|
Our students use their creativity, technical skills and scientific knowledge to create compelling wildlife stories through media, with the aim of communicating important conservation messages and making positive change. Much of our wildlife is in crisis and needs our support, with 157,100 species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ‘Red List’ (https://www.iucnredlist.org/). Our students have a passion for wildlife and the natural world - and use their lens craft skills in filmmaking and photography to communicate the beauty and fragility of our environment and its inhabitants.
Ethical wildlife photography and documentary practice is central to the course ethos, with careful consideration of the environment when working outdoors on location, in often challenging locations and changing weather conditions. Wildlife media professionals have extensive fieldcraft knowledge alongside sophisticated lens craft - and this is what our students have developed with a strong skillset of wildlife identification, tracking and behaviour with in-depth understanding of biodiversity, habitat and conservation. This academic year's graduating students have produced varied media outputs including series of photographs on a wide variety of subjects, they've crafted natural history documentaries and edited their own short films, produced websites, blogs and vlogs, plus created photojournalism projects. They've worked together in teams and individually on solo projects, collaborated with external organisations on important conservation initiatives, and have showcased their work in national conferences and competitions - demonstrating creativity, imagination, perseverance, talent and hard work. We are proud of their achievements and thought-provoking work - we wish them all well on their onward individual journeys to employment and postgraduate study - and take this moment to collectively share and celebrate their success. |
|
|
Chloe Attrill
My passion for the natural environment inspired me to apply for the Wildlife Media degree. To understand the ecology surrounding us, I especially enjoy capturing the hidden world of mushrooms and insects. I believe that over my time at university, I have developed into a person who is willing to take chances and seize opportunities with each project I have undertaken. My future aspirations moving forward, to begin with I would like to travel to Costa Rica and complete a conservation internship in order to expand my horizons and help me figure out my plan moving forward. I intend to keep showcasing my work, whether it be through working directly with wildlife, gathering data on different species, filmmaking, or editing. |
|
|
Olly Burgess
Born in Sussex and now based in Sussex and Cumbria, my work is mainly shot at the Knepp estate or the wild expanses of the Cumbrian countryside; this exhibition portfolio is work from within my time at university. I'm a massive believer in Rewilding as a radical way to protect our natural treasures. As my love for the natural world grew alongside my love for photography, I grew fond of wildlife. My main interest is giving animals that are condemned or have a bad reputation a new look in my work in the hope of changing people's perspectives. |
|
|
Jonathan Denny
Jonathan is a keen filmmaker who loves to make films with any themes, but especially with a leaning to the themes of conservation, environmentalism, and wildlife. These topics are close to his heart and in today’s world it would be difficult to find subjects for filming that were more needed to be expounded upon. Photography is also something that he loves to do, particularly involving birds, trees, flowers, and moving into the macro world of fungi, lichens, and mosses. |
|
|
Christopher Foulds
Throughout my four years studying Wildlife Media at the University of Cumbria, I have had many opportunities that have allowed me to develop my independence and interpersonal communication skills along with a variety of practical and fieldcraft skills that will aid professional development in my career. Growing up in the Suffolk countryside, I grew a passion for bird and wildlife watching which I continue to explore through the medium or art and photography/filmmaking. I hope to enlighten the public about wildlife and environmental issues through telling stories, to further educate and inspire people to invest in conservation efforts. |
|
|
Lily Hancock
I’m Lily Hancock a budding filmmaker and ocean enthusiast. University has allowed me to enhance my passions as I’ve been able to focus my projects on the subjects I really enjoy. My passion for sharks and dolphins began as a child and has developed into a dream of travelling around the world, documenting marine animals along the way. I also want to use my voice for the animals that don’t have their own, addressing conservation concerns through my work. My final major project documents my journey of finding dolphins in Scotland and getting to know them more as a species. |
|
|
Reuben Hibbert
