Knowing just how many well-respected alumni it had, not to mention the luminaries who had taught on it over the years, an anniversary piece seemed like an obvious idea. I had little clue that it would end up spanning more than 20 different interviews with a broad range of people – and I could have gone on to interview dozens, if not hundreds more.

Such is the influence of this course, that every time you speak to someone, they insist that you really ought to get in contact with this person, or that person. I’ve no doubt that an entire book could be written on the impact this school has had on British (and even global) documentary photography.

Since its inception in 1973, the list of names who taught on the course, either regularly or as guest speakers, includes (but is certainly not limited to) David Hurn, Daniel Meadows, Ken Grant, Paul Reas, Martin Parr, Josef Koudelka, Clive Landen, Ian Walker, Ron McCormack, Celia Jackson, Lisa Barnard, Sir Tom Hopkinson, Don McCullin, Keith Arnatt, John Charity, Barry Lewis, Bll Jay, Roger Hutchins, Patrick Sutherland, Paul Graham, David Barnes, Peter Fraser, Paul Seawright, Jon Benton Harris and far more besides.

Meanwhile, the alumni list is just as illustrious. It includes (but again is not limited to), Simon Norfolk, Ivor Prickett, Anastasia Taylor-Lind, Paul Lowe, Sebastian Bruno, Clementine Schneidermann, Tish Murtha, Lua Ribera, Sue Packer, Jack Latham, Tom Jenkins, Linda Whittam, Guy Martin and more. Graduates from the school – which now covers BA, MA and PhD level – work across the globe for top news agencies, galleries, newspapers, magazines, and other leading institutions.

For this piece, I spoke to an extraordinary amount of different people – many of whom from the lists above. The over-reaching message seemed to be that this was, and is, a life-changing course that has altered the face of documentary photography in ways that many will have no realisation thereof. Many spoke of the lifelong friendships and support fostered by it, as well as the intensity – especially in the early years – of the work involved.

The beginnings were quite humble. David Hurn, who is Welsh but had been living in London and enjoying a very successful career as a photographer, decided to move back to his homeland in the early 1970s, looking for a more peaceful life. On arriving back, he was approached by various important figures in the Arts Council and local art college with a view to setting up a new photographic course. Remembering that this kind of education was very much in its infancy at the time, David took the view that he would be willing to do it with a few caveats – that he would have control over what was being taught, who was let onto the course and, most importantly, that the aim of the course was to get people into paid employment.

Newport, 1977. Documentary Photography students covered the Queens Jubilee. Students went all over UK and got their film back to Newport where others processed and printed them © John Charity

After discussing his ideas with his friends Sir Tom Hopkinson, once the editor of the Picture Post, and Don McCullin, of course the notorious war photographer, he was pretty much ready to go. He describes the setting up of the course in an arts college, in a blank space that was yet to be built, two enormous bits of luck. The first meaning that there was no real government supervision or insistence on what should be taught, and the second meaning that he could set up the facilities in a precise way.

Publicity

Having a huge amount of contacts in Fleet Street, David was able to generate publicity for his new course – he believes Amateur Photographer even covered it too. In the first year – 1973 – the course lasted just a year and was designated as a TOPS course (Training Opportunity), meaning that the typical students it attracted were extremely diverse – many of which had been made redundant from the local industries of steel and coal in the area. In fact, the course was overwhelmed with applications, such would prove to be the case for many years to come as its reputation grew. David didn’t choose people to join based on existing work though. He says, “I deliberately didn’t look at portfolios – I knew that steel workers and miners aren’t going to have those. They didn’t even necessarily know they wanted to be photographers. I just wanted to talk to them about ideas they had about life. It worked on the theory that teaching somebody to get pictures in focus – that’s easy. What you can’t do is persuade people to be interested in things.”

And why documentary photography in particular – not something more general, or geared towards another subject? “We called it documentary because I felt that the sensible public have a rough idea what that means. We were not going to do anything commercial or fashion – that relies enormously on how good the models are, which I knew about having worked for Harper’s Bazaar. The idea of teaching a fashion course in Newport was to me nonsensical – you didn’t get models walking down the high street there.”

David was strict, but fair, with his students – bearing in mind at the beginning he was the only teacher. “I decided everything would be done as professional photographers do it. I locked the door at 9am, if the student wasn’t there then they just didn’t get in. The idea being that if you are even one minute late for a deadline, you don’t get published. Within a week, everybody loved it.”

The course covered the great photographers – some of whom would come and visit David, and therefore the students – as well as practical elements of being a documentary photographer. This went far beyond the basics of operating a camera. David explains, “I would go to the local mosque and I would say to the imam, will you come and talk to us about how to behave should we come into the mosque – and I’d do the same for all the local religious centres and so on. I would also bring in people from other industries – like poets and artists – and ask them how they make money.”

Tish Murtha’s acceptance letter, signed by John Charity, July 1976. © Tish Murtha / Ella Murtha

Almost straightaway, the course became incredibly successful and David was able to employ more staff. He always favoured teachers who were also out there making work themselves – like himself. Generally he found that students respected them more, and, with the advice they had being provably relevant. The course also expanded to two years, with the second year giving students the opportunity to engage with all the contacts David had built up in London on picture desks, particularly the colour supplements which were still in their golden heyday at the time.

David left the course in the late 80s, not being happy with it turning towards becoming a full undergraduate degree, and therefore losing some of the original ethos of accepting students from a wider range of life. But, the course and school today still includes David’s name as a testament to the legacy of what he created.

“The bees knees”

Daniel Meadows came to the school in 1983, having previously taught at Humberside College after making a name for himself for his Free Photographic Omnibus project in 1973. By that time, ten years into the course’s existence, its reputation was significant. “It was the bees knees as far I was concerned,” Daniel says. “It was the only course I’d really wanted to work on. I was kind of serving my apprenticeship at Hull because I’d been practicing as a photographer for a decade or more, but I had a family and suddenly the world of freelance wasn’t quite so suitable. But being able to teach, while also maintain some practice was a good option at the time.

“The course was the only one called documentary photography then, and that’s my subject. Everywhere else wanted you to be a graphic designer or an artist, but I believe that documentary has its own set of rules and way of behaving. I also respected David Hurn, as well as Ron McCormack and Clive Landen who were all teaching there when I joined. It was like landing in the place of desire.”

Firmly believing he was there during the course’s “golden years” (he left in 1994), which he attributes to its simple ethos and diverse range of applicants. “It was a magical course, I’ve never since or come anywhere near to the kind of quality teaching and learning experiences – it was very special. We had teenagers off Youth Opportunities Schemes, middle-aged men who’d been made redundant two or three times following Thatcherism, graduates from ‘posh’ universities – all mixing in the same darkroom. And the simple structure – everybody did the same briefs, “man at work,” relationship, establishing shot, portrait, three picture story, five picture story, big picture story. I never taught a course that was as well thought out and delivered in the same way that David’s did.”

Despite the fact that several “big names” in documentary photography did the course while Daniel was there, it’s not those who he holds the most fondness for. “For me the most satisfying teaching was when people had a genuine revelation about how photography was going to change the way they lived. There was a woman there who had a child with severe learning difficulties who wanted to tell the story of what respite care means to parents – she did it from the inside out. I love it when people make pictures about something they really know and in that process of teaching them how to do make better pictures, you learn a subject too.”

Daniel fought for some time to keep the course as it was, but ended up also leaving dissatisfied with the change to the course being a three-year undergraduate degree. He also believes that it moving to Cardiff has been a huge shame for the city of Newport. “If ever a town needed an art school, it’s Newport. Things like this are enriching, and we built a community around these students who got involved with things like The Newport Survey, which was published every year.” Several people have mentioned the survey to me during my research for this piece. In essence, it was put together with the help of the graphic design students, covering a different topic every year, such as religion, rivers, neighbours, family and so on. The results would not only be published in a real book that could be bought, but also exhibited at the nearby museum and art gallery.

The Newport name itself indeed became synonymous with excellence, as Daniel recalls, “David often refers to a meeting he had, I think with The Sunday Times or Magnum, and somebody said, “you’re the one that started at Newport Mafia!” – you had art directors and picture editors all talking about the Newport Mafia.”

A changing industry

Ken Grant, whose name readers might recognise for his recent AP-award winning Chris Killip show at The Photographers Gallery, which he co-curated with Tracy Marshall-Grant, taught on the course for over 15 years, having first joined in 1997. He later went on to become the course leader in 2008-9, not long after he believes the wider photographic industry had changed dramatically.

“In 2004, with the Tate doing its first big photography show, different types of things were happening. People were working with the book in a much more elaborate way, digital practices were coming in – people were starting to think we don’t just do a beginning, middle and end narrative anymore – you couldn’t get to the frontline anymore and you had to think in a much more oblique way about how you worked.”

David Hurn teaching students – the photograph is by student Tish Murtha. © Tish Murtha / Ella Murtha

Although based in South Wales, one of the best things about the Newport, and now Cardiff, course has always been how much of an international focus it has had. “You could imagine something that’s really quite local in Newport, but we’d have people coming from far and wide,” says Ken. “An upshot of that is that people wouldn’t disappear at 5pm – the course was their home in many ways, and they really wanted to be there – they’d already experienced other things in their lives, but they were hungry for it and they’d come from different places because of that.”

Paul Cabuts taught on the course having previously been a student himself of the BA as a mature student in 1993 and later spent a lot of time researching the development of the course for his PhD from the European Centre for Photographic Research. Later, he would go on to become the academic subject leader for art and photography, overseeing all of the photographic courses.

In the mid 2010s, Newport merged with the then University of Glamorgan to become the University of South Wales. Glamorgan already had a photojournalism course, so Paul says it was potentially a dangerous time for the Documentary course, being so similar. “It was quite a good course, but it was only two or three years old – I worked quite hard to make sure the Documentary course stayed, purely because of its fantastic legacy. Myself, Paul Reas and Ken Grant and others, we all made a very firm case for why documentary photography had to maintain its place as a leading course. Luckily enough, that did happen.”

“A sort of aura”

Paul is another who believes it was a shame for Newport, the city, that the course eventually moved to Cardiff. “Everybody associated Newport with documentary photography – but students do generally prefer to be in Cardiff than Newport, for obvious reasons. But, Newport did have this sort of aura around it. The people of the town had a really strong bond with the students, which was evidenced by the annual Newport Survey, which happened for about 10 years and made the relationship between the students and the town really something quite important.”

In 2015, Paul left to work at Falmouth Photography, which also has a very well-respected photography course – which he says followed the same kind of tried and tested structure that Newport had set up all those years before, again demonstrating the impact that it had had on the wider photographic and educational world.

Paul Reas is a name which I felt like I heard several hundred times across the many interviews I did for this piece, so naturally I had to meet the man himself. His time with the course spans almost its entire duration, having first been a student himself in the early 80s, then later a technician and latterly a teacher on it until he retired just a couple of years ago.

He was a mature student when he joined, having had a previous life as a bricklayer. Like many, he says the course changed his life – making him middle class. “For me, it was the first time I’d been around people with different life experiences – people who had done other things with their lives. It forced you to re-examine all your preconceived ideas about people and people’s backgrounds, such as class and identity.”

From the course he says he took away something extremely meaningful that goes beyond skills as a photographer. “It gave me a realisation of my responsibility to represent things as truly, fairly and honestly as I could. To be compassionate and give something about – it’s not all about what you take from communities, but what you can contribute too.”

Having spanned such a broad stretch of time, Paul’s been able to observe big changes. “The professional world has changed so much. When I studied, it was still possible to make a really good living from working for magazines and newspapers – now people have much more diverse careers and the course had had to change to reflect that. Now we might look at commercial opportunities, or the art world, a lot more, for example.”

Moving to the present day, I also spoke to current BA Course leader David Barnes, MA course leader Lisa Barnard, plus lecturers Karin Bareman and Professor Mark Durden.

David, as with Paul Cabuts and Paul Rees, is himself a former student – such is clearly the draw of the course. He believes that the current BA runs on the same ethos of David Hurn’s original intentions from 1973. “We’re completely open minded about who comes on the course – so we have people who have done full careers and a really broad range of ages, so we still get that melting pot of people.” The course also keeps numbers small – just like the old days too, but it has expanded with the industry too. “We’ve been able to bring in all dimensions of documentary, including critical thinking about representations and ethics. While the industry is sometimes seen by some as contracting, it’s actually the opposite – it’s expanded, just in different directions.”

Storytellers

At the university, there is also a BA Photography course, but David feels it’s important that the Documentary course continues to exist in its own right too. “Why we teach specifically documentary is because at its course, it’s an interest in storytelling. Our students all want to be storytellers. They’re all passionate about something in the world.”

Although it has moved to Cardiff, he still also believes that the location brings something special too. “South Wales is a great place to go out and shoot pictures because people are really friendly, and kind of nosey in a nice way. Of course, people are travelling and going way beyond Wales at the end of the course, but in the first instance you’ve got to learn the ropes here and I think that works really well.”

By contrast, the MA Documentary Photography is run completely online, in order to attract a more global audience who don’t have to move from wherever they currently are in order to study – it also attracts lots of mature students. “The photo scene is very specific in the UK – it’s quite traditional,” says Lisa Barnard. “Whereas in Europe, documentary is treated completely differently. By broadening this out to be global, I get students that are interested in very long term projects, and they also use other tools beyond the camera to talk about their ideas too.”

Sue Packer (then a student) taking advantage of Tom Hopkinson’s (later Sir Tom) permanent offer to help students with layout if they came to his house in Penarth. 1977. © David Hurn

Interestingly, Lisa says the opposite to David Barnes, in that the MA is not actively trying to maintain the legacy of David Hurn. “It’s not to say I don’t respect his approach, but on our MA it couldn’t be further apart. I think in a decolonialised world that we live in, there’s a responsibility as image makers. I fundamentally believe that people that are making work should be making work in the countries that they inhabit – which is why I started running the programme online. That’s completely different from the historic idea of the white man who travels the world to exploit it for images. It’s very different.”

Mark Durden has been with the school since 2007, and works across the BA, MA and also supervises PhD student – USW is rare in that it runs courses in documentary photography across these three levels. While he appreciates and recognises the schools deserved reputation, he says its important not to become fixated with that past. “Since I joined, the approach to documentary has expanded and become more encompassing – historically it tended to be a bit narrow, both aesthetically and conceptually. In the past, it was rather unthinking and anti-theory, whereas now students have a very healthy relationship to critical theory.”

One of the most recent recruits to the school is Karin Bareman, who has been teaching there for less than a year. Unlike many of her colleagues, she’s not a practicing photographer, but, she has extensive experience in curation, which helps to bring another element to the students. She came to the course after conducting some guest lectures where she found the students to be hugely engaged, something she had not necessarily found elsewhere – “they were the most enthusiastic, the most prepared, the most engaged – the students are a real pleasure to work with,” she says.

She’s also keen to point out the supportive atmosphere, which is helped by keeping course numbers low. “You actually get to know each other very quickly – and the students also learn a lot from each other and support each other very strongly.”

It’s clear that an awful lot has changed since 1973. But it’s also very clear that the legacy of David Hurn’s original course is still very much going strong, and over the last half a century has had a phenomenal impact on documentary photography. It became quite clear to me while researching this piece that I could have spoken to many hundreds of people who have some connection to Newport/Cardiff, and I was delighted to discover that there is indeed a book in the works from Paul Cabuts which will look at some of the course’s aspects and impact on the wider photographic world. For now, I leave my research here – but I can’t wait to find out more in the future.

To find out more about the current courses, visit southwales.ac.uk. Keep reading for more from Newport / USW alumni, who each tell us what it was like to study on the course.

Anastasia Taylor Lind

Anastasia completed the BA Documentary Photography in 2004 and has worked for National Geographic, TIME, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Sunday Times and more. She is also a 2018 Harvard Nieman Fellow and has won numerous awards for her documentary and war photography, and is currently working in Ukraine.

A man weeps beside a bloodied stretcher outside the emergency department of the Republican Medical Centre in Stepanakert, November 2020 © Anastasia Taylor-Lind

She recalls being taught by Clive Landen and Ken Grant, the latter of which she says, “never stopped being my teacher” – a testament to the kind of connections made at Newport. “I wanted to be a photojournalist and go and do it as soon as possible. I asked my A Level teacher where I could learn how to take pictures like Don McCullin and they said “At Newport”, so I applied and had the good fortune of being accepted.

