Mike Kinsey

I started life in aircraft engineering, before moving into the gas industry in a research, design and development post.
However in my mid twenties I gave up my work, followed my heart and became a full time student of photography at Blackpool College of Art where I studied to a degree level.

I worked in the nuclear industry as a staff photographer which gave me an excellent grounding in industrial and editorial photography and gained my interest of moving image in this area making 35mm commercially based films before starting my own business.

I focused upon commercial, advertising and industrial photography and moved into creating stills and video based advertising direct for clients for television broadcast.
I ran the company for a couple of years prior to taking a post as a senior photographer in a Manchester based commercial and advertising studio, where in the studio food and fashion were the daily bread, with quite a bit of press work thrown in for good measure.

Since then I have had 25 years working in photographic education, 9 years in further and 16 years in Degree level education. I am quite driven to be and do the very best I can for students. I have been a course leader for a Pre BA Fine Arts foundation course and also worked in Adult Education which is quite valuable in understanding the interaction of courses like these with life in general.
The last 12 years have been focused upon BA Hons Contemporary Photographic Arts as Photography course leader at the Batley School of Art for the University of Huddersfield.

It has been essential to keep working hard to ensure my knowledge and practice is current.
Friends say I have always been into " Tech" and so I am equally as happy working with digital as I am with traditional film based cameras. Styles and modes of photographic image making change quickly and judging both professionals work and students work for the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) has also helped me to maintain currency.
I find the most interesting work comes from an interaction between the two worlds of digital and traditional. My personal interests range from large format and old processes to socio- documentary work relative to culture, social class and progression. However, I am just as happy to work with students in the areas of fine arts, portraiture, fashion and advertising.

I have a Masters Degree in Education, which I have found very useful in resolving a professional approach to students understanding, students motivations and their personal learning goals. Currently I am a Photography Degree external examiner at two British universities and I am in a strong position to compare and know if your work has the right standard and qualities relative to a degree level award.

I have developed my strengths as a tutor over many years. They are in recognising the issues of your study and having structured and supportive response to dealing with those issues. This combines with an understanding and respect for what you want to do or be as a practitioner.
Finally, the fitting that together of the knowledge of what's required academically, aesthetically, technically and professionally to get you through the course with hopefully a successful outcome.