'How I see things' is a new series of posts from guest contributors. The idea is to present an individual viewpoint about some aspect of photography education. The way we teach is intimately connected to our experiences, our knowledge and our interests. We are delighted that Meg Wellington-Barratt has kindly agreed to kick us off with a thoughtful post exploring her own photography education, her experiences as a student and teacher, her research interests and a plea for more and better photoliteracy in schools. 

I started out wanting to photograph animals. Travelling around the world capturing wildlife was the dream. As a teenager I was besotted with American punk rock and the culture that accompanied it. Then it was extreme sports. I carried disposable cameras everywhere, compelled to photograph and not really knowing why. ​

The photographic education I received was mixed, mostly because I wasn’t a brilliant student. Studying A-level Photography was the key to developing my knowledge of genre, technique and image analysis. I had no breakthrough moment, no big ideas and I still wasn’t sure if it was something I wanted to pursue beyond school. Like most 17-year olds, I was pretty lost. I’m glad of this experience now as a teacher because I can empathise with students’ struggles.
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I fell into photography as a degree choice and decided to combine it with psychology at a middle of the road university. I received no help with UCAS and, coming from a small seaside town, it was an unwritten rule that we had to leave quickly or resign ourselves to being there forever. I chose the former, rushed my university options and attended no open days. Despite not having flashy facilities, or being top of the league table, we were given the bones of an excellent photographic education - we were taught to stop and look. Tom Wood was one of my visiting tutors and, after a gruelling group critique, he invited me on a shoot in North Wales. He turned up to the shoot with 3 decorators’ lamps and camera kit in a Tesco trolley. He doesn’t drive, so seeing him lugging this kit with him to a student charity shop photoshoot really helped me pay attention. He took every moment of every shoot as seriously as the last and placed no more or less value on this day despite the grim weather. I was full of admiration for this. Gobsmacked in fact. It was there and then I started to take my work much more seriously. He spoke to me at length about my degree project, a study of my grandmother. I read in an article recently that photography students often focus on safe spaces or stories before trying out their skills on unfamiliar subjects. This is what I did. I lacked confidence and was dragging my heels. Tom Wood said, “She won’t be here forever”. With that, photography became my obsession.

I adore photobooks. Currently, I love Stephen Gill’s books. I attended his excellent talk at Martin Parr’s BOP festival in Bristol. It helped me understand his process. The Pillar was a Christmas addition to my growing library and is as valuable to me as Tom Wood turning up with his trolley. I feel photography departments should all have a copy of Nan Goldin’s Ballad of Sexual Dependency. Students are always in awe of Goldin’s images when they are first introduced to her work. It means so much more to them seeing it in a book than on screen, although it’s good to remind them that the project started life as a slideshow with music! Photobooks always inspire students. Choices about types of paper, scale and binding help students see that photobooks can be a vehicle for delivering their visual stories.

I don’t see as many photography exhibitions as I would like to. The last one that I really enjoyed was last year’s Format Festival in Derby. I enjoy a group exhibition much more than a solo exhibition. I enjoy thinking about curators’ choices, how context affects the meaning of photographs. Craig Easton’s Sixteen was poignant and benefited from an unusual location. It screamed first job, first social experiences, first memories as a teenager. Seeing the work of Kensuke Koike at Format helped me get a stuck student out of a rut. I approach exhibitions as both a photographer and a teacher. I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing Hannah Starkey at the Hepworth Gallery.

I feel that students get the most inspiration from looking at physical books and photographs, seeing work in exhibitions and experiencing life. However many Pinterest boards they look at, however many photographers I give them, the most powerful influence is often something they’ve discovered, seen or been through themselves. I highly recommend students listen to Ben Smith’s A Small Voice podcast. I discovered it last year and it has really helped fill a gap. The process and experience of a photographer making work is something I spend a lot of time thinking about. Hearing them talk candidly for an hour with brilliant host Ben is particularly refreshing. I often have it on in the background during A-level lessons. The best thing about discovering it late is that I have so many back episodes to get through! The Daniel Meadows episode was an enjoyable listen, as was Ian Weldon’s. The Photographer’s Playbook is a brilliant resource for students who want to expand their practice, but it works equally as well for students who have no ideas and for me when I’m short on ideas for assignments. Photography magazines are a widely overlooked resource too. They combine the fresh practitioner perspectives and thematic curation with tactile presentation and decision making. I subscribe to British Journal of Photography, Foam, and Source but there are dozens more.

Carving out research in photographic education is difficult. There isn’t a whole lot out there but I knew I wanted to contribute my own work to the field. I originally started a practice-based PhD exploring themes of domestic representation in family albums, but quickly became lonely and disenchanted. It was working in schools and colleges that spurred me on. I have taught the subject for eight years now, and it was what I was seeing in the classroom (or not seeing perhaps) that helped me decide to research photography education.

There are no set models for teaching photography and most of what exists is based on art and design practice or historic pedagogies. Photography is so important for students but not only as a standalone subject. Students need to be able to analyse and interpret the imagery they see every day, and photography skills help them do this. Equally, learning how to analyse photographs helps make them better photographers. I am interested in the process of photographic education - what is taught, who is teaching it, what the students are taking photographs of and why. There are several related strands.

For example, a recent paper I have been working on explores the use of photography across the wider curriculum. Another examines the educational backgrounds of the teachers teaching the subject. I plan to work with Source Magazine’s Graduate Photo Online to conduct research into themes and patterns across higher education student work. The collector/obsessive in me wants to know everything, so a doctorate helps to placate this need.

As a teacher of photography, I notice daily what students lack in terms of knowledge and skills and this encourages me to try and fill these gaps with my research discoveries. Students sometimes cannot interpret meaning in imagery, even on the simplest level, and it is my belief that this has come from a desensitisation caused by the sheer number of pictures they are exposed to. A new level of visual literacy, or photoliteracy, is needed. It is also my belief that if photographic literacy was embedded properly and thoroughly across the wider curriculum, then it could pave the way for photography teachers to work together to build a strong and suitable model that suits both the needs of the wider education field and most importantly, photography students.

It's amazing what you can pick up on a PhotoPedagogy CPD course: inspiration, ideas, a soggy old boot...
When an event comes with complementary hand-sanitiser and protective gloves the warning signs are evident: Be prepared to roll your sleeves up and crack on. Thankfully we were addressing a room full of dedicated artists and teachers - so  little cause for concern on our part. That said, while we anticipated collecting something on this two-day adventure, we couldn't have predicted the bags of energy, creativity and good humour that participants would arrive with, and then share so generously along the way. Working with this collective of artists and participants was an absolute treat - good people, sharing, experimenting, getting lost, making strange noises...

Here's how our time together unfolded...

Both days began at Tate Exchange, Tate Modern, with tea, coffee and pastries. How each day would end was far less planned - albeit all part of the plan: uncertainty, discovery and getting lost were some of the key themes (and challenges of teaching photography) that we would be confronting. Jon and I had decided to host a day each, with the responsibility of Day 1 in my hands. In short, the opening presentation was related to provoking authentic experiences in the classroom and beyond. You can view the slides below (which might make more or less sense without the accompanying mutterings):

To start, attendees were asked to reflect on a recent gallery visit, and then to recall a specific detail - something seemingly insignificant, but a memory nevertheless. These were then recorded on masking tape for subsequent display in the space - group pop-up poems, of a sort. This was a simple exercise to encourage early collaboration and sharing, also a means of claiming the room as our own.

