Fashion Photography students visit Croatia with Falmouth’s Cultural Immersion programme
04 November 2026
From making long-lasting connections with other creatives to gaining more confidence and embracing new challenges, Falmouth’s Cultural Immersion programme gives students the opportunity to gain new experiences, enhance their study and explore outside their comfort zone.
This year a number of Falmouth’s BA(Hons) Fashion Photography students spent four weeks of their summer developing their marketing skills in Croatia at one of our partner universities, an opportunity that one of the students described as having helped them to “understand what it takes to promote myself as I learned to connect with my prospective audience.”
“Initially, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my trip to Croatia,” third-year student Mahe Winn told us. “I applied for the programme to explore somewhere new and inform my practice as a fashion photographer. Though I didn’t do much photography while away, I was exposed to an entirely different environment that has directly influenced my approach to the first module of my third year: looking at nature as the world's best art director.
“My first week consisted of classes in Croatian language and culture, and though I was studying, I was still able to settle into life in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb. I was taken on a tour on the first day of our studies and directed to various museums and cultural sites that later became regular meeting points or social spaces.”
Mahe told us how Zagreb wasn’t the only place she got to experience on the trip. “On my first weekend away, I took a trip to Slovenia, visiting Ljubljana and Lake Bled, where I took in the views from a toboggan ride. The landscapes were incredible and the architecture phenomenal.
“Another highlight was when we stayed in Šibenik, where I snorkelled on Zlarin island, had a midnight swim on Banj Beach, visited the Krka waterfalls and spent many a night watching the world cup in different bars.
“The trip has given me confidence in my ability to embrace new challenges and thrive within an unfamiliar setting. I settled into the unfamiliar urban environment despite how daunting it felt and can now assure myself that I’ll be able to do the same once leaving university and entering the fashion industry.”
Now, Mahe is back at Falmouth following the trip and bringing the skills gained into practice as a third-year student. “Studying BA(Hons) Fashion Photography at Falmouth has been enlightening experience; learning from various lecturers with experience in the world of fashion and photography has provided an insight into what to expect once I go into the industry myself, and how I can further prepare for it. I’ve taken great joy in channelling my creativity into editorials, fashion films and publications, proving that photography can be an art form.”
Libby Fury, a fellow BA(Hons) Fashion Photography student, described the trip as a “completely positive” and “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. “I enjoyed meeting people from different places and making long-lasting connections with them; it’s really allowed me to come out of my comfort zone further and gain more confidence,” Libby told us.
“Immersing yourself in a new culture is an exciting experience; it allows you to appreciate the culture further and understand what it’s like living in the country you’re studying in. I got up to a lot of different activities alongside my studies, such as visiting museums and making vlogs with my classmates for our assignment.
“I think my time in Croatia will help me after I’ve finished university, as it’s inspired me to explore locations abroad where I can develop my photography practice.”
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