Saturday Club teens get snappy with photography masterclass

Teenagers from Northamptonshire received a masterclass in photography at the University of Northampton earlier this month.

The University is part of the National Saturday Club network, which gives 13-to-16 year olds across the UK the opportunity to study subjects they love at their local university, college or cultural institution for free.

The University of Northampton has hosted an Art&Design Saturday Club for the past two years. Local young people attend the Club each week for 20 weeks and explore a breadth of creative subjects including leather and footwear, fashion, illustration and textiles, fine art and use of colour, photography, illustration and etching.

The University’s own lecturers run many of the sessions, with additional guest practitioners helping to bolster the Saturday Club’s offering.

On Saturday 8 February, photographer Daniel Spencer of Turn and Shoot delivered a masterclass for the University of Northampton’s Art&Design Club members. Arranged by the Saturday Club Trust, the Masterclasses programme connects Club members with the charity’s national network of industry experts, giving young people rare access to some of the UK’s most creative minds.

During the Masterclass, Club members experimented with studio portrait photography and location shots around Waterside campus, which the students had to produce to a tight deadline.

Caroline Lloyd, Saturday Club Co-ordinator and Programme Leader for Fashion Promotion & Communication at the University, said: “We were all really impressed with the variety and quality of work they produced in a short space of time.

“These classes have been developed with colleagues across the Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, and their contributions have hopefully shaped some future creative careers.

“The National Saturday Club is a really inspirational organisation, and we are proud to support young individuals in the development of the programme.”

Photographer Daniel Spencer with the Saturday Club members.

The National Saturday Club photography masterclass with David Spencer.

The National Saturday Club year culminates in an annual Summer Show held at Somerset House, London, in June. The exhibition showcases the work of every young person in the network and this year the University of Northampton’s Art&Design Saturday Club will be showcasing an enormous brogue as part of their display, celebrating local craft.

Every September the University recruits 25 13–16 year olds for the Art&Design Club hosted at the university – visit the website, or email katy.adamson@northampton.ac.uk for more details.