Photography Archives - Heathfield School

Form IV Photography Trip

Heathfield — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:29:47 +0000

Form IV Photography students enjoyed an inspiring and enriching visit to both the Natural History Museum and the V&A on 20 November. With good weather, the group walked between galleries and the restaurant, taking in London’s atmosphere and discussing the work they had seen along the way. At the Natural History Museum, students were able to put their recent learning about the exposure triangle into context, analysing how photographers use aperture, shutter speed and ISO to capture movement, light and focus.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition was a powerful and thought-provoking display, offering students the chance to observe world-class images up close. The visit continued at the V&A, where the photographic displays provided a striking contrast. Exhibited very differently from the Natural History Museum Wildlife collection, the V&A showcased the work of prominent American photographers across a range of genres. From documentary to portraiture to editorial and experimental photography, there was something to inspire every student.

Throughout the day, students completed structured worksheets that also served as part of their assessment criteria, encouraging them to analyse techniques, reflect on context and consider how these influences might shape their own work. After a busy and inspiring day, the group enjoyed supper together before making their way home, tired, but full of ideas for their own future images.

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Lower Sixth Photography Lesson

Heathfield — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:23:51 +0000

Lower Sixth Photography students recently took part in a lesson on shutter speed. Students split into two creative teams to explore the power of both fast and slow exposures. One group took on the challenge of freezing motion, capturing milk splashes and balls plunging into a vase of milk with lightning-fast shutter speeds. The result? Crisp, dramatic images, and just a little milk chaos around the studio!

Meanwhile, the second group stepped into the dark studio to experiment with light drawing, using an ice light and slow shutter speed to create mesmerising trails and glowing shapes. The contrast between freezing motion and painting with light brough thte concept of shutter speed vividly to life.

The room buzzed with creativity, curiosity and laughter, proving once again that technical learning can be both artistic and great fun.

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Spoke Art Competition

Heathfield — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:45:39 +0000

In March, LVI Photography students travelled to London to support Eli who was shortlisted for her documentary film in the SPoKE Art competition.

We first visited the National Portrait Gallery, specifically The Face exhibition. We were all immediately transported back to former eras, experiencing the well-known images of the time with music and videos completing the experience! Celebrity images and famous photographers adorned the walls, offering inspirational ideas for the students who have just started their independent projects.

After dinner, it was an enjoyable walk to The Paul Mellon Art Centre to support Eli. Seeing the high standard of submissions was extremely inspiring, further fuelling Eli’s passion for the visual arts with a determination to enter again next year. We commend Eli for her shortlisted entry.

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GCSE Photography Trip

Nik Mackey — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:39:31 +0000

To ignite ideas for their GCSE Externally Set Assignment, Component 2, and to gather inspiration for their own work, Form V Photography students visited the National Portrait Gallery to see the Taylor Wessing Portrait 24 exhibition. Although the main focus of each photograph were the portraits themselves, the images offered much more. Breaking down the elements of each one, students carefully considered specific areas of individual inspiration. Each student was able to gather enough evidence to inform their first photo-shoot and, a bit later in the Component, some ideas for experimentation. Whatever the individual interest, there was something for everyone.

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Photography & Geography Competition 2024

Nik Mackey — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 08:31:27 +0000

Students at Heathfield have demonstrated their artistic and geographic talents in this year’s Photo/Geog competition centred around the theme of Boundaries. The challenge invited participants to interpret the concept in imaginative ways, capturing both its physical and symbolic dimensions. From historic landmarks to breathtaking natural divides, the entries revealed a diverse array of perspectives and artistic talent.

Well done to all the winners:

Forms I–III

Mariella, Form I

Jasmine, Form II

Emma, Form III

Overall winner, Forms I-III – Lara, Form III

Form IV winner – Solomiia

Form V winner – Leila

Overall winner, Forms IV-V – Alexa, Form V

Lower Sixth winner – Eli

Upper Sixth winner – Ava

Overall winner, LVI-UVI – Millie, LVI

Congratulations to all the competitors and winners for their outstanding entries.

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GCSE Photography Gallery Trip

Nik Mackey — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 13:20:36 +0000

On Monday 15 January, Form V Photography students travelled to the newly refurbished National Portrait Gallery to see the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. The exhibition successfully provided students with a variety of potential starting points for their Component 2 Unit, gathering valuable primary research to inspire their own photo-shoots and experimentation. It was a pleasure to see the students focused and acquiring as much documentation as possible to help provide context for their chosen visual inspiration. To see the photographs at their intended size and in situ, offered more impact and visual stimulation than that of a screen!

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Photography Geography Competition 2023

Nik Mackey — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:30:41 +0000

This year’s Photography Geography competition yielded some very impressive interpretations of the theme of The Shape of Things to Come….the Year 2035. Overall winner for Forms I to III was Charlotte with her image of trees created from colourful lights and showing a futuristic view of the future. Hana, winner of Forms IV – V, entered a photograph of London which she thought showed the ’endless mess of creativity’. Jazzy in LVI won the Sixth form prize showing a bleaker image of the future with little green space left. The overall winners won a camera. The hotly contended staff prize went to Miss Talbot with her image of eco-houses built into the countryside in Wales.

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SPoKE Art Documentary Competition

Nik Mackey — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:33:38 +0000

SPoKE is an art historical documentary film competition designed to challenge students.

SPoKE is an art historical documentary film competition designed to challenge students to link the visual and the verbal in an imaginative and creative manner, underpinned by solid academic research. Any one piece of work (painting, sculpture, drawing, print, multimedia, conceptual or performance art, building) may be chosen as the subject of a 5–7-minute film.

The competition is aimed at Sixth Form students, and our A Level Photography students all submitted some great entries. In class, we encourage the girls to independently choose and talk about a Photographer or Artist that they feel confident about which also links to their ongoing projects as this then allows their films to be included within the current coursework project.

This year’s turn out for submissions was the largest they have ever had so Lily in Lower Sixth has done particularly well with her submission making the shortlist. Lily’s submission explored the work of photographer Duane Michals and his visual storytelling, staged sets of images.

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RIBI (Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland) Young Photographer Competition

Nik Mackey — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 15:50:20 +0000

Last academic year, before the lockdown, GCSE and A Level Photography students submitted entries into the local Rotary Young Photographer Competition. Students in Forms IV and LVI submitted a portfolio of three images. A creatively diverse selection of amazing images were shot for the competition.

Images by Lucy (now in Form V) stood out for the judges, as she took the theme of ‘through my eyes’ in a completely different direction. Judges were so impressed that Lucy was awarded First place in the Senior category of the local round. Her work was then carried through to the District Round and she won the Senior Category once again.

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