Magnum Photos

If you have a passion for documentary photography you will have heard of Magnum Photo, considered by many to be the world's most prestigious photographic agency.  This agency is a co-operative owned by its members, founded in 1947 by the masters of documentary, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David Seymour. Their purpose was to create a means for photographers to have ownership of their own negatives and to control their edit. Being a Magnum member has many benefits, not just having reached the pinnacle of your profession, but the practical advantages as well.

Perhaps the biggest of which is the creative freedom. A magnum photographer can choose his own subject matter and decide how it should be represented. They are supported in their decision by a worldwide team of over ninety individuals, there to fund raise and promote their work, through books, exhibitions, print or editorial sales. The funding comes from different sources, normally grants, partnerships, museums, collectors or magazines. There is also "indirect financing" where funds are raised by the sale of reproduction rights or advertising assignments. Finally, there is "speculation" where the photographer themselves will personally fund part, or the whole, of the project. Self funding is of course easier with the commercial jobs that come through the agency.

When you read about Magnum, you feel a sense of community, prominent photographers exchanging views, discussing projects. The name 'Magnum' carries weight, it opens doors which would be otherwise inaccessible. So how do you become one of the elite? As you can imagine, it isn't easy! You can't produce a "masterpiece" and expect the door to swing open. Agency Director Diane Dufour states that "They are looking at an entire process and also the commitment, aesthetic qualities and guts behind a project. They are looking to identify a sense of coherence, a uniqueness in a body of work". Even if you produce a project that meets this criteria, the membership process is set over three stages, over several years, ensuring that a photographer is capable of "renewing their vision and applying it to a new project". Such vigorous screening ensures that the agency retains its prestigious standing, that it isn't full of one hit wonders without the vision to see beyond a particular movement or trend.

For those of you who still feel you could stand amongst these masters, here is an outline of the process:

First Stage

If you are based in the UK, you must send your digital portfolio to the London office ( Magnum Photos Inc./ Portfolio Review, 63 Gee Street, London EC1V 3RS ) towards the end of May. The 82 members meet once a year during the last week in June, during which a day is dedicated to looking at and voting on potential new member's portfolios. If successful, you become a "Nominee". This presents an opportunity for the photographer and agency to familiarise themselves with each other, without a binding commitment.
Bear in mind that it isn't just the images, but those oh so important editing skills, that will come under scrutiny. Remember as well that there are submission requirements that your work must meet to be considered in the first place. These requirements are listed below:

- Up to 80 images can be submitted digitally. Images only please. Do not submit images in a movie or slideshow format.
- The resolution of each image must be 72 dpi and cannot exceed 1200 pixels on the longest side.
- Images should be submitted on a CD-ROM as JPEG files with compression 8-10.
- Your images should be numbered in the order that you wish them to be presented, with the number coming first in the file name (to ensure the correct sequence use two digits, example: 01, 02, 03) and then your last name. (eg. 01Smith, 02Smith, 03Smith etc.)
- Please do not use any spacing in the name.
- Please include a statement about your work, resume, bio and current contact information as .doc or .pdf files on the same CD.
- Please test the CD before you send it to us and be sure to label it with your name and contact details.

Second Stage

Two to three years later, the nominee is expect to submit another piece of work or project. The members then vote again, and if successful the photographer then progresses to the second stage of membership, "Associate".

Third Stage

Another two to three years later, the associate is voted upon one last time, upon whether they can become a full member. Once a member, they have the full voting rights as any other member, irrespective of their short time with the agency.

So there we have it. Even if we never achieve it, we should always aim for the stars! 

Preparing for a Portfolio Review

In my previous blog, I was discussing the importance of portfolio reviews for budding photographers. So now you have your review booked and you want to make sure that you get the most out of your allocated time. As with most things in life, the planning is in the detail! I have trawled the Internet and here are a few tips to help secure a successful review.

