Westcountry is best of both worlds, says top photographer

An internationally-acclaimed and award-winning landscape photographer from Devon will be holding a free public talk at Plymouth College of Art this weekend.

Nicholas J R White graduated from BA (Hons) Photography at Plymouth College of Art in 2013 and has since worked for clients including The Financial Times Weekend Magazine, The Independent, Evening Standard, The Times and Telegraph Magazine.

Originally from Dorset, growing up Nicholas spent all of his childhood holidays visiting family in Dartmoor, where he first developed a passion for photography.

He spent five years studying photography at Plymouth College of Art, initially for a predegree qualification and then at undergraduate level.

This year he has been working in the Carpathian Mountains, Romania, documenting the formation of a new European Wilderness Reserve.

Nicholas spoke of his desire to stay in the South West, embracing what Devon has to offer for someone in the creative industries.

“After I graduated, I was spending a lot more time in London, and a lot of photographers feel to be successful they need to be in London. I knew from day one that this had to be a myth.

“I now live on Dartmoor and have the best of both worlds, easy access to London so I don’t feel isolated but at the same time I can go hiking in the national park and not see another person for three days, making some of the best work I have ever made.”

In 2017 Nicholas was named as a winner in the Lens Culture Emerging Talent Awards and was awarded The Royal Photographic Society Environmental Bursary. In 2018, Nicholas’ work was included in the British Journal of Photography Portrait of Britain Award and named as Judges Choice in Landscape Photographer of the Year.

Most recently, Nicholas spoke about his work at Caragiale Academy of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography in Bucharest, Romania.

Returning to Plymouth College of Art this week, he’ll be talking about how studying photography in Plymouth helped him to develop the skills needed to succeed as a landscape photographer internationally, in a free public event for anybody who signs up to attend the open day.

Nicholas’ talk will be part of a day-long event on November 10, from 10am to 4pm, aimed at helping visitors to find out as much as they can about the range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses on offer at Plymouth College of Art.

Attendees can experience first-hand how students at the college are pushing the boundaries in art, design and digital media, and to the resources and facilities that are on offer.

Every programme area, from illustration to photography, fashion to animation, fine art, film, and more, will be open to the public, and everybody in the city is welcome to come and explore the wide range of arts, craft, design, and digital courses on offer.