“It taught me how to build a photo story using the building blocks which I believe David Hurn had coined. I got back from Ukraine recently and I’m still going out and making those kind of pictures nearly 20 years later.”

anastasiataylorlind.com

Paul Lowe

Award-winning photographer Paul Lowe is represented by the globally acclaimed agency VII Photo and has been published in various outlets including Time, Newsweek, Life, The Sunday Times, The Observer and many more. As well as being a photographer, previously he was the course leader on the MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the London College of Communication and is now Professor of Conflict Peace and the Image at LCC. He studied at Newport from 1986 – 1988.

A young girl plays with a ball in the street alongside the River Miljacka in a ceasefire during the siege on Sarajevo by Serb troops, 1994 © Paul Lowe / Panos Pictures

“It was extraordinary because it was incredibly intense. I don’t know if it’s ever been replicated really in photographic education, as far as I know.

“I think if there’s a legacy of that course, funnily enough, I try to argue that the course we run at LCC is probably the closest to the spirit of that original course.

“I started it with Patrick Sutherland, who taught me at Newport and had set up a postgraduate diploma at LCC. He invited me to turn that into an MA in 2005 – and one of the interesting things about us is that you don’t need a first degree in anything if you’ve got some professional experience. Because of that, entry requirement or lack thereof, I think we inherited that quite consciously and built on it. We get a lot of people on our MA who are like the people that went to Newport when it was a two-year course.”

panos.co.uk/photographer/paul-lowe

Sebastian Bruno

Sebastian did both the BA and MA in Documentary Photography between 2012 and 2018. He has been exhibited, awarded and published numerous times since then. Originally from Argentina, he has stayed living in Newport since finishing the course, and often returns to USW as a lecturer.

Swffryd’s Thursday Lunch club, from the book The Dynamic, published in 2023 by IC Visual Lab © Sebastian Bruno

“One of the reasons we [he lives with Clementine Schneidermann – see further down] stayed so long after we finished studying and continue to make work here is because of the support we had from the course. I do quite a bit of teaching which I really enjoy because there is that act of reciprocity.”

sebastianbruno.com

Simon Norfolk

Often described as one of the leading documentary photographers of all time, Simon Norfolk completed the HND course at Newport in 1983, after completing an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Sociology at Cambridge University. His work is held in major institutions around the world, he has won or been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards including World Press Photo, Deutsche Borse and Prix Pictet.

Former teahouse in a park next to the Afghan Exhibition of Economic and Social Achievements in the Shah Shahid district of Kabul. Balloons were illegal under the Taliban, but now the ballonn-sellers are common on the streets of Kabul providing cheap treats for children. © Simon Norfolk

“The course was superb – a baptism of fire. I think I was one of the younger ones to do it, a lot of people had actually done stuff in life. They’d been a journalist, or a coal miner, or the Royal Marines or whatever.

“From the very beginning you were sort of thrown out the door – go out, shoot pictures, come back, process them, create a contact sheet, have a critique, back out the door again. The best thing really was you had to break down that social embarrassment about walking into a place.

“You were pushed very, very hard. They told us when we got there that they’d take one person too many so they were going to theow someone out at the end of the year. That meant our focus was amazing – you don’t get anything like that nowadays.

“The thing I walked away from that course is that storytelling is what matters. Yes, it must be beautiful – but it has to have a real spine through the work. I’m a political photographer who wants to change the world and that’s what I learned to do.

“To this day, the highest qualification I’ve got in photography is an HND – the same as my plumber. These days we don’t really have vocational degrees like that any more – which is a shame as that was the genius behind David’s course.”

simonnorfolk.com

Chris Chapman

Chris Chapman was invited to join the Newport course by David Hurn, where previously he had been studying Fine Art. Since 1975 he has lived and worked in Dartmoor, documenting aspects of local life. His photographs are held in some of the world’s most respected collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the International Center of Photography in New York. He has published numerous books and has been commissioned widely.

At the Llangibby Hunt, 1975 © Chris Chapman

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He says, “I had bluffed my way into art college but couldn’t draw. When I discovered the camera, I used it as my sketchbook, working up large canvasses from my photographs. It never dawned on me I could just take photographs. David offered me a place on the course in 1974 and I never painted again!”

“It was a terrific atmosphere. David was a brilliant teacher and commanded huge respect. I remember a favourite phrase of his was ‘Go back and take it again!’ and of course we all did until the magic day arrived when he would look at your work and give praise.

“Without a doubt, the reason so many successful photographers come from that course is David’s skill both as a teacher and a mentor. I keep in touch with him still and was delighted to discover he had included one of my photographs in his first Swaps exhibition at the National Museum of Wales in 2017.”

chrischapmanphotography.co.uk

Lúa Ribeira

Magnum photographer Lúa Ribeira completed the Documentary Photography BA in 2016, attending at the same time, and sharing a house, with some of the others mentioned in this piece including Clementine Schneidermann and Sebastian Bruno.

Untitled, from the series postnaturalism, taken
while at USW
© Lua Ribeira / Magnum Photos

Lúa switched from a different photography degree to join the documentary course as she felt it was closer to her approach. Her main teachers at the time were Paul Reas and Lisa Barnard, who she appreciated for their opposing views and willingness to share them. “The teachers were tough, that was important for me. What I learned stayed with me as I’ve worked over the last few years.”

She describes how Newport fostered a familial approach, and also believes that its location was a big help. “It’s a town you might not otherwise go to,” she explains. “And I feel that isolation in e area was very healthy because it created a kind of family feeling – everybody supporting each other, but with a healthy competitiveness as well. There was something really special here.”

luaribeira.com

Tish Murtha

Tish Murtha was one of the earliest students of the course, and although she died in 2013, she has become well-known in more recent years thanks to the work of her daughter, Ella. A documentary film directed by Paul Sng about Tish was released in November 2023.

Newport Tip, 1978 by Tish Murtha © Ella Murtha

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Here, her daughter Ella describes her time in Newport.

“She started the course in September 1976 and graduated in 1978. I found the letter from John Charity welcoming her to ‘Documentary Photography’ in her stuff when she died, and it’s so lovely and informal. She was lucky enough to get an education grant from Newcastle City Council, which enabled her to go, but due to the sheer volume of film that they shot, she also worked in the evenings to afford it. She loved the place and the people and got a lot from the course. She worked incredibly hard, as she was desperate to learn the skills she needed to help make her a better photographer. I think Newport was probably very similar to  Newcastle, so she felt very at home wandering around and meeting people along the way. The famous “man at work” project found her documenting Wilf a local scrap man – her dad was a scrap man, so she was used to exploring the tip looking for treasures. I remember her being very proud that the journalist Tom Hopkinson had come in to work with them and assigned them all a story to work on. She headed off to the ‘New Found Out’ pub in Pill for hers, and I really enjoyed looking through all those contact sheets. There were some right characters!

She just photographed what she knew, and that was people. She had always been a people watcher long before she ever picked up a camera, she knew she wanted to be a social documentary photographer, but she absorbed everything that David Hurn taught her until it became second nature. He taught her how to create a picture story and once this was ingrained in her, she returned to the northeast with great purpose and fond memories of Wales.

She met her good friend Daisy Hayes there, Daisy actually photographed my birth! Other friends I remember were David Swidenbank, Kevin O’Farrell, George Wilson, Clive Landen, and Sue Packer and a Swedish lad called Ingard. He is in a couple of photos from the time, but I don’t know his surname unfortunately, which is a shame as he had a lovely twinkle in his eye and I bet has some good stories.

It has been really special to connect with people off the doc photo course and hear their memories of the time and my mam. I visited her old student house in Colne Street, which is relatively unchanged, but couldn’t get into the tip as needed to book, and the pub was long gone, but it felt quite spiritual walking in her footsteps and imagining her at work. It was really good to speak to David Hurn and hear what it was like to teach my mam and how he swapped a print of Angela and Starky with her, as he thought it was so tender. I actually found myself in the exact spot it must have been taken because of the reflection of a building I recognised. It was a real goosebumps moment. I’m a very proud daughter.”

tishmurtha.co.uk

Clementine Schneidermann

Clementine Schneidermann studied for both an MA and PhD in Documentary Photography. She has won numerous prizes, including the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award and the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. She has been published in many outlets including The Guardian, The New Yorker and Creative Review. Originally from France, she has stayed living and working in Newport.

I called her Lisa Marie © Clementine Schneidermann

“The course was amazing. It was also discovering a new country at the same time. For the first year I commuted from Bristol, but in the second year I moved to Newport with Sebastian [Bruno], Lua [Ribeira] and others – we had a big house in Newport. It sounds cheesy, but I feel like it kind of changed my life.

“Because I’m not from Wales, we [she lives with Sebastian Bruno – see above] kind of felt like we finally had a family in the university – among the students and the lecturers too.

“Since we finished, the market has changed. It’s become much harder to make a living – even when we started people were telling us it would be difficult, but now it’s really hard. Now photographers are encouraged to tell their own stories and use their own voice – they’re starting to look inwards a little bit more.

“I appreciated the toughness of the lecturers when I was there. I did a project on burlesque dancers and thought I was Susan Meiseilas. I showed it to Paul Reas, who was very tough on it – I felt like crying. But, in the end, I was so glad he did because he really pushed me to work much harder.”

clementineschneider.com

Jack Latham

Multi-award winning photographer Jack Latham has become well-known for his work surrounding conspiracy theories. He has published multiple books, been exhibited numerous times and also works as a lecturer at the University of West of England in Bristol. Originally from South Wales himself, he graduated from Newport in 2012.

Phantom Patriot was the name taken by Richard McCaslin of Carson City, Nevada, who, on January 19, 2002, attempted an attack on the Bohemian Grove after viewing Alex Jones’ documentary. He was imprisoned in California for 8 years. He now resides in Nevada and has a super hero base in his backyard which he refers to as the ‘Protectorate Outpost’ © Jack Latham

“I went to Newport because it was Newport. I didn’t have much of a portfolio, but I showed that I was incredibly passionate. I was offered a place by Clive Landen who said ‘I’m going to give you a place but if you f*** up, I’m going to kick you out personally. That has kind of followed me my entire career. I’m from Cardiff but I was never academically bright, and art wasn’t necessarily afforded to me growing up. The idea that I could even go to university was a huge thing.

“We always used to say you had support from Clive, you’d have brutality from Paul [Reas] and poetry from Ken [Grant]. But one of the best pieces of advice I received was actually from one of the technicians, who said, you shouldn’t finish university with a completed project.

“I’m proud to have gone to Newport. Coming from South Wales, the fact that it was in Newport is mind-blowing. I don’t think culturally people really gave a Newport a fair chance – it’s amazing it was documented for all those years using photography. It’s got a legacy and it will have always been an important place for British photography.”

jacklatham.com

Glenn Edwards

Photojournalist Glenn Edwards attended the course in 1983. He has worked for a wide-range of clients and is a former UK Press Photographer of the Year.

From the book and exhibition Yuckers Year. David Pearce training with his father Wally at the Waterloo Hotel in Newport before his British Heavyweight Title fight with Neville Meade in Cardiff September 1983. Not an environment you would find Fury or Anthony Joshua in the modern era. The first magazine to run a spread on this work was Amateur Photographer in 1983. © Glenn Edwards

Scanner · f/4.6 · 1/5s · 13mm · ISO50

“Without sounding over-the-top, the course was absolutely life-changing. I was in the steel industry previously, and I was extremely lucky to get in. I think there were about 350-400 applicants and only 15 of us on the course.

“It was totally practical. It was all about going out, making mistakes, and then going out again and again until you got it right. We were all a little bit in awe of David, but he is one of the most approachable guys you could ever wish to meet.

“From the get-go, we had to go out and find people to photograph. Forget the photography aspect, the social skills were equally important. It was structured in such a way to make you a working photographer – at the end of the day, what’s the point unless you can earn a living?

“Recently I’ve had an exhibition and a book of pictures that I took at Newport. We had to find our own stories and I discovered a local boxer – David Pierce, who went on to fight for the British heavyweight title. I followed him for a year and it’s recently been the 40^th anniversary.

“It’s sort of come full circle, and that’s what Newport gave to me – knowing how important photography can be.”

glennedwardsphotojournalist.co.uk

Sian Trenberth

One of the youngest students to attend the course, Sian joined at age 18 straight from school in the early 1980s. Today she specialises in studio, portraiture and performing arts photography – but owes a lot of her craft to what she learned at Newport.

© Sian Trenberth

“I’d always loved photography, and I had a job at a theatre when I was at school as a dresser – somebody said there’s a photographer at the front of the house, you should go and speak to them. It happened to be David Hurn – I didn’t know who he was of course. I told him I was interested in the backstage stories, and he told me to join the course.

“I found it very hard, it was absolutely brilliant training and what I learned is still with me every day – it was a real hothouse environment. Standards were very, very high – David always instilled the being the best you can be type of approach. I don’t think that ever goes away. I’m a portrait and performing arts photographer now, but I adopt the “Newport approach” still.”

sian-trenberth.com

Iga Koncka

Iga is a very recent graduate from the Documentary Course at USW, where she was studied from 2018 until 2021.

© Iga Koncka

Canon EOS R5 · f/2.8 · 1/60s · 28mm · ISO640

Studying in the midst of the Covid pandemic was a challenge for Iga, who came to the UK after completing her A Levels in Poland. She says “I loved being on the course. It shaped my work ethic and I learned so much about photography and the arts in general. I was only 18 when I emigrated and the course was a great anchor to the realities of a new country.”

As is more common with newer students, Iga used other forms as part of her studies, including short films, performance and installation. She says, “The majority of my course was during Covid, so we had to be very creative with the projects we produced, as traditional human contact was not an option. This limitation allowed me to explore my Polish identity more and think outside the box when photographing close surroundings and domestic spaces.”

Iga admits that she didn’t know of the course’s famous reputation until after she arrived, but is now proud to be part of its community. She finished the course with First Class honours and went on to study for an MA in Contemporary Photography at Central Saint Martins, where she was selected as this year’s New Contemporaries artist.

igakoncka.com

Curtis Hughes

Curtis Hughes is a very recent graduate of the USW course, having studied for the BA from 2019-2022, but he has already found a good degree of success, with some of his project ‘Modern Love’ being featured in the book ‘Love Story’ by Hoxton Mini Press.

Vero and Julius, from ‘Modern Love’ © Curtis Hughes

“My decision to pursue a photography course was prompted by a moment of epiphany while I was living in Guatemala and working on my first documentary project. I naturally gravitated toward the documentary genre, with a deep-seated fascination for people and their stories. It was my sister who recommended the course after I shared my aspirations of attending university to study photography, specifically documentary,” he explains.

After leaving school, Curtis had been working in customer focused roles, before leaving the UK in his early 20s to take in part in what had intended to be a brief gap year. Six years later he was still away, teaching English at schools in India and later Guatemala, and developing a love for photography, particularly portraiture.

On returning to the UK to study at the famous documentary course, he found it to be an “exceptional experience.” He loved the sense of community, the connections formed, both with fellow students and teaching staff – he says “they have become like family to me.”

His project, Modern Love was created during the final year of the course. “I embarked on a train journey across Europe, capturing couples in their homes who had met online. Throughout the entire process of making the work, I received unwavering support from my colleagues and lecturers, who encouraged me to question not only what I was doing and how I was doing it, but most importantly, why I was doing it. I believe that this process of feedback and collaboration played a significant role in the project’s success. To this day, I seek collaboration and feedback in my work, cherishing the lessons I learned during my time at USW.

curtishughesphoto.com

Robin Chaddah-Duke

Robin graduated from the BA course in 2023, with the first two years of the course completely disrupted by Covid. He says, “Despite this, the course stayed active and the staff worked endlessly to make sure we were getting the education we had been promised. The skills I learned in these two rocky years meant that I was still able to produce a body of work I’m proud of.

An image by Robin Chaddah Duke

ILCE-7RM2 · f/13 · 1/250s · 28mm · ISO500

“I studied photography at my college where I was able to discover my interests more specifically which lay in documentary practice. I was recommended to the course by my tutor Tom Keating and was amazed by the opportunity to study under a course who had produced names whom I very much admired.