Firstly, know the audience that you are presenting to and remember that we are working in a visual medium; the standards you set in your photography must also extend to the presentation of your work. Rudolf Kicken, co owner of Gallery Kicken, Berlin, states that when he sees an artist he expects to be presented with good quality prints, for them to be mounted or over-matted. “ You need to be able to choose the right image and quality of print in order for a gallery to judge your potential”. The importance of presentation is one that Camilla Brown, curator at The Photographers Gallery in London, agrees with. She finds that photographers often lack the presentation skills of other artist, such as sculptors. Part of their training would include the installation of work and how to connect different pieces, similar to the knowledge of editing, scale and presentation that benefits a photographer. To get an appointment for a portfolio review with curator Dr Inka Graeve Ingelmann, you would have to provide biographical information and ten samples of your work. If you do not have the necessary skills to edit your own work, she would refuse to see it. She believes that Art Schools should be teaching their students how to present their work, how to use their images with an introductory speech, explaining the concept that holds the work together. Even if it is never called upon, I will always ensure that I am capable of delivering a practised and concise description for every body of work that I undertake.

What images to include in your portfolio seems to vary, so you need to ensure that you have researched and provide the most suitable images. For example, Rudolf Kicken would want to see some of your early work, to see where you have come from so that he can gauge your potential, whereas curator Dr Inka Graeve Inglemann  prefers images from an ongoing project. Remember that industry people like on line curator Tim Barber will receive dozens of portfolios every day. What he, and many others, will be looking for is work that has its own voice, that stands out as unique, "it's always satisfying to see photographic work that shows real commitment and investment; that took time to develop. People are way too easily self-satisfied these days".  

I appear to be getting ahead of myself here, talking about showing work to curators and gallery owners! There will undoubtedly be numerous portfolio reviews with fellow photographers before a project is refined enough for such lofty aspirations. Let me return to more practical suggestions.

• Although you can tailor your portfolio to your particular audience, generally it should be a complete body of work with a solid vision. Restrict your images to a maximum of twenty.

• The most common print sizes are from 11x14" up to 20x24".

• Reviewers like to see the actual prints. If you showing an example of a book dummy, have the prints bound into a book. Otherwise, have them matted, sleeved in acetates, or presented naked. Some consider matting to lack the contemporary feel, so think of who your reviewer is. Matting is however, often used for delicate platinum prints. The general consensus is that colour work should not be matted, black and white only if suitable for work.

• Consider that your images need to be suitably stored in something which is easy to carry, present and show your work. Portfolio boxes like the clamshell one below are a popular choice.

                                                   

• Do not run over your allocated time. If you feel that further discussion is required, make an appointment to meet afterwards. If the interest is there, the meeting will happen.

• Bring examples, or some other means of representation, to leave behind with the reviewer, ensuring that contact details are included. Make sure it includes an image, otherwise it might be hard for them to remember you from the dozens of others they saw that day. Don't forget that they are likely to be receiving quite a few over the course of the day. Try to create one that is distinctive yet easily portable. You might want to give some to your fellow photographers as well.

• If you feel that the review went particularly well, you might want to leave them with a package containing a statement, resume and CD, or ask if they would like one posted.  Remember to follow up these contacts after the review. Keep them updated with your new work, perhaps a postcard of you latest project.

• Bring a notebook of any questions you have for the reviewer in case you forget during the moment. There is no point in remembering on the way home!

I hope that the above is useful to some degree. Good luck with those reviews and don't forget to relax and enjoy them!

Portfolio Reviews

When in conversation with a recent photography graduate from my University, I was advised to make the most of the luxury of being at college. At the time, I was under tremendous pressure and struggling to see study as a "luxury". Reflecting now with a slightly calmer mindset, she was, of course, making perfect sense.

One of our current modules is "professional development", which this blog is part of. What exactly this blog is to contain has been discussed and debated at length. Some time ago I decided to use this blog as a research tool, imagining that I was a freshly graduated photographer, finding my own way without the guidance of my college lecturers. Thinking back to the words of Rachael Lowndes, it suddenly makes sense. We are working on self devised projects for which we shoot, have tutorials, refine, have another tutorial. Even at the onset, the merits of our project will be discussed with our tutors who will make suggestions and guide our choices. Imagine waking up and that service is no longer available, you are on your own. It is a daunting prospect and one that I want to be prepared for.

