The Nederlands Fotomuseum, Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam and International Film Festival Rotterdam present the results of the fifth edition of NFM x GLR x IFFR. As part of this collaboration, first-year Photography students from Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam created new work at the intersection of photography and film.

For this edition, students were challenged to create a photographic film scene within one week, inspired by the style of American photographer Gregory Crewdson (1962). As in Crewdson’s work, each image is a carefully constructed and directed scene that resembles a still from a feature film.

To explore this approach, students drew inspiration from the documentary Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters (2012) and attended a guest lecture by photographer Annabel Oosteweeghel. She spoke about the role of atmosphere, colour and location in creating a compelling visual narrative.

As a starting point for their projects, the students selected a subject from the Gallery of Honour of Dutch Photography at the Nederlands Fotomuseum.

Working as a film crew

The students worked in teams, with each participant taking on a specific role, such as photographer, director, lighting technician or stylist. They also had access to rented large-format cameras and professional equipment that are not normally available within their programme.

The assignment offered students the opportunity to experience how every decision on a professional set influences the final image.

A platform for emerging talent

By presenting the final works, the Nederlands Fotomuseum offers a platform to emerging photographic talent and makes their work accessible to a wider audience.

The presentation is on view in the educational space on level -1 of the Nederlands Fotomuseum. This space is currently in progress and will further develop in the coming period.