Showing New Students the Real Plymouth: A Day with University of Plymouth International College

Campuses change. Cities change. And the students looking at a prospectus today expect to see real people having a real time, not a stock photo. So when Ruby and Tim at the University of Plymouth International College (UPIC) asked me to create fresh images for their website, social media and prospectus, the brief was simple: show the next generation of students what life here actually looks and feels like.

On Wednesday 21st October, I spent the day with nine students from different countries, all studying at the University of Plymouth. Most of them had never met before, and none of them had done a photoshoot. By mid-afternoon you’d never have known.

The Plan: Campus, Study and City

The shot list covered three things: campus life, the academic side and everything Plymouth has to offer. UPIC wanted a good mix of candid and posed images, in both landscape and portrait, and they were happy for me to use my judgement and catch anything else that came up on the day.

We started on campus at 8:45. Before anyone had time to feel self-conscious, the group was gathered on the steps of one of the main buildings.

Up on the roof terrace, a couple of laptops and a table were all it took to show the study side of student life, with the city spread out behind them.

Some of the best moments came when I gave the group nothing more than a starting point and somewhere to walk to. Chatting, laughing and teasing each other, they did the rest.

Coffee at the Students’ Union

If I had to pick one part of the day, it would be the Students’ Union. A few of the group went to get coffee, sat down together and just started talking. That’s exactly the kind of natural, unposed moment a brief like this needs, and it’s the stuff you can’t fake.

Out into the City

From campus, we walked into the city centre. We stopped at a local international supermarket, a small but important detail for students arriving from overseas who want to know they’ll find a taste of home. Then on to Plymouth’s Pannier Market for a look around the independent stalls and some lunch.

The Hoe and the Barbican

After lunch, we headed to the Hoe. With blue skies, the sea behind us and Smeaton’s Tower standing tall, Plymouth was showing off.

From there we wandered down to the Barbican. Ice cream was the second highlight of the day. The queue, the choosing and that hand-over moment gave me another set of genuine smiles.

We finished with a loop back up to the university and wrapped up at 3:30.

Working with Bright Sunshine

Blue skies make Plymouth look amazing, but they bring harsh light and strong shadows, especially on faces. Throughout the day I kept the sun behind me wherever I could, and used shade, doorways and sheltered corners to soften the light. That kept the images bright and natural without anyone having to stand still in a stiff, obvious pose.

It also helped the students relax. Rather than asking them to “do a pose”, I’d give them a simple job: walk from here to there and talk to each other. For a group who’d only just met, they were brilliant at it.

Delivered Ahead of Schedule

I always quote two weeks for delivery, because I never quite know what my days will look like. For this one, I delivered 450 edited images just eight days after the shoot, giving UPIC a full library to use across the website, social channels and prospectus.

Ruby was kind enough to leave a Google review afterwards:

“Worked with Mike to capture new marketing collateral for University of Plymouth International College. He was an absolute professional, brilliant with making the students comfortable in front of the camera and delivered the brief we discussed perfectly. I would 100% work with Mike again in future and recommend to anyone looking for a photographer!”

Ruby, University of Plymouth International College

Thank you, Ruby and Tim, and a big thank you to the nine students who gave up their day and made it so easy.

Telling Your Organisation’s Story

Whether you’re a university, a college or a local business, the people who choose you want to see who you really are. If you’d like images that show your people, your place and your culture in a relaxed, natural way, take a look at my brand storytelling photography or my wider commercial photography in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall. I’d love to hear what your story is.