AMERSHAM & WYCOMBE COLLEGE STUDENT ANNOUNCED AS BRITAIN'S BEST NEW DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Date: 23/01/2008

Elizabeth Gordon, a Chesham resident and student at Amersham & Wycombe College, was announced as Britain's best new digital photographer in the Channel 4 series "Picture This" on Sunday evening.

Elizabeth, who is 33, is currently studying the second year of an HND in Photography and Digital Imaging, and took part in "Picture This" last summer. The show featured six participants, who went head to head over three weeks, stretching their creative and technical abilities in challenging photography assignments that were assessed by a panel of renowned industry judges. The programme was aired during the first three weeks in January, and the results were announced at the end of the show on Sunday evening. The prize includes publication of an exclusive book and a dedicated exhibition at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts in Gateshead.

Elizabeth first heard of "Picture This" last spring, and a friend persuaded her to enter the competition. She says: “It has been very exciting to see my work in print, and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to exhibit my work at the BALTIC. I enjoyed taking part in the competition and am so pleased with the result. It is like getting a stamp of approval from industry professionals.”

Elizabeth moved from Brighton to start the HND course at Amersham & Wycombe College. “The course has given me the confidence to put myself out there as a serious photographer. Everyone on the course is very supportive which has helped me to develop my creative ideas and practical skills. I really enjoy being given an open brief and developing my own ideas to create a body of work.”

Talking about the future Elizabeth says, “Gaining my HND qualification is very important to me and I am looking forward to getting back in to my coursework and completing the course this summer. In the long term, I would like to work as a photographic artist.”

Elizabeth will be exhibiting her next major piece of work at two shows during June with other members of her course; the Free Range Art & Design Degree Show in London, and the College’s End of Year Show. “We’re all busy organising sponsorship for the group exhibition and of course producing our work for it,” she says.

Further Information:

Exhibition Dates:
Picture This Exhibition at The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts is running from 21 January – 10 February 2008

Free Range Exhibition at The Old Truman Brewery, London from 13 - 16 June 2008.

Amersham & Wycombe College End of Year Show, Amersham Campus from 16 – 20 June 2008.

Useful website Links:
For information about the Channel 4 competition, see the Picture This website: http://picturethis.channel4.com/
For information about Elizabeth Gordon, see: www.elizabethgordon.org.uk
For information about the BALTIC exhibition, see: www.balticmill.com/whatsOn/future/ExhibitionDetail.php?exhibID=99.

Pictures above: scuba diver (photo: Lizz Gordon)