A PHOTOGRAPHY student at Plymouth College of Art has recently completed an in-depth pictoral study of Okehampton Camp.

Nicholas White lives in Okehampton and is currently studying for his BA Hons at the college. For the past year he has engaged in photographic research into the militarisation of Dartmoor, looking specifically at the military ranges at Merrivale, Willsworthy and Okehampton.

He said: 'I have had strong family ties with Dartmoor National Park since I was very young, and as such my photographic work has revolved around this relationship with the moors.

'I started my practice focusing on commercial landscapes, shooting the almost cliché picture-postcard scenes.

'However from this, my work has evolved into more thought out studies of the landscape, in particular the way in which Dartmoor National Park has been militarised.

'I found it interesting how a place of such beauty and peace doubles up as a place of intense military training — an alter-ego, if you will.

'The military presence on Dartmoor doesn't, in my opinion, spoil the landscape. It is simply another layer that makes up the diverse and complex narrative of Dartmoor as a whole. It is these layers of narrative that I feel make Dartmoor what it is.'

Working alongside the team at Dartmoor Training and LandMarc, Nicholas managed to obtain permission to enter the camp to create the project. His work offers a rare glimpse into such a military establishment, particularly at areas that are normally restricted.

The project focusing on Okehampton Camp took four months to complete, and will be part of a joint exhibition at the college alongside the work of other students.