As university students, juggling schoolwork with hobbies can be difficult. Societies like the Dublin University Photography Association, also known as the DUPA, create spaces for students to explore and expand their hobbies, technical skills, and friendships.
Established in 1948, DUPA is one of Trinity’s longest standing societies and welcomes all. “DUPA is an incredibly diverse society with students in many different disciplines”, chairperson Alice Weaver states. “The aims and objectives of the association are to promote the art, practice, and science of photography among its members, while providing a supportive platform for learning, sharing, socialising, and developing photographic skills.”
In supporting these aims, DUPA hosts various events, workshops and exhibitions throughout the year. Hosting four exhibitions a year, two on campus and two external, DUPA creates a unique opportunity for students to elevate their photography and have their skills recognised. Last semester, their first exhibition “Distortion” moved away from traditional photography and recognized and encouraged playing with one’s work, highlighting creative choices. Their second exhibition, “Don’t Fence Me In”, was hosted at the local Dublin venue Flux Studios and focused on liberation and exploration. Their upcoming exhibition “Anam” will be hosted at the Douglas Hyde Gallery in collaboration with the Trinity Traditional Irish Music Society (Trad Soc) and Cumann Gaelach. “This exhibition will serve as both a celebration and an introspective exploration of Irish culture. Through a blend of music, visual art, and panel discussions we aim to showcase the richness and diversity of Ireland and its people”, Weaver says. “This exhibition will draw upon interpretations from our student community with a multitude of international backgrounds, providing an exciting insight into Irish culture.” These exhibitions, working as creative outlets, are not only accessible for the members of the DUPA, but for the student body as a whole. Their end-of-year exhibition is accepting submissions from non members as well, and is offering reduced ticket prices (roughly €7), which create a more accessible environment for photography to be enjoyed and experienced.
In the spirit of accessibility in photography, the DUPA runs a series of beginner classes with a focus on the basics such as aperture, iso, shutterspeed, and exposure triangle. They also host classes on specifics such as light, street photography, composition, and editing, making it possible for students to come into the society with no prior knowledge or skill in photography. “Photography is something that as you gain confidence and experience, people are looking for more resources. Since photography is a technical skill, our classes help with that guidance”, chairperson Weaver says. DUPA’s resources for beginner and advanced students are not limited simply to classes, but rather expand to equipment rentals, dark room access, and film development. With weekly darkroom and scanning workshops, students can develop their own photos with resources that they otherwise would not have – expanding their technical skillset and experience.
DUPA grants access not only to equipment, but to industry professionals. Hosting guest speaker events, the members of DUPA have a unique opportunity to not only network, but to learn and converse with experts. Some recent guest speakers have spoken on nightlife and concert photography, colour grading, and wedding photography. Having these opportunities to work and chat with professionals is invaluable, especially for students who want to take their photography to the next level.
To ensure a range of activities, DUPA runs at least two events a week, one social and one technical. The social events can be coffee hours, photo walks, etc. while the technical event is typically a workshop or speaker event, “We have such a variety of events, like everything from the publications to the exhibitions to running classes to the trips, there are so many different things to bring in and I think it’s quite unique as a society to have that”, says Weaver. “We have people who contribute in very specific ways, we have people who will only submit to exhibitions, we have people that only come to support their friends, some people come to everything, some people we might not meet but they’ll sign into the dark room every week. I think it’s been really fun to see how they’re all collected together.” In hosting not only technical events but social ones as well, students have the opportunity to be a part of a larger community.
Photography is a key creative outlet for many people, something DUPA is well aware of. With events and opportunities like their exhibitions and publications, DUPA provides a space for self-expression and community. While creative output varies person to person, Weaver notes that having a space for that creative output is imperative in itself: “Just having a space for people to explore photography together and learn from each other and from professionals that we bring in is really important.” Communities like these offer young people the chance to explore their interests at different levels of proficiency, while giving them a space in which they can freely experiment with their creativity and deepen their understanding of themselves.
To any potential students who want to get involved in photography, chairperson Weaver has this to say: “Come to our classes, submit to the exhibitions, rent a camera from us and learn to develop your own film. We have such a wide range of events and if you have any questions please come to one of our social events and meet the committee and other photographers. We’d love to hear about any projects you’re doing!” DUPA, in their aims and events, provides a special place for students of all ages, courses, and skill sets to get involved in a wider community and to express themselves creatively, something many students seek in their time at university.
