TPF in Review
2020 was The Photography Foundation’s first year, and what a year it was! In between navigating the many obstacles created by COVID-19, we managed to deliver our inaugural training programme and our first five trainees graduated in December. Since then we’ve grown far quicker than we expected with our third cohort of trainees graduating and our reach into the industry as a whole expanding all the time…
150+
Applications
To the Core Training Programme
60
Applicants
Shortlisted for the Training Programme
17
TPF Trainees
Selected, trained and graduated
17
Mentors
Recruited for the Trainees
Trainee Case Study
Sophie Parnell
6 months down the line and I can honestly say that I have actually achieved something in my life. Thank you to The Photography Foundation for supporting me on my worst days, pushing me to my limits and never doubting me even when I doubted myself – which I do a lot.
This programme has allowed me to actually understand who I am as a person as well as being able to achieve things I never thought I could. I am so grateful that I have been able to be a part of this opportunity as I am now able to do what I love best with the help of you all.
Completing the course in November 2021 has opened up so many opportunities and I am now half way through an intense creative advertising course with The BBC and have even got some job interviews coming up for apprenticeships with the BBC.
The holistic approach
We want to set our trainees up for success, and this means giving them the professional skills they need to achieve the career they want, as well as the technical skills they need to become great creatives. Through non- technical workshops, mentoring and individual projects, we take a holistic approach to development and growth to foster the self-confidence and business skills required to succeed in the creative industries.
From workshops on becoming a freelancer and finding an agent, to learning how to self-promote and create a portfolio, our trainees graduate with a whole lot more than technical training under their belt.
To smooth the transition from the world of learning to the world of work, we pair every trainee with a hand-picked mentor from the creative industries to support them throughout the programme and beyond.
At the end of the programme, trainees are tasked with creating a final group exhibition to showcase their work. This is an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and share their portfolio highlights with the wider creative community, taking their first step into the creative industry.
Trainee Case Study
Daniel Housley
Before The Photography Foundation I was doing Digital Marketing, everyone at my work place was lovely but I lacked excitement and didn’t care at all about the work I was doing as I didn’t enjoy it. Photography has always been a strong passion of mine ever since I was 13, however I had always been way too scared to step into it professionally as I had no idea where to even begin when it came to making it a career.
The fact that it is free was really important to me, coming from a low income background, it meant that I wouldn’t have to worry about my biggest trouble whilst being on the course.
