ABOUT

This is a portrait of Phil Brooks, photography tutor at Dudley College of Technology. I've worked a Mac/Media Technician here since 2019, looking after our Mac estate and showing students how to use software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Express.
Phil and I work together regularly and it's always rewarding to see our students' transformation from sometimes quite shy, reserved individuals into much more confident, creative people. Along the way, we do our best to support them and help them reach their full potential.
As anyone who works in education will certify, this also involves a lot of hard work behind the scenes for our students, such as arranging often life-changing college trips and providing guidance with their studies, university applications and everything in between.
Phil is a classic example of this - a tutor who works tirelessly for his students and regularly goes above and beyond to support them.
In my portrait, I wanted to capture these qualities and create a painting which conveyed not just a likeness of Phil but his personality, too. As a dedicated photographer, he's naturally holding a camera in his portrait, but I hope other details such as his eyes, wedding ring and (I'm sure he won't mind me saying) slightly creased shirt, give the viewer a good idea of the kind of person he is. The paint drips at the bottom right allude to Phil's love of traditional, analogue photography techniques (such as developer fluid), while the neutral greens and blues in the background suggest his love of the great outdoors as an experienced hiker.