Upon completion of my college course, I decided to move up north to join the University of Cumbria Wildlife Media course. Having never visited the university due to the chaos of the pandemic, I was going in completely blind. With an opportunity now to reflect on the past 3 years I could not be happier with my decision, it has in many ways been the best 3 years of my life, I have catapulted my career working all over the north for so many different people and on many different projects. I have learned more than I ever could have imagined and cannot wait to see what the next chapter looks like. |
|
|
William Mangan
I aim to raise awareness of marine conservation by creating informative and engaging wildlife films that encourage interest and involvement in the marine world. As a young boy, I was an avid viewer of wildlife programmes including ‘Deadly 60,’ enjoying Steve Backshall’s adventures swimming with Sharks, observing big cats and when Steve accidentally trod on a Caiman! This early exposure to the natural world encouraged me to seek the adrenaline rush of filming such majestic beings in their natural environment where we are at their mercy. You can typically find me swimming out to sea in respectful pursuit of whatever form of marine wildlife I’ve spotted, or at the top of a cliff with my drone observing animal behaviour from above. During my final year at university, I have devised a challenging and ambitious concept to increase marine stranding survival rates. Encouraging the Falmouth Marine Conservation Seaquest Project and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) to join forces and share information regarding the presence and location of animals in Cornish waters, enabling a prompter response to support washed up sea life in need of help while beached. |
|
|
Liana Murphy
Shop Hailing from Harlow New Town, not quite London but just about Essex, my surroundings growing up here had always inspired me - a juxtaposition of vast farms and grasslands on its borders and heavily built-up urban areas within. My admiration for nature comes from the perseverance of plant and animal species found within these urban spaces - the scrappy foxes that have the permanent look of enduring a three-day bender, to the stubborn dandelions pushing through the cracks in the pavements. Discovering nature within the unexpected or untraditional sites is what feels most special to me. This is what inspired my first solo filming expedition in my second year, to seek out the European Bison that had recently been introduced into an ancient woodland in Kent in hopes to restore its biodiversity. This project is one I am most proud of - for the amount of research I did for it, the storytelling element and narration, every part of it was done by me. Coming to the course as a sports photographer, I have expanded my skills beyond anything I could have ever expected to. I graduate now as a confident filmmaker, sound operator, script writer, editor, with a newfound interest in behavioural ecology and researching the science behind the animals we observe from behind the lens. I hope to go onto either a technical or research based role within the wildlife documentary industry following graduation. |
|
|
Jade Nash
Mixed media artist, photographer and wildlife filmmaker based in West Yorkshire. My work reflects my deep interest of the natural world and hovers between different mediums to express my ideas, such as illustration, abstract, and most recently fine art media. Throughout my time studying at Cumbria University, I have also created several short films, which reflect my interest of the local flora and fauna. Alongside my studies, I am a social media volunteer for the RSPB at my local reserve where I have been able to draw inspiration and work on my skills as a photographer and filmmaker. |
|
|
Lauren O'Donnell
I have always had a particular fascination for wildlife, along with this passion, I later developed an interest in films and other methods of storytelling. I have my eyes set on telling unique wildlife stories, and after completing a HNC television course in Glasgow, I started studying Wildlife Media at the university of Cumbria. Having a creative nature and passion for conservation, I established my desire to bring people together through the art of film and photography, sharing important stories, the beauty of the natural world, and creating space for positive change. During my time on the course, this ambition has driven me to create short films such as Shetlands Way, a documentary film focused on the conservation efforts aimed to preserve Orca populations around Shetland. Behind the lens, a three-minute, behind the scenes style film, about finding and filming roe deer. With my most recent project focusing on the need for positive change in the horse industry. Moving forward, I aim to continue sharing this passion through future projects. |
|
|
Joshua Page
