A new and exciting collaboration has launched between LCC’s BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography course and Royal Mail.
Second and third year photojournalists from the course have been commissioned to deliver Royal Mail’s business photography, traveling to locations across London and Scotland to capture the daily workings of Royal Mail.
The 12 students commissioned are directing and producing photo-shoots and gaining a real insight into commercial photography. With briefs ranging from portraits of staff working in remote locations to people receiving packages on their doorstep, the project involves a range of business to business, business to consumer, corporate and colleague engagement themes.
BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at LCC is an exciting and innovative course with a dynamic, cutting-edge curriculum, rooted in the practice of photojournalism and documentary photography. The course pushes its students to collaborate with others, and students take part in the creation of the College’s monthly magazine, Artefact. Students develop the knowledge and skills to become professional photojournalists through news photography, reportage, and exploration of social issues.
The Royal Mail photo-shoots are taking place from January to August 2017 and images will be used across all of Royal Mail’s communication channels. With briefs ranging from e-commerce to lifestyle photography, the project calls upon the students for fresh ideas and new ways to interpret what is one of the UK’s oldest and most recognisable brands.
As part of her application, third year student, Fanni Sutus, created a series of before and after pictures, showing people transformed when they receive lovely packages through the post and get ready to go out.
Images by Fanni Sutus for Royal Mail, 2016
Talking about he project, Fanni said:
“It was amazing to find out I was commissioned to be one of the photographers for Royal Mail! I had to apply and was selected from almost 30 students in my year. I’m so happy they liked my pictures. This project will help me gain experience as a professional photographer by working on a real brief. It’s also great to get paid as a professional photographer!
“Collaborating with such a well known company like Royal Mail is an extraordinary opportunity, especially as a university student. I found it very important to take the application seriously, as this brief could lead to other commissions, as well as meeting experienced and talented professions who we could learn a lot from.
“It is an exciting challenge in which I can show and improve my skills as a photographer, achieving a higher level in my profession and let my creativity flow even further.”
“We hear a lot about how to be prepared for the ‘real world’ in our graduation year – this assignment is a great chance to make a strong base of our portfolio.”
Images by Fanni Sutus for Royal Mail, 2016
Jocelyn Bain Hogg, BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography course leader said:
“This collaboration is great because the students get a taste of real world work, shooting to a professional brief and working with both client and art director whilst earning a realistic fee, commensurate with today’s market rates. This is a wonderful opportunity on many levels, because the students come to realise that the photographic skills they have learned on the course will equip them to photograph in today’s professional market place.”