I concluded my presentation with an image of a student project (see Slide 35, above), inspired by the work of Danny Treacy. Danny's practice has long fascinated me so it was a treat to hand over to him as our lead artist for Day 1. 
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Danny works primarily with photography, his process led practice also incorporating elements of sculpture, performance, collecting, archaeology and anthropology. His presentation was fascinating. Danny spoke with honesty and humour about the challenges of being an artist - at times feeling lost, but then trusting intuition, experimentation and curiosity as a means of revealing new pathways. Danny's presentation certainly covered some ground too, from the banks of the River Thames to the migrant paths across Mexico.

Danny concluded his presentation with an outline of a practical activity - an invitation to journey to The Photographers' Gallery in small groups; noticing, documenting, collecting as we travelled. Hand sanitiser, disposable gloves, maps and instant cameras were distributed; a half-way meeting point was established for some further group experimenting. 

Regardless of the rain, dampening clothes but not spirits, there was something elemental within this collective urban harvesting. Danny had focused our attention to the influences of nature on how and where detritus might gather. I found myself not only looking for objects disregarded, overlooked or under-considered, but also reading the architecture in new ways. I felt freshly alert to the corners, cavities, and crevasses of the city - the potential nets, pockets and catch-alls of evidence of human presence and absence.

A stop off en-route, under the shelter of Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, allowed for Danny to lead a brief practical workshop. It was also a chance for groups to catch up and share their spoils; and for Jon and I to work out who we might have lost already (I'll maintain he was in charge of head-counting). Thankfully everyone made it to The Photographers' Gallery in good time, still smiling too.

After some very welcome refreshments, it was time to collectively reconsider the objects and experiences that had been harvested. Within his talk Danny had already touched upon the affordances of photography as a means of researching, evidencing, documenting, and art-making. Groups then had the chance to re-present and record their findings, constructing Still Lives within a controlled studio set-up. Prior to developing these displayed responses, participants also had the opportunity to visit and consider the current shows at The Photographers' Gallery.

As Day 1 drew to a close, Jolie Hockings, TPG's Curator, Schools and Young People, took the opportunity to share some of the excellent opportunities and partnerships that TPG provide for students and educators. Each group then revealed insights into their practical responses. The positive energy in the room was tangible. There was a wonderful sense of collaboration and shared experience; the outcomes (produced with limited time and resources too) were remarkably diverse - sensitive, playful, humorous; authentic.

With Day 1 complete, and time to spare prior to our evening meal, it was off to the pub. Now, which way did you say it was?

Encouraging everyone to get lost might seem like an unusual welcome to Day 2 of Still Moving but we always enjoy a spot of creative mischief at PhotoPedagogy Towers.

It was deeply gratifying that the majority of those who signed up to our event had done so for both days. Consequently, we were able to welcome back lots of friendly faces to Tate Exchange and make a few new friends too. We'd lost the rain and replaced it with late winter sunshine. Thankfully we had not lost the energy and enthusiasm generated during Day 1, so we were all ready to disappear once again into the beautiful labyrinth that is photography education.

We began the day by writing postcards. Working in pairs, colleagues shared stories about their personal experiences of being lost - physically, existentially, temporarily, hopefully. They then wrote what they remembered of these stories on postcards, a simple act of translation. They were then asked to return the postcards to the story tellers so that they could, in turn, 'lose' them in the city later in the day, either giving them to a stranger or leaving them somewhere to be 'found' at a later date. A gift, of sorts.

Both Chris and Danny had touched on the idea of lostness in their presentations and activities on Day 1 but it felt appropriate to burrow into this in greater depth on Day 2. With our Threshold Concepts in mind, each one a gateway into the not yet fully known, my presentation argued for the importance of searching, following, drifting and puzzling in the way we devise the photography curriculum. Could students be taken on an adventurous, circuitous journey of discovery? How might we encourage them to trust their intuitions and get off the beaten track? The labyrinthine quality of teaching and learning photography is perfectly expressed by the great Luigi Ghirri:

My hope was that we could collectively set off on Day 2 prepared to innocently enter the labyrinthine spaces of the city, meandering purposefully through several Threshold Concepts along the way. Luckily, I could rely on the sensitivity and empathy of our guide and lead artist for the day, Tereza Červeňová. 

Both Chris and I had been to see Tereza's wonderful exhibition at Brighton Photo Biennial in October. Our students had responded really sensitively to her pictures and we knew we wanted to work with her on our Tate Exchange project. Her practice is characterised by close attention to subtle atmospheres and care, both for the people she works with and the materials she handles. Using only analogue processes, Tereza's ongoing project 'June' documents her response to the current political climate in the UK and beyond, her sense of belonging and the implications of Brexit. Her talk explored the origins of her practice, her difficult experiences as a fashion model, the therapeutic role that photography has played in her life and the struggles of being a student. She is a recent graduate of the MA in photography at the Royal College of Art and spoke about the challenges of her chosen way of working, the demands of formal education and the need to pursue an authentic and personal vision. She spoke honestly about her own experiences of feeling lost and the opportunities afforded by photography to find a way through doubt and uncertainty. She brought along the version of her beautifully bound photobook version of 'June' that was on show in Brighton, bearing the scars of hundreds of pairs of hands.

Following a brief Q&A we arranged to meet again at Spitalfields Market for lunch and everyone set off on various routes through the city.

Gathered a little later on the steps of Christ Church Spitalfields, we compared journeys, lunch menus and discussed our next dérive to Autograph. As the crow flies it's a short stroll, but we were keen for everyone to take the scenic route, either individually or in pairs, to concentrate on noticing and making photographs. Following Tereza's practice of responding to eloquent details and subtle gestures, taking time and care and responding to the rich history of immigration and creativity evident in the area, we set off to explore the psychogeography of nearby streets.

Autograph (formerly Autograph ABP) is a wonderful institution, collecting, exhibiting and celebrating the work of Black and Minority Ethnic photographers. We had worked with Ali Eisa, their public programme coordinator, at our previous Tate Exchange event in February 2018, and we were delighted to have him on board again this year. After rejuvenating tea and biscuits, Ali took us to see the powerful and immersive sound, video, drawing and photography installation by Phoebe Boswell exhibited  across both floors of the gallery. Appropriately titled 'The Space Between Things', Boswell documents her experience of physical, psychological and emotional trauma with the aid of charcoal, drones and angiography.

Back at the study space, the group were led through a sequence of drawing workshops, exploring ideas of description, translation, chance and control. For example, working in pairs, one colleague described a photograph from the Autograph archive whilst another attempted to draw it with their eyes closed using one of a range of unusual tools (charcoal attached to long sticks proved to very popular). We worked on rolls of paper which were subsequently haphazardly taped to the walls. We projected photographs taken on the day over the drawings at an odd angle, creating distorted views, and then experimented with devising, recording and ultimately reciting short, poetic phrases inspired by the Boswell exhibition. You can see a video document of this impromptu performance below:

This was a wonderful way to end our two day adventure - a collaborative smorgasbord of expanded photographic practice laced with big dollops of creative mischief.

We would like to thank all the participants who put their trust in us over the two days, giving up part of their half term holiday or offers of work to get a little lost with us. We are also grateful to our two lead artists, to our wonderful colleagues at Tate, The Photographers' Gallery and Autograph, for helping to make both days so enjoyable. We always learn such a lot from working with passionate and dedicated colleagues and we hope the event is another way of developing a network of photography educators who will continue to collaborate on projects and reflect on imaginative ways to teach our wonderful subject. Please feel free to leave a comment here or get in touch with us. We'd love to have some feedback from participants and readers of the blog which will help us plan our next event.

