Barking & Dagenham College photography graduates win prestigious scholarships in Paris

Photography graduates win prestigious scholarships in Paris

Two students who graduated with a BA (Hons) Photography from Barking & Dagenham College this year have won prestigious scholarships.

Vanessa Morrisson and Leon Dohnji were awarded a Barking & Dagenham College/Rouchon Paris Scholarship, giving them the opportunity to spend one month working in Paris as an intern at the famous Paris photography studio, Rouchon Paris.

The scholarship provides the College’s higher education students with a fully funded trip and work experience at the studios.

Vanessa who has just completed her internship, secured her scholarship by impressing with her major project: She embarked on a personal visit to Lagos to make photographs of her national heritage and to communicate ideas of post-colonialism, family history and self-identity.

On her return to the UK Vanessa said: “My experience at Studio Rouchon was unique and amazing; as a studio assistant my days were divided in two tasks – being in the ‘regie’, which means being in the stock room, preparing materials for clients and then assisting photoshoots, learning how a photoshoot is set up.

“I learned so many things in one month; I even got the chance to see celebrities like Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, and the famous photographer Juergen Teller.

“Networking with other students who are aiming to be photographers gave me the confidence to be more creative and productive; for example I’ve been encouraged to create a my own website to showcase my pictures and also to develop a podcast.”

Leon is currently in Paris and his internship will run until late November.

Programme Leader for Photography at the College David Bennett said: “Whilst on their internships they met up with fellow alumnus Daniele Pintore; Daniele was the first ever recipient of the scholarship and has worked at the studio thereafter for the past 5 years. We are really proud of the achievement of our graduates.”

Vanessa and Leon will be returning to Barking & Dagenham College’s Photography department to give a presentation to current students about her experience at Rouchon Paris. They will also act as studio mentors in the cutting-edge new photography studio which will be within the College’s soon-to-open Institute of Technology.