Congratulations to Angela Clarke who has achieved a First Class Honours in Photography. Angela joined the College in 2010 to a study a University of Kent one year BA top up programme. A ‘top up’ is a programme aimed at students who already have a HND or foundation degree and wish to top up to a full degree. Angela tells us about her experiences at the College below:

‘I only found out I was a photographer at the end of 2007, when during my Foundation Art year I specialised in ‘Photography as a Fine Art’. I progressed through 2 years of HND in Digital Photography, and was then offered a place at K College for a one year top-up BA (Hons) in Photography. When I started the BA course, I found K College had a very high standard of teaching and they often pulled in help with projects from professional Fine Artists and Photographers.

In the first term, I wrote my dissertation, where I explored why certain pieces of conceptual contemporary art is chosen for exhibiting in prestigious galleries. It took me on a journey and my research answered lots of my questions about how galleries operate; it changed my mind about some pieces of art, and their worth; and made me understand more about how curating works.

I achieved a first for my website design – angelaclarkephotography.com (which includes a blog that lets you know what I am presently up to!)

I was awarded 85% for my Final Major Project, about reality, called ‘first dates’ which has been shown so far in exhibitions in Kent and London. I was shown the work of Daido Moriyama in a slide show by Susan Shephard, and it was a quote from her that gave me the initial idea of using ‘reality’ as the starting place for my FMP. The project consisted of photographs I had taken on first dates from 2 years of internet dating - but not of the guys.

I achieved a first for my overall BA grade. I managed to achieve this by high attendance and working hard especially for projects with lower marks. I took risks and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Each time a project morphed into a new direction, I went with it and let it naturally evolve to wherever the ending took me.

I was one of many students asked to give a talk to the Tunbridge Camera Club. I thought this would be a good opportunity for my CV, and gave them a presentation about ‘thinking outside the box’, a brief look into fine art photography, and breaking the rules! I was also asked to curate the Photography end of year show, for the HND and BA students.

Postgraduate Activity
I have been advised to publish the ‘first dates’ book I made to compliment my Final Major Project. The book has now expanded from 26 pages to 336…so far, and I have spoken with a publisher in Brighton about this who has connections with the Photographer’s Gallery, and will hopefully be meeting with them as soon as the book is ready.

I am also looking into publishing my dissertation, which was entitled ‘Contemporary Art – Crap or Creative Genius?’, and I would like to write another book explaining how to simplify writing a dissertation, by breaking it down into easier to manage chunks.

I was advised to pitch my commercial brief to Kodak, as the tutors said they could see it as a viable advertising campaign. I have emailed the marketing department at Kodak, and I am waiting for their reply.

My knowledge, the way I think and how I work has improved through doing my BA are all thanks to my teachers who were behind me every step of the way. Each had a unique skill to bring to the table, and my confidence has grown from what I thought I would like to achieve when I arrived for my interview at K College, into believing that I am capable of achieving that, and so much more!’