“I was only 18 when I joined, so I had a lot to learn about life in general and I think the course allowed me to do this in a way that is really special. What I valued most was the ability to explore my own interests completely freely. I was welcomed into various communities with open arms and introduced to so many different people from different walks of life. The mentality of using a camera to get to know people I would never meet usually is something they really push on the course.

“It feels quite surreal now that I think about it that I was on such a famous course. It has put out some of photography’s biggest names, and I guess I’m now next to them – right at the bottom of the plaque. Seriously, it feels great – I’m very grateful to all of the staff and my class for everything.”

robinchaddahduke.co.uk

Laurie Broughton

Laurie graduated from USW in 2022.

Baby on the table © Laurie Broughton

“I wanted to study documentary photography at USW because of its prestigious reputation for producing world-renowned photographers. The course’s alumni really impressed me and gave me confidence that I would learn the skills to make that step to being a freelance photographer.

“Being all consumed by photography has left a lasting impact on myself. It has given me confidence but a burning desire to constantly think about the next image that I would want to make.

“Having studied here I’ve been able to connect with other photographers that have been in my shoes. I feel very fortunate to have been part of this course as it has changed my life for the best.”

lauriebroughton.com

What is documentary photography? 

I asked several of the interviewees here to give us a definition of documentary – a genre which can be very difficult to pin down. Here’s what some of them had to say about it…

“Oh Jesus, that’s my entire PhD! I always go back to John Grierson, and he called it the creative treatment of actuality.” – Karin Bareman

 “I guess it’s something along the lines of interpreting what is out there in the real world through a process of visual investigation.” – Paul Lowe

“F*** knows? Since the inception of the term, people have rebelled against it. My colleague refers to it as ‘non-fiction photography’ – it’s not about what something is, it’s about what something isn’t. Whatever you want to make it, I suppose.” – Jack Latham

“A horrible question. It’s really about connecting to the real in some way, so some aspect is based in reality – real environments, real issues, real people.” – Lisa Barnard

 “I don’t really have a definition, all I can do is tell people what I do. I record something that reminds me of accurately of the essence of what I saw and found interesting – then I show it to other people and hope they find it interesting enough to buy it.” – David Hurn

 “It’s a way of photographing what really matters.” – Ken Grant

 “Hearing the voice of the people rather than the voice of the establishment telling us what we should be doing. In its purest form, that would be my definition – seeing the world from the bottom up.” – Daniel Meadows

Further reading

Best photography exhibitions to see in 2023

How my camera saved me from a night in the Russian gulag

Best cameras for photojournalism and documentary in 2023

The post The best documentary photography course in the world? appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Gen Z has long established itself as a nostalgic generation, one that yearns to capture moments, big and small. In a time when stills and video can be captured in near perfection, authenticity and the emotional resonance of a moment appear key and this is reflected in recent trends like the ‘video your life as a Wes Anderson film’ trend.

England and Brazil face off at Wembley Stadium as a crowd of fans watch on, photo taken on Kodak Gold film. Photo credit: Harriet Duffy.

Many young photographers have taken to using film and even vintage digital cameras to document the world around them, rather than the countless mirrorless cameras with an ever-growing number of megapixels available to them nowadays.

Another thing that has seen a surge in recent years is women’s football, particularly in the UK with the Lionesses’ victory at the 2022 Women’s UEFA European Championship and successful run at this year’s Women’s World Cup culminating in making it to the final match against Spain. Raiyan Rafiq and Harriet Duffy are two young photographers (and women’s football fans), both 25, who have been documenting this rise of the women’s game in the UK since last summer – focusing on the fan experience –  on analogue cameras.

Sports photography is probably not the first genre you’d think of for doing film today, especially as film cameras can be unreliable and film itself is increasingly pricey.

Film photography and the power of capturing moments in sports – Harriet Duffy

Harriet Duffy’s photography journey began with her fascination with capturing moments. She says, ‘I like the idea of being able to look back on a place, a relationship or a sporting event and be able to remember the feeling at the time in which an image was captured.’

In 2014 she stumbled across her parents’ old Olympus Trip 35 compact camera, which she found was a perfect introduction to film photography given that it wasn’t overwhelmingly full of functions and settings. Since then, film has been her medium of choice. Why? The lengthy development and scanning process plus limited number of shots don’t faze Duffy, who explains that it is exactly this that reiterates her love of film.

Scenes from the terrace after England opened the scoring in the UEFA Women’s Euros final against Germany at Wembley Stadium. Photo taken with an Olympus Mju and Fujifilm Superia 200 film. Photo credit: Harriet Duffy.

Following her graduation from university last summer, she was commissioned to photograph the 2022 Women’s UEFA European Championship and stood pitchside in Wembley as England’s women’s team won England its first major trophy since 1966 when the men’s team won the World Cup.

Duffy believes that incorporating film photography into women’s football ‘helps increase the creativity of the game off the pitch. The more interpretations of football the better.’

She currently works as a freelance photographer and writer specialising in women’s football, shooting film at matches for independent outlets like Copa90 and Indivisa. She has even been commissioned to document the fan experience on the grounds of the UEFA Women’s European Championship with a Fujifilm Instax Square 1 camera which she enjoyed a lot, saying, ‘Whilst yes, it’s instant, you’ve still got to wait a bit for it to develop, meaning endless conversations with the subjects about the nostalgia of the camera.’

Photo taken with Olympus Mju and Kodak Colorplus 200 film. Photo credit: Harriet Duffy.

And for Duffy, this made it the perfect camera to document women’s football fans during that Euros tournament as it ‘highlighted just how euphoric that month was’.

As to what’s usually in her kit bag, Duffy explains that she’s limited due to the ‘A4-size bag only’ rule at football games in England. ‘If I’m in the stands I tend to just take my Mju I and three rolls of film but if I’m pitchside it’ll be my Canon AL-1, Olympus Mju I and Canon EOS 300 with five rolls of film. I tend to limit my shooting to two rolls per game to keep the costs down and ensure no frame is wasted.’

If given the choice to choose one camera and one type of film for the rest of time, however, she’d go with the Olympus Mju I with Kodak Gold 400 film that have become her go-to kit to have in her bag: ‘Having something so readily available when I’m on the move, weaving in and out of fans, is invaluable to capturing the true atmosphere I encounter.’

Some of Duffy’s Euro ‘22 instant photos taken with a Fujifilm Instax Square 1 for the opening game of the UEFA Women’s Euro between host nation England and Austria taking place at Old Trafford, Manchester. Credit: Harriet Duffy.

Street photography is her favourite genre, as she likes to ‘document things naturally because authenticity in representing women’s football is so important to me due to my passion for the game’.

Football player turned sports photographer – Raiyan Rafiq

Raiyan Rafiq, like Harriet, is a freelance photographer working predominantly in women’s football, as well as an avid football fan. She will also be studying for a postgraduate degree in law soon.

She began taking photos at high school tournaments but didn’t take it too seriously at the time as she was a player herself. After she moved to London from Bangladesh, Rafiq struggled with the pressure of university and learning to live abroad alone but after her father encouraged her to combine two activities she enjoyed – photography and football – she started attending matches in person.

Photo taken during the pre match ceremony at Wembley Stadium in London. Photo credit: Raiyan Rafiq.

And this is how she got into sports photography in the UK. ‘Before the Euros, the attendances were not very high so the security was relaxed, and we could take our cameras and lenses,’ she says. Last summer she was commissioned to photograph the Women’s UEFA European Championships by Indivisa and was also there to see the Lionesses’ historic win.

She described this as a ‘dream’ and a ‘full circle moment’ especially as she enjoys ‘capturing photos that tell a story or evoke emotions in a certain moment or time’, citing photojournalism and event photography as her favourite genres.

Rafiq blends digital photography with film photography too, depending on who she’s shooting and when she’s shooting. ‘If there is an indoor event, then I will probably rely on digital as not everyone likes the flash from a film camera – they can often be quite overpowering,’ she says. It also depends on the type of shot she’s after. She says that while she might capture the match itself on digital, ‘I prefer to capture the atmosphere and fans on film.’

Photo credit: Raiyan Rafiq.

For her, the nostalgic quality of film is a given. Then there’s the film aesthetic, she says, the unique contrast, tonal range or grain a film photo has that you can’t replicate digitally. There is also the need to be patient. ‘We get everything so instantly nowadays that it takes the experience of anticipation out of it. Film is exciting because you don’t get a result immediately.’ She likens the experience to opening presents on your birthday.

For Rafiq, film cameras, much like other gadgets from the 1990s and beyond that have returned from the dead, such as vinyl, Walkman, and typewriters, present a hands-on experience that makes them more endearing. ‘You need to learn about the device before you can use it, instead of just powering it up and clicking a button,’ she says. ‘So, in a way you feel more in tune with your devices, as clichéd as that may sound.’

31st July, 2022 at Wembley Stadium, London. Photo credit: Raiyan Rafiq.

On a regular shooting day, Rafiq carries a digital camera, the Canon EOS 600D, as well as two film cameras, a Canon 5000 and a Pentax point and shoot. These are usually joined by a 300mm telephoto zoom lens and three to four rolls of film. ‘Because the weather in this city is always so unpredictable, I have started carrying a rain cover’ she adds.

Her favourite film camera, however, is also the Olympus Mju I. She says, ‘I loved the camera so much when I picked it up a few years back and instantly fell in love with it. The size is perfect, and the quality is amazing. Thus contributing to my username on Instagram, RaWithAMju’. As for film, for her that prize goes to the Kodak Ektar 100, ‘the contrast is always so brilliant and the colours pop out so well. It’s incredibly smooth but at the same time retains the feel of a film.’

Arsenal goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo greets fans. Photo credit: Raiyan Rafiq.

Sports photography on film – how to get started

Her advice? ‘Start small and then move up.’ Rafiq recommends beginners start with a point and shoot and then switch to more analogue cameras, ‘You need to learn to fall in love with the process or else you will end up spending money on a camera you barely use’. She also points to YouTube as a great place to learn from other photographers who go through the technicalities, what cameras to buy, how to use them and more.

‘I also think you have to be open to failing a lot. Some days, I have taken only twelve good pictures out of thirty-six and while that can understandably be frustrating, it has also helped me get a grip on the dos and don’ts. Most importantly, love what you capture. Document the things you love, and the photos will speak for themselves.’

Harriet’s biggest advice would be to go out and shoot as much as possible. ‘I was lucky in that I started shooting film when Agfa Vista was available for £1 in shops meaning I could learn from experimentation and experience. With film costs being extortionate now I recognise that that’s a privilege today but it’s nice seeing new people come into the industry to try and counter the costs such as Candido.’

At the moment, Duffy is getting ready for the new European domestic football season which will be starting in October. ‘I’ll be back in the stands and the pitchside capturing what’s set to be one of the biggest years for the Women’s Super League after the tournament the Lionesses just had’.

Rafiq is heartbroken at not being able to go to Australia to watch the Women’s World Cup. She is taking a break from sports photography before the WSL season starts anew. ‘I am trying to capture more everyday living through photos. Trying to fall in love with the minute, ordinary things’.

Follow Harriet Duffy and Raiyan Rafiq on Instagram to see more of their work.

Related content:

• How to shoot action and sports photography
• How to do film photography on a budget
• Top tips for how to get creative with analogue film photography
• Complete guide to Portrait photography – How to get started

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Capturing Women’s football on film appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

The year 1973 was a good one for creating cultural icons. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon was released, and Roger Moore made his James Bond debut in Live and Let Die. Meanwhile in the West Midlands, newly married young couple Ros and Martin Billingham decided to set up a business making bags to supplement the meagre incomes from their day jobs, and along the way created the world’s most iconic camera bag. Fifty years on the Billingham brand is still regarded as the Rolls Royce of camera bags, exported worldwide and used by a who’s who of the biggest names in photography. So how did it all start?

‘I met Martin through photography, explains Ros. ‘I was working at a camera shop and photo studio doing wedding photography and darkroom work, which I really loved. Martin was an amateur photographer at a local camera club, and he used to bring in the 20×16 prints that he had made, to have mounted in the studio. So that’s how we got together.’

The Billingham stand at a photography show at the NEC, 1981. The photo features staff from Billingham and ‘CamCane’ which Billingham used to distribute. Ros Billingham is in the centre of the photo holding a Photo Eventer bag. © Tariq Chaudry

Billingham Bags: the Early days

Although they had known each other for several years Martin was 24 when they got married and bought their first house together. ‘We very quickly realised that we didn’t have a lot of money. We decided that the jobs that we had weren’t good enough, so we thought we’d start a business,’ recalls Martin. ‘We sat down one night and looked at the options. I thought we’d become photographers, but Ros feared we’d end up as wedding photographers and I didn’t fancy that. So we decided that we’d try to make bags, because I’d worked at a company that made canvas and leather fishing bags and they could never make enough of them. I thought perhaps I could make bags for them, but they weren’t interested. But we thought that making fishing bags was still a reasonable idea. So that’s how it all started. We registered the company, borrowed some money and bought a sewing machine.’

It took some time to come up with the design, and source all the materials they required – but eventually they had everything they needed and started making their bags at home. ‘We had a cutting table, first in the garage, and then in the bedroom,’ continues Ros. ‘I can’t use a sewing machine, so I would cut all the pieces of canvas with a big pair of shears, and I’d prepare all the leather and then cut it out with a round leather knife. Then Martin used to sew the bags together.’

Photo from inside the Lye factory near Stourbridge, which Billingham was based in between 1980 and 1991. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

They were working part-time at this stage and did lots of other jobs to raise the money to keep the fledgling business going. Martin spent some time working shifts at a chemical factory. Then in 1977 they got a large order for 300 bags from the Alnwick-based fishing company, Hardy Brothers. This gave them the confidence to go full time and move out of their house into their first dedicated business premises – a 500sq ft lean-to, where they worked 12 hours a day. They started getting international orders too, and it was from across the Atlantic that their Eureka moment came.

‘We had started making a lot of bags for an American customer who had a luxury goods brand,’ continues Martin. ‘We found out that he was selling our bags in New York as camera bags, and photographers were buying them in droves. I’ve never been very interested in fishing or shooting, so we looked at each other and thought, “Let’s get back into photography.” It was photography that brought us together. Everything just fell into place.’

Designing their first dedicated camera bag, the System 1, came fairly easily. They were both photographers themselves, and both had used a variety of different equipment, so they had a fairly good idea of what photographers wanted in a bag. Martin kept a notepad and pencil at the side of the bed. He’d wake up in the night with ideas and start drawing and making notes.

Portrait of Martin Billingham taken by Lord Snowdon. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

‘Cameras and lenses at that time were quite big things,’ says Martin. ‘I thought professionals would need a big bag, and so that’s what we made. We called it the System 1. My father looked at it and said, “That’s far too big. Nobody would want a big bag like that, that’s ridiculous!” Of course he wasn’t a photographer.’

But the initial response from the retail trade to the original khaki and brown leather bag wasn’t a lot better. ‘We had taken the bags around all the camera shops but they weren’t interested,’ recalls Ros. At the time camera bags were all hard boxes and they all said nobody’s going to buy a soft bag and put a camera in it. There wasn’t one shop that would take one and try it.’

Undeterred they started selling by mail order, which proved that there was a market for the bag. Practical Photography wrote a glowing review that boosted the demand further.

Product shots of the System 1, 2, 3 and 4 from 1982. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

A bet from Bailey

A major turning point came in 1980. Martin takes up the story: ‘We had heard about a big photography show at Earl’s Court, London. By that time we were making the System 1 and the smaller System 2. We took a stand at the show and it went fantastically well. Lots of very interesting people came over to the stand to see us. We met Donovan, Lichfield, Bailey and Don McCullin. It was great. David Bailey bet Lord Lichfield that if he could do a certain number of press-ups he would buy him one of our System 1 bags. Lichfield took him up on it and did the press-ups, and Bailey bought him the bag.’

A Bronica camera in a numbered limited edition bundle, which included a Bronica camera and accessories presented in a Billingham hard case. It was the only hard case the firm ever made. Circa late ’90s. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

‘Having Lichfield using one of our bags was a real endorsement and gave us a great boost,’ adds Ros. ‘It was magical.’ One of the reasons for the interest was, incredible though it may seem today, hardly anyone else was making soft camera bags. ‘We had the whole bag market to ourselves at that time,’ explains Martin.

