While at university, I worked as a graphic designer for Magdalen Magazine. I was part of the team from Issue 90 through to 101, and during that run, my page layouts and original photography were featured in more than ten published editions. Handling both design and photography allowed me to approach my work from multiple angles. I learned how to combine typography, layout, and imagery to make articles genuinely engaging for our readers.

The role was a brilliant crash course in actual production. I picked up a solid, hands-on understanding of the print process and what it actually takes to get a digital file ready for the presses. I also had to figure out how to work strictly within the magazine’s editorial guidelines. It was a great challenge trying to respect a pre-existing visual identity while still bringing something fresh to every page. That environment taught me how to be creative inside strict boundaries, hit hard deadlines, and collaborate with the editing team to deliver a finished physical product.

My design for “Crying in a Mongolian Coffee House” by Stewart Burnett has been nominated for Design of the Year by the University. This is the first of my layouts that features my photography and the nomination offered me great pride and a motivation to continue integrating my photography in more experimental ways into my future layouts.