This is the second in a series of Editorial and Advertising Graduate Features. Photographer & short film maker, specialising in cycling photography, Alex Duffill, who graduated in 2018, answers questions about his time on the Editorial and Advertising Photography course, why he chose the course and what he has been working on since graduation.

When did you graduate?

I graduated back in May, 2018.

Why did you decide to come onto the course?

At the time of looking at the hundreds of courses out there, the passion the staff put in compared to a lot of others was clear to see, I instantly felt welcome and they were interested in my work and to helping me grow.

What did you like about the course?

It had a bit of everything involved whilst still being somewhat focussed rather than a general photography course which could have thrown me out with no direction at all. The moving image modules were also a big selling factor as well as the interaction with lecturers, and outside professionals, all of which helped further my learning.

Were you able to draw on the transferable skills learnt on the course when you left and started working?

Completely, it seems super stressful at uni juggling three deadlines but in the real world it seems like you constantly have two or three projects on the go, little things I picked up from formative feedback from other people I’m now applying to work too.

Has the course prepared you for working within the creative industries?

I really think that it has, from tax to social media and how to act professionally outside of the actual shoot especially. Being able to work fluidly between stills and moving image is also a big part of my work now as clients seem to really enjoy moving image at the moment for social media.

What have you been working on since you left University?

From the degree show last year I’ve shot 21 editorials for Cyclist magazine, who are the largest cycling magazine out there, across five countries including recently a trip to Romania. I’ve also been extremely fortunate to work with brands such as Browns Fashion & Subaru, all of which came from photographing cycling.

Would you recommend the Editorial and Advertising Photography course and if so why?

Without the course I’d probably have given up on photography, the support from all of the staff, that encourage you to think differently about work and looking at different genres of work, these helped me to grow over the three years.