‘I remember back in the early ’80s one of our customers, the owner of the Tecno chain of camera shops, had a car racing day at Silverstone and he invited me down, and every single one of the motor racing photographers was using a Billingham bag. I thought to myself, it will never get any better than this, because it doesn’t last, does it? But at the time, we had almost no competitors. There was just Tenba and Domke in the US, really.’

By this point the range had evolved into four bags, the System 1, 2, 3 and 4 – essentially different-sized variations on the same bag, and all the same original khaki. In the mid-1980s Billingham introduced a black variant. ‘I went to see Alan Jessop and he wasn’t very happy,’ laughs Martin, ‘because it meant more variations he had to stock.’

Billingham acquired a Ventile coat manufacturer called ‘Merlin’, its only acquisition of another company. In 1994 they opened a store on Church Stretton high street (near some good hiking spots). However, due to a series of break-ins and the distance from the factory the store was closed. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

If you build it they will come

Throughout the 1980s the range expanded and evolved, with different formats, shapes and colours, as cameras themselves changed and evolved. Inspiration for new designs comes from a variety of sources. ‘It’s reading magazines,’ says Ros. ‘It’s keeping in touch with people, with photographers. And people come to us with ideas, or they’ll say, I’ve got this equipment, which bag will it fit into? Exhibitions are good for feedback too.’

Martin adds, ‘You have to be careful about doing too much research, because if you ask people what they want, you don’t always get the right answers. If Apple had said “how would you fancy a phone with no buttons on it”, nobody would have wanted it. You have to build it and show them.’

Meanwhile the firm expanded into bigger premises and took on more people. ‘When we started selling camera bags we took the plunge and moved to a new 1,500sq ft unit in a place nearby called Lye,’ says Martin. And then as we continued to expand and sell more bags we moved into the unit next door, which was 4,500sq ft. And then we rented both the units, and the smaller one became the stores.’

An advert from 1998 joking about the ‘Millennium Bug’. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

Tougher times for Billingham

The 1980s were very good for Billingham but things were about to get tougher. ‘The first ten years were great,’ says Martin, candidly. ‘Then we came into the nineties and the Chinese were starting to export a lot, and we found it more difficult to sell our bags. We’d go to exhibitions and people would say, “Why would I buy this for £200 when I can buy that for £20?” We had to downsize, and it was a real struggle.’

A shop window display at Berns Camera Store in Albany, New York, from the 1980s. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

Things have picked up since that low point and in 2011 Billingham moved into their current hi-tech premises in Cradley Heath. ‘I got to the stage where I was about to retire and we started getting busy again,’ reflects Martin. ‘We’ve got these new premises now and things are running really nicely. It’s much more pleasurable. We’ve got lovely machines, this place is like a big shed where I can come in and play around with things. It’s fun.’

Martin has a workshop in the factory where he works on designs not only for the bags but also for the machinery that makes the bags. ‘That’s the fun of it. I enjoy making things, but I also enjoy making the same thing over and over. I like to design systems that make it easier for people to make them, like the jigs and things like that.’ These solutions are not always high tech – one of the machines on the factory floor has been modified by a strategically placed yoghurt pot.

Billingham used to make jackets with Ventile® fabric. The model in the photo is Martin Billingham himself. Circa April, 1991. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

Leather and brass

It may not look it, but a Billingham bag is a complex piece of engineering. ‘In something like a Hadley there are over 50 individual components,’ explains Martin. There’s the various materials, of course, the inner and outer canvas sandwiching a bonded rubberised layer, the leather and brass, and the inserts. Then there’s all the press-studs and zips and buckles, and three different types of threads used in the stitching. It all adds up.

‘You know the handle on top of the Hadley? There’s something like ten different jigs to actually make that work,’ Martin reveals. ‘And when I designed it, it took me about six months to decide on buying a hot cutter, because there’s a hole cut in the web that goes on top to get the tube in, and if you just chop a hole with something sharp, the web disintegrates. So you need a hot cutter to cut the hole and it was very expensive. But it works fine now.’

Composite image of a photograph of a Billingham 550 camera bag merged with a real x-ray of the same bag with analogue camera gear in. The 550 was Billingham’s first dedicated camera bag, under its previous name of the ‘System 1’. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

An eye for colour

Consumer habits and priorities have changed over the 50 years that Billingham has been operating. Cameras have become smaller and with that, so have the bags. There’s a greater range of colours as people look for more individuality.

‘The colour choices have been mostly down to our son, Harry,’ says Ros. ‘He’s got an eye for colours and details. But occasionally we’ll see a canvas, they’ll send us a new swatch, and we’ll just look and say that would look nice.’

All of this research and effort costs time and money but there is, nowadays, a different attitude among consumers, and price is not the only motivating factor. People have generally become more discerning when it comes to not only the quality of the product, and the attention to detail, but about how and where the materials are sourced, and the ethics of the firm in general. In a world where few products are made in the UK any more, especially in photography, these societal changes have played to Billingham’s strengths.

Billingham Hadley One Sage FibreNyte with Chocolate leather. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

‘I think people do have more appreciation of something that’s handmade, and still made in England,’ asserts Martin. ‘And people are more aware of what’s going on in the manufacturing sector and they go out and look for things. They know what they want to buy – not just in the photo trade, but when they buy clothes they’re looking at labels to see what it’s made from.’

Billingham bags at 50

Billingham currently employs 43 people, including the directors. And some of them have been with the firm a very long time. ‘Caroline has been with us 38 years,’ Ros tells us. ‘Mark has been with us for about 35. There’s a few that have been with us for over 20 years, and then many of the rest for 8 to 10 years. And they’re all really lovely people.’

Ros and Martin Billingham today, pictured here with Caroline, their longest- serving employee, who has been with the company for 38 years. Photo: Nigel Atherton

This of course is a great endorsement not only of the products but of Ros and Martin as people and as employers. The whole factory gives off the vibe of a being one big happy family, and there’s a palpable sense of pride in producing something that is considered among the best in the world and exported all over the world. Flags adorn the factory walls from the places to which Billingham bags have been exported. The labels that are stitched into the bags reveal the name of who made them, and they were able to tell me who made not only the Hadley Pro that I was carrying with me on the day of our visit, but also my old Billingham 25 rucksack that I’ve had for over 20 years.

The current factory in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, employs 43 people. Photo: Nigel Atherton

‘They’re really proud of what they do,’ says Ros. ‘They love making something beautiful, and they were just so proud when we won your award (The Lifetime Achievement Award that AP presented to Ros and Martin at the 2023 AP Awards back in February).’ This didn’t really need to be said – it was evident from the little shrine on the factory floor to the 50th anniversary in which their award takes pride of place, surrounded by photos and cuttings.

Product shot of an old Billingham 550 bag showing possible contents. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

Despite the fact that they’re now in their 70s, and they have in their co-director son, Harry, a safe pair of hands, Ros and Martin appear to still be enjoying themselves far too much to think about retiring. ‘Even after all these years it’s still nice to walk in and see the manufacturing process,’ beams Ros. ‘That’s why we’re still here, still working.’ Martin adds: People always seem to need bags, and there isn’t a perfect bag. So we have to keep designing and making lots of different ones. There are really only two types of bag – too big or too small.’

The label stitched into every bag enables Billingham to identify the person who made it. Photo: Nigel Atherton

AP team with Billingham

Featured photo: A product shot of a System 3 bag, circa 1979, next to some of the tools used to make it. Photo: courtesy/copyright of Billingham

More reading:

Billingham Eventer MKII review

Billingham Hadley One review

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The post 50 years of Billingham Bags: the story appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Trigger warning: detailed mention of shark attack experience

Your new book is called Shark: Portraits. Are sharks open to having their portraits taken?

Some sharks like the camera. They’ll come close and seem really interested in you and your camera. But some sharks are skittish. With tiger sharks, a lot of people jump in the water and start chasing after them. You need to give them time and let the animals come towards you. That’s when you get the best photos. 

Photo: Mike Coots

What kinds of portrait techniques do you apply to sharks? 

When I’m underwater, I’m mainly trying to nail the focus and composition. It’s more in the post-production. I gravitate towards images where I can see the shark sort of having a human characteristic: a smirk, a smile maybe, a highlight in the eyes that catches the light. I look for those same things you would if you were going through a portrait session with a person. 

I’m trying to get people to love sharks. Hollywood has done a good job of showing the scary side of sharks. It’s refreshing to show the other side.

What is it you find fascinating about sharks? 

After I was attacked, I was more curious about shark attacks than the sharks themselves. I was curious why I got attacked. I had a lot of questions and read a lot of books. 

The first time I went diving with sharks, I saw a whole other world. I’d spent a lot of time, as a surfer, above the water. But when you’ve got eye contact and you’re below the water with a shark, it’s mesmerising. They’re beautiful creatures. You’re looking at a living dinosaur.

Photo: Mike Coots

Can you talk through what happened in the attack?

It was in Kaua‘i, in 1997. I was 18 at the time. We have a good surf spot on the west side of the island. I’d been in the water less than five minutes. I was paddling for a wave. I didn’t see a fin breach or have any forewarning – I was just blindsided. It grabbed onto me – a big tiger shark, around 12 to 14 feet. I stuck my right hand into its mouth to try to get my legs out. That didn’t work, and I felt a huge amount of pressure – zero pain, but a lot of pressure. The shark lifted me out of the water and ragged on me back and forth. It felt like I was watching myself in a movie. I punched the shark in the nose. It let go as soon as I hit it a few times.

Photo: Mike Coots

Did your survival instinct kick in? 

Yes, it was a primal instinct – “A large animal is attacking me and I need to fight back.” I got back on my board and started paddling in. My right leg did a weird ‘shake’. I thought the shark was finishing me off, but I looked behind me and my leg had severed right off, big squirts of blood coming out every time my heart beat. Fortunately, a wave came and I rode it all the way to the sand. My friend Kyle used my board’s leash as a tourniquet and saved my life. I went in and out of shock as we drove to the hospital. I woke up a day later as an amputee, and spent a week in hospital and a few weeks bedridden at home. I was back in the water in a little over a month.

At Tiger Beach, the Bahamas. This great hammerhead shark is a large female named Pocahontas. Surviving a shark attack prompted Mike to learn about the importance of sharks. Photo: Mike Coots

Canon EOS 5D Mark III · f/7.1 · 1/640s · 50mm · ISO250

Was there a chance you’d never go back in the ocean? 

No. I knew it was a statistical anomaly that I got attacked. The fear of losing out on good surf and being with my friends in the ocean was much greater than feeling I’d be attacked by a shark again. The second I could get back in the water, I did.

Do you have any idea why the attack happened? 

When we turned up at the beach that morning, there was a foul smell in the air. I think there were dead fish in the water. The shark probably thought I was a turtle or something. The water was murky that day as well. 

Photo: Mike Coots

Canon EOS R5 · f/3.2 · 1/1000s · 50mm · ISO640

What made you channel your experience into protecting sharks? 

One thing led to another. After the attack, I was out of the water for a while. Sitting on the beach, I fell in love with shooting photos of my friends surfing. That transformed into going to art school to study photography, and then that transformed into learning about the importance of sharks on Youtube. Later, I got into the policy-making side of things. I’ve talked to congress (in Washington?) about shark legislation. I’ve been able to speak out as a shark attack survivor and use the irony of my shark attack, along with science, to say why we need to protect sharks. 

Why are sharks so endangered?

One of the biggest threats is shark fin soup, a delicacy in Asia, which has no nutritional value. It’s barbaric. People go out to sea, catch the sharks, and then cut off the fins, which are used in the soup – the rest of the body is thrown overboard. 

Another big issue is bycatch from the commercial fishing industry. Sharks are inadvertently caught in longlines for tuna and swordfish. 

For shark fin soup, there are upwards of 70 million sharks being killed each year. For the commercial fishing industry, I don’t know the number because the industry’s hidden in secrecy. 

Photo: Mike Coots

How vital are sharks to healthy oceans? 

As a keystone species and apex predator, they get rid of the sick, diseased, dying and weak, and they keep the food chains below them in balance, so other populations don’t get wildly out of control. If we don’t have sharks in our oceans, we won’t have healthy oceans or a healthy planet. 

What’s the best location in the world for photographing sharks? 

For great whites, it’s Guadalupe Island in Mexico. For tiger sharks, it’s either Fuvahmulah in the Maldives or Tiger Beach in the Bahamas.

Fish are Friends. Tiger shark at Tiger Beach, the Bahamas. Mike says Hollywood has done a good job of showing the scary side of sharks and it’s refreshing to show the other side. Photo: Mike Coots

Are sharks difficult to photograph, when you need to keep a close eye out?

Sometimes you can get so locked on to what’s in your viewfinder that the space around you disappears. It won’t be the shark in front of you that you’re photographing that’s a problem – it’s going to be the shark that you don’t see. It’s good to pull your head away from the camera regularly to get a good visual sense of what’s around you. 

Since the first attack, have you had any other close calls? 

I was in an underwater submersible in Mexico, a cage that moves with propellers. You have a guy driving, and you can hang half your body out the front. I had a great white shark, who was irritated by those propellers, come straight at me – it was within millimetres of my face. I thought it was going to bite my head off. I couldn’t talk for a while after that.

The ocean is unpredictable and wild, but I control everything that’s in my power. If you know the sharks are getting agitated or the water is getting murky, you get out of the water. You never want to push yourself, or say “Five more minutes, I’m getting the best shots.” Safety is Number One – photography is second. 

Shark: Portraits by Mike Coots (Rizzoli, £42.50) is out Sept 19. For more on Mike’s work, see sharksbymikecoots.com and Instagram @mikecoots

Featured image: Mike taking another of his stunning pictures, of a tiger shark. Photographed at Tiger Beach, in the Bahamas

Wildlife photography holidays

Test and improve your wildlife photography skills on one of our Wildlife photography holidays. Led by experts, we have a range of photo trips coming up in the UK and around the world. See all upcoming trips here. 

Related reading:

Best waterproof cameras and housings

Revealed! The world’s best underwater photographs

How to be an ethical wildlife photographer

Best cameras for wildlife photography

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Ethan hart poses with Dave ‘Hogie’ Hogan outside the entrance to BST Hyde Park, in front of posters shot by Hogie at previous festivals. (Hogie had twisted his ankle the week before.)

NIKON Z 8 · f/5 · 1/320s · 20mm · ISO1000

‘I chose Ethan because I liked his portfolio, I could see he had a talent,’ explained Hogie, who has been a music photographer for over 40 years and was recently awarded the Legend of Photography award at the inaugural So.Co Music Photographer of the Year awards.    

Ethan Hart with the Nikon Z8 in from of the main Oak stage.

NIKON Z 8 · f/6.3 · 1/1600s · 20mm · ISO2000

Ethan met up with Hogie and AP Editor Nigel Atherton at Hyde Park Corner at noon on a rainy Saturday and was escorted to the media desk to collect the wristbands and passes that would gain them entry to the media tent and, crucially, the photographers’ pit.  

Just days before, Ethan had taken delivery of the brand new Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera, along with a 24-70mm f4 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses (over £7500 worth of kit overall) and had been given a one-to-one orientation over zoom with one of the Nikon School team to make sure he knew how to get the best out of it.  

Kezia Gill at BST Hyde Park

NIKON Z 8 · f/9 · 1/250s · 160mm · ISO320

After Hogie had set everyone up in the media tent and given Ethan a run through of the day it was time to don a waterproof poncho and head off to photograph the first of the day’s acts, Britney Spencer, from the pit in front of the stage. It was Ethan’s first opportunity to try out his skills with the new camera, and Hogie was on hand to tell him the best places to stand and share a few tips on getting the best shots.

The Chicks at BST Hyde Park by Ethan Hart

NIKON Z 8 · f/16 · 1/640s · 150mm · ISO2500

The rule with live music photography, usually, is that you can shoot the first three songs, with no flash. After that the photographers have to leave the pit, and either shoot from the crowd or return to the media tent to download and edit their images and, in Hogie’s case, get them wired to his agency, Shutterstock. Ethan was able to go through his images while Hogie offered constructive feedback.

Brittney Spencer at BST Hyde Park by Ethan Hart

NIKON Z 8 · f/5 · 1/1600s · 600mm · ISO1000

In addition to the kit Ethan was given on loan by Nikon, Hogie also gave him the opportunity to shoot with his £15,000 NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S lens, which allowed Ethan to get head and shoulder close ups of the performers and really came into its own when Bruce Springsteen came on and the photographers had to shoot from further back.