​-- Jon and Chris

I can't remember how or when I first encountered @thofolio on Instagram, but my curiosity has been slowly cooking ever since. Here - there - was something, someplace else. Authentic encounters from an unfamiliar edge land of England. With no accompanying bio or website link I settled for my own imaginings of the photographer at work: an MA graduate returned home to reconnect (a childhood love of horses ever-present); an established documentary photographer, swapping tales with sparky teenagers for a place in their here and now; a young photographer-savant, even, that kid with the camera, all adidas and intuition...

Enough. I decided to send a direct message, a 'thank-you', mainly, for the regular breaths of fresh air in my feed (notwithstanding a little grit or charcoal ember). But also, hopefully, a chance to find out more and celebrate this wonderful work wider. Thankfully, Alan - Alan Thoburn, photography educator, as it turns out - agreed.  Below are his generous responses. 

Could you tell us a little bit about your background and how your interest in, and understanding of Photography has unfolded?
I have always had an interest in the photographic image, even as a child. I was, and still am also very interested in all visual art, but photography seemed to have a special magic. Eventually, at the age of about 20, I began to take my photographs ‘properly’. I went on to study a HND and then a degree, with a view to becoming a professional commercial photographer. While at college, I became more interested in ‘fine art’ photography and began to mainly take that kind of approach to my work. I currently teach photography at degree level at Newcastle College, after progressing from a technician role there.

It seems that you are very immersed within the communities that you shoot within, could you tell us a little more?
I became very engaged with the landscape where I live - classic post-industrial ‘edge lands’, sub-rural kinds of places. (Coincidentally, as many writers, artists and photographers also began to explore such places). I don’t really like to think of myself as a landscape photographer, but it is always the main presence in my pictures. Whilst doing this work, I became quite friendly with some of the people who inhabit and use these spaces - for tethering horses etc. - and began to photograph them. It’s not really ever been social documentary, but more a kind of metaphor for change. I should add, all of my work is ‘work in progress’. I don’t think I have yet produced anything final, or even successful. I’m still working on all that. 

What camera(s) or devices do you use?
I shoot on a Nikon D700 and Fuji X100. Short fixed lenses are very important to me. I don’t do much post production, just brightness and contrast etc. I’m always looking for a straight image with accurate tones.
 
What are your further photography hopes/ambitions?
I would love to have a photo book published (by Steidl – please!) a book is a real lasting legacy I feel.

Which photographers have been influential on your work?
My influences are many I suppose. I now tend to prefer work which is nothing like mine, but it has mainly been Eggleston, Paul Graham, Robert Adams, Raymond Moore...
 
What advice would you offer a young student of photography?
Most of my work probably stems from my own childhood experiences - I wish I had had a camera growing up! There was always something interesting/crazy going on in the 1960s housing development where I grew up, but I missed it all! So - young people - try and record your lives and world when you are young. You will be amazed how it changes.

With many thanks to Alan Thoburn. www.alanthoburn.com​ Instagram: @thofolio 

With our 2 day CPD event for photography teachers fast approaching - Still Moving: The Psychogeography of the Gallery Visit - I've been reflecting on themes of exploration and discovery, and the affordances of our surrounding environments for such mischief. And then, with such thoughts bubbling, I arrived at a familiar Instagram feed, @thom_smith, where it occurred to me that: a. This was a feed I always enjoyed - poetic understated; entirely fitting with current concerns; and b. I didn't really know who @thom_smith was, but it would be nice to know more - to say hi and thank-you, and see if he'd be happy to answer a few questions. Thankfully, for the benefit of all, he willingly obliged.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background and how your interest in Photography has evolved?
I’ve been a practicing Architect for the past 7 years, I studied in Nottingham and did my masters at UCL. I'm originally from Sheffield and did an OCN course in Photography before I started at university. I'm currently based in London but I tend to travel out of the city to take photographs. I do find it harder to see photographs in London. I am usually more inspired and observant in places I have not visited before - but London is great for photography exhibitions and bookshops.

 What camera(s)/devices do you use?​
I use a digital mirrorless camera and have recently bought a flash and set of filters which I have been experimenting with. This is pretty unscientific, although I have been enjoying some of the results. For me, it’s good not to get too overburdened technically, to just focus on the image.

Do you travel specifically to take photographs?
I’ve recently been trying to take the approach that I should first travel to a place I would like to walk and explore, and then hopefully the photographs will follow. In the past, If I forced trying to find places, or held a predetermined idea of the photos I wanted to take, the less I would see, and the photos would often not turn out as hoped. 

How would you describe your own practice/interests?
I would say I have an interest in still life and landscapes – simple, sometimes minimalist observations – and an interest in the relationship between the man-made and natural world.

Do you have any particular inspirations - photographers (or other artists, forms of art)?
I have collected a large number of photobooks from various photographers with different styles, these are always an important point of reference. I’m not sure if being an architect has influenced my photography, it has never really featured in my work so far. I suppose some of my work focused in on details or compositions set up as elevations. Perhaps this is cross referencing, but not as a conscious decision.

Finally, what advice would you give to a student interested in pursuing a creative pathway?
The most rewarding thing about choosing a creative career is that it opens up your thinking - to question and challenge things around you, and ultimately seek a new position from what has gone before. A creative career more often than not expands a person's options. I know architects that have become graphic designers, furniture makers who have become interior designers. It's enriching and in many ways essential to have multiple creative outlets. Everything informs the other in some way.

With many thanks to Tom Smith. Instagram: @Thom_Smith
CF

I've said it before, often (probably in the last blog post): school trips are important. These shared experiences can be transformative for students. And staff. And additional others, who tag along just for fun. 

And so it transpired: Paris 2018 was a great adventure for all - 12 St Peter's students (KS5); 2 staff (myself and Sabrina, MFL teacher); and Jon Nicholls (Thomas Tallis School), picked up along the way. This post is a celebration of the event, a record for us mainly, but perhaps also inspiration for others to give it a go, because school trips are important. 

Trips don't always go to plan (our 2015 experience was testament to that), but with two weeks passed - and being certain that everyone came back (I checked again yesterday) - I'm declaring it a success; a perfect balance of inspiration, collaboration and creative hiijinks. Here's how it unfolded...

Rail travel featured prominently: Bournemouth to London, Underground to St Pancras; Eurostar to Paris. It's a great way to travel with students. The journey was long enough to feel like an adventure with enough time and space to mix as a group, and even get started in sketchbooks. With every trip we provide students with an art pack - a fun pack, if you like - which includes an A5 sketchbook, a pencil, a drawing pen, a glue stick, sweets, plus some associated nonsense - playful prompts and activities to get students (and staff) mixing and mucking about.

Following our 3.45pm arrival, and some swift negotiating of the Paris Métro, we were checking in to Hotel Ambassadeur, Montmartre, by late afternoon. For the record, as hotels go - for a school trip, at least - it was fine: a short walk from Guy Môquet station, and the staff were friendly enough, even if the embossed wallpaper had lost a little puff. No matter. A quick freshen up and we were out, cameras ready, taking to the streets for our first dérive, an introductory meander through Montmartre.

The rural village of vineyards and windmills depicted by Van Gogh is long-gone. It's the tourists that are drawn to (and drawn in) Montmartre now. But the place is still dripping with its painterly history. Gaudy and mythologised today, as it was over a century ago when Lautrec postered the streets (and a young Picasso peeled them down for inspiration). Regardless, the busy narrow streets and stage-set cafés provided students with a perfect street photography initiation. ​

Not that we had time to hang around. We were booked in at L'Atelier des Lumières, an 'immersive art experience' hosted in a converted foundry.

It was certainly a spectacle, a vast moving space with every inch playing host to projected pixels. There were two short films, animations of the work of Gustav Klimt and Hundertwasser. Disorientating at times, swirling patterns shifted left, right and centre (and up and down), occasionally interrupted with images of the artists and their histories, a loose historical narrative unfolding to an orchestral soundtrack. Mainly the students pranced and posed within the shifting graphics; clicking away, having a lovely time.

