Simon Anley, Higher National Diploma (HND) Art & Design student at Selby College, has won the Image of the Week from The British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP).

“I submitted an abstract image which I felt encompassed the meaning of the competition. The image is of local infrastructure in Selby, which I thought worked really well as it incorporates geometric lines and shapes to convey the subject, as well as leading lines to the texture material and overall feel of the piece,” said Simon.

The BIPP is an internationally recognised qualifying organisation with experience in supporting and networking professional photographers since 1901. Simon is currently a student member of the BIPP and regularly follows the weekly competition, which addresses different photography subjects and topics.

“It’s always fantastic to be recognised by your peers and by a professional group such as the BIPP, which has such a rich history and reputation in the photography world. It was a difficult decision for me to choose to pursue a career in photography and this goes a long way in justifying the huge decision that I made to go back into education and follow my passion. You’re never too old to follow your dreams and the HND Art & Design course at Selby College helped me to realise that,” added Simon.

Simon is currently studying a HND in Art & Design at Selby College, whilst building his portfolio through weddings and family studio photography on a self-employed basis. The course is designed to provide students with a specialist vocational grounding in Art and Design. With a strong emphasis on the development of both individual creative practice and an understanding of professional and employment skills, the course provides students with a higher level of contextual awareness of Art and Design practices.

“The tutors who deliver the course are extremely knowledgeable and support you in every aspect. This has inspired me to pursue a career in teaching and I will be looking to enrol on the full-time Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course at the College next year. It has also given me the confidence and technical skills to be confident in the work place.” said Simon.

Elaine Whitehead, Art & Design Lecturer at Selby College, said: “I’m extremely happy for Simon that his work has been recognised by such a prestigious body in the world of photography. He has done incredibly well for himself in setting up his own photography business, especially in light of the current Covid-19 restrictions, while he continues to study at the college. Both of our degree-level year groups have done incredibly in recent months and have responded really well to the mixture of both face-to-face and online learning.”

First year HND Art & Design students are currently putting together an exhibition as part of their semester one assessment, which will be unveiled during the first week of January. The students have been tasked with producing individual work with the starting point of ‘motion’.

Alongside this, second year students will be hosting their own virtual exhibition on Friday 8th January, which will explore ‘The Role of Technology in Art and Design’. As part of this, the students will investigate technology concepts through photography, graphics, fine art and moving image.