James Bay at BST Hyde Park by Ethan Hart.

NIKON Z 8 · f/6.3 · 1/1250s · 600mm · ISO1600

The next day Ethan returned to BST – without the rain this time – to shoot another roster of live acts culminating in a performance by Sunday’s headliner, Lana del Rey.

‘Joining Dave Hogan and his team at BST Hyde Park was an invaluable experience,’ enthused Ethan afterwards. ‘They were the most wonderful mentors. There was never a moment where I was left in the dark, it was an incredibly supportive environment. Dave is also one of the loveliest people I will ever have the pleasure of meeting, his kindness and generosity is an absolute joy to be around. The stuff I learned from him, and the way he coached me through the multiple concerts for both days was absolutely amazing.’ 

Abigail Morris, lead singer of The Last Dinner Party, at BST Hyde Park. Photo by Ethan Hart

NIKON Z 8 · f/4.5 · 1/2500s · 135mm · ISO1250

Ethan is still buzzing from the sensory experience of the weekend. ‘Standing in the pit in front of the main Oak stage with the noise of the crowd behind me was the most surreal adventure,’ he recalls. ‘The noise of the crowd behind you as you photograph makes you feel like you are on Cloud Nine, there is no other environment quite like it.’

David Le’aupepe, lead singer of Gang of Youths, shot by Ethan Hart at BST Hyde Park

NIKON Z 8 · f/5 · 1/5000s · 300mm · ISO800

Ethan also enjoyed his opportunity to be among the first to try out the Nikon Z8, and found it a big step up from his own camera, a Canon EOS R. ‘The Z8 is easily the best camera I have ever used. The focusing is unbelievable. I found that no matter what distance I was shooting from it was able to pick up the faces, and that made my job so much easier. The Z 70-200mm f/2.8 lens was amazing too, and the image quality was better than anything I have used before.’ 

Bruce Springsteen at BST Hyde Park by Ethan Hart

NIKON Z 8 · f/18 · 1/200s · 73mm · ISO2500

Bruce Springsteen at BST Hyde Park by Ethan Hart

NIKON Z 8 · f/11 · 1/320s · 200mm · ISO2500

Ethan Hart at BST Hyde Park

NIKON Z 8 · f/5.6 · 1/1600s · 85mm · ISO2000

Mastering the Moment: Photographing Bruce Springsteen with Nikon Z 8

Further reading:

• Dave Hogan reflects on a lifetime shooting icons of music
• How to photograph events and music – beginners guide
• Eurovision 2023: Behind the scenes with a Eurovision photographer

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

The post Photographing BST Hyde Park with the Nikon Z8 appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

How would you go about defining the full spectrum of 21st century human civilisation in photographs? That was the question that world- renowned photography curator William A Ewing asked himself back in 2010. Such an exhibition would need to be epic in scale – like Edward Steichen’s seminal Family of Man exhibition which toured the world in the 1950s and was seen by nine million people.

Francesco Zizola: In the same boat, 2015

It would be very expensive to stage and would need the support of major museums and galleries around the globe in order to be a success. Fortunately, Ewing managed to make all of these things happen. The resulting exhibition, Civilization: The Way We Live Now, comprises over 350 images by some of the world’s leading photographers, and is one of the most astonishing, thought provoking and visually spectacular displays of photography you are ever likely to see.  

‘The funeral of Pope John Paul II broadcast live from the Vatican. Warsaw, Poland’. By Mark Power, from the series The Sound of Two Songs, 2005

‘The exhibition is an attempt to step back and think about this planetary-wide civilisation we have created, ever more globalised, ever more homogenised,’ explains Ewing. ‘First of all it’s about a planetary civilisation, something we all share. Secondly, it’s collective. We forget in this time where we worship individuality, and the cult of celebrity, that most of our human achievements are collective in nature.

We don’t build iPhones at home in our basements, we don’t build our own cars, planes and submarines, we don’t build skyscrapers individually. It’s a collective effort. Thirdly, civilisation is cumulative: every generation adds its own onion skin layer.’  

Wang Qingsong, ‘Work, Work, Work’, 2012

The task of staging an exhibition on this scale is a daunting prospect that few curators in the world would have the experience and ability to pull off but Ewing, who could almost be described as an anthropologist who works through the medium of photography, was confident of its potential from the beginning.  

Pablo López Luz, ‘Vista Aerea de la Ciudad de Mexico, XIII’ from the series Terrazo, 2006

‘It all goes back to a note I wrote to myself in 2010 in which I said I’d like to sink my teeth into this idea of “civilisation”,’ he recalls. ‘But it wasn’t until 2016 that I managed to convince Todd Brandow, the executive director of the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography, to do the show. He said, “Okay, but we have to have a big museum commit to it first.” So we got the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea interested, and that’s where we launched it.  

Max Aguilera-Hellweg, ‘Joey Chaos, Android Head, Rock Star, Extremely Opinionated on Political Issues, Especially Capitalism and What It Means to be Punk. Hanson Robotics, Plano, Texas.’ From the series Humanoid, 2010

‘But then of course we had to put the show together, so I brought in Holly Roussell, who’s a young American curator specialising in Asian and Chinese photography, to help with that part of the world. Then we started the process of looking at every photographer we knew about, and anyone we thought we should know about – the usual curatorial process where you ask colleagues and do a lot of work on the internet and one thing leads to another – looking for work which spoke to us about “civilisation”.

Jeffrey Milstein, ‘Newark 8 Terminal B, Newark, NJ’ from the series Airports, 2016

‘We looked through hundreds of thousands of pictures, that’s no exaggeration. We ended up with around a thousand images, and then we brought it down to a more manageable 350 or so for the final selection. Only then did we begin to think about chapterising them. So there are eight chapters in the show: Hive; Alone Together; Persuasion; Flow; Rupture; Control; Escape; Next.

These are not meant to be watertight compartments; the public is free to say, “I think that picture should have gone in Escape or I think that picture should have gone in Flow.” Yes of course, and this is because pictures can have multiple readings, so ours is a kind of proposition.’  

Sean Hemmerle, ‘Brooks Brothers, WTC, New York, 12 Sep 2001’

London is the seventh venue to have hosted the exhibition. Since it opened in South Korea in 2018 it has visited China, Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy. In each new location the show has been modified to suit the architecture of the venue. The Saatchi Gallery was chosen for London because it has nine huge galleries that corresponded perfectly with the eight sections of the show. Hive is about the rise of urban living, and the mega-city.

Paolo Woods and Gabriele Galimberti, from the series The Heavens, 2012/2015

Alone Together looks at human relationships and connections, whether in the physical world or, increasingly, in the virtual space. Persuasion addresses the world of marketing and advertising, while Rupture examines ‘collective troubles and breaks in the natural order’, such as armed conflict, forced displacement, mass migrations, human rights struggles and environmental degradation.

Cyril Porchet, ‘Untitled’ from the series Crowd, 2014

Control focuses on governments and armies, power and diplomacy, the machinery of law and order: schools, police stations, courts, prisons. Escape is about travel and leisure, Flow is about transport, and Next looks at the future that is already with us: robots, driverless cars, artificial intelligence, and examines how technology is changing society. 

Edward Burtynsky, ‘Manufacturing #17, Deda Chicken Processing Plant, Dehui City, Jilin Province, China’. From the series China, 2005

Ewing points out that we are living in anxious times. Concerns about climate change, the widening wealth gap, pressures on resources from water to housing, and more recently almost a panic about artificial intelligence and a worry that AI is going to destroy the world.

Luca Zanier, ‘FIFA I Executive Committee, Zurich’. From the series Corridors of Power, 2013

But Ewing takes a more wideangle view and hopes that this show calms us down a little bit. ‘That’s what still photography does,’ he says. ‘It gives us an opportunity to look at something frozen in time and think about its implications.’ 

Michael Najjar, ‘f.a.s.t.’ From the series outer space, 2017

The exhibition takes no particular moral position on 21st century society and isn’t intended to make any particular political statement. Some of the selected images will shock you, move you, confuse you. Some may make you angry, depressed or pessimistic about the future of humanity, while others are uplifting and optimistic and leave the viewer with a sense of awe and wonder at the scale of human achievement. We are, after all, just animals who share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, but just look at the difference that 1% has made to the way that humans have evolved and live now. 

Michael Najjar, ‘orbital ascent’ 2016 from the series, outer space

Some of the photographers represented include Edward Burtynsky, Adam Ferguson, Pieter Hugo, Nadav Kander, Edgar Martins, Trent Parke, Mark Power, Simon Norfolk and Thomas Struth. But there are many photographers from Asia too, less well-known in the west, but equally able to astonish the viewer with their work.

Alejandro Cartagena, ‘Mother at the Mexico-USA border wall’, from the series Without Walls, 2017

‘A picture can change the way you think about things, if it is powerful enough,’ says Ewing, and there are no shortage of images here with the power to do that. Everyone will have their own stand-out images, the pictures that they find themselves thinking about long after they have left the exhibition.

Vincent Fournier, ‘Ergol #1, S1B clean room, Arianespace, Guiana Space Center [CGS], Kourou, French Guiana’, 2011

Mike Kelley, ‘Flughafen Zürich 28 and 16 (Visual Separation)’. From the series Airportraits, 2015

Asked to name his, Ewing is evasive. ‘In all honesty my favourites change every time because everything was chosen purposely. I hate to use that stupid word iconic because now it’s being used for breakfast cereals and staplers and whatever but some of the images have a very specific message. I guess in each section there’s one image that I could say is perfectly attuned to the title.

Candida Höfer, ‘Augustiner Chorherrenstift Sankt Florian III’, 2014

For example, the image by Pablo López Luz in the section called Hive shows Mexico City from the air, and it looks like waves of habitation rolling over the countryside. Metaphorically I find that really interesting, this sense of these megalopolises just kind of expanding and expanding and expanding very organically, often without planning and yet somehow functioning. That’s the astonishing thing about human civilisation. How we manage to live together in these dense situations and make it work.’ 

Michael Wolf, ‘Architecture of Density #91’. From the series Architecture of Density, 2006

If we ever wanted to convey to an alien race what human civilisation is all about in the 21st century we could not do any better than to turn the Saatchi Gallery into a rocket ship and send that into space. But we can see it for £16 and the cost of a train ticket to Chelsea.

Reiner Riedler, ‘Wild River, Florida’, from the series Fake Holidays, 2005

Natan Dvir, ‘Desigual’, from the series Coming Soon, 2013

Lauren Greenfield, ‘High school seniors (from left) Lili, 17, Nicole, 18, Lauren, 18, Luna, 18, and Sam, 17, put on their makeup in front of a two-way mirror for Lauren Greenfield’s Beauty CULTure documentary, Los Angeles, 2011’, from the ‘GENERATION WEALTH’ project

Civilization: The Way We Live Now is on at Saatchi Gallery, until 17 September

Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London, SW3 4RY

Tickets from £10. Visit here for more details.

Related content:

• JR: Chronicles at Saatchi Gallery
• Reframe: The Residency exhibition in response to the climate crisis

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Civilization: The Way We Live Now exhibition curator tells all appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

‘Salt Water Town’s protagonist is Liam, a young man yearning to escape the small Welsh coastal town he grew up in. The film follows Liam’s desperate attempts to convince his father Glenn to leave with him after an inspection of the land the failing caravan park they run finds it to be worthless due to rising sea levels.

The six winners of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2023, which celebrates work by creators and independent filmmakers around the world, were announced on 22 February 2023. Winners were rewarded with cash prizes, a range of Sony’s Digital Imaging equipment and a three-day industry immersion experience led by Sony Pictures executives. This awards competition notably had an environment category and awards for a competition open to short films exclusively shot on smartphones and the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024 is currently open for entries.

How did it feel to have your film win the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards Fiction category?

Thorburn said that though the film had done well in festivals it had played in, winning wasn’t expected, ‘All the other films we were up against in the category were phenomenal, made by some really cool filmmakers… We thought because it’s such a regional piece and it’s so grounded in its regionality, in its kind of British and Welshness, that maybe that’s what wasn’t translating over to the US.’

Despite it coming as ‘a as a real shock’ Thorburn said, ‘It was just a super exciting process to go through and meet the amazing people at Sony. And I really enjoyed that award ceremony, which was a really cracking night.’

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A post shared by Dan Thorburn (@danthorburn)

How was the writing, filming, editing process for Salt Water Town?

Thorburn said, ‘It was a story that kind of half fell into our lap and half was something that we (Thorburn and his co-writer Jack Sherratt) knew we wanted to tell. We were super interested in telling these intergenerational stories of the aggression of youth compared to that of older generations and the anger that a lot of young people in this country, especially in the regions, are feeling right now in terms of economic hardship.’

Thorburn and Sherratt were also keen to explore climate change which has been set up as a looming backdrop in the final piece. This was inspired by a news article about a town in North Wales struggling with rising sea levels and the sea walls no longer being able to be held up by government funding, resulting in land being decommissioned, including people’s homes and businesses.

They were also inspired by both of their childhoods growing up in Manchester and spending time at caravan parks in North Wales. Thorburn and Sherratt actually wrote the majority of the script in a caravan site in North Wales, saying that it ‘really helped us to kind of capture that really visceral space where the film is set.’

The production process was pushed back because of COVID and ‘there was a lot of extra pressure on us and with it being quite a big production involving a lot of moving parts with vehicles and horses and animals and VFX and SFX and smoke and fire and all these crazy things, it really felt like a production that was either going to make a huge mark and come together in a really smart way or could all kind of come crashing down. What gave me a lot of reassurance and felt like the kind of glue that really made me feel confident about the piece as we were making it was working with Owen Teale and Tom Glynn-Carney, the two primary cast members. They’re such well-versed actors and they both fully understood the role and their characters, and their chemistry was fantastic right from the offset.’

A lot of emphasis is often placed like on the opening scene of a film. Can you describe how you got the one in Salt Water Town?

‘The original opening scene for ‘Salt Water Town’ was completely different from what it is now. Looking back, me and Jack would both laugh and saying that it was kind of pretentious what we’d originally planned. The original opening was Owens’s character floating in just his underwear in the ocean. It was a bird’s eye shot looking down and they took a big exhale and sunk himself under the water, and then we opened into the motorbike stuff. For a long time we were like, this is exactly how we want to start it. It’s really arty, it’s really powerful.’

However, with pre-production taking six months due to COVID, Thorburn said he and Sherratt had time to reassess whether it really was how they wanted to open the film and if it was just a piece of art for the sake of it.

© Dan Thorburn, United Kingdom, Salt Water Town, Shortlist, Filmmaker, Fiction, Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2023.

The scene was redrafted to the version that made it into the final cut of the film, in which we see Liam stealing petrol from someone else’s car while talking on the phone about opportunities for himself and his father. Thorburn feels like this scene works best as it connects the beginning of the film to the end and introduced the audience straight away to the character.

Speaking of art, you were originally studying to be a painter before changing to film. Does this influence how you think about the look of your film?

Thorburn said he always wanted to be a painter and initially studied Fine Art at the University of the Arts London before switching to film. ‘I’d never really played with film as a language or medium, but I had a tutor there who began to get me interested in the moving image and playing with found footage. I started making some pieces that way and that’s what really led me into using kind of a visual moving image as an art medium and I think from that, I kind of naturally found my place as a director and as a storyteller and a writer.’

Since then his background in fine art has shaped his filmmaking and Thorburn describes himself as a visual director and that this helps when working with cinematographers as well as co-writers.

One particular scene in ‘Salt Water Town’ in which Owen Teale, who plays Glenn, is sitting on a beach before laying on his side was inspired by a Robert Rauschenberg painting. The camera stays on him in a close-up shot before turning to the ocean which slowly but surely edges closer.

© Dan Thorburn, United Kingdom, Salt Water Town, Shortlist, Filmmaker, Fiction, Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2023.

What advice do you have for student and beginner filmmakers?

‘The advice that everyone will always say, which is which is super true, is just go and make stuff. Start playing, use whatever you’ve got. We used to shoot stuff, not on our phones, but on really old DSLR’s, Canon 600Ds. It doesn’t matter about the quality, what matters is the collaboration in the filmmaking process, that’s the most important thing.’