In 2015, when news of the terrorist attacks first broke, Jon and I were with two other staff and a group of 18 students, having dinner in Bouillon Chartier. As events unfolded and the scale of the tragedy (and our immediate responsibilities) dawned  upon us all, we made the call to stay put, eventually departing in the early hours to walk to the hotel. Rather than avoiding those memories we wanted to go back. It's a great restaurant, especially for groups, and it felt right to revisit. And so we did, ever-mindful of our good fortune in comparison to others. It was a positive thing to do.

Then, to finish a wonderful first evening, we embarked on a late night walk to Place de l'Opera métro station, mainly to ensure that the last reserves of energies were spent - always a shrewd move if leading a 6th form residential. It did the job. An undisturbed night ensued.

Saturday morning, after an early hotel breakfast we were back on the métro to l'Opera. It was time for students to take on a challenge: to get lost (and hopefully re-find their way), and to document the experience through photography. In unlikely pairings, students were dismissed in different directions with instructions to meet at Musée d'Orsay for 10.am - apart from Joss and Nancy, who set off to complete their own pre-planned fashion shoot.

Eventually - predictably a little late (but all accounted for) - we reunited for the delights of Musée d'Orsay. This time students set out to work independently, a concentrated period with their sketchbooks amidst a remarkable collection of work. For me at least, it was the Vuillard paintings that caught me unaware. With the benefit of close scrutiny these were remarkable - rich in understated gestures; suggestive of the growing influence of photography; anticipating of abstraction. I was absolutely taken with a new respect for the Nabis artists, prophets of an emerging modern art. 

Then, the main event: Paris Photo 2018. We grabbed a quick lunch on the move to the Grand Palais, navigating the diversions courtesy of all the world leaders in town. But we had more important people to mingle with, and Paris Photo didn't disappoint. We'd only been there a minute when legendary French film director Agnes Varda wandered by. Steps later, we encountered Joel Meyerowitz. It was that kind of afternoon. Regardless, photobooks and photographs were everywhere. We needed to get busy: this was the world's biggest photography fair. 

Three hours later, feasted, we needed to move on. We still had the Pompidou Centre to escalate. I'd promised a view of the Eiffel Tower at night, and within our tight itinerary that seemed the best option. Plus - obviously - it's full of art - everyone still wanted more, right?

A busy metro, a rainy walk, and a slow queue later, we were in and rising. The view was a little compromised, what with the rain and top floor renovations, but it didn't matter; everyone was having a great time. We made the most of 45 minutes in the gallery, and argued about Cy Twombly. 

A walk via Notre Dame led us over the river to the Latin Quarter. Pizza was top of the emergency priorities and we did well to find a quiet restaurant and set about disrupting it. Eventually, by the time we'd eaten, it was borderline bedtime for all. It had been a massive day. The students were exhausted. Thankfully Jon, confident of a short route to the metro via Montparnasse, took the lead. Let's just say by the time we crept into the hotel, everyone slept very well.

Sunday, a little time to pack up prior to heading out for the day - we'd grab that luggage later; a busy morning awaited. After a team briefing within the context of being Remembrance Day, we headed out for a group reflection. Literally. A chance to work together, experimenting with mirrors, and appreciating our freedoms to do so.

It was a perfect choice. Students wandered with jaws dropped, spontaneously muttering "This is cool". And it was. Diverse, ambitious, playful and socially aware: JR is a young artist/photographer sticking his neck out to make a difference.  My own preconceptions adjusted (as with Vuillard the day before), I settled to absorb his recent 'Guns in America' TIME magazine commission. It made for mesmerising viewing.

But the clock was ticking, and we wanted to complete one more practical exercise before heading back. We made our way to Place des Vosges, Marais, the oldest planned square in Paris, for further reflection.

And then it was time to retrace our steps - Hotel, métro, Eurostar; St Pancras. The journey back was really enjoyable, lots of laughs; a tangible sense that we were all closer for the adventure. We'd certainly filled our time and, despite the all-round exhaustion, there was excited talk of new projects and collaborations. 

Two weeks later and some of this work has already come to fruition: Year 12 photography students have collaborated with Sabrina's GCSE French class; students on the trip are hosting an exhibition of their experiences this week - to include images, installations, sound recordings, trip sketchbooks and poetry. In addition, to the students delight - unexpectedly - they received a parcel in the post after only a few days: a photobook each, courtesy of (and by) Jon, a 'thank-you' for being such good company. A typically kind gesture, and a beautiful book - Things I'd Love to Say in French - very appreciated by all. 

To Jon, Sabrina and all the students: Great job team! THANK YOU for all your enthusiasm, energy and good humour - definitely have to do that again. School trips are important.

​It's common knowledge that organising a school trip, in particular a residential one, is rarely a walk in the park. And even if it was, the prospect of a squirrel attack - or at least the associated paperwork - is usually enough to deter most teachers. Add to this increasing trip costs, alongside the bartering for student time, and it soon becomes clear why school trips are on the decline. All far from ideal, especially for Photography students ever-keen to explore the world.

This post sets out to share our recent individual experiences of school trips to Brighton Photo Biennial 2018. Hopefully it might encourage other teachers - those less-inclined or previously nervous to do so - to consider organising a similar trip of their own. There is much to be gained from these shared adventures. The prevailing memories and relationships can fuel a class for months.

Brighton Photo Biennial is a regular fixture - biennial, in fact - in our residential trip plans. It ticks all the boxes. It is also affordable, with costs kept low by using a school minibus and staying in the wonderful Brighton YHA.  Significantly, thanks to the amazing team at Photoworks, deliverers of BPB, all exhibitions are free. (Free! I know).   Coupled with Brighton Photo Fringe, the biggest challenge tends to be choosing what to see, and then balancing this with an artist talk (or two), alongside time to explore with our cameras. Anyhow, Here's how our recent weekend panned out...

We - 14 students, myself and Jasmine O'Hare (accompanying artist/teacher) - arrived early evening and headed straight out for the obligatory fish and chips on Brighton Pier. The pier provided the perfect backdrop for an introduction to night-time photography, which then led us to the beach for a first group activity. 

With this year's BPB18 theme in mind, 'A New Europe', students were challenged to imagine how it might feel to arrive on a foreign shore as a refugee - alone, cold, afraid. Of course this is not easily imagined but, mindful of not trivialising the issue through a practical activity, I wanted students to practically engage with the forthcoming BPB themes. As it was, in this moment, on an unfamiliar coastline under an imposing inky-black sky, the students set about sensitively thinking, discussing and making art together. This was a good start.

Saturday morning we headed straight to Brighton University, Grand Parade site, for The Cross Channel Photographic Mission exhibition. This insightful show features nine photographers who produced diverse work in response to the construction of The Channel Tunnel between 1987-94. This was my second visit, having previously led a PhotoPedagogy workshop for teachers as part of the opening weekend. I was keen to see how students would respond to a similar activity.

Once again, the students did not disappoint. Organised into groups of 4 and 5, they were challenged to produce a response to the exhibition in a marked-out territory 1m x 1m - a member of the group having to stay within the square at all times. Post-it notes, tape, pens, print-outs of the images on show were all available to use.

Their responses were highly imaginative and each group justified their work with integrity. These were sensitive responses to themes of movement, home, connections and edges - goose-bump inducing, in fact. 