Now when I research my blog topic, I try to make sure it is a subject that will arm me with the information I need to progress my career. For this purpose, Image Makers, Image Takers, a must for any student photographer, has been my most valuable read. It wasn't until I reached Part 2 that I began to feel reassured that feedback and refining are not necessarily restricted to a University environment . When I first scanned through the book, I have to admit that I was more concerned with the photographer's interviews than the Curators and Editors that make up Part 2. I soon discovered that I had been extremely shortsighted. These are experts that tell you about the industry from the opposite side of the camera, and their viewpoint can be even more insightful. These are of course, the very people who make decisions about whether you work is seen by the public or not. To understand their approach, what they are looking for, is of utmost importance.

There are many, many important aspects to gleam from this section, but I have decided to concentrate on portfolio reviews for this particular blog. I never knew that such things existed and it was a huge relief. When I imagine starting off a photography career with only myself for guidance, I feel somewhat out of my depth. I am not sure that in two years I will be able to understand what makes a good picture, a good project. Even after studying photography for the last two years, I am always surprised with my tutor's selection from my contact sheets. So knowing that you can actually get portfolio reviews from industry experts, I feel that I am not necessarily on my own. Not that I am completely naive, I know that these people will be inundated by requests, and I would be fortunate to even get a review, let alone a positive response. But it does help to know that if I do develop a project that I believe to be strong, that there are opportunities and avenues for feedback.

I know that there will be countless avenues to explore, but these are a few of the example shown to me in Image Makers, Image Takers that I can see myself attempting. The idea of having a periodic portfolio appeals, just to make sure that I have a worthwhile concept and remain focused. I could quite imagine myself getting opinions from anyone and everyone that would see my work. What Camilla Brown, Senior Curator at The Photographers Gallery, London, recommends is to show your work to someone you trust before it is in its final stages " they should bear in mind that if they see ten people they might get ten different answers". Considering this, I will do my research first, look at the work of the person reviewing, or the work they accept and show, and see if it is the sort of style I aspire to myself. Camilla Brown recommends that you start by showing and discussing your work with other photographers, or attend a portfolio review, before approaching a curator, photo editor or publisher with your work. This now seems obvious, you might only have one shot with these people and first impressions count. They might not think your work is the finished article, but they may be interested enough to keep an eye on your future projects. This sounds more encouraging than approaching before you are ready and being instantly disregarded. Brown see the portfolios of approximately 6 photographers per month, but the reviews are initiated by her, through recommendation or her own research.

When asked if she would ever decide to show an artist upon first viewing their work, Camilla Brown stated that its unlikely. She would usually be aware of the artist's work and be following it for a number of years. I made a mental note to remember that she also attends many end of degree shows, looking for fresh talent whose careers she would follow to see how they developed as artists. Bear in mind that an exhibition is not always the best outcome for your work, sometimes a book is a better way of building a reputation. I imagine it is down to your individual style and way of seeing.

So, if the Photographer's Gallery no longer welcomes portfolios to be sent in, where can you go for a portfolio review? Well as I said earlier, I would be asking fellow photographers whose opinion I trusted, up until the point that I felt my project strong enough to pursue further. From what I can ascertain, there are numerous opportunities for portfolio reviews in London. I have found that The British Journal of Photography is a good point of reference for details of talks, seminars, workshops and portfolio reviews.

For example, if you were an aspiring photojournalist, you could go to the VII Photo Seminar and Portfolio Review at the Royal Institution of Great Britain on the 22nd May. You would be paying £45 for a 30 minute review, so you would want to know if these were photographers whose opinion counted. The following excerpt from www.starvedforattention.com answers that valid question, "VII Photo Agency was created in 2001 by seven of the world’s leading photojournalists. By 2005, VII Photo was listed in third position in American Photo's "100 Most Important People in Photography" with a reputation that continues to grow for committed journalism and innovative practice. VII Photo has earned a reputation as one of the most dynamic and admired names in the world of photojournalism".

If photojournalism isn't your genre, and you were a member of ePHOTOzine, you could join the Manfrotto School of Xcellence for a free portfolio review. The three photographers available are Drew Gardner, Jacob James and Phil Coates. Again, I would research these photographers, looking at their own work, to decide if their style of imagery is something that appeals to me. For example as someone interested in social documentary, I would probably seek the opinion of Jacob James, a humanitarian documentary photographer over Drew Gardner, who works in commercial, editorial and advertising. The reviews are 15 minutes long and you are asked to bring a portfolio with a maximum of seven pictures.

