Over the weekend, our photography students joined the crowds at BOP – Books on Photography, the annual photobook festival from the Martin Parr Foundation. Held in the creative quarter of Paintworks, the festival brought together publishers, artists, exhibitions, and — most importantly — a passionate community of people who live and breathe photography.
For many of our students, it was their first time at BOP — and the experience didn’t disappoint. “It was incredible to see how many people turned up,” one student said. “The talks at the Martin Parr Foundation were amazing, and the atmosphere was really friendly. We met students from across the UK, and even a few from Germany and France.”
Across the weekend, our Photography and Print degree students ran their own professional table, selling copies of their photobooks and raising money for their upcoming degree show. The response was brilliant — with plenty of books sold and interesting conversations.
Photographer: Boomsatsuma Photography and Print student Phoebe Stephens
There were plenty of highlights too — from spotting signed books by Martin Parr and Nadia Lee Cohen, to the handmade camera that caught everyone’s attention. And with friends of the course like SERCHIA Gallery, Besides Press, Bluecoat Publishing, and Matt Martin from Photocopy Club in attendance, the sense of creative connection ran strong.
As one student put it, “It’s amazing to be part of something that brings so many people together around photography. You really feel part of the community.”