​Next stop was Uta Kögelsberger's 'Uncertain Subjects: Part II', a series of portraits of people alienated by the Brexit vote. Presented as a performance of sorts - a series of billboard posters layered and re-layered upon a shipping container - this was a surprisingly captivating experience, the craft of the billboard paster revealing, concealing and combining various identities. We were grateful too for Uta to take time to talk to students and answer questions.

Lunchtime provided a chance for students to explore in small groups, and also to squeeze in a visit to Robin Maddock's 'Nothing We Can't Fix By Running Away'. This proved to be a popular option. Maddock's documentary adventures and mischievous combinations of images were crammed into 3 tight floors of an emptied tattoo studio, playful and provocative in equal measure.

For the afternoon activity we'd taken a punt on a Photoworks offering, reserving tickets for a debate on 'Brexit and the Arts' hosted by Simon Roberts. While Jaz and I were keen, we weren't sure how it would be received by students,  especially those recently exposed to the draw of North Laine shopping. Still, what is this job if not to expose students to new experiences and nurture restraint? We needn't have worried. Thanks to a passionate and articulate panel - Shoair Mavlian, Director of Photoworks, Mahtab Hussain, artist (recently featured on the BBC 4 documentary ‘What Do Artists Do All Day?’), Natasha Caruana, artist and Senior Lecturer of Photography at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, Michael Lightfoot, artist, director of Artists for Brexit, and Uta Kogelsberger, artist (see above) - students were kept alert, ever-increasingly engaged when they sensed a fight brewing. Predictably, Michael Lightfoot was swimming against the tide of opinion, unconvincingly bobbling about in a sea of Brighton-based remainers. A more convincing argument for the benefits of Brexit would have been welcomed. But nope. And so - while fair play to Michael for stepping up, his bullet-proof disposition perhaps more suited to a career in politics than the arts - we left still trying to make sense of the Brexit mess. On the plus side, students were now actively discussing the issues: "I'd never really thought about it before" commented one. "Can we go shopping now?".
​

Saturday evening, as is the BPB tradition, we headed out for a pizza, followed by some team games in the youth hostel where we walked that fine line between education and chaos. Lots of laughs all-round. Best leave it at that.

Sunday morning we headed to Brighton University, Edward Street for Émeric Lhuisset's 'L'Autre Rive' and Tereza Ćerveňová's 'June'. This was a welcomed chance for some independent study - a precious, silent hour with sketchbooks/notebooks in a quiet space, responding to the works on show. In particular students were encouraged to consider how the work had been curated, and how they might use words, quotes, song lyrics etc. to connect between images. Amongst a busy itinerary I've learnt that extended reflection time for students can be important - a reminder of how enjoyable it can be to be somewhere unfamiliar, independently engaged, creating and responding.

Next stop: Phoenix Brighton, base camp for Brighton Photo Fringe. There was so much on show here it is difficult to know where to begin. In discussion with students it was the diversity of photographic media and approaches - and presentation techniques too - that most resonated. In particular, following our recent work with Threshold Concept 2, the London Alternative Photography Collective's alternative processes were a timely encounter. In addition, the various documentary strands - from the enabling My Brighton and Hove Project, to Map6: The Shetland Project served as rich demonstrations of both the democratic nature of photography and its potential for poetic, personal expression.

Finally - fittingly, prior to heading home - we found time for one last visit, to 'Homes', Harley Weir's exhibition at Fabrica. The images, printed life-size on fabric, are a revealing insight to the temporary homes and personalised spaces (now destroyed) from within 'The Jungle', Calais' notorious refugee camp. This was an opportunity to remind students of the deceptive nature of photography - these gently billowing abstractions were not without beauty, but it was important to remember our encounter was from a position of privilege, far removed from the plight of these refugees. We were heading home, and easily able to do so.

We enjoyed a rich weekend in Brighton, a profound combination of shared laughs and meaningful encounters. Particular thanks to the team at Photoworks, and also to Jasmine O'Hare for giving her time, wisdom and energy with such enthusiasm. Next up Paris Photo 2018!

​-- Chris Francis, St. Peter's School

I confess, BPB18 was my first time. Following an invitation to co-write the teacher resources and help run a workshop on the opening weekend, I decided that I ought to take our Year 12 and 13 photographers to the seaside for a day. We picked a Tuesday when both classes would normally have photography, helping to reduce the cost of cover. Eleanor, our new recruit to the department, came along (valuable CPD) and our expert technician Yannik, who lives in Brighton, was able to join us (saving him the round trip to south London). We took 27 students in all, each paying just £8 for the train journey. All of the exhibitions were free entry. Marvellous!

Students were equipped with the BPB18 printed guide booklet (sourced prior to the visit), an annotated map of the gallery locations, an itinerary (pretty strict with approximate timings), a small print of one of the exhibition photographs with a hole cut out and a scrap of blue lighting gel. They were also given a sheet of provocations which included some ideas for things to photograph and some prohibitions:

​Some suggested strategies:

• "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.” Robert Capa
• Experiment with shallow depth of field. Look for ways to partially obscure the main subject by including something out of focus in the foreground.
• Look for apertures - holes or gaps to photograph through. Use the photograph with the hole in it I gave you to frame your shot.
• Think about edges, borders and barriers.
• Look out for the colour blue. It’s a theme in the exhibitions since it suggests the sea (a physical barrier between the UK and mainland Europe) and the EU flag. What other blue things can you find?
• Notice (unintentionally) ironic signs that might refer to the current political crisis - E.g. Exit Only
• Photograph works of art from unusual angles or frame them in unexpected ways. Think about lighting and composition.
• Record some ambient sounds on your phone. These could accompany your documentary pictures at a later date.
• Experiment with photographing from different heights (a worm’s eye view is always fun).
• Try re-photographing your own photographs in unusual locations E.g. take a picture on your phone and use your camera to re-photograph it.
• How might you photograph a particular feeling - anxiety, tension, expectation, remorse, authority etc.? How do you feel about the current political situation? How can you represent this in one or more pictures?
• Photograph gaps, absences, missing elements, lost items etc.
• Create a sign and place it somewhere. What will it say? What instructions might it contain? Will it be funny, serious, surreal…? Photograph it. Notice how people react to it. Photograph them too.
• Photograph something very far away.
• Take at least three photographs without looking through your viewfinder or screen. Photograph by feel.

What to avoid:

• Generic photographs of city streets.
• Graffiti.
• People standing, looking bored, on train station platforms.
• Wide angle (Estate Agent) pictures of gallery interiors.
• Excessive portraits of your friends posing.
• Dull, wonky pictures of other people’s photographs.
• Shooting in Automatic mode.

The students had already researched the festival online and rummaged through our PhotoPedagogy teacher resources so I was fairly confident that they would have a good sense of what to expect, making best use of the limited time available.

After arrival and meeting up with Yannik, we made our way to Jubilee Street to see Uta Kögelsberger's 'Uncertain Subjects: Part II' and Heather Agyepong's 'Habitus: Potential Realities'. I was keen for the students to think about not just the images but the various ways they were displayed, their locations, scales, formats and materials. Next was a short walk to Edward Street to see Émeric Lhuisset's 'L'Autre Rive' and Tereza Ćerveňová's 'June', plus a quick peek at the reproductions from Bill Brandt's 'The English at Home'. I was really struck by both Lhuisset's and Ćerveňová's work, their personal, diaristic and poetic responses to geopolitical issues. The inclusion of Ćerveňová's beautiful book, the style of curation, the slow transformation of unfixed cyanotypes and the separation of pictures from captions, all generated interesting discussions. 