Another excellent opportunity can be found a photography festivals where you can combine keeping up to date with the latest creative talents and movements, with a portfolio review. The largest UK photography festival is the Brighton Photo Biennial, with some 60,000 visitors in the 2010 festival. Your next opportunity to visit this renown festival is 6 October - 4 November 2012. There will be an opportunity for reviews, but a programme schedule is yet to be released. Keep up to date at www.photoworks.org.uk for the latest information.

The most obvious question to me is how do you prepare for these reviews, and this will be the topic for my next blog.

Simon Weller

 

We were fortunate this year to have photographer Simon Weller as a visiting speaker at Farnborough College of Technology. I say photographer, but Weller started life as a graphic designer for HarperCollins and Penguin Books, turning exclusively to photography in 2001. When you look at the number of published images, including the publication of his own photo book, it is hard to believe the level of Weller's success from someone who hasn't been formally trained.


During his lecture, Weller provided not only an insight into his success, but also some of the pitfalls he has encountered along the way. As a student with aspirations into social documentary, I was intrigued to discover how his book, South African Township Barbershops and Salons, came to be. I suppose I was fairly naive in my assumptions, particularly with regard to the financial implications.

As a student of photography, I will be dedicating the next three years to acquiring and honing as many skills as possible. I imagine leaving Surrey University with as accomplished and diverse a portfolio as my talents allow. I will embark on the arduous journey of increasing and showing my portfolio to as many industry people as possible, keeping in contact, showing new work. I would also try my hand at recognised awards, such as the AOP awards, in order to embellish my resume and gain much needed publicity. There are of course art grants that can be applied for, but I envisage earning a living by any photographic means possible, in order to fund my own efforts in social documentary.

Simon Weller spoke of a lucrative commission with a car manufacturer which allowed him to fund his own photographic road trip. Weller has also been fortunate enough to secure several commissions in the music industry, photographing musicians and bands such as Danger Mouse and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. His trip to South Africa was indeed self-funded, accommodation, living expenses and guide fees all came out of his own pocket. The book was picked up by and published by Mark Batty, with distribution by Random House in North America and by Thames & Hudson in the rest of the world. You can find this book in such places as the bookshelves of The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Students like myself can only dream of  having our work for sale in such establishments. You would imagine such success to be mirrored financially, but not in Simon Weller's case.



This was perhaps the biggest words of wisdom that Weller had to impart to us budding photographers, for he has yet to receive one penny from the many sales of South African Township Barbershops and Salons. Weller didn't go into the reasons in detail, but indicated that there was some ambiguity with the contract he signed with the publisher. He is now going down the legal channels to receive the payment which he is entitled to. It seems to beggar belief that you can produce a successful book and still be out of pocket. Weller does not even have the financial ability to hand deliver a copy of the book to his subjects, something he dearly wants to do.

So I suppose the message is to not become overwhelmed in the early stages and seek legal advice from the start. Weller remains upbeat about the injustice he has been dealt, and I sincerely hope that he receives due recompense for the wonderful uplifting view of  South Africa he has provided.  

Is Social Documentary Really Dead?

When I started my A level in photography, it was always my intention to continue to degree level and hopefully develop a career within photography. I was aware that photography takes many forms and I hoped that over time I would show an aptitude in one genre or another.

Before we even picked up a camera, we were presented with the history of photography, exploring each genre with examples from the masters. For me, it was social documentary that drew me like a magnet. It isn't difficult to see why. Here we have photography in its most noble form, a genre that can expose suffering and exploitation and ultimately, has the power to evoke change. It is little wonder that Trinity are inundated with requests from students (see my previous blog), as the most obvious example of human suffering in the UK would be the homeless.

People often ask what I hope to do with my degree when I leave University, and my answer is never my ultimate ambition, social documentary. I find myself reluctant to say the words aloud, as it seem an unrealistic dream. After all, most people assume that I am going to do wedding photography. To be honest, if I do manage to earn a living (by photography of any means) it will be to fund my pursuits in the social documentary field.

