Zula graduated from MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at London College of Communication.
What attracted you to the course and London College of Communication (LCC)?
Prior to studying at LCC I worked as an operations manager for different start-ups in London. I’m interested in social and political issues, specifically the documentary aspect of photography, which attracted me to this course.
I have always done photography on the side, and a few years before the MA I started taking it more seriously. I completed a series of evening photography classes to improve my technical skills and to test my commitment to photography.
In 2018 I decided to leave my full-time job behind to pursue the MA. LCC has a globally renowned reputation and is one of three universities in the UK to offer an MA which specifically focuses on documentary photography.
What was the most interesting project you worked on during your course?
I don’t think I can pick just one as there were so many. All the projects I carried out during the course were interlinked to one another. Each term had a different focus, and I think the most interesting part was the way aspects of all modules were seen in my final major project.
As a Polish immigrant living in the UK, I drew on my personal experiences and worked collaboratively with the Vietnamese community in Poland on a project about the Vietnamese diaspora in Warsaw. I combined my own photography with archival imagery and made my own paper for the final photo book, which is how I presented the project. I was one of the first few photographers who worked on this theme, which contributed to it being widely published by the likes of the BBC.
What are your fondest memories of London College of Communication?
The whole course has flown by way too quickly! Organising an exhibition in a depleted house, which doubles up as an exhibition venue, in Peckham with my course mates to exhibit our work from the “Rethink” module was definitely one of the highlights.
In addition, I absolutely loved having the wide range of facilities on hand, not just photographic studios and darkrooms (which I used constantly whilst at LCC) but the workshops that were also on offer. I took an introductory course in book binding, screen printing and learnt how to make my own paper. In addition to the syllabus, taking part in these workshops was an amazing way to explore and expand my practice even further.
What three words would you use to best describe London College of Communication?
Dynamic, responsive and buzzing.
What piece of advice would you give to new students?
Be proactive from day one. Sign up to the different newsletters and mailing lists, such as post-grad community or Arts SU. I would also recommend that you sign up to Arts Temps, which is UAL’s internal job board.
My other piece of advice would be to make the most of UAL’s additional funding opportunities, such as Student Initiative Grant, which helped me put on an additional exhibition.
Why would you recommend studying the course to other students?
If you are looking for a course to push your creativity, help you develop your practice and question the ethics of photography, this is the course for you. You will be supported, challenged and guided by dedicated tutors who are well-known experts in the field.
Moreover, on a weekly basis you can make the most out of the visiting lecture programme by leading photographers, artists and curators.
Can you tell us a little bit about what you’ve been up to since graduating?
Since finishing the MA, I have been taking on a range of commercial photography assignments, applying for grants and competitions.
At the start of April, I received wonderful news that I had won PDN’s Student Photo Contest 2020, with the project I created for the Rethink module whilst on the course. I've also created a virtual exhibition for my project, Ba Lan. This is a project about the Vietnamese diaspora in Poland, which I carried out in 2019.
How has the course helped you get to where you are today?
I think that this course at LCC was precisely what I needed in life to help transition from one career path to another.
The course not only provided practical and theoretical workshops that developed and challenged my practice, it enabled me to make connections, with peers and industry professionals, that so far have been indispensable for my career.
Visit the MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography course page.