Juliette, from Photoworks, had kindly arranged for us to visit Fabrica gallery, usually closed on Tuesdays. So, after a quick lunch, we enjoyed Harley Weir's 'Homes'. The images had been enlarged and printed onto translucent fabric, hanging like banners between the old church columns. The students were able to notice the parallels between the material of the images and that of the homes featured in them, fragile and temporary structures fashioned by refugees in The Jungle. Several copies of Weir's book were available for comparison. The students were quick to spot the potential for shadowy portraits through Weir's images, although they seemed equally drawn to the pulpit, posing with a toy baby we had discovered outside the university (christened Jacob Jnr. - don't ask).

In the week before the trip, the students had experimented with making their own cyanotypes, using negative images photocopied onto acetate. I had then prepared some A1 sheets of cartridge paper with cyanotype chemicals, hoping that the weather would allow us to make some pictures on the beach. Our luck was in. The sun shone and ​we made our way down to the sea front to make our cyanotypes. I was keen for the whole group to take part in the festival, create some images and display them to anyone who was interested. Cyanotypes are relatively easy to make, referenced Émeric Lhuisset's exhibition and continued the blue theme. The beach venue provided a public stage on which to perform the collaborative making of photographs. The students would be seen engaged in an act of creativity in a liminal space between the city and the sea, on the edge of the land, facing France. Given the sense of disenfranchisement felt by many members of the group in the wake of the Brexit vote, this seemed like an appropriate response. I was also hoping it would be good fun!

To be honest, it was mayhem. A couple of volunteers threaded our school cyanotypes through a wire fence surrounding a beach front amusement swathed in tarpaulin. Others sellotaped acetates to sheets of paper, weighing them down with stones in the increasingly blustery conditions. After about 5 minutes, the sheets were hastily taken to the sea where Yannik waited with a shopping bag of water to wash them. I was so keen to document the process that I failed to prevent some students getting totally soaked. I needn't have worried. The shrieks of laughter and grinning faces conveyed the unabashed joy of those taking part. Yannik had brought along an old tape cassette with a microphone and student Jacob, well-dressed for the occasion in a jacket and tie (don't ask), adopted the role of intrepid journalist, capturing sounds and interviewing hapless tourists. You can see his hand in one of the pictures below. In school I often refer to memories of messing about in the sand pit or playing with water at nursery school as an example of the unfettered, unselfconscious experimentation I'd like to see in photography. This activity will now become my reference point for these students.

The pictures came out pretty well. I really like the creases and scratches, an index of their rough treatment on the pebbles. What I love most about them is that they were made by 27 people working together, having fun and taking a risk. I've no idea what the locals or the tourists thought of us. The seagulls took quite an interest, or perhaps they were just posing for the camera. On the way back to the train station, slightly soggy and emotional, we popped into Robin Maddock's 'Nothing We Can't Fix by Running Away' show in the Tattoo Shop. Far from running away, we were returning home to put on dry socks, eat a square meal and admire our handiwork. We were reminded that these simple pleasures are often denied those who seek better lives elsewhere or struggle to find a home.

Here are just a few of the pictures taken by students on the day. I'm hoping to see a lot more after they've got around to documenting the trip in their books and on their websites. #BPB18 will live long in the memory.

-- Jon Nicholls, Thomas Tallis School

Here is a short summary of our workshop for teachers, delivered on Saturday 29th September as part of the opening weekend for Brighton Photo Biennial 2018. It was an absolute treat to work with such an enthusiastic group of rule-breakers. Should you ever need a crowd to disrupt an exhibition, look no further than this seemingly compliant collective. 

The session began in relative calm, an opportunity to remind ourselves of what we'd signed up for:

• How to challenge and engage students in a gallery setting
• How to promote collaboration and active participation
• How to explore a range of contemporary approaches to photography
• How to consider context, curation and location
• How to encourage critical debate alongside playful experimentation

With only two hours available, it was always going to be a challenge to fully get to grips with all aspects. Still, we did our best to give each a good tickle, our hope being that beneficial discussions would continue within groups during practical activities. 

In addition, we were keen to embed the Biennial theme 'A New Europe' into proceedings, not least because we were based at University of Brighton's Grande Parade site, home to the rich and diverse BPB18 exhibition, Cross Channel Photographic Mission. The challenge was to devise an activity that promoted collaboration and risk-taking, but also that created space for reflecting on the exhibition and the key themes within our BPB18 teacher resources - Home, Connections, Edges and Movement.

Below are the slides used to whip up the mischief levels before venturing into the gallery spaces:
​ 

Simply put, the challenge was - in groups of four - to create an installation of sorts; a collective response to the works on show. Within the gallery spaces each group (collective, movement...) were to claim a 'territory' - to map out a playground (approximately 1mx1m) for experimentation to ensue. A range of basic materials were provided for this - masking tape, paper, marker pens and post-its, alongside a selection of photocopies of some of the works on show. The possibilities of using cameras, phones, audio recordings, performance etc. were also suggested. To complicate matters, an additional challenge was proposed: that one person from the group had to stay confined within the space at all times. The intention was to provoke a sense of leaving or remaining; to see how this might be negotiated. Not always easy.

It was a genuine delight to watch the different groups respond in such imaginative and unpredictable ways. And brave responses too - from totally disrupting the entrance (much to the interest of newly arriving visitors), to creating a mobile territory, a collaborative performance of sorts.

Below are a few photos from the session:

Jon and I would like to thank all of those who attended the workshop. We hope that the session was enjoyable and of benefit - we'd certainly love to hear more should you trial any new ideas as a result. 

We're both now looking forward to bringing our students back to the Biennial. It is a great opportunity and Photoworks do an incredible job of delivering such a rich and stimulating programme - free and accessible to all. Coupled with Brighton Photo Fringe, a visit is highly recommended. It's quite likely you won't want to leave.

​CF

Phew! And relax.

It's been another long, hard and exciting year with seemingly very little time to take care of non urgent business. Now the summer holidays have arrived, we can take stock, reflect and do a bit of much needed housekeeping at PhotoPedagogy Towers.

You may have noticed that the website is getting a slight facelift. Here are some of the changes we've made:

• The homepage is more visual with (a lot) less text. A grid of hyperlinked images highlights particular resources on the site.
• For those wishing to know a bit more about PhotoPedagogy, the old homepage is now an About page and sits underneath the new Home page with an invitation to Contribute to the site.
• The Threshold Concepts now have their own place in the menu and are, hopefully, easier to find and use.
• Some of the older Resources have been retired. If you really miss something, let us know and we'll reinstate it.
• The Lesson Plans have now been subdivided into KS3/4 and Post 16. We've removed reference to GCSE and A-level, since students and teachers of other courses (such as BTECs) in this country and abroad might also find the resources useful. These pages also look a bit different.

Finally, we've  sorted out some of the less obvious, niggling design details, such as colour consistency, across the site. As always, the website is a work in progress.

​Thanks to everyone who has contacted us over the last two days, whilst we were moving stuff around, to ask about the location of missing pages or dead links. If only we were professional web designers we'd have made all the changes without you even noticing, but we're not. Hopefully, most things are back where you might expect them to be now. If you spot anything weird or missing, please let us know!

In other news, we've had some really exciting discussions with various friends in the photography world outside schools in the last few weeks. Here's a short summary of those conversations:

The folks at pic.london have been in touch and we're hoping to support them with a workshop at their next big photography event sometime in 2019.

We have begun planning our next 2 day CPD session for Tate Exchange, working closely with Autograph ABP and The Photographers' Gallery. As soon as we have confirmed dates and details, you'll be the first to know but, at the moment, the plan is to hold an event similar to last year's during the first two days of the February half term (18 and 19 February 2019).

