The award-winning Head of Photography, Sam Fordham, secured a range of activities to give students hands-on experience behind the scenes at Photo|Frome. Two second-year Degree students, Amber Mylius-King and Jamie Horrigon, returned for the second year to run a pop-up photobooth, capturing the ‘Faces of Frome’. They also showcased work from last year's Photo Booth in an exhibition at the Frome Heritage Museum.

Amber has received an honourable mention in the student awards and her pictures were exhibited at the festival.  80 talented student photographers applied to the photo competition and Amber’s work was commended, coming in second place. Boomsatsuma also secured an opportunity for their students to curate one of the exhibitions at the festival. 23, Bath Street – a night club - was transformed into a gallery space to showcase some incredible work by the shortlisted students from the Photo|Frome Student Awards. This exhibition was curated by Amber and staged by Frome photographer, Ramona Carraro, which is a significant opportunity for a young photographer.

The all-student group exhibition featured work by Lynn Templar, Tessa Holly, Dawna Mueller, Conor Ashlee-Purle and Weronika Pesodyn whose work conveyed powerful stories that not only captivated and intrigued viewers but also pushed boundaries. With a plethora of compelling themes such as identity, reclamation, re-connection with the environment and disrupting societal norms, the photographers put forward cogent and compelling stories through their art. Amber and Jamie were also pleased to receive a paid commission to photograph the opening night of the festival.

The festival’s director, Mick Yates, was impressed:

"Our team has been very pleased to be partnering with the students and staff of Boomsatsuma. This year, students have been doing even more, and everything is being handled with professionalism and delivered to a very high standard. In particular, Amber Mylius-King has done a lovely job curating an exhibition in a unique venue - a night club. This celebrates some of the work of students from other institutions submitted as part of our Student Awards. Amber, Jamie Horrigan and other students are also managing and taking the photographs at the ‘Faces of Frome’ pop-up studio run in conjunction with the Frome independent market. This is a very busy and popular event. When students help to hang exhibitions and also take photographs at events, we have a broad and dynamic partnership. The organising team at Photo|Frome know that when Boomsatsuma says they will do something, it happens, and it is done properly. BoomFrome."

Follow this link for details of boomsatsuma’s Photography Degree for aspiring photographers.

Photo credit: MJ Price.