## Breadcrumb 1. [Home](/index%2Ephp/) 2. [News and Stories](/index%2Ephp/news) 3. [Exploring Photography Through New Lenses: OCAD U Students Collaborate with Benilde in the Philippines ](/index%2Ephp/markdownify/node/2672) August 28, 2024 # Exploring Photography Through New Lenses: OCAD U Students Collaborate with Benilde in the Philippines ![Group photo of all students who collaborated with Benilde in the Philippines ](/sites/default/files/styles/1_5_1_large/public/2025-02/OCAD-U-Workshop-3G2A8851.jpg_Ursula%20Handleigh.jpg.webp?itok=HgdIUCd0) From May 10 to 25, 2024, **Ursula Handleigh**, Assistant Professor of Photography in the Faculty of Art, led 11 students on a creative exploration in Manila, Philippines. In partnership with **De La Salle-College of St. Benilde**, the project "Experiential Photography" encouraged students to deeply engage with alternative and sustainable photographic processes, adapting to the local environment and resources. ![Students experimenting with various analogue and slow photography techniques](/sites/default/files/inline-images/tempImage3fNfXe_Ursula%20Handleigh.jpg) ![Students experimenting with various analogue and slow photography techniques](/sites/default/files/inline-images/tempImageLcdCw9_Ursula%20Handleigh.jpg) ***Immersive Learning in Manila*** Through this collaboration, students experimented with various analogue and slow photography techniques, focusing on sustainable practices. Working with limited resources, they learned to make their own developer recipes using local materials and discovered alternative methods for film processing, such as using Tylenol as a developer and X-ray film as negatives. This hands-on experience allowed students to explore the materiality and process of photography in a new cultural and environmental context. ***Building Community and Adaptability*** The experience offered more than just technical skills. The students were embraced by the Benilde community, learning the importance of collaboration and the power of interpersonal relationships. The challenges faced, from material scarcity to unfamiliar environments, taught the students how to adapt, problem-solve, and make the most of what’s available. This journey not only expanded their creative horizons but also highlighted the value of community and collaboration in artistic endeavors. ***Looking Ahead*** The success of this collaboration has paved the way for future exchanges. Benilde plans to visit OCAD University for the 2025 summer semester, continuing the rich dialogue and creative exchange between the institutions. ![group photo of all participating students](/sites/default/files/inline-images/tempImagefgU4ym_Ursula%20Handleigh.jpg) ***Additional Links:*** - [Tribune: Canadian and Filipino student artists immerse in arts workshops](https://tribune.net.ph/2024/06/23/canadian-and-filipino-student-artists-immerse-in-arts-workshops?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1J4TlCmxfy_prHh9R3svCqa3KKOaTEI6baviwWi_dArFGdpK8A4yeN3Lg_aem_FAIemWkdSyUurdJPf9QcdA) - [Benilde Hosts Canadian Students and Educators](https://www.benilde.edu.ph/benilde-hosts-canadian-students-and-educators-for-exchange-workshops-and-sessions/) ## Other Recent News [### 2026-27 Call for Funding Proposals for Student Groups that Support Creative Entrepreneurship on Campus The RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) invites OCAD University student groups with a mandate to support entrepreneurship on campus to apply for funding for student-led initiatives that strengthen and expand the creative entrepreneurship ecosystem at OCAD U. This funding is intended to help student groups create opportunities for entrepreneurship skills development, community building, and revenue-generating activities for students and recent alumni, while reducing barriers to participation for equity-seeking individuals. November 6, 2026 ](/news/2026-27-call-funding-proposals-student-groups-support-creative-entrepreneurship-campus) [### 2027 Critical Distance Centre for Curators Projections Program Call for Artists OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) have partnered to co-create CDCC Projections Program Career Launcher. Four (4) to five (5) selected emerging artists will receive $690 to exhibit work in a single channel, projection-based screening program that will be displayed at the CDCC in March 2027. October 30, 2026 ](/news/2027-critical-distance-centre-curators-projections-program-call-artists) [### Call for Vendors: BAM! Holiday Art Market 2026 OCAD University's RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) is excited to partner again with Wychwood Barns to offer a curated group of OCAD U students and recent alumni the opportunity to share a vendor table at the BAM! Holiday Art Market. October 26, 2026 ](/news/call-vendors-bam-holiday-art-market-2026) Related Stories ## Related Stories [### Creative Ecologies: Art, Sustainability & Community Resilience in Nassau, Bahamas In May 2026, the International Programs & Collaboration Office is offering a co-curricular opportunity in Nassau, Bahamas. This program is tailored to students working in all mediums and creative disciplines and is designed to strengthen their professional practice through hands-on learning. February 17, 2026 ](/news/creative-ecologies-art-sustainability-community-resilience-nassau-bahamas) [### OCAD University announces 2026 Ateneo Art Award Resident Jel Suarez Filipino artist Jel Suarez has been selected as OCAD University’s 2026 Ateneo Art Award Resident, part of OCAD U’s partnership with the Ateneo Art Gallery at Ateneo de Manila University. The residency supports emerging artists whose practices reflect creativity, critical engagement and innovation. Building on the 2024 residency of Doktor Karayom, who presented No One’s At Home (Walang Tao Sa Bahay) in Toronto, proceeds from a limited-edition shirt designed by Karayom will help support Suarez’s upcoming residency and strengthen cultural exchange between OCAD University and the Ateneo Art Gallery. October 15, 2025 ](/news/ocad-university-announces-2026-ateneo-art-award-resident-jel-suarez) [### OCAD U at FUZE Caribbean Art Fair 2025 OCAD University students, alumni and faculty will present In Common Ink at FUZE Caribbean Art Fair 2025, held October 22–26 at Baha Mar in Nassau, The Bahamas. The project features collaborative risograph prints exploring shared histories and identity, created with visiting Bahamian artist John Cox. Limited-edition prints will be for sale. October 7, 2025 ](/news/ocad-u-fuze-caribbean-art-fair-2025)