Social documentary is something that takes time and money to do well. I know that my own efforts will have to start small, and might actually never progress further than that. If  my fellow students and I were to have a reality check, many of us will never see our work published. Photography is a market saturated with both professionals and amateurs. To my mind, your best chance of success is if you are shooting something you love, something you believe in. What I am just getting my head around is that it isn't enough to produce an accomplished image, it has to have other elements as well. We are told that we should be thinking of fresh, exciting, contemporary ways of seeing, but I can't see that this can be applied to all aspects of social documentary. How can you give a contemporary feel to famine stricken Africa? Perhaps it is something we need to find an answer to in a world where phrases such as "compassion fatigue" exist. I have heard it said that social documentary has had its day, and I suppose it is true that we are now more aware of what is going on in the world, that there are now other mediums with perhaps even greater power to expose suffering and exploitation. For me though, photography will always have the edge, you can't turn it off, it has a physical, personal presence.

When you consider the above , a career in social documentary seems more unlikely than ever! By my next blog I will hopefully have received Image Makers, Image Takers, providing an insight into those that have succeeded in this elite genre. 

Trinity Winchester

What a difference a day can make! Only yesterday I was feeling like a dinosaur and today I realise that age can be a benefit after all!

I am on the onset of starting my second semester project and I have never been so excited or had such high expectations. As I have stated before, my genre of choice is social documentary, and has been since I was first introduced to the "pinnacle of photography" during my A Level. Two years ago I naively wanted my first assignment to be a huge issue based project, looking at the "invisible" members of our society, those we pretend not to see. My intended list included the elderly, obese, disabled and the homeless. I was told that this would not be allowed, for reasons of exploitation, safety and my own novice skills! The thought of exploiting a vulnerable person, of taking an  image for my own benefit, was reason enough for me to steer clear of such a sensitive issue. Instead I tacked other, smaller topics, more personally relevant.

My ongoing studio project is looking at the current economic climate through still life. I have long felt that our society's obsession with possessions would lead to disaster, and believe we are now paying the price for satisfying our ambition to own all we desire through mounting credit. We all claim to be feeling "the pinch" to a greater or lesser extent. Cuts to child tax credits and child benefit for example, have affected both the middle classes and those on benefits. The part of our society that remains largely unaffected are the homeless, for they had little to begin with. I began to combine my aspirations to document the homeless with my thoughts on possessions.

It is this that lead me to contacting Trinity Winchester, a charity that provides practical and emotional support for the homeless and vulnerably housed in Hampshire. It really is a remarkable place. They provide the essentials such as daytime shelter, food, clothing, washing facilities, as well as counselling and learning services, to those we are living on the streets, in hostels, emergency shelters and those whose accommodation issues are precarious. These are people in crisis, people who have lost all that we hold dear.

My intention was to produce a photobook, one page with their own personal stories, the other page an image of their possesions. A reminder to those of us who surround ourselves with the latest gadgets, phones, ipads, 3d televisions, that there are members of society for whom all they own can be carried in a bag. I really didn't expect to be given permission to shoot at the shelter, but I thought it was worth mentioning that I was a mature student and the theme for my project. I was invited in for a meeting, bringing samples of my work and an example of what I wanted to produce. I was told that they get requests by students every week, but she felt that I appeared sensible with a firm idea of what I wanted to achieve. The CEO had been approached and I would be the first student to be given permission to shoot at the shelter. I am reminded once again that with age comes life experiance, and this is fundamental when relating to people. I look at the world differently than I did in my youth, with more compassion and empathy.  I am seriously delighted and looking forward to my first visit next Tuesday. I only hope that my abilities are enough to do the subject justice.

Elephant in the Room

Yesterday I attempted my first unsupervised studio shoot and it confirmed my worst fears. To say that I am intimidated by studio is putting it mildly. I have always favoured location shooting but know that I must conquer studio if I want to achieve my ultimate goal of editorial and still life. To date, we have had the expertise of our lecturer to light our images, but I have always suspected that I was not picking up as much as my fellow students. At 42 I am twice the age of the majority of my peers, but it hasn't been something that has worried me unduly. To be honest, having a greater wealth of life experiences to influence and draw upon, has been of huge benefit. I was always aware that my age would not give me the luxury of slowly building up a career and reputation; that to reach my potential I will have to work much harder. The element that I had overlooked was how much slower I would be at grasping technology. I have used computers, internet, etc. all of my working life and I enjoy learning about and using the new developments in technology. In my youth I used to be scornful of my middle aged colleagues who "didn't like change", couldn't see that progression was to be embraced. The position that I now find myself in, is not that I don't want to understand and utilise, but that I am so much slower. I feel that the others have comprehended and moved on while I am still standing still. The frustration is at times overwhelming. I have never been one to suffer fools and now I feel like a fool myself. I like to work hard, at a consistent pace, but find myself hindered by my own inabilities. I am in constant need of the help of others which slows me down to a snails pace! I love using analogue because of how organic the whole process is, but am I kidding myself? Is the real reason because I am in control, that I know what I am doing. I spent a reasonable amount of money on a digital SLR, which a year later, I still have no real idea how to use all its functions. I look at the manual (which is like War and Peace) and I just do not have the enthusiasm of my younger students. The pressure of constant assignments almost seem too great to take the time to stop  and learn! Perhaps today is just a bad day, but I wanted to include it in my blog as a reminder of the difficulties and challenges I have faced, faced and hopefully overcome!

