Interviews

Name: Huda Awan
Trinity Qualification: B.A. (2017)
Title: Chairperson of Dublin University Photography Association (2016-2017); formerly treasurer (2014-2016).
About: Established in 1948, the Dublin University Photography Association (DUPA) offers members the opportunity to improve their photography skills by providing classes, equipment, and forums for exhibiting their work.

What was the impetus for getting involved with DUPA?
I was really interested in photography before attending Trinity and signed up to the Society during Freshers' Week in order to learn more about the medium. I didn't really get fully involved with DUPA until I ran for a position at the AGM, the motivation for which came from wanting to be a part of the organisational side of the society's work.

What can you tell us about the work undertaken by DUPA?
The Society offers a range of photography related services to its members. We own digital and film cameras, lenses, and tripods that we rent out to members and run a photography lecture series throughout the year. We also host a range of workshops, photo-walks and tutorials that are aimed at getting people to try out different photographic techniques. We've got two darkrooms on campus that members can use for developing and printing, and over the past few years we've started offering darkroom tuition for those interested in learning more about analogue photography.

Our headline event is our annual End of Year Exhibition, which features photographic work submitted by students and staff within the college. This year the exhibition was held in Steambox Gallery. We also held two other exhibitions; 'HABITAT,' where we used several on-campus apartments as spaces for exhibiting work that explored different kinds of habitats, and our annual Christmas Exhibition.

What can you tell us about your role as treasurer over the last two years?
Overall, the role essentially involves sourcing the financial means to facilitate the Society's equipment purchases, exhibitions, and the general day-to-day running. My work as treasurer has thus included applying for different grants within and outside of college, managing the funds we receive, and keeping a record of our income and expenditure. At the end of the year, all the various society treasurers are required by the Central Societies' Committee to submit a detailed account of money that has come in and out of the society's bank account, so keeping a comprehensive record of what we're spending is really important. Over the summer I've also had the responsibility of reaching out to businesses around Dublin to secure deals and discounts for our members and sponsorship for our events and competitions. The role is quite administrative, and doesn't really have much to do with actual photographic practice, but rather enables it.

What do you enjoy the most about being involved with DUPA?
There are two main things I've really enjoyed about DUPA. The Society does a terrific job of facilitating its members' exploration of photography, by providing equipment, classes, darkrooms and exhibitions. Being able to avail of all those benefits has been incredible, especially since photography can otherwise be such an expensive hobby to pursue. I've also made really great friends with the people I've worked with on committee over the past couple of years, which has made being involved really fun and rewarding.

Tell us about the Society's achievements in this year's Society of the Year Awards
DUPA won four awards in total this year, which we were really very proud of. These included 'Best Event' for our on-campus exhibition HABITAT; 'Best Fourth Week Event' for our light-painting workshop; 'Best Online Presence,' and 'Best Poster.' The previous year we won 'Best Overall Society.'

Do you think your involvement in DUPA will influence your career choices?
It's hard to say! My involvement with the Society has certainly nurtured my interest in photography, to the extent that it's something I want to continue to explore and practice after I leave College. I suppose that's different to actively pursuing a career as a photographer, or in photography-related industries. More generally, though, being involved on a committee with people who have been not only creative, but ambitious as well, has definitely taught me that that it is the sort of work environment I'd find stimulating.

What is your motivation for taking photos?
I've always been quite drawn to photographic images and how photographers choose to depict what they're observing and so a lot of my motivation for taking photos, in general, comes from an appreciation of the medium and the work it's used to produce. From that appreciation follows a really simple curiosity and desire to explore that medium for myself. I quite enjoy looking at things and people; in particular, faces and the way people dress themselves, so I suppose photography has become my preferred medium for recording, and sometimes interpreting what I'm observing in an environment.

What ways can alumni get involved with the society?
Trinity graduates who were members of DUPA for at least one year during their time here are able to become members of the society, which entitles them to all membership benefits e.g. equipment rental, classes, darkroom usage etc. If any alumni are interested in becoming members, they can get in touch with us by sending an email, and we will be happy to sign them up!

Alumni can also keep up with our activities by following us online on our website, Instagram and Twitter.