‘Go out there and meet other people… I couldn’t have done anything I did without an amazing team surrounding me. I think that’s the first step you’ve got to do as a director, as a writer. Find a producer that you trust, find somebody who shares your creative vision. Find a DOP (Director of Photography) or a cinematographer with whom you can communicate with and you can learn to balance those ideas around with.’

‘That’s my big piece of advice, just get out there and start meeting other people and shoot whatever you can with whoever you can and you’ll only keep getting better. It’s a long process, but just enjoy it.’

You’ve been posting some photography on your Instagram, what camera do you use and what type of photos do you like to take?

‘At the minute I shoot on a Fujifilm X100V which I absolutely love to bits.’ Thorburn, who shoots a lot of landscape photography, says he particularly enjoys the film simulation settings. Before that he used to shoot on a Sony A6000.

What cameras do you use for filming?

Many of Thorburn’s films have been shot on ARRI Alexa Minis, which are compact movie cameras whose symmetrical design allows for filming upside-down and in portrait mode.

Thorburn is excited to use the Sony Venice FX-7 cameras he got from Sony after winning the Awards, possibly in his next project, ‘It’s a very simple piece of kit that we can pull out and run, especially in the kind of style that a lot of my work is in’.

What do you prefer for editing video?

Though many in the industry swear by Avid for video editing, Thorburn still prefers Adobe Premiere Pro, ‘It’s consumer but it’s easy to use and, it always felt kind of nice and simple. I know some people have problems with it, but I’ve always been pretty comfortable using that if I’m cutting myself… That’s what I was taught to cut on (at university), and if it was up to me, I’d still be cutting on that today.’

Watch Dan Thorburn’s ‘Salt Water Town’:

About Dan Thorburn:

© Dan Thorburn

Dan Thorburn is an award-winning writer and director from the North of England. Originally a painter, he studied at Central Saint Martins School of Art in London where he transitioned his practice into film. He has directed a range of successful dramas (Salt Water Town, Trucker’s Atlas), gaining recognition from festivals around the world, and received funding from the British Film Institute. Alongside his arthouse social realism work, his portfolio also expands to contemporary dance film. He currently has two feature films in development and is working as co-creator on a coming-of-age television drama.

See more of Dan’s work on his website.

This interview has been shortened for length and clarity.

Related content:

• Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024 open for entries!
• Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2023 shortlist announced

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Interview with Sony Future Filmmaker Award 2023 winner Dan Thorburn appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

The programme supported by Apple is a partnership between some of the leading arts organisations in the UK – The Southbank Centre, Factory International, SteamHouse and The Mac Birmingham. Combining film, photography, music and sound it offers a unique perspective on the climate emergency from the perspective of these artists.

Working with experts in film, photography and music the programme took place over three months culminating in this final exhibition which will be shown at The Southbank Centre from 19th July – 27th August 2023.

Photo: Pete Woodhead

ILCE-9 · f/4 · 1/60s · 51mm · ISO1600

Regular AP contributor Denise Maxwell of Lensi Photography, a Photography Tutor for the Birmingham cohort said “My role was to pass on my 12 years of experience in the industry over the course of three months. It has been a real pleasure getting to know and work with these artists in an outside of the programme, their enthusiasm has seen many of them take up shadowing opportunities with me outside the programme, keen to expand their skills and knowledge and I am keen so see where their careers go.”

Curated by Misan Harriman he described the exhibition as “vulnerable, talented, intentional story telling, by many people who have never been giving the chance before. This matters more than many of us even realised” when interviewed by ITV News.

Below, three of the photographers share an insight into the work they presented…

David Sanya

David’s work is entitled Drowning in a cloud of plastics. “The weight of the sins from the father rains upon the child. The plastic background represents water, but also provides us with our own solutions to pollution through creative use of waste. A dark cloud represents a storm – in some cultures it represents an impending doom. A dark cloud of plastic, my subject is a pregnant black woman- a pregnant woman signifying Mother Nature and the pregnancy signifying the future, the coming generations are going to bear the burden of their father.

Drowning in a Cloud of Plastic. Photo: David Sanya

Whatever we do towards this will determine the survival of the unborn child and in the case of Mother Nature, this will determine the future of the next generation Mirage and a reflection is another way we talk about what’s real and what’s been shown. One is a lie and one is the truth. We tell ourselves a lie, that this isn’t our problem to solve but change really starts from us, (me and you).

The insignificance of man to nature is great and this 70% – 30% water-to-land ratio will be further shown through the immersive of the landscape in comparison to man. Reconnecting back to nature through the recycling and upcycling of materials to prevent pollution and material wastage.”

About David:

David Sanya is an artist from Walsall in the West Midlands. He is known for simplistic imagery which often references classical paintings and colonial Nigerian history, and for placing his subjects at the centre of compositions, drawing the viewer into their solitary character.

davidsanya.co.uk

Instagram: @davidsanyaa

Christian Emanuel

Photo: Christian Emanuel

“In response to the climate crisis theme, I wanted to create an image that wasn’t heavy handed but had a clear message. The intention was to show the current unnatural neighbouring of nature against man made materials. I wanted the model to represent a tree struggling to grow in an environment of our excess, so setting the shoot in an inside scrap garage was perfect as it instantly
told half of the story.

Then playing around with the props and the pose of the model on the day I was able to bring it all together and create something bold. The final images stand as a symbol for the unknown future and how new generations could have their growth stunted if changes aren’t made.”

About Christian:

Photo: Krus Askey

Christian Emanuel is a filmmaker and conceptual portrait photographer who uses film cameras and enjoys the analogue process. He recently developed his first photo collection, which featured in the Humanity exhibition at Sotheby’s in London before touring to other notable galleries across the UK.

www.christian-emanuel.com

Instagram: @novocem

Jamal Lloyd Davis

“At the heart of the installation If She, Mother Earth, had a Voice lies a crucial message of representation and empowerment. By featuring six black individuals as the subjects of the artwork, I was hoping to not only draw attention to the pressing issue of climate change but also highlight its disproportionate impact on marginalised communities. This portrayal seeks to amplify the voices of those often unheard, fostering a sense of empowerment within these communities to take an active role in the fight against
environmental injustice.

Photo: Jamal Lloyd Davis

The individuals are supposed to represent the children of Mother Earth. Like any child, we depend on our mother for sustenance, protection, and care. From the air we breathe to the water we drink; every aspect of our lives is intertwined with the delicate balance of the planet’s ecosystems.

A key point that I wanted to get across to the audience is that it’s our duty, as children of Mother Earth, to cherish and protect her, just as she has provided for us. There was the use of chalk and paint on the photographs to depict a childlike connection to nature to serve as a reminder of the innate bond we once shared with our environment during our early years. By tapping into the nostalgia of simpler times, the artwork encourages viewers to reflect on their own relationships with nature and reignite a profound sense of stewardship.”

Photo: Jamal Lloyd Davis

Why I chose to represent the theme in this way for the Reframe: The Residency exhibition

“As a person from a marginalised community, I understand the importance of representation in the fight against climate change. By featuring black individuals in the artwork, I aimed to highlight the significance of inclusivity and representation within the environmental movement.

By using chalk and paint – materials that are temporary, I aimed to remind viewers that the time to act is now. Climate change is a time-sensitive issue that requires immediate attention and action. Overall, my decision to represent the theme in this way was driven by a desire to create a powerful and inclusive message that resonates with viewers on a personal level.

The combination of representation, emotional connection, symbolism, interactivity, and advocacy for environmental justice aims to inspire individuals to act and become stewards of Mother Earth. I hope the artwork fosters a deeper understanding of our shared responsibility in protecting the planet and instils a sense of hope and determination for a more sustainable future.”

About Jamal:

Jamal is a UK-based Black photographer and filmmaker, exploring identity, culture, and social justice in his work. Through illuminating marginalized communities and amplifying their voices, his unique perspective challenges stereotypes and questions societal norms. Also embracing experimentation with various artistic mediums.

www.jamallloyddavis.com
Instagram: @j.amals

Jamal also worked alongside Denise to photograph Birmingham Pride in a recent shadowing opportunity. See how he got on here.

Reframe: The Residency Exhibition

Now on at Southbank Centre until 27th August 2023

Free entry

Open: Wednesday – Friday & Sunday, 10am – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 8pm

Exhibition closed Mondays & Tuesdays

Reframe: The Residency Exhibition

Photo: Pete Woodhead

ILCE-9 · f/4 · 1/15s · 24mm · ISO1600

Career Acceleration Programme at the Southbank Centre

Find out more about the programme.

Related reading:

• Best photography exhibitions to see
• Best photography competitions to enter
• Guide to fine art landscape photography
• Guide to fine art black and white photography
• Documenting the consequences of climate change

Featured image: David Sanya, from Drowning in a Cloud of Plastic

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

The post Reframe: The Residency exhibition in response to the climate crisis appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Photography graduate show highlights 2023

Tanesha Lewis

BA (Hons) Photography, University of Westminster

Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, using 50mm and 85mm lenses.

Instagram: @taneshaphoto

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I’m a UK-based photographer originally from the West Midlands, I’m about to graduate from The University of Westminster where I’ve been studying in the Photography BA course. Photography started as a hobby, a means to find some freedom outside my 9-5 job at the time. I captured mostly nature and street photography when I started, completely contrasting with what I photograph now. My work covers fashion photography, editorial and portrait photography focusing on the identity and visual expression of the subjects, and exploring one’s individuality through fashion, colour and self-narrative.

The Child Within Remembers. Photo: Tanesha Lewis

Can you tell us more about your project?

The Child Within Remembers is a self-portrait project consisting of 3 full-colour A1 images, the project aims to visually represent the personal growth I’ve achieved towards self-acceptance and self-love despite struggling with a negative self-image at a young age. Instead, I seek to celebrate my own diversity and unique self.

It’s a project born from the feelings of negativity when exploring the memories of my younger self as a mixed-race child who felt they never fit the beauty standard, the project is a love letter to her. It’s a representation of past criticisms turned beautiful, constructed through my lens to visually portray self-image in the bright and colourful way I see myself, my hair, my skin, and my identity utilising fashion elements and borrowing aesthetic stylising from the Renaissance and Baroque genres.

The Child Within Remembers. Photo: Tanesha Lewis

What are your future plans?

I’d like to combine my love to travel with photography by showcasing the diverse beauty and creativity of fashion, I hope to inspire myself and viewers to embrace their own unique styles, appreciate the beauty of different cultures, and challenge social expectations. I want to continue building a strong portfolio of work with a recognisable style. I plan to undertake a few personal projects exploring identity and fashion. Moving forward I’d like to be able to showcase my work through exhibitions and online platforms.

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• If you’re just starting out, you don’t need that expensive camera right away. When I began building my portfolio, I started with a Canon 1300D and a single 50mm lens, it wasn’t until 2021 I upgraded.
• Network and connect with other creatives! Don’t be afraid to reach out to creatives whose work you like, it’s okay to ask questions, to seek advice and feedback.
• Build your portfolio and give yourself time to develop your own style, the more you practice and experiment the easier it will be to discover your strengths.

The Child Within Remembers. Photo: Tanesha Lewis

Jessie Syta

BA (Hons) Marine and Natural History Photography, Falmouth University

Gear: Sony A7R V, Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art + Urth 82mm UV (Plus+) Lens Filter, Manfrotto 190Go! Carbon Fibre, JJC Cable Release

Instagram: @jessiesyta

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

Hailing from Derbyshire, I spent my childhood growing up in the peaks. I have always had a great love for the outdoors and will spend as much time as possible out in nature, birdwatching, hiking or paddleboarding, I am usually outside somewhere. My love of landscapes first drew me to photography. I knew I wanted to create images of beautiful places, so my photography hobby blossomed.

I spent a few years as a Freelancer, mainly shooting weddings, events, and products, I wanted to do more though, so I set about applying for university. I started my degree at 26 in BA (Hons) Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, it was perfect for me to combine my two favourite things: photography and nature.

A Shelter in the Mountains. Bothies are located in remote landscapes, there for weary walkers to take shelter and rest before continuing their journey. Photo: Jessie Syta

ILCE-7RM4A · f/8 · 1/320s · 70mm · ISO100

Can you tell us more about your project?

In Wild and Lonely Places is a project exploring the magic of Scottish Bothies. Bothies are basic shelters hidden in remote locations across Scotland, their purpose is to act as shelter and refuge for weary travellers, their locations however are a secret, only passed by word of mouth between fellow walkers.

I was highly intrigued by the idea of these spartan little huts, and the community to be found surrounding them. I dedicated my final year and project to researching them and eventually heading out on my own bothy adventure.

It was not easy though, lots of equipment is needed just to embark on these journeys, even before you start adding weighty photography equipment, particularly when out during the bleak winter months! My bag minus camera equipment and tripod, was weighing in at roughly 30kgs. It has been a physically demanding project, but the rewards far outweighed the hardships faced (peat bogs, Scotland’s famous rain, bitter winds, storms and more than one boot full of cold mountain water!).

Meeting new friends. When arriving at a bothy you never know who, you will meet. There is a wonderful community within bothying, sharing food, stories, and a dram of Whisky if you’re lucky. Photo: Jessie Syta

ILCE-7RM4A · f/5 · 1/15s · 24mm · ISO640

My aim with each Bothy was to capture the traits that make each one so unique. I wanted to capture imaginations and hearts and rekindle the mystery of these shelters. Each image was taken with great care, and with only the one camera and lens setup; all images are naturally lit and have had only minor touch ups in post-production. As the bothies are secret, I have made a concerted effort to keep them that way.

What are your future plans?

I plan to continue working on my project In Wild and Lonely Places, and build a much more rounded, and comprehensive piece of work, one day turning it into a photobook series. Alongside this I am applying for a Master of Science at the University of Nottingham studying Biological Photography and Imaging and hoping to use this opportunity to continue research that I started during my undergraduate degree. But before all of that, I am going to have a well-earned holiday!

Give and Take. It is the custom when bothying to take something with you to leave behind for the next bothy goers, it could be candles, tinned food, and sometimes even a beer or two. A nicety that has been going on for decades. Photo: Jessie Syta

ILCE-7RM4A · f/8 · 1/0s · 28.3mm · ISO100

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• Having the most expensive, or the fanciest camera out there, doesn’t necessarily make you the best photographer. Too much emphasis and pressure are put on these things, but in truth, it is all about what you can produce with whatever equipment you have, even if all you have is a smartphone! There is plenty of time to upgrade equipment in the future, in the meantime, take the opportunity to practise and improve your skills.
• Do research and then do more research. Knowing about the field makes you a more knowledgeable, capable photographer. Research is a very valuable, and underused tool.
• Mostly, don’t compare yourself to others, as someone told me, “Comparison is the thief of joy”.

Looking Out. Bothying can offer some of the most phenomenal views you will ever get to witness. All hidden unless you set out on your own adventure. Photo: Jessie Syta

ILCE-7RM4A · f/5 · 1/200s · 24mm · ISO100

Anuschka Toogood

BA (Hons) Photography, Norwich University of the Arts

Gear: Canon EOS 90D, with an 18-55mm lens

anuschkatoogood.com

Instagram: @anuschkatoogood_photo

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I’m a recent graduate from Norwich University of the Arts. My practice focuses on architectural photography, being drawn to both interior and exterior forms of modern architecture. With a particular interest in brutalism. Through photography I found I was able to turn my interests into an art form and it led me to discover my passion for architecture.

D2, Design District. Photo: Anuschka Toogood

Can you tell us more about your project?

My recent and final project at university focuses on the details in architecture that can often be overlooked. I wanted to highlight these details to show my appreciation of the architectural design and back story. Such as my interest in brutalism’s desire to achieve an urban utopia through aesthetic and practicality. When I am on location I start by shooting what I am naturally drawn to, visually focusing on lines and curves creating abstract geometric shapes, through my composition and framing. This combined with ambient light and contrast, enhances the architectural design features I am trying to showcase.

UEA, light beam. Photo: Anuschka Toogood

What are your future plans?

Now finishing university I am trying to start my career within architectural photography. Through assisting to gain invaluable opportunities to learn from other professionals to get commissions of my own. I hope this will enable me to work while traveling to explore a wider range of architecture across the world.

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• My advice for people starting photography would be to take your own personal interest, immerse yourself in them and use that as inspiration within your photography. Having this personal connection to your work is what makes it unique so try not to compare your work to others.

