Find out more about UAL Extended Diploma in Photography student Ellie Murphy, winner of The Northern School of Art’s 2022 Jan Secker Award for Passion and Productivity in Photography.

Ellie’s nomination for the award noted that: “Ellie is consistently hardworking in all elements of creative practice and conducts herself with professionalism and maturity at all times, with a self-driven attitude to achieve the highest standard of work.”

• What is your home town and which school/college did you join the School from?

I am from Middlesbrough and joined the School’s Middlesbrough campus from Outwood Academy Acklam.

• What’s your favourite memory of your time at the School (academically as well as socially!)

The trips I have been lucky enough to go on so far, to various galleries, have given me many ideas regarding the presentation of final outcomes and I’m sure any future trips will be extremely helpful to my work.

• What are you doing next and what are your plans/ambitions for the future?

As I am only in my first year at The Northern School of Art, I will be staying and completing my second year which I am really excited about. I am looking forward to exploring many more areas of photography as so far my work has only explored nature and landscape photography. I am interested in what the next projects include and am thrilled that I get the opportunity to work with clients in the project that I am currently working on.

• Any advice for future students applying for the same course as you?

Explore every area of photography that you are interested in, this will be good to create a portfolio that covers many areas of photography. Don’t be afraid to try something new whether it is non digital processes or different genres of photography.

• Where can people find out more about your work? 

I am on Instagram @elliemurphy.photography