebas' Tranquillity exhibition.

This presentation features new commissions such as Jasleen Kaur's humorous critique of the wellness industry and Chrystel Lebas' exquisite multisensory hymn to trees and their effects on human health. I was quite eager for this show since I have long been a fan of Chrystel Lebas' art and seeing it in person seemed like a magical experience.

Overall, the trip left me full of inspiration. I couldn’t wait to get back out there with my camera and shoot some of these new found ideas!