News

University Centre Barnsley, BA(Hons) Interdiscipinary Art and Design student Rob Nunns, aged 34, has been working with Barnsley Football Club over the past year and has now secured a photography role for their monthly magazine.

BA(Hons) Interdisciplinary Art and
Design student at Wembley

Rob tells us how it all began, ‘The Football Club approached the University Centre to develop a photography project for their Academy’.  Rob explained that the project had to be inspirational to up and coming Academy players, something that would say ‘This is what you can achieve if you work hard’. It was also to be a project that would remind the first team of where they came from and who they are working for – the fans.

Barnsley Football Club Academy guarantees a quality experience for all it young players. It plays a vital role in the community in conjunction with the Football in the Community scheme. It also has to produce a steady stream of players capable of stepping into the first team as soon as possible.

As part of the project Rob travelled to Wembley to shoot Barnsley’s FA semi-cup final match with Cardiff and also to Anfield to shoot the match against Liverpool FC. He also got to photograph Barnsley play Chelsea at Oakwell. Rob says, ‘It was really good to be in a professional environment as I was taking my photos. It boosted my confidence when I realised that I didn’t feel out of place stood in the press box next to The Times, the News of the World, Reuters and Getty. I got some really good advice from the pro’s.’

Rob is one of many mature students at the University Centre ‘I decided that on leaving college I didn’t want to go straight to university, and from leaving college to starting University two years ago I have done lots of different things. I spent time in the Army, and also took a gap year where I spent a year travelling around the world. I then went on to work for Thomas Cook as a holiday rep, and after that I worked for My Travel in their head office. I have been doing photography for about eleven years, and I had lots of good quality images from travelling, and My Travel actually used some of my images.

I had always wanted to do a degree, it was one of my goals. I chose the University Centre Barnsley, because I had just moved back to Barnsley and didn’t want to leave again. But it was also because of the tutors, I felt very reassured by them.

I’ve learnt a bit more about myself since I’ve been here such as, how far I can push myself, and what I am capable of. I have also learnt a lot about other photographers that has allowed me to look at my own work in a different way. That was the real reason I came to university - the knowledge.

Rob’s work will be unveiled at a private launch at the Football Club in August.