Edinburgh Napier University has announced a new collaboration with Sony, giving students access to professional mentoring and hands-on experience with the latest digital camera technology used in real-world commercial productions.
For more than 60 years, Edinburgh Napier University has been at the forefront of photography education in Scotland. With around 140 students currently enrolled across three degree programmes and plans for continued growth, the school aims to help students explore the full breadth of contemporary photography, including cutting-edge digital practices, while preparing them for the demands of the highly competitive creative industries.
Across Napier's School of Film and Photography, students already work with a range of Sony full-frame professional cameras and lenses, including the Sony Alpha A7 V and A7 IV for photography, alongside the FX2, FX3 and FX30 from Sony's acclaimed Cinema Line for filmmaking.
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The partnership addresses one of the growing challenges in photography education: helping students who have grown up using smartphone cameras understand the creative possibilities and transformative potential of professional imaging.
Some students arrive believing that the widespread availability of smartphone photography has diminished the value of professional photographers. However, the image quality and level of detail delivered by Sony cameras and lenses allow them to work with images in ways that simply aren't possible with smartphones. The quality of the images produced by Sony cameras is a real revelation for our students, says Emile Shemilt, Programme Leader for Photography at Edinburgh Napier University.
Sony Imaging Ambassadors, who are active professionals in the industry, regularly visit the school to share their experience, knowledge, techniques and camera skills. According to Shemilt, these sessions immediately increase students' enthusiasm and creative ambition.
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"One of our greatest strengths is helping students move from personal exploration to a professional mindset. Our partnership with Sony allows them to work with state-of-the-art technology, expanding what they believe is creatively possible".
The school's curriculum also reflects the changing demands of the industry by combining video production with still photography. Sony's cameras are ideally suited to this hybrid approach, thanks to their wide dynamic range, ultra-high resolution, high frame rates and precise autofocus. They enable students to capture high-quality still images and produce everything from documentaries to narrative films using a single camera system.
We are proud that Edinburgh Napier University has chosen Sony to support its vision of empowering photography and filmmaking students to reach their creative potential using the latest digital imaging technology. Building bridges with the industry in this way ensures that graduates leave with practical experience using the tools that define today's professional standards. It is also exciting to see many other film and photography schools across Europe following Napier's example by equipping the next generation of digital storytellers with the skills and technology they need to make an immediate impact in the industry, said Mark Preston, Head of B2B, Sony UK.