Tate Modern, Curves. Photo: Anuschka Toogood

Mark Morgan

BA (Hons) Photography, Anglia Ruskin University

Gear: Nikon Z6 with a Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 zoom lens, and a Rollei panoramic tripod head.

www.markmorganphotography.com

Instagram: @markmfoto

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

After many years working in IT, I went to university as a mature student originally to study marine biology, but switched to photography after a year when I realised that’s what I should have been doing all along. I first became interested in photography at around 10 years old when I picked up a copy of Amateur Photographer someone had left on a train and I was immediately hooked (true story!). Within a few months I was developing black and white film in the kitchen at home, and making prints on an old Zenith enlarger duct-taped to the downstairs toilet, with cushions wedged into the window to block out the light.

Photo: Mark Morgan

[NIKON Z 6] · f/8 · 1/80s · ISO800

Can you tell us more about your project?

The idea behind the project was to photograph creative people in their studios and workshops, showing the spaces that they had created around themselves in order to do their work. Instead of picking out the bits that I found interesting, and perhaps missing something important to the artist, I chose to photograph the full 360 degree view of each workspace, leaving nothing out.

I’ve always liked distortion in photographs, and I drew a lot of visual inspiration from fisheye images on album covers such as Karl Ferris’ iconic image on the US release of the Jimi Hendrix ‘Are you experienced’ album, right through to the fashion work of photographers such as Tim Walker. I tried to merge this with inspiration from the very structured architectural work of photographers such as Candida Höfer, and produce something with my own twist on it.

Photo: Mark Morgan

[NIKON Z 6] · f/8 · 1/50s · ISO800

To create each image I used a panoramic tripod head that rotates around the nodal point of the lens instead of the base of the camera, and shot a series of overlapping frames covering the full 360×180 field of view. These were stitched together in PTGui Pro, and the final post production was done in Photoshop, which took anything from a couple of hours to a couple of days per image.

I didn’t know any of my subjects before I photographed them. I began by searching on the internet for local artists and emailing them to ask if I could photograph them. After a slow start, people began to contact me because they’d seen work I’d made of their friends, and in the end I was turning people away because I had more work than I could complete in the time available.

Photo: Mark Morgan

[NIKON Z 6] · f/11 · 1/40s · ISO800

What are your future plans?

I very much plan to continue with my photography, and expand the project to include other types of people in interesting workspaces — perhaps musicians, tattoo artists, small shopkeepers, etc. It would be great to exhibit more, and I’d love to work on a book project.

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• Resist the temptation to spend too much time watching other people taking photographs on the internet — go and shoot, make mistakes, and create stuff!
• As for formally studying photography, I think the real value is being involved with people you may otherwise never have met, and being exposed to ideas you may never have thought of. If you possibly can, I think it’s a very worthwhile experience.

Photo: Mark Morgan

[NIKON Z 6] · f/11

Emily Barlow

BH (Hons) Commercial Photography, Falmouth University

Gear: Fujifilm X-T3, 50mm and 35mm prime lenses.

emilybarlow.uk

Instagram: @emily.barlow.photographer

Portrait of a Pool. Photo: Emily Barlow

X-T3 · f/4.5 · 1/350s · 23mm · ISO160

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I have always dabbled in photography, but had something of a life change in 2018 when I moved to Cornwall to shake things up a bit. When I got here I became self-employed as a social media manager creating content for my clients and thinking, ‘well I actually really enjoy the photography part… why not do something more serious with it’? I ended up studying for an NCFE at the Newquay Adult Education Centre and was then accepted in Falmouth University for the BA (Hons) in Commercial Photography which was a new degree, for which we were the very first cohort to enrol.

Portrait of a Pool. Photo: Emily Barlow

X-T3 · f/3.6 · 1/500s · 50mm · ISO200

Can you tell us more about your project?

Before I moved to Cornwall I found it hard to make friends as an adult and struggled to find communities that meant something to me, but once I arrived in Bude there were just so many new friends to be made and everyone was so welcoming. Eventually I found my way into the swimming community at Bude Sea Pool and I love to swim in the summer and early autumn, but winter swimming is not for me! In my first term at university though I worked on a small six week documentary project about the sea pool and the winter swimmers, and it has just carried on ever since.

I read somewhere that Todd Hido found the meaning in his work about Homes at Night after he made it, and that has sort of been happening for me with my documentary work lately. I have found that I am drawn to places where there are people forming groups and enjoying time together as a community (I think that is something to do with how I am changing in response to the ever increasing presence of technology in life, as I find myself backing away from screen time and gadgetry).

Portrait of a Pool. Photo: Emily Barlow

X-T3 · f/5.6 · 1/600s · 35mm · ISO250

It seems to me that as humans we need real connection with each other, not just online connection, but in person connection, a place to be with others and that this is massively important to our wellbeing and we need to do more of it. If my photography can share the stories of the people out there doing that it might encourage others to join in too and improve the lives and health of others. Not only does the pool, provide a place for friendship and community, it also provides a place to connect with nature and self, free of charge. It is a place to recalibrate the mind away from screens and that is another important aspect of the project to me.

I shoot digitally, though the very first pictures I shot were on film… I just found with the university deadlines etc that digital worked better for me, plus film is so so expensive now.

Portrait of a Pool. Photo: Emily Barlow

X-T3 · f/5 · 1/3800s · 35mm · ISO400

What are your future plans?

To carry on shooting, get my photography business up and running, set up a creative networking/support group for my area and to just keep developing my skills. A little bit of travel would be fantastic and ideally get commission around the UK for some editorial. It would be great to get to work with charities on some documentary work too.

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• It’s not about gear, it’s about finding the subject you feel most passionately about. Making work that you care about will push you to want to do it justice and produce your best photography.
• University helped me find what it is that I am interested in and opened up my mind to the possibilities for life as a working photographer, which has given me and understanding of what direction to head. It’s not for everyone though, especially given the expense of it. I would do it all over again though, if I had the choice again.

Portrait of a Pool. Photo: Emily Barlow

X-T3 · f/2.8 · 1/250s · 35mm · ISO400

Charlotte Parkinson

BA (Hons) Photography, Norwich University of the Arts

Gear: Canon EOS 6D Mark II, Tamron 24-70 f2.8, Canon 50mm STM 1.8

www.shotbyparkie.com

@shotbyparkie

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

When my Grandma got married in 2015, I took my Nikon Coolpix camera and ended up taking some photos of my cousin, Jessica, in her bridesmaid dress. I started directing her to pose and smell her bouquet of flowers for the photo’s and that’s when I realised that I would really like to do photography. I went to Milton Keynes College to do a Higher National Diploma course in Photography after my A-Level’s and as a result joined NUA in the second year of study. I have since experimented with many genres of photography; weddings, editorial, landscape and street photography.

In 2022, I took my camera with me to my partners’ gig in Brighton, a band called Sainted, to try my hand at music photography and I have never looked back. I have since joined two music publications and have photographed names such as Biffy Clyro, Architects, Pixies and I Prevail.

Paz Lenchantin of Pixies. Photo: Charlotte Parkinson

Can you tell us more about your project?

The pieces that I chose to exhibit were four of my black and white images. I wanted to show images that exuberate action, emotion and the atmosphere of live music. I think that the power of live music is underestimated sometimes, and the way it brings complete strangers together, who leave as friends in this big community is beautiful.

My image of Paz Lenchantin of Pixies was edited on the train back to Norwich from London, as I was so excited to get straight into editing these images. The ‘playing card’ effect I’ve used in this image was largely inspired by Isha Shah and her dynamic editing of music photography, making it so unique and powerful. I definitely want to take this style of editing further, harnessing my skills and eventually having my own distinctive style that is recognisable.

Alice Guala of Lake Malice. Photo: Charlotte Parkinson

Canon EOS 6D Mark II · f/4 · 1/160s · 54mm · ISO5000

What are your future plans?

I’m graduating from university this month, so I’ll be continuing my work as a freelance music photographer and having this extra time away from studying will allow me to take on more commissions which I’m looking forward to. I’m going to spend the summer experimenting with videography for some shows at my workplace, MK11 Live Music Venue, in order to be able to offer that as a service in the future. I’d love to be able to go on tour with a band/artist in the near future, should any musicians reading require a photographer!

James Grayson of Trash Boat. Photo: Charlotte Parkinson

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• Not everybody will like your work or believe in you as a practitioner, but that’s okay! Don’t let it get you down and channel it into motivation and prove them wrong.
• Also, university isn’t the be-all and end-all – whilst I had a good university experience, I know others who either didn’t get a degree or had a shocking experience, who are now some of the most successful people I know.
• Believe in yourself and celebrate the small wins!

Joel Hokka of Blind Channel. Photo: Charlotte Parkinson

Canon EOS 6D Mark II · f/2.8 · 1/160s · 31mm · ISO2000

Kira Szolga

BA Commercial Photography, Falmouth University

Gear: Nikon D610, 50 mm, and 70-300 mm lenses

szolgakira.wixsite.com

Instagram: @ksz_photos

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I have been studying photography for 4-5 years. I studied HND, and HNC in college. I am Hungarian and Canadian and 22 years old. I got into Food photography only last year, I was ambitious to explore out of my comfort zone. 

Iconic Hungarian Desserts. Photo: Kira Szolga

Canon EOS R5 · f/2.8 · 1/80s · 50mm · ISO250

Can you tell us more about your project?

As a young girl, I watched my mother baking pastries, strudels and cakes in the kitchen. I found it mesmerising that different ingredients with different textures became a mass in a bowl and then turned into something new, delicious, and aesthetically pleasing in the oven. This sincere interest guided me when I took these pictures. I researched and was inspired by food photographers like Donna Hay, Dennis Prescott, Skyler Burt and Diana Belenko regarding colour palette, composition and lighting. I prefer minimalist food photography focusing on the food itself and not relying on props to tell a story. My aim was to showcase the most attractive features of the dish and create beautiful and appetising images.

Iconic Hungarian Desserts. Photo: Kira Szolga

Canon EOS R5 · f/5 · 1/30s · 50mm · ISO640

For this project, I photographed without using a tripod. I prefer working with my free hand to experiment with different angles. 

I worked with minimalistic food styling, using everyday kitchen objects to create a welcoming, homely, and rustic feel. I don’t like fake or misleading food photography, so I stayed as real and authentic as possible. Before styling the cakes and arranging the compositions, I considered the food’s most exciting features, such as the colour, shape, texture or the presentation itself. Then arranged the background, props and light to serve that feature best.

What are your future plans?

I am graduating this month, and on a hunt for some opportunities and work, but I am struggling with finding work. I live in Milton Keynes and would travel if needed. I really like food photography and also leaning into dog photography. I would also love to travel for work. 

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• The only advice I have is to explore and to start something you really like, be creative, think outside the box, and don’t be afraid, nothing is wrong, every photo is memorable in someone’s eyes. 

Iconic Hungarian Desserts. Photo: Kira Szolga

Canon EOS R5 · f/2 · 1/100s · 50mm · ISO160

Holly Bloomfield

BA (Hons) Photography, Edinburgh Napier University

Gear: Canon EOS 1200D 

bloomfieldphoto.squarespace.com

Instagram: @bloomfieldphoto

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I’m a 24 year old Swedish photographer based in Edinburgh, with a passion for portrait photography as well as cinematography. I’ve always loved art, film, photography and anything creative after growing up in a very artistic family. After being forced to go to art galleries as a child, I’m very appreciative of the many opportunities I’ve had throughout my life to pursue a creative career.

When I went to Brittany in 2017, I photographed everything and everyone I could see during my three weeks there. I had always loved photography and I had always carried my camera around, forcing my friends to let me shoot them since I was very young, but France made me realise photography is what I want to do as a career. I realised how happy and calm it made me feel, and after that I was set on studying photography at university to learn as much as I could about it.

Photo: Holly Bloomfield

Canon EOS 1200D · f/4.5 · 1/80s · 30mm · ISO100

Can you tell us more about your project?

My featured work The Bewildered Botanist follows a young woman in search of a life purpose through using a lost plant to symbolise the journey. The ending shows us an additional two characters who are on a similar path, but shows that the outcome is different for us all. I created this to show we can seek comfort in knowing that many of us struggle through life to find what is our purpose, but there is no right or wrong for anyone. It looks different to us all. I’ve always been very interested in film and the technical and creative aspects regarding cinematography, and that is why I chose to pursue for my final body of work for university.

Wes Anderson’s films have always been a huge inspiration to me, in the way he works with composition, colours and deeper themes masked by a whimsical exterior. Anderson’s work alongside the film “Amelie” by Jean-Pierre Jeunet have been main inspirations for this body of work.

Photo: Holly Bloomfield

Canon EOS 1200D · f/3.5 · 1/30s · 18mm · ISO200

Through looking at their techniques as well as narratives I have combined this with my own style of portraiture and way of composing photographs to create a world for The Bewildered Botanist. The work has a strong focus on the vibrant colours of the nature that surrounds me here in Edinburgh, with a prominent feature of reds and greens to contrast each other. I’ve been working on this project for the past 9 months and it has allowed me to create something that is fully mine and expanded my creativity.

What are your future plans?

I would love to work on a film set one day and I am currently looking into internships to gain experience and a better understanding of what goes into creating films. As I have a huge passion for fashion photography as well as cinematography, internships within the fashion industry are also something I am very interested in. I’m looking into moving countries in the next few years, hoping to gain experience all across Europe.

Photo: Holly Bloomfield

Canon EOS 1200D · f/4.5 · 1/250s · 18mm · ISO100

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• Just go out with your camera and shoot anything, if you don’t know what type of photography you are interested in, just try everything. The more you shoot, the more creative you will become over time.
• The most important thing is that you find it fun. It can be difficult getting into a creative career and it can be a struggle when you feel like you’re losing your spark for photography, but push through it and keep photographing! I get a lot of inspiration for shoots from either films or Pinterest so if you are ever in a creative rut, try to figure out the ways that help you get out of it.

I put all my work out on my Instagram @bloomfieldphoto so go give it a follow if you like it! Photography is such an important part of my life and I would love to collaborate with more likeminded creatives.

Photo: Holly Bloomfield

Canon EOS 1200D · f/8 · 1/160s · 23mm · ISO400

Lucas Dove

Photography and Video, DeMontfort University

Gear: Sony FX6 and a Sigma 35mm f1.4 along with a Canon EOS R6 accompanied by an RF 24-70 f2.8

Instagram: @lucasdove_photography
Website: www.lucasdove.com
YouTube: Lucas Dove
LinkedIN: Lucas Dove

Lucas Dove

Canon EOS R6 · f/2.8 · 1/250s · 70mm · ISO2500

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I am a 22-year-old sports and portrait photographer/ videographer. I first got into photography as a child, my earliest memory is going to Uganda and taking pictures of all the incredible animals and falling in love with the whole process. It then stemmed from here and led to me studying it in school.

Photo: Lucas Dove

Can you tell us more about your project?

In this last year of university, we were given the opportunity to showcase our creativity by taking on a project of our choosing. The project was designed to give us the freedom to craft whatever we wanted and in our own ways.

I realised that this was an excellent chance to showcase the skills I learned during my placement as a photography intern at Gymshark. The project aimed to blend photography and video to produce a cinematic piece that highlights the hard work required to attain success and the importance of sports in people’s lives.

On this project, I worked with my University’s Sports department and collaborated with creating my vision and bringing The Spotlight to life. Once I had the concept in mind, I began by developing a comprehensive storyboard. I sketched out all the details and included essential information about my vision. I visited the Sports department at my University to discuss the possibility of collaborating. The collaboration would allow me to feature the DMU Sports athletes and locations in the film while also providing the university with a marketing tool.

We reached an agreement and then began planning. This involved gathering talent, setting shooting days, and determining the equipment that would be used for the shoot.

Photo: Lucas Dove

During a span of 2 weeks, we successfully captured all the footage we needed. To achieve the desired ‘Spotlight’ effect, we utilised various types of lighting, relied on a generator for power, and incorporated a smoke/haze machine to enhance the atmosphere and capture light rays in certain shots.

After all the shoots it came to the post-production. This was the part I was looking forward to the most. I kept roughly to the original storyboard whilst also adding in new ideas. I edited the whole project on Premiere Pro and am overwhelmingly happy with the results.

