Bracknell photography students recreate iconic photoshoot inspired by The Breakfast Club

Photography students from Bracknell and Wokingham College went back to the 80s when they recreated two iconic photographic scenes from The Breakfast Club. 

The idea came about after a member of the public donated an Instamatic camera from 1985 with some film in it to the college to see if they could use it. 

Unfortunately, the students were unable to use the camera due to the batteries no longer being available, but the students decided to go ahead with the 80s photo challenge anyway. 

Students from both years of the Photography Level 3 Extended Diploma took part with 10 posing as characters from the iconic 80s film. Other students took on the role of photographer, casting director and costume stylist.  

The first photographic scene to be recreated was the five characters in front of some lockers, along with recreating the movie’s poster scene.  

Students donned key costume elements including Letterman jackets, denim jackets, Ray-Ban sunglasses, check shirts and black gloves to get into character. 

The photos will go on display in the college’s refectory.

Abby is studying the Photography Level 3 Extended Diploma at Bracknell and Wokingham College. She was one of the models in the movie poster recreation. 

She said: “It was fun preparing it all. I brought in the sunglasses and took part in one of the photos. I hadn’t done this before. 

“It was good to hear my teacher Nick talking as he was shooting, asking people to move to fit the shape or move closer together. It helped me to know how to be more confident and know what to say if I was a photographer shooting models. 

“It also helped me to understand that you need to take a range of photos and move around. It will help me to frame people in photographs and use body language to recreate it.”

Nadia provided most of the costumes for the photoshoot. 

She said: “It was fun getting it all together and organising it. That was quite new for me, and it’s helped me with planning different shoots and get stuff organised like equipment and costume.  

 “Having the photo as a reference point and the posture of how we should be in the photo was helpful as well as how we should be as different characters in the photos.” 

The final photos were shown to Janet Russell, the member of the public who donated the photographic equipment to the students at the college. 

Janet said: “I love the picture that the students created! It was a clever idea to link it to some of the photographic equipment.   

“I am very pleased that my husband’s photographic equipment is of use to the students at Bracknell and Wokingham College, he would be impressed by the results they have achieved.” 

Nicholas Brewer, Photography Lecturer at Activate Learning, said: “As a college with strong community links donations like these are always welcome.  

“I noticed that some of the equipment was from 1985 and as The Breakfast Club is cult classic film was released in that year it seemed appropriate.  

“The students loved making the work and a few had seen the film before. I watched it when I was 17 and it was privilege to work with this generation of young people recreating such iconic images.”