We've been invited by Photoworks to run a session for teachers at this year's Brighton Photography Biennial. This will take place on Saturday 29 September, the opening weekend of the event. Here are the details in case you're interested in getting involved:

We're really excited about all these opportunities to meet colleagues, share ideas and discuss the state of play in photography education. We hope you like the changes to the website.

​We'd like to thank everyone for your support this year and wish you a very happy summer holiday. We look forward to working with you again in September!

Best wishes,
​Jon & Chris

It's been a few days now since #classphoto2018 ended and we're in the process of reflecting on what happened, what we learned and what might be next for the PhotoPedagogy family. What follows is a brief summary of events, complete with associated resources and presentations, plus some thoughts about professional development, Threshold Concepts and the endless utility of hole punching devices.

The broad theme for the first day was portraiture. We'd set out the space like a classroom, with island tables, the beginnings of a wall display, and a screen for digital projections. A stack of our newspapers welcomed those arriving, some introductory food for thought as participants recognised familiar faces and made new acquaintances. Simon Baker, Tate's first ever Curator of Photography, welcomed colleagues and described Tate's particular attitude to the collection and display of photography. Under the stewardship of Simon and his team, photography at Tate Modern has never been so well represented. We were in the perfect location for what promised to be an exciting two days. So then, time to begin...
 
Following a run-through of the day's itinerary, setting out our hopes for this newly formed class, we floated some provocations about the nature of classrooms (and teachers' influence in shaping their ethos).

"How might the taking of a group photograph introduce a key concept - a big idea?" With Threshold Concepts #1, #7 and #10 particularly in mind, colleagues were invited to discuss their preferred starting points with new photography groups. They were then tasked to create their own group portraits, either in the style of a known artist/photographer or in response to a particular image or genre of photography.

This quick introductory task was designed to promote sharing and reflection on those first lessons with a new group - when the sense of anticipation is high, and that challenging decision of where to begin offers so many possibilities. As anticipated (this was a room full of creative teachers after all) the results were rich and diverse. A range of 'big ideas' were promoted: themes such as truth, objectivity and representation emerged alongside those relating to abstraction and allegory. But still, no time to waste! Groups were moved to action quickly, resulting images were printed or shared digitally. Our Day#1 display wall and #classphoto2018 feeds were up and running.

Class Photo Day#1 Introductory slides

Portraiture, in its many guises, can offer rich possibilities within the classroom, not least with its potential to encourage students to step beyond their comfort zones. Prior to this event a quick survey had highlighted the desire for a wide range of ideas applicable to the classroom. With this in mind we devised a rolling slideshow for display, see below, 20 practical ideas linked with relevant PhotoPedagogy lesson plans and Threshold Concepts.

20 project ideas relating to 'Portraiture'

We were delighted to introduce Marysa Dowling to lead our first workshop. Marysa's practice is rooted within portraiture and concerned with human behaviour, identity, communication, exchange and interaction. Her workshop was thoughtfully designed to promote collaboration within groups, inviting participants to enter (exploit, intervene, experiment...)  within the gallery spaces, producing portraits in response to the provocation, 'Conceal. Reveal'.

Marysa Dowling, introductory slides for 'Conceal Reveal' workshop

Art and photography teachers rarely need a second invitation for creative mischief - everyone responded with great enthusiasm. We were only a couple of hours in and our experimental classroom was already taking shape, in both spirit and appearance.

The resulting responses were once again added to our growing display wall. Here we were keen to demonstrate that classroom spaces can evolve and be adapted quickly - that displays can be organic, collaborative works in progress rather than simply static, finished presentations.

It was a deliberately pacy start to Day #1, and so lunchtime, served in our classroom space, was a welcome opportunity to catch a breath and share experiences. That said, there remained the option of a lunch time task, which many participants bravely undertook. Outlined in the introductory presentation (above), colleagues were invited to engage with a member of the public (someone observing a photograph within the gallery) and initiate a conversation to result in a collaborative portrait. No rest for the ambitious!

Ali Eisa is a gifted communicator; an artist, educator and representative of Autograph ABP, a charity that works internationally in photography and film, cultural identity, race, representation and human rights. His session provided a platform for profound discussion and playful interaction: a series of activities aimed at bringing to prominence a 'Missing Chapter' of photography history. Using Autograph ABP's remarkable archive of images - from Victorian studio and 'Cartes de Visite' images to more recent documentary work - Ali's jam-packed session was perfectly pitched for photography teachers. Simply put, following an introductory presentation and the distribution of a wide range of images, Ali proposed 3 key tasks:

• Interview the Image - an opportunity to promote oracy and literacy skills by devising interview questions for the subject of a historical image (and then, with a partner, using role-play to respond on behalf of the subject matter). This was followed by the creating of a 'conversation between two images' - an opportunity to imagine a discussion that might take place across times, cultures and identities.
• Image 8 Series - a curatorial exercise where an image is provided and a title is to be collaboratively devised. Following this a set of 7 other images are revealed and the titling re-considered, with new titles and captions then developed.
• Appropriating Portraits - practical experiments - cutting, puncturing, layering, collaging, combining etc. - exploring how the appearances and potential meanings of an image might be playfully manipulated.
  

A selection of images from the Autograph ABP workshop

Following a sharing of outcomes from Ali's workshop, it was time for super talented young photographer Elliott Wilcox to lead a practical session on lighting techniques. With the skill of a professional accustomed to thinking on his feet, Elliott quickly set about converting the space to incorporate 5 unique lighting workstations: manipulated lighting; continuous lighting; over/off camera flash; 'daylight positive'; and 'daylight negative'. Elliott began with an introduction to his own personal and professional practices. He spoke passionately about the affordances of light,  using a wide range of examples to explain and unpick various set-ups. A quick demonstration followed and then it was over to participants to dive-in and have a go. As with all previous sessions they enjoyed this immensely, the development of technical expertise a perfect compliment to the previous sessions.

Day #1 ended with the completion of some obligatory evaluation forms, a fond farewell to those leaving us and an invitation to the majority remaining to meet later that evening at a local restaurant for some social time. The PhotoPedagogy team then set about changing the room around ready for Day #2.

We had conceived of the second day of Class Photo as an opportunity for attendees to experiment a little more with the materiality of the medium, thinking about photography's relationship to abstraction. We had moved the furniture to the edge of the space and laid out some intriguing materials and equipment - small light boxes, scalpels, cutting mats, sellotape, hole punchers and 35mm colour slides. The lights were off when colleagues arrived and the chairs were arranged in a semi circle. An abstract projection from an OHP illuminated the end display wall, stretching across the ceiling, and a pair of slide projections appeared, slightly overlapped, on one concrete side wall. The atmosphere was deliberately subdued and colleagues chatted quietly over their morning refreshments.

After welcoming new attendees to Day #2, we began with two particular Threshold Concepts, #5 and #7. Brief mention was made of the knowledge that is bound up in the arts, photography being no exception. We talked about photo literacy, wondering about the importance of photography's reliance on the whole body (rather than just the eyes or brain) and the need to deliberately undermine students' tacit understanding of photographs as 'natural' or copies of reality. Photographs rely on context for their meaning and all photographs, we contend, are abstractions, more or less.

We wondered about the relationship between those photographs that we encounter in our everyday lives and those we might see in a gallery. We launched into a practical task that prompted colleagues to physically manipulate found photographs printed on acetate. Cutting up and reconfiguring photographs unites a range of skills and knowledge - visual and physical acumen - photo literacy in practice. We used the OHP to project fragments onto the walls of our 'classroom' and made translucent collages on nearby windows. Photographs of these collages incorporated the cityscape beyond and colleagues were encouraged to consider issues of framing and focus.

