Our graduate photographers continually surprise and inspire us with their creative practice across a wide range of genres and professional ambitions.
They engage critically and uniquely with the world around and within them, with imagination and personal vision. Two strategies which are the beating heart of visual culture. This graduate collective offers unique inner perspectives, and they challenge existing visual conventions. Their work addresses the many diverse relationships with the natural and fantastical world with aplomb, in these images and portfolios.
Through investigations of the body, the flora, the mechanical, the political, the imagined and the aspirational through the lens of photography they explore a rich and fertile ground. The works make meaningful contributions to a creative ecology and reflect superbly on the artists labour and exertions. It is our pleasure to introduce and applaud this work and a privilege to have been able to support their growth.
Rob Sara | Course Leader
Becky Cormack
My name is Becky Cormack from Seascale, Cumbria, aspiring to be a commercial advertising photographer working for high-end mainstream brands, such as working for companies that involve the genres of still life and portraiture.
The project “Desirable Fragrance’ investigates various perfume brands, highlighting their scents, themes, and targeted audience in a commercial advertising style of photography. Looking into my two series of image portraits and still life, I have represented their products through props to show the scent and compose my images. I have focused on capturing the bottle’s unique designs, including making the bottles stand out to my audience. Continuing with my portraits, I have wanted to represent how the consumer feels by wearing the perfume, but also representing their targeted audience, such as Billie Eilish is an alternative style. It was also important that I had my model looking confident in each style of perfume, allowing my audience to create a feeling of power. As an aspiring commercial advertising photographer, I would like to continue my practice of these projects.
Jade Finn
I’m Jade Finn, an urban landscape photographer based in the Northeast. My photographic background has mainly been portraits of family and friends, but I now venture out into landscapes. This is my main interest as I enjoy making images of buildings, both the interior and exterior, and creating stories through them. I also enjoy capturing landmarks, like a castle for example, as they have a lot of history that you can share through photos, which is another thing I enjoy.
Neil Herries
Neil Herries is an experienced rally photographer with practise taking photos for ten years and with seven years of photographic educationto his name. A deep passion for motoring in general, but specifically in rallying. Having many rallies under his belt and a vast knowledge of the sport to guide him, he knows how to research the best spots and angles.
Attending events, shows, races and rallies has honed his craft and photographic style. With a bold and gritty style feel, focusing on striking, true to life spectacles. Travelling to these events has given him experience in planning and timetabling.
Natasha Murray
Natasha Murray is a cosplay photographer based in Glasgow, She is passionate about bringing characters to life through dynamic and immersive imagery. Her work blends creativity, attention to detail, and storytelling to capture the dedication and artistry of cosplayers. Whether in the studio or on location, she strives to showcase the essence of each character while highlighting the individuality of the cosplayer behind the costume. Through her lens, she aims to celebrate the vibrant world of cosplay, transforming moments into striking visual narratives.
Eve Parkin
Hi, my name is Eve and I am an experimental photographer Based In Cumbria. I use a wide range of photographic techniques to create work reflecting on the struggles of being neurodiverse. I enjoy using a combination of experimental darkroom printing techniques, in both colour and black and white.
I also use a range of creative sources such as light, digital photography, and acetates in my practice. My work aims to build on the creative theories created by Dada artists such as Schwitters and Hans Jean Arp, allowing me to build on both modern and contemporary elements within photography.
Leah Penn
As a Cumbrian based photographer, my personal work explores landscape with an emphasis on ecology, identity and place. My projects delve into a philosophical way of viewing the world, reflecting on my own life and the wider experience of human connections to nature. Growing up in Cumbria, I’ve been surrounded by beautiful landscapes, shaping my love of walking and being outdoors.
In previous projects, I have worked with portraiture in a socially engaged mode. I’ve also worked with other artists to document and promote their artwork, alongside supporting film students to capture stills and behind the scenes of short films.
Joseph Robinson
My photography is a cross between an investigation of themes, and a gateway for escapism.
Primarily – the theme that I seek to photograph is the fourth wall, this is the wall that separates audiences and performers and is discussed most often in the medium of videogames. My belief is that this can be expressed in photography, by immersing the viewer into a world that is not their own, whether that be high-octane, mundane or fantastical.
From forests to wrestling matches, to social gatherings and still lifes – my work spans across multiple practices in photography to immerse you in another world.
Elliott Smith
When a location manages to make a strong impression on someone, it is inevitable that it will go on to influence their future work, whether they are aware of it or not.
This has proven to be the case with my own photography, that being the English Lake District in Cumbria, which is why I have chosen it as the subject for my final university project, as it has provided such an abundance of inspiration for my works that no other subject is more suited for the position.
The work consists of three aspects of the Lakes that I want to highlight, which include established subjects that I have addressed in previous works such as tourism and landscapes, in addition to a new aspect focusing on the environment and how it is maintained for the public.
Through my images, I hope to demonstrate to my audience what has made the Lakes such an integral part of my photographic career.
The “Romanticism” aspect consists of three landscape shots, all printed in A2 format to give a sense of scale that emphasises the environments vastness, this is because they serve as the centrepiece of the work and represent the area that the other two sets revolve around.
The” Tourism” segment consists of images of tourists interacting and responding to the environment in differing ways, this highlights the Lake’s popular reputation as a tourist destination and as a place of recreation in a natural environment.
Finally, the “Conservation” aspect of the project seeks to highlight the effect that human influence has on the environment by focusing on images that display this impact, therefore bring awareness to how the area must be maintained to preserve the Lakes for future generations to enjoy. To do this I have used images of footpaths that range from well maintained to rugged and almost impassable, this choice of subject is because footpaths play an essential part in how we navigate the environment, and therefore are most exposed to the effect of constant human usage.
Joshua Woodgate
I’m Joshua Woodgate, a photographer from Middlesbrough. My practice centres around still life, where I explore how everyday objects can be transformed through light, form, and composition. I aim to create images that feel slightly abstract and unfamiliar, encouraging viewers to look more closely at the ordinary. Whilst still life remains my primary focus, I occasionally work within portraiture and landscape photography, approaching both with the same sensitivity to detail, mood, and quiet transformation.
