Design and photography students collaborate on map project for Cromford Mills

Graphic design and photography students have been busy working together on a live brief to create an interactive map for the historic Cromford Mills.  A recent visit to the mill and canal gave students the chance to gather information and images to help them get the project off the ground.

After some desk based research, the graphic design students gave the photography students a brief. In the brief, they detailed the images they would need for their map projects. The photography students captured images during the trip. These will help the graphic design students shape their final interactive designs.

Inspired by the mills

The day at the mill and on the canal gave the students chance to understand and be inspired by the location. The trip helped them to inform the designs they will create. Importantly, it also gave them an opportunity to understand more about the end users of the product, and how they might use the maps.

One graphic design student told us:

“We were given a brief from a visitor from Cromford Mills so we could start to develop ideas before the trip. It has been really good to go and physically go to the place so we can put our own facts into the project and see how people use the site. It is so much better to physically see it than just do desk research.”

Working to a brief

A black and white photograph of Cromford Mill

Cromford Mills by student Mia Archibald

Photography students commented how vital it was for them to work to someone else’s brief to capture a particular type and style of image.

A few of them explained:

“It has been really interesting to work in a different way. I have had to think about what someone else wants out of the pictures I take; as well as how it will be used in the end.”

“We have had to spend a lot of time over the last year working to develop our skills based on what was in our own local environment. It was good to get out and do something different. It definitely develops different skills.”

A photograph of Cromford Mill with water and a weir in the foreground

Photograph by photography student, Mia Archibald

Creative collaboration

Both groups of students welcomed the opportunity to start the new term being able to work together. The fact that they could also work on a project in a new location was also a bonus.

Students are now busy back in the classroom developing their ideas and editing their images to be incorporated into a final project. We look forward to seeing the interactive maps when they are complete.

In the mean time, here are just a few of the images taken by the photography students:

A photograph of a water wheel in action at Cromford Mills

Water wheel by student Ellena Jury

A photograph of a barge on Cromford Canal

Cromford Canal by photography student Serenety Stevenson

A photograph of the weir at Cromford Mill

Running water at the mill site by student, Serenety Stevenson

A black and white photograph of Cromford Mills

Cromford Mill by student, Kelsie Naylor

A photograph of a water wheel at Cromford Mills

Working water wheels By student Mia Archibald

A photograph of a path and bench with cromford mills in the background

A view of the Cromford Mills site by student Joel Coulson-Rogers

 

A photo of water in front of Cromford Mill

The mill behind the mill pond by student Ellena Jury

A photograph of a canal barge on cromford canal taken from above as it comes under a bridge so you can see the driver steering the boat and a life buoy on top of the barge

A barge under a bridge on Cromford Canal by student Kelsie Naylor

 

A photograph of a barge on Cromford Canal and students on the tow path

Students at Cromford by student, Joel Coulson-Rogers

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