Coming from a rural village near the Welsh Borders, Joshua has always had been surrounded by British Wildlife and the fascination he has with it, has not stopped. Choosing to take Biology, Geology and Photography at A-Level, he has known the BA (Hons) Wildlife Media degree course was meant for him. Beginning the course with a passion for photography, Joshua quickly learned how much he enjoyed the film aspect, specifically a more activism style of filmmaking. The first project Joshua embarked on was a documentary detailing the growing concern for Bird Flu within the UK, this taught him some extremely valuable lessons that he will carry with him, his entire life. For Year 3, Semester 1, Joshua explored the effects of woodland loss, not just on the wildlife but the livelihoods of those who work/manage them, particularly focusing on his grandad, Keith. This project really emphasized Joshua’s love for activism filmmaking and has led him, in semester 2, to create a documentary following individual's journeys when it comes to physical disability and access to nature, promoting current work being done and highlighting areas that require improvement. This is something close to Joshua’s heart and he hopes the passion he feels for the subject will have been translated in the film. There have been ups and downs during the whole 3 years but his love for wildlife hasn’t faded and he plans to continue working on documentary style films, revolving around pressing issues when it comes to wildlife or access to nature, to create a showreel worthy of working in the wildlife media sector full time. |
|
|
Skye Reilly
My name is Skye Reilly and I am a third-year student studying wildlife media at the university of Cumbria. I have always been fascinated by the extent of what the natural word has to offer and have been in awe of it since I was a little girl. This course has allowed me to get familiar with the equipment and work that goes into producing projects surrounding wildlife and has taught me skills that can help me reach my end goal. Being able to travel while making documentaries is a dream of mine and I hope it becomes a reality in the future. I have recently been to Cornwall to film a short documentary about the marine life that is found on the coast of Newquay. Being independent when filming this has given me reassurance in my skills, allowing me to be more confident about my future in this field of work. |
|
|
James Seeney
I first developed my passion for filmmaking when I undertook a 2016 holiday to the Canadian Rockies and Vancouver Island where I had the most remarkable encounters with wildlife, from Bears to Orca. This inspired me to develop my photography and filmmaking skills, to best present the natural world. I’ve always been an avid binge-watcher of wildlife documentaries, particularly behind-the-scenes content, as I enjoy finding out how filming in the field works. Starting this course in 2021, I have developed my skills even further, being able to creatively find stories in and around the country. For example, after hearing about Kashmiri goats in Llandudno, I managed to contact a local artist for a different point of view. This production was called ‘March of the Goats.’ I have also volunteered in various places when younger and ended up using these connections for my final major project ‘Life at Cuan’ a documentary about a wildlife rescue and its ability to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured, sick or orphaned wildlife. This is my proudest project as I felt that Cuan did deserve its very own documentary. After university I will seek employment in the natural history filmmaking industry. |
|
|
Daniel Shappard
I am a wildlife photographer and filmmaker based in Cumbria. Having been brought up on the Cheshire-Wales border, I grew up admiring both the covert urban wildlife, gingerly spotted at dusk, and in contrast the acres of endless countryside almost boasting with wild creatures. Either way, I knew I was very lucky to have such an abundance on my doorstep. It is this background that has propelled me to pursue a career endeavouring to protect these habitats, through active conservation. My most recent undertaking has been to document the wider implications of water pollution within our UK river systems. |
|
|
Ellie Westell
Ellie has always had a passion for photography and has used it while completing their BA (Hons) Wildlife Media degree. While working on many projects throughout this course, Ellie has been able to use her photography skills to capture both flora and fauna and improve her filmmaking skills. She enjoys photographing birds such as Goldfinch, Bullfinch and Robins, as well as enjoying photography of mammals such as red and grey squirrels. Ellie has explored the Lake District to capture some fantastic species while also travelling further to Shetland in the easter of 2023 to film a project about orcas and their conservation, working with experts. Ellie plans to take the skills and lessons she has learned from this course into her future career in wildlife photography. |
|
HOME
|
The University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts | Brampton Road | Carlisle | Cumbria | CA3 9AY | UK
|
|
|
|
|
|
|