Sport is integral in many people’s lives. It has the ability to heal you, make you stronger, and to make you stand out. In this project, I set myself the goal of showing how dedication and hard work, whilst no one else is watching is vital to creating your own ‘Spotlight.’

What are your future plans?

After completing this project, my plan is to create more artwork that follows a similar style and add them to my portfolio. One of my major aspirations is to partner with Nike in the future. Therefore, creating this image and establishing my brand are significant goals for me at the moment.

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography? Or wanting to study photography?

• As a piece of advice to new photographers, I suggest taking every opportunity to practice and improve your skills. Whether things go well or not, there is always something to learn from the experience.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment, have fun, and collaborate with others in the field.

Photo: Lucas Dove

Erin Ocean Thorogood

BA (Hons) Photography, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge

Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 lens

Instagram: @eotphotography3

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I am about to graduate from ARU in Cambridge after my 3-year study on the BA Hons course. Before that, I completed two years in college learning the ropes of photography. I enjoy anything creative, I’ve always known I wanted to make art but it took me until I was 15 to pick up a camera for more than a quick holiday snap. Before I started college I had no clue what I wanted to study I just knew I enjoyed photography. I started to learn different techniques and I was taught how to develop film and work in the darkroom. That’s when it clicked that I could go on to study this and love it. As my work has progressed it has become a therapeutic outlet for me.

Photo: Erin Ocean Thorogood

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV · f/6.3 · 1/200s · 85mm · ISO100

Can you tell us more about your project? 

My final-year project is a series of empty compositions with the subject being flowers. This idea evolved from my anxiety over leaving university. I was drawn to empty compositions as a visual illustration of the holes I saw in previous projects, forming a visual representation of the emotion that these gaps evoke. The large compositions form two opposing points of view: the vastness of space yet to be explored as well as the potential it can hold for future experiences. I drew inspiration from my past works and a common occurrence was flowers. I used them as a symbol for my personal feelings as well as their decorative potential.

I gained inspiration from photographers like Maisie Cousins, for her vulgar use of colours and textures as well as Sarah Jones for her clean sharp images of flowers. I tend to find inspiration in many ways, but mostly for this project, I was drawing on my fear of what’s next. I chose to experiment with milk baths and studio still life photography, which is not my usual practice. I found the process of the whole project to be therapeutic and looking back I honestly think this is what has helped me to turn my fears and anxieties into excitement.

Photo: Erin Ocean Thorogood

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV · f/2.8 · 1/250s · 100mm · ISO200

What are your future plans?

What’s next for me is letting myself enjoy the freedom outside education. I am going to travel as much as a can as soon as possible. From there, I want to gain experience in commercial photography and continue learning from other photographers. I will still create my own work alongside paid work because it is a creative outlet and I can’t imagine stopping now. I would love to get my work out into the world and have people find comfort in it, relate to it or even be inspired by it.

Photo: Erin Ocean Thorogood

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV · f/5.6 · 1/200s · 85mm · ISO100

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography/wanting to study photography?

• What got me through studying photography was my passion and my urge to create work that I was proud of.
• If you want to get into photography as a hobby or study it I think you need to push yourself to keep going because there are times that you will have a complete creative block, but as long as you are creating something you are progressing. It can be as personal as you like and a therapeutic outlet, I think like any art it is a beautiful thing to pursue.

I have done a show in Cambridge and London in the last month and it has been amazing. I have had so many positive responses as well as people talking to me about their own fears on the same topic. It has been overwhelming in the best way. I want to thank you for reaching out and for this opportunity. It means a lot.

Photo: Erin Ocean Thorogood

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV · f/6.3 · 1/200s · 85mm · ISO100

Chloe Halford

BA Photography, University of Portsmouth

Gear: Ebony RW45 5X4 Large Format Folding Camera with a 150mm lens, tripod, dark
cloth and light metre

Instagram: @chloehalfordphotography

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I am an emerging photographer based in Portsmouth, whose practice is subject to personal explorations within landscapes. Interests into photography started from a young age, following around my grandad who was a keen photographer in his spare time. Being handed down cameras each time a new and improved one was released helped increase my knowledge of the technical elements which make up an image.

Studying photography through school, college and university, my enthusiasm keeps growing as I keep learning and figuring out my likes and dislikes within the photography industry. After trying commercial, architectural, still life and studio photography, it became clearer that my real passion for photography exploded when in the landscape.

Photo: Chloe Halford

Can you tell us more about your project? 

The project Everything is Quiet was the result of the creative process of image making, secondary to the act of observing. Positioning myself within the natural landscape, responding to it through photographs. The slow process of a large format black and white camera allows for the natural elements to present themselves over time. The apparatus is slow, has a history and a rendering process which is congruent with the calmness of the landscape – something that modern technology did not achieve.

Continually exploring different natural environments allowed for a connection between myself (as a photographer) and the landscape to grow. Inspirations came from reading theoretical books such as Land Matters by Liz Wells, Landscape and Power by W.J.T Mitchell and This Pleasant Land by Rosalind Jana which provided me with knowledge on relationships between human and landscape and how different people respond to being in the natural environment.

Photo: Chloe Halford

Helping to create my personal identity through the visual formations of the land. In addition, particular practitioners, for example Fergus Heron, Jem Southam, and Don McCullin all create artwork using analogue apparatus and it was from this I was able to notice the subtleties in the images which you can’t always see. It was from this I wanted to learn more about film imagery and improve my skills technically.

What are your future plans?

Currently my short term future plans are to go travelling, having just come back from Kenya observing a variation of landscapes and wildlife, with an open trip to Australia to follow at the end of July. Taking my camera alongside, I can continue to be creative and make images/series wherever I may be. Keeping my Instagram up to date is something I would like to make more of a priority so the creative industry can see I am still making work. Giving myself a voice. It is unknown how long I will be travelling for, but I still intend to apply to many competitions with different pieces of work to help promote and get more people to see it.

Photo: Chloe Halford

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography/wanting to study photography?

• It is often said that anyone can take a photograph especially now the quality of mobile phones is constantly improving. I believe this is what stops people from pursuing a career in photography. However, I want everyone to know even if photography is a hobby on the side or something you enjoy, just continue to do it. You never know who might see your pictures.
• Finally, if you are interested in studying photography I definitely recommend it, you have a lot of freedom to make whatever you want to make. If people criticise your work, it’s just their opinion, others will have a different opinion. Have confidence in
  yourself and what you are producing.

Photo: Chloe Halford

Cristina Filimon

BA Photography, London Metropolitan University

Gear: Nikon Z6 II, 24-70mm f/4 lens, Tripod and LED Twin Tripod Work Lights

www.cristinafilimon.co.uk

Instagram: @crissfilimon

Can you tell me about yourself and how you got into photography?

I am a Romanian artist living in London. My artistic practice revolves around the exploration of the intricate relationship between places and the memories they hold. I think I was always passionate about photography, but never thought about it as a profession, and I believe that is the beauty of it!

The decision to study photography came from a profound need to find myself as an artist and to understand the meaning behind the creative process beyond the technical aspects. It was a way for me to transform the ordinary into something, to express my thoughts and the inner workings of my mind without relying solely on words, as verbal expression has never been my strong suit. Whereas, through the medium of photography, I started to delve into the profound connections between our surroundings and the imprints of collective and personal memory within them.

Photo: Cristina Filimon

NIKON Z 6_2 · f/4 · 1/13s · 24mm · ISO1250

Can you tell us more about your project?

Dimineața (Morning) took shape as a deeply personal and evocative exploration on the subject of memory and the transient nature of human condition. Within an established genre of dystopian landscape photography, in contrast to voyeuristic practices of “disaster tourism”, I enter this realm as a Romanian artist in a foreign land, I embarked on a journey back to my homeland, a journey that became both physical and psychological, guided by a need to reconnect with the landscape that at some point shaped my earliest memories, but also thinking of how all the places we occupy are stage set for history, politics and cultural beliefs, destined to be reclaimed by nature.

The title of the series was found in a book, left open on the pile of debris of an old train station, and comes from an 1852 poem by a Romanian poet Vasile Alecsandri about nature and a tranquillity of the morning, connecting notions of the Romantic wanderer and the sublime with the psycho-geographical contemporary framework from within which I set out.

The project consisted of two parts: a self-published book with a limited edition of 100 copies, featuring photographs taken in two different cities, including my hometown. It initially started as part of my final year project for my BA in Photography at London Metropolitan University. The second part involved showcasing the project in the 2023 degree show through the installation of digital pigment prints on Hahnemühle Satin Paper, sized at 118.9 x 84.1 cm and framed, edition of 5 + 2 AP. It’s important to note that the project is still ongoing, with plans for further development.

Photo: Cristina Filimon

NIKON Z 6_2 · f/4 · 1/125s · 30.5mm · ISO1000

For this project, I experimented with both analogue and digital. Although film photography plays a significant role in my artistic practice and I love the process and atmosphere of the darkroom, I opted for digital images for the final selection in order to achieve high-quality results for the large-scale prints. However, I made sure to apply colour grading techniques that emulate the aesthetic of film.

One of my primary inspirations for this series was the work of the painter Anselm Kiefer and his large-scale paintings. I was captivated by the textures and beauty present in his art, which became the essence of what I aimed to convey in my own images. I wanted to evoke a sense of texture and a three-dimensional experience, taking viewers on a journey alongside me through the photographs. The images themselves became the narrative of the journey.

Part of this series was submitted to the AOP (Association of Photographers) Student Awards in the Places category, and I was honoured to receive the Gold award. This recognition serves as a powerful inspiration to push the boundaries of my creativity even further and continually refine my skills.

Photo: Cristina Filimon

NIKON Z 6_2 · f/4 · 1/160s · 24mm · ISO250

What are your future plans?

For the immediate future, my plan is to continue the development of Dimineața (Morning), my ongoing project, possibly the second chapter of the book too! Simultaneously, I intend to allocate some time to travel as much as I can, as for me photography and travelling complement each other. I also intend to keep evolving my work and seeking opportunities as both an assisting photographer and for commissioned projects, particularly in the realms of interiors and architecture photography. As previously highlighted, my deep fondness for analogue photography and the self-discovery I cultivate in the darkroom motivates me to seek employment within a darkroom facility.

Additionally, I am considering the possibility of creating a personal darkroom within my own home. Looking further into the future, I have my sights set on pursuing a Master’s degree in Photography. While the exact details are yet to be determined, I am dedicated to expanding my knowledge and pushing the boundaries of my practice. Ultimately, my long-term aspiration is to establish myself as a versatile freelance photographer, exploring diverse avenues within the realm of visual storytelling!

Photo: Cristina Filimon

NIKON Z 6_2 · f/5.6 · 1/25s · 24mm · ISO100

Do you have any advice or top tips for others wanting to get into photography/wanting to study photography?

• First and foremost, I would advise others not to fear experimentation.
• Embrace the opportunity to explore various genres and techniques within photography. Allow yourself to freely express your thoughts and ideas through this medium, without hesitation or self-doubt.
• Studying photography can be a crucial step in your artistic and professional growth, providing you with valuable insights and perspectives allowing you to progress in your career, not only as a photographer but also as a creative artist. From personal experience, I highly recommend considering a Bachelor’s degree program in photography. It not only offers a different perspective upon it but also fosters immense personal development.
• Seize every chance that comes your way, whether paid or unpaid. Embrace assisting roles to gain practical experience and knowledge from professionals. Take the leap and apply for competitions, leaving behind any doubts about your abilities. Trust me when I say this: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I learned this valuable lesson myself, albeit later than I would have liked. The possibilities that can unfold from these experiences are truly boundless.

Photo: Cristina Filimon

NIKON Z 6_2 · f/4 · 1/100s · 24mm · ISO1600

Now, as a graduate reflecting on my journey, I can confidently say that reality far exceeded my initial expectations when I embarked on this course. So, my final advice to you is to believe in the potential and power of your own path. Embrace the opportunities that come your way, take risks, and trust in the process. You never know where this incredible journey may lead you.

Related reading:

• Gloucestershire Student wins AOP Best in Show
• Best cameras for photography students
• Nikon and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award helping young photographers

Are you a young photographer aged 21 and under? Submit your photographs to our Young Amateur Photographer of the Year 2023 competition for free. Over 21? Take a look at our main Amateur Photographer of the Year competition.

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The post Best in show: Photography graduate highlights appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Tell us more about yourself and how you started in photography?

I am a photographer born in the Cotswolds and based in Leeds. I love capturing people’s personalities and a lot of my work celebrates members of the LGBTQ+ community.

I got into photography around the age of 15, studying photography as a subject in school and then finding myself shooting personal projects in my spare time. During this time, I found my love for portraits, finding more inspiration and made me think about how I can make an impact with my imagery.

Seen In Sport “Lois, Basketball” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Lois Hinder @iamddq. Photo credit: Florence Law

Can you tell us more about your Seen in Sport project?

LGBTQ+ representation is important in my work. This is visible in my Seen In Sport project, where I worked with 11 Queer athletes, photographing them and hearing their experiences about the inclusion they have felt within their sport.

I originally made the Seen In Sport project for my final major project at Leeds Arts University, it has now become much more than that.

Seen In Sport “Ethan, Athletics, Hurdles” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Ethan Akanni @ethaka124 Photo credit: Florence Law

Seen In Sport celebrates strong Queer sports people, the analogue portraits are alongside inspiring stories from each athlete, hoping to get others involved in sports and being authentically themselves.

I created a Zine at the time selling copies with profits going to Stonewall, since then I have also exhibited photographs from the project at Queer Joy – Kings Cross, Birmingham’s Pride House for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Leeds University. There has been physical representation of the athletes around the UK, on display for people to see, learn about the project and for people understand why this visibility is important.

Seen In Sport “Jaide, Acrobatics” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Jaide Annalise @jaideannalise Photo credit: Florence Law

At this time the project includes 11 sportspeople. I am currently working to continue the project this Summer as I want to include more athletes.

For the original selection, I reached out to people through Instagram, I also had contacts from mutual friends. It was a great mix from all over the UK and I made sure to include a range of sports.

Seen In Sport “Okasia, Football” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Okasia B @kayyyshb Photo credit: Florence Law

How do you plan your shoots?

I was travelling around the UK and it was normally the first time meeting when we were shooting. I had sent over all the details and mood boards before the shoot and sorted styling. When I meet up with the models I spent some time at the start chatting before the shoot starts. I did have a short shot list for each model which included a headshot, full-body pose and some action shots. This was a great mix to warm each athlete up as many of them had not modelled professionally before.

What equipment do you use?

For this project, I used my Mamiya RZ67 and a Canon point-and-shoot with flash for the action shots. It was all shot on film which was a lovely intimate way of shooting and something new for sports photography.

Seen In Sport “Ethan, Athletics, Hurdles” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Ethan Akanni @ethaka124 Photo credit: Florence Law

What’s next?

I have previously shot a moving image self-portrait project titled ‘Born’ in which I explored my own gender identity. This vulnerability is key and my future work has benefited from being in front of my own lens. I have plans for another self-portrait project this year, stay tuned!

Personal work “Rocks” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Zadie Quinn @zadiequinn Photo credit: Florence Law

I am also currently shooting for a new project entitled “A Dream Of Now” which is focused on what Trans+ people dreamed of being when they grew up. I am excited about this personal project and I cannot wait for the outcomes.

Work for SorchaCrochet, Canon 5D Mark iii, Sorcha Williams, @sorchacrochet,
@sorchawilliamss Photo credit: Florence Law

I am so excited about my future career as a photographer. Recently I have worked on some incredible campaigns for Pride, this is such an important time to me and I have met some amazing people.

Since leaving university a year ago I feel that I have had some amazing opportunities and I am really excited about the future.

Basement magazine issue 1 “And That Includes Us” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Azekai, @azekaiii Photo credit: Florence Law

You can see more of Florence’s work on Instagram @florence_law and their website www.florencelaw.co.uk

Featured image: Seen In Sport “Amy, Hockey” Mamiya RZ67, Portra 400, Amy Lloyd-Jones
@amy_and_lolly. Photo credit: Florence Law

Related reading:

Photographing Birmingham Pride 2023

Best portrait tips from the pros

Complete guide to portrait photography

Best cameras for portraits

How to Shoot Portrait Photos at Home

How to take portraits on a smartphone

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The post Seen In Sport: giving queer sportspeople a voice through photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.