A talented Shropshire photographer has brought the underwater world to life in a series of stunning images which have helped him to set sail towards his dream career.
Alex Turner, 22, from Beckbury, is on target to achieve his ambition of becoming a professional marine photographer, after developing his skills on a media course at Telford College of Arts and Technology.
Alex, a former pupil of Ercall Wood School in Wellington, took a BTEC Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production at TCAT, earning a place at Falmouth University where he has now graduated with a 2:1 BA Honours degree in Marine and Natural History Photography.
Joe Adams, media and creative studies lecturer at TCAT, said: “Throughout his time with us, Alex always demonstrated a keen attitude and solid awareness of photographic applications and techniques.
“The transferrable skills he learnt with us – both in digital and traditional photography – allowed him to start building up a strong portfolio of photographic images, which played a key role in his progression to higher education.
“It’s been great to see Alex develop the skills he fostered at Telford College and succeed in such an exciting and specialist photographic field. I’m sure he will go on to land his dream job.”
It’s a career which runs in Alex’s family, since his grandfather was an underwater photographer with the RAF. Alex says he always dreamed of following in his footsteps.
Alex has combined his studies with becoming a licensed diver, completing his PADI Dive Master qualification. He is now saving up to add his HSE part four diving licence, which will allow him to operate as a professional underwater cameraman.
Alex explains: “It was only by chance that I found out about the course at Falmouth University during an unplanned chat with the TCAT Creative Studies technician Tom Wilder, who himself is a very talented photographer.
“I discovered that Falmouth was the only University offering this course, which made my decision for me… I was going to Falmouth Uni!”
Alex is dyslexic, and Falmouth University, Ercall Wood School and TCAT all helped him to deal with the issue. At university, Alex received a grant to buy a Macbook Pro to support his studies, plus extra time in exams and extensions to coursework deadlines.
His projects focused on capturing close up ‘macro’ photographs of marine wildlife, and to do this Alex actually had to set up his very own 200-litre tank in a university laboratory, and maintain it himself.
He collected a variety of small fish, crabs, crustaceans, star fish, and other living creatures from rock-pools on Falmouth beach, then set about creating his spectacular portfolio of work.
Alex says he loves showing people the underwater world they wouldn’t normally be able to see, using digital photography and state of the art equipment to produce his work.
“Photography has a real opportunity to help people connect with the marine world. A way of bringing the species and habitats to the people needs to be found, instead of trying to take the people to them.
He added: “If you are thinking of coming on a TCAT course, definitely go for it – talk to the staff, go to the information events and get yourself on the right course.”
Joe Adams said: “Alex is a prime example of how you can use one of our courses to progress onto university. TCAT acts as a stepping stone to enhance your credentials to go after that dream job.”
Professor Anne Carlisle, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at Falmouth University, said she was ‘indebted’ to TCAT for sending Alex to them, helping the centre to earn its title as the UK’s number one arts university, in this year’s Sunday Times poll.