Photography NCE results announced

12 trainee press photographers and photo-journalists sat the National Certificate Examination for Photographers this month with eight candidates demonstrating the gold standard of work needed to achieve the qualification.

The NCE for Photographers was held on Wednesday 11 November at Sheffield College. The pass rate was 67 per cent, exactly the same as the last exam in May 2009 and a jump from the 20 per cent pass rate in November 2008.

Performing arts students from the college gave up their time to act in the practical section of the exam.

The funeral of a playboy, who died at the flat of his mistress, was set up as a realistic news event and candidates had to capture action shots for a newspaper and a website.

The drama intensified when the mistress turned up at the funeral and flung herself on the coffin, a moment truly worthy of a photograph.

Steve Phillips, NCTJ photography chief examiner, said: “The November NCE for Photographers, hosted by Sheffield College, went extremely well. I would like to thank all the staff and students from the college who were involved for their hard work and professionalism.

“The work of the candidates during the exam was pleasing with all candidates managing to get a picture from the action section. There were also some creative shots taken during the feature section.”

The full list of photographers who achieved the NCE for Photographers and Photojournalists in November 2009 is:

Jennifer Banks, Western Gazette
Jemma Cox, Nottingham Evening Post
Elizabeth Kearsley, Northants Evening Telegraph
Leah McLaren, Derby Evening Telegraph
Laura Page, Derby Evening Telegraph
Gus Sivyer, Bolton News
Laurence Underhill, Express & Echo, Exeter
Gwen Woods, The Sentinel