Two CATS Cambridge students, Vy and Peter, have had their photography shortlisted in the 2024 Norwich University of the Arts Beyond the Frame photography competition. It is an annual photography competition for UK and international students.
Vy and Peter are both first year A Level students at CATS Cambridge. They are studying Photography as one of their subjects.
Jo Whitehouse, Head of Visual Arts, invited her students to submit their work for consideration because participating in art competitions is an excellent learning experience for young artists. It is also an opportunity to showcase their talents to a wider audience.
You can view all the shortlisted photography here.
Their photographs will be exhibited at the Norwich University of the Arts East Gallery until April 28th. It is a fantastic achievement for these young artists as their work has been selected from hundreds of entries from around the world.
Speaking about being shortlisted, Peter said “I was excited to know that my work had been shortlisted for the NUA competition, and it see my work up in a gallery for the first time.”
Above: Looking Through, Peter.
Vy said “My feelings when I’m on the list for having my work shortlisted to the competition, was, I felt so happy and so surprised. When I started to submit them, I was not expecting too much, but I was overjoyed to know my work was exhibited in the gallery in Norwich.”
Left: My Sister, Vy.
Launched in 2017, Beyond the Frame is a competition open to students aged 11 – 19 studying in secondary or further education. The international competition aims to encourage young photographs to develop their skills and showcase their talent. Entry is open to young photographers from the UK and around the world.
Each year, the Beyond the Frame organisers set three themes for submissions. The 2024 themes were People, Places and Things. For young artists, themes provide a directional framework to explore ideas and develop their personal style. Themes enable young photographers to look at their work through a specific lense and think about what an image may mean to an audience.
Vy explained the inspiration and experiences behind her submissions.
“I took the pictures that I submitted for the NUA Beyond the Frame competition when I was travelling with my family. The people in the picture are my mom and my sister.
My inspiration for taking photos was my mom and the good frame of a village in Sapa, Vietnam. She has a good style when she walks across the pool. It was very suitable for taking the pictures.”
Left: Fashion, Vy.
Peter, whose submissions touched on the themes of People and Places, explained “For one of my images that I submitted to the NUA Beyond a Frame competition, I took it in Hong Kong, which has a constant flow of people and vehicles and they all complement the rhythm of the city. For my image with the crowded streets, I stood in the crowd and watched people pass by like the time. When I was shooting, I saw how busy Hong Kong was, so I recorded this photo in the form of using a slow shutter speed to capture the movement.
My second image is more of a touch of light in the temple which is like a purity in my heart. At first, a bright light in the temple attracted me. So, I waited a long time until the person walked by to capture him in the light and shadow.”
Right: Movement, Peter.
CATS Cambridge encourages students to pursue their passions and ambitions by providing opportunities to participate in academic challenges, competitions and prizes across academic disciplines. These academic and creative learning experiences deepen students’ knowledge and hone their skills in real-world applications, readying them for university study and beyond. These opportunities form part of our commitment to thoroughly preparing students for success.
