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Yesterday, 12 of our lucky Year 6’s took part in a ‘Photography Masterclass’. Following an introductory lesson on photography earlier in the term, these 12 children proved their worth by winning a spot on the masterclass either through being a shining star during the lesson or due to the excellent photograph they submitted in our competition.

Tia noted, ‘Throughout the introductory lesson, I endeavoured to absorb a broad knowledge of photography technique to guide me in taking my photo at the beach. This lesson taught me the various aspects to consider when taking a photo, such as the subject and the importance of focusing the camera on the subject.’

Zara remarked, ‘I was delighted to be chosen for this unique experience.  Meeting a professional photographer was something I was extremely excited about, as well as using a professional camera at a studio to take detailed photographs.’

The trip began with a visit to Mission Photography Studios in Washington, where we met Mark Lloyd. Mark taught us how to accurately take photos using a professional camera, considering the subject, light and various angles. In addition to this, Mark taught us how to consider the background in order to develop the wider perspective of the photo. Thirdly, Mark taught us how to utilise props to enhance the photograph further, for example by using a blanket for comfort. This aided us to create a story behind each photograph, connecting to the meaning behind the image.

Sukruth reported, ‘I learnt how to take a photograph professionally using the different settings on a professional camera. The different settings helped me to capture an excellent photo, for example through using the rule of thirds to help with the composition of the photograph.’

In the afternoon, we went to the Air Museum where we put our newly found skills to the test by capturing photographs of the aircraft at the museum. We used our cameras to carefully take some photos of the planes, considering the amount of the image displayed in the photo, thinking about both the foreground and the background.

Archie exclaimed, ‘The Air Museum was absolutely fantastic! We experienced a tour around the museum, before taking professional photos of the planes. Mark even showed us how to take a 360-degree photo which was very inspiring!’

Ella stated, ‘I already had a strong interest in photography, but this experience has really given me a good insight into how interesting this job role is. My favourite part of the day was the masterclass, delivered by Mark, as I enjoyed learning more about photography as a professional career. This is certainly a career path which I will consider for the future!’

Ellie commented, ‘Photography is a career which I am interested in doing in the future. My interest was sparked during the masterclass with Mark as he really showed me how fascinating this job can be by showing us how different photos can be created and presented in multiple ways.’

Here is a sample of some of the photographs that we took yesterday…