<p>Award-winning photographer Candice is known for her leading underwater, fashion, and beauty photographs – shooting the likes of Keira Knightley, Lily Cole, Sir Nick Faldo, and others – as well as her work founding celebrity social enterprise www.fresh2o.org. What is likely less known is that it all started at Plymouth College of Art. “I liked learning all about photography, practising techniques in the darkrooms and lighting in the studios,” she says. “It was particularly good to have tutors with different experience who had the time to go through and discuss my work and be critical about improvements.”</p> <p>Candice – whose fresh 2o enterprise aims to highlight the issue of dirty water and has received support from Lily Cole, Keira Knightly, Bear Grylls, Natalie Imbruglia, and more – chose the course because of its local links, its reputation for photography and media. On top of that, she was attracted to its specialist underwater photography option – particularly enjoying the range of live briefs that were set.</p> <p>“College life was quite relaxed” Candice says. “It was left to each student to get out of it what they chose to put in.</p> <p>“The staff were very helpful and all had different niches and it was a good mix of students ranging from teenagers to much more more mature students. Plymouth was a good town, though it wasn’t as built up as it is now.</p> <p>“I had no idea at the time that one could have such a varied and exciting career in photography,” she says looking back. “You have to work hard though and be very committed. The more you put in the more you get out, rarely are things handed to you on a plate, you have to make them happen, unless you are extremely lucky!”</p> <p>Giving advice to prospective students, Candice says that people should enjoy whatever it is they choose for a career. “You spend one third of your life working, one third play and one third sleeping – although in this day and age I would say more than half of your life is working!”</p> <p>“Make sure whatever you choose to do for your job/career make sure you enjoy it,” she says.</p> <p><a href="http://www.candice.co.uk">www.candice.co.uk</a><br /></p>