Life after University

As a first year degree student, trying to earn a living in my chosen field of photography seems a lifetime away. One of our current modules, Professional Development, forces you to imagine the reality of forging a career in this very competitive industry. Unlike the majority of vocational degrees, the competition seems almost endless. You wouldn't consider yourself a nurse without a nursing degree, but just about everyone considers themselves a photographer to one extent or another. People are often surprised that I am doing a degree in photography and I am constantly justifying how I will be spending the next three years "learning how to press a button"!

I am a mature student with a young family, so the sacrifices of study effects the whole family. As a result, I feel under even more pressure to make real use of my degree and make the sacrifices worthwhile. I was interested to see how a recent graduate, with similar personal circumstances, had fared.

                                            

Rachael Lowndes, left Surrey University with a First and a prestigious AOP student award, having won the Judges Choice for the above image. It is hard to imagine a better footing from which to launch your career. From our conversations, I found her advice and experience to be really insightful and her area of interest is akin to my own, documentary/editorial. Rachael tells of a "chicken and egg" situation when seeking commissions, "Editors want to see a proven track record before they trust you but without that first job you can't give them proof" Again, documentary takes time and funding to do it well, and securing funding is difficult without an established reputation. It really is a case of perseverance, keeping momentum, and building up a decent and diverse portfolio to show potential clients.

It is vital that you do not become despondent if you don't hear back after the initial contact, remain in touch and keep forwarding on new work. Hopefully your persistence will pay dividends and an editor will be prepared to take a chance on an unknown rather than the tried and tested. It is important to be self motivated and have belief in your own abilities; these pictures editors would not even be opening their doors if Rachael wasn't an interesting and accomplished photographer.

                     

Rachael feels that it is her Almshouse project that differentiates her and has opened doors. This photobook is the end result of a university project on the residents of "The Hospital of the Blessed Trinity" in Guildford. It is an almshouse which provides housing for the elderly with limited means, allowing the residents to "live independently but within a sociable and supportive communal environment". Personally, I am constantly disappointed and ashamed at how our society disregards the elderly. As a result we miss out on the wonderful contribution they still have to make, the life experiences that we know nothing about and will soon be lost forever. I find these images beautifully poetic, providing a real insight into the lives of her subjects. Rachael has captured all elements, the beautiful architecture of the Jacobean Grade 1 Listed building in which they live, compassionate portraits of the residents and still lives of the their surroundings and possessions. It is a wonderful tribute to a slower pace of life, a life winding down. Rachael uses this book as a calling card, another useful tip that I will definitely use if I manage to produce something as effectual as Almshouse.

 

I wish Rachael every success in her future career. I look forward to seeing her own photobook in the bookshops in the not too distant future!

Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year

                                          Polar Power, Joe Bunni 
                                      
When I saw the signs for a photography exhibition in Basingstoke I was delighted to find an opportunity to explore photography on my own doorstep, but I have to admit to being slightly disappointed when I discovered that it was wildlife photography. Don't get me wrong, I love animals and nature as much next person, but it wouldn't be my genre of choice. I knew that the exhibition had excellent credentials, co-owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine and sponsored by Veolia Environnement. My visit to the Willis Museum reiterated what I already knew, do not make decisions based on assumptions, you could be missing out on something significant!

I have never attempted wildlife photography myself, not because I find the subject matter uninspiring, but for more practical reasons. I am a