Paris Photo Trip 2024: “Inspiration for my studies – and my future”

A group of KAS Sixth Form students journeyed to Paris earlier this month for the Photography department’s annual pilgrimage to Paris Photo, an international photography fair held at the city’s magnificent Grand Palais.

Among the group was Year 13 student Clemmie W, who is studying A level Photography at KAS alongside Critical and Contextual Studies in Art and Design (CCS) and Psychology. It was her second year attending the trip, and she enjoyed it just as much as the first — as she explains below.

What did you most enjoy about Paris Photo?

The exhibition features many types of photography, so it was a huge source of inspiration for my A level personal investigation project. I’m currently looking at Polaroids and there was a whole section dedicated to Polaroid x Magnum, a partnership celebrating instant photography, so I took a lot of inspiration from that.

It’s also fantastic to have the opportunity to talk to working artists and people who work in the industry. I spoke to a few people this year about their experience of working in a gallery, which I’m interested in doing when I’m older.

Did the trip help you think about your future?

Yes, it did. I don’t necessarily want to be a photographer or an artist, but I still want to work in a creative environment – perhaps as a curator at a gallery like the Gagosian or White Cube. Cliff (Head of Photography) has given me lots of opportunities to experience that through the exhibitions we’ve hosted at school, but this trip gave me the chance to explore that side of the industry in more detail – for example, looking at how the galleries were laid out.

What else did you enjoy about the trip?

Beyond Paris Photo and my studies, it was fantastic to explore the city, too. We walked to lots of different boroughs, such as Saint Germaine and Canal Saint Martin (my favourite), and visited sites including photography bookstore Artazart, Père Lachaise cemetery and a Sunday flea market.

Cliff and the other teachers built in time for us to soak up the different sights, sounds and tastes. They made a real effort to give us an authentic experience of French culture and took us to some fantastic local restaurants. We had some time to discover the city on our own, too.

What was it like spending three days with your fellow students and teachers?

I really enjoyed the chance to bond with people from the year below (Year 12). We explored the city together, finding little cafes and places to eat together in our free time, so now I feel connected to them.

What were your feelings at the end of the trip?

I felt physically tired because we did so much walking, but I came back with so many ideas. Now I feel motivated to throw myself into my photography work.

Take a look at more pictures from the Paris Photo trip 2024 below