Like Day #1, we suggested a couple of related lunchtime activities:

1. Select one or two prints from the pile available. Re-photograph these images at least three times in various locations. Consider various way of abstracting the image including the way that light falls on its surface.
2. Select one of the Tate postcards with punched holes or punch a hole in a found image. Use this as an aperture through which to photograph aspects of the gallery. Experiment with focus, framing and point of view.

These opening activities were directly inspired by the practice of artist Anna Lucas and the workshops she constructed for Tate's Summer School, 2016.

We used the flat screen display to share a looped slideshow of student images with an emphasis on various levels of abstraction. This was designed to provide a subliminal set of provocations and possibilities throughout the day.

In thinking about Day #2 we decided to devote a longer period of time to making. We hoped that this would give colleagues (most of whom had been in attendance on Day #1) a chance to share their experiences whilst being engaged in a hands-on activity. We invited artist Dafna Talmor to lead a workshop based on her practice. Dafna spoke about her joint interest in making photographic art and teaching, about her complex relationship to the genre and history of landscape photography and about the process of constructing images.

Following a brief talk, Dafna explained that we would be appropriating found 35mm slides (purchased cheaply on eBay) to construct new images. She gave a brief demo, a warning about health and safety and a reminder about looking after the space together. We'd lost a couple of tables, donating them to others on the floor, so there wasn't much elbow room. We encouraged colleagues to take care of each other, work patiently, share the resources and continue to develop ideas from the morning session and suggested lunchtime activities as necessary. This included taking time out to visit works on display in the galleries.

The subdued lighting and working on a small scale resulted in a relatively quiet, calm atmosphere. Slowly, colleagues got up from their light boxes and began projecting their newly constructed slides on the wall. It was lovely to witness their reactions -  a mixture of surprise and delight - as the tiny, experimental transparencies were transformed, through projection and an increase in scale, to coherent compositions. Projections were occasionally overlapped, creating a single composite image and occasional mechanical failures were tolerated with patience and good humour. A natural process of development and refinement was common. We had purchased empty hinged slide mounts, enabling the easy removal of the transparencies. This meant that colleagues were able to construct a new image from several slide fragments, project this on the wall, and then adjust as necessary before re-projecting.

Dafna's workshop ended after lunch with a sharing of the outcomes, projected on the wall. The slide projector didn't behave quite as we would have liked so apologies to those people whose work was not shared. However, there was plenty of evidence that colleagues had used a wide range of techniques and processes to create images which were by turns surreal, melancholy, poetic and ravishingly beautiful. At Thomas Tallis School we have enjoyed two visits from Dafna and attempted a similar workshop with students in Years 10 to 13. It takes a bit of organising - getting hold of slide projectors, slides, slide mounts, light boxes and prodigious amounts of sellotape - but, these are relatively easy to purchase online. Dafna offered to send participants a list of contemporary artists whose practice embraces photography. Here it is:

Aliki Braine, Chris McCaw, Vicki Fornieles, Bindi Vora, Steffi Klenz, Sarah Tulloch, Alexandra Letheridge, Tom Lovelace, Alexandra Hughes, Felicity Hammond, Alix Marie, Liz Nielsen, Emma Wieslander, Catherine Yass, Stephen Gill, Nico Krijno, Antony Cairns, Julie Cockburn, Maurizio Anzeri, Bruno V. Roels, Amy Friend, Curtis Mann, John Chiara, Esther Teichmann.

Katie Reynolds, the curator of the schools and young people's programme at The Photographers' Gallery, led the second afternoon workshop. She began with a brief description of the gallery's history and education programme before introducing the work of Batia Suter, a nominee for this year's Deutsche Börse Prize. Katie shared a copy of Suter's 'Parallel Encyclopedia #2', an "image-led sequence of subjective associations offering visual dialogues and new categorisations" that explores "the iconification of images by placing images in new and varying contexts exposing the possibilities of visual editing. Suter's artistic approach is personal and intuitive, selecting a large number of images, which ultimately present how images affect and manipulate meaning, depending on where and how they are placed." The theme of Katie's workshop was curation and she began by reminding colleagues of Threshold Concept #7: "Photographs are not fixed in meaning; context is everything." Colleagues worked in teams to select, sequence, expand and then title a group of photographs. At each stage, the images were rotated around the groups so that each team was required to work with images chosen by others. The final stage of the challenge involved displaying the images in an unusual location, considering their wider physical context and how they were installed. "They could be on the floor, wall, table – does one image conceal part of another? Where is the title in relation to the images? What does this do to our reading?"

Day #2 ended with a heartfelt thank you to all our amazing colleagues and contributors and to the Post 16 students from St. Peter's and Thomas Tallis Schools who provided such amazing support. ​

We're delighted with the feedback we have received so far, all of it positive. Colleagues welcomed the opportunity to meet other photography teachers with varying levels of experience, share ideas and offer support. Tate Modern provided a stimulating environment and the Southwark Room at Tate Exchange was an appropriate space in which to experiment with the idea of a photography classroom. All of the guest presenters were praised for their expertise and ability to engage and challenge participants in equal measure. We were delighted that each new workshop leader was able to make explicit links to ideas and concepts shared previously. This gave real coherence to both days, deepening connections and drawing colleagues back naturally to the relevant underlying Threshold Concepts. We are immensely grateful to all our contributing artists and arts education professionals for their creativity, knowledge and generosity. 

​Colleagues recognised that they had been encouraged to leave their comfort zones and experiment with new ideas, processes and ways of working. They commented on the use of space and the 'classroom' set up, welcoming the opportunity to see things from a student's perspective and considering ways in which their own classrooms could be different - "It doesn't have to be as it's always been." 

One of our key aims for the event was to further cement the bonds that have developed online, via the PhotoPedagogy website and NSEAD Facebook pages, so that we can continue to form a community of practitioners. It was pleasing that many attendees seemed keen to maintain contact with one another, offering to contribute to the website and even get involved in helping to plan future events. We are excited to see what happens when folks get back to school and attempt to put some of what they have experienced and learned over these two days into practice with students. Watch this space!

We'd really appreciate any thoughts you may have about the two days so please feel free to comment below and don't forget to get in touch if you want to share something with others on the website.

Thank you.

​Jon & Chris

PS
​All of the photographs taken by us or our students over the two days can be viewed on Flickr.
You might also be interested in viewing the collection of images on Instagram using the #classphoto2018 tag.
The #classphoto2018 tag can also be used to read a series of tweets related to the event.

After months of consulting, thinking, planning and collaborating our Tate Exchange project for 2018 is just round the corner - the 12th and 13th of February to be precise. Following last year's student centred activities in the main Tate Exchange space, this year's focus is a dedicated team of photography teacher colleagues who are joining us from the four corners of the land to experience some fun and games in the PhotoPedagogy playground.

We are excited and a little apprehensive. This is our first CPD adventure and we've been working hard to ensure that folks get value for money. Here's how the two days are shaping up:

The Tate Exchange theme this year is production.​ What is produced in a photography classroom? What is seen and unseen? Who are the workers, what materials do they use and who profits from their labour? To what extent are photography classrooms spaces of agency and empowerment? In an age of measurement, how can photography teachers re-connect with a sense of purpose and provide a good education, in all senses of the word?

We are delighted to be working with amazing professionals from the world of photography. Marysa Dowling, Dafna Talmor and Elliott Wilcox are all practising photographers who are also gifted communicators. Ali Eisa and Katie Reynolds work in the education departments of pioneering public galleries and are passionate about photography education. We are also delighted that Simon Baker from Tate will be joining us on Monday morning to welcome participants to Tate Exchange. We are very grateful for the fantastic support of these individuals and the Tate Exchange team. It is a real privilege to be working in such an amazing building and alongside so much great photography on display.