Student, faculty work on display after going to Scotland in the first photography study abroad program at USU

After spending five weeks in Scotland this summer as part of the first Study Abroad photography program, students and faculty are having an exhibit to display some of the thousands of photographs taken during their trip.

The exhibit, “101 Views of Scotland,” is on display in the Twain Tippetts Gallery in the Fine Arts Center. Friday, there was a reception as part of the exhibit where participants were able to showcase six to 10 of their images.

The formal reception, with nearly 500 people in attendance, included Scottish appetizers and a Scottish piper.

Craig Law, art professor and director of the Study Abroad program for photography of Scotland, said Scotland offered the greatest opportunity for students to develop their skills and individuality.

“I feel really pretty pleased about it,” he said. “It is interesting to see the development of individuality and strict eye. Not every kind of photo is typical of what tourists take. There is a uniqueness to it. I am very pleased with the exhibit and quality of prints.”

Seventeen people have their work on display. The exhibit continues through Nov. 2.

Law said they traveled in Scotland in June and July, visiting art galleries and historic sites pertinent to art history. The environment, he said, is ideal for photographers.

“There were a lot of excuses to photograph every day,” he said.

Jennifer Wheatley graduated from USU in photography this summer, receiving her final credits in Scotland.

She said they would take photos all day, every day.

“It was like photo, photo, photo. We were eating, sleeping, drinking photography,” Wheatley said.

She said she took 300 to 500 photographs daily. After taking photos, she said they would gather to discuss and critique each other’s work. There were some formal classes, but for the most part, she said students were able to go out and take pictures on their own.

Kristie Bezold, senior in photography, traveled with the group to Scotland. Bezold said her pieces, mostly landscape images featuring the North Sea, showcased her immediate love of the ocean.

“Going straight from Logan to Scotland, I just fell in love with the ocean,” she said.

Celestyn Hollingshead, a USU graduate who also took her final nine credits during the Study Abroad program, said it was “definitely the best last semester.”

Hollingshead, who graduated in public relations, said she learned a great deal about photography. Once in Scotland, she said they started taking pictures right from the get go, attempting to capture the picture perfect beauty of the country.

“I was amazed by Scotland because it had everything you’d want except maybe sunny weather, but that’s what made it Scotland,” she said. “There’s a little bit of everything. It is an undiscovered treasure.”

Law and the students all said they were most captivated by the landscape of Scotland.

Nancy Law, Law’s wife who traveled with the group and helped coordinate the trip, agreed with them.

“The impression of the landscape was very dramatic,” she said. “I’m sure it influenced what they wanted to take and remember.”

After coming in contact with the Hospitalfield Arts Trust, an arts foundation in Hospitalfield, Scotland, a year and a half ago, Craig Law established relations with the foundation, making USU one of four universities in the U.S. to have residency in Scotland.

The purpose of the program, Law said, is to provide students with the opportunity of taking photos without distraction. He said he plans to continue the Study Abroad program, going every other year.

“The real intent was that of being able to photograph and have time to think about history without anything else to think about. All they do is concentrate on photos and create their own vision,” he said. “I think it worked.”

-arie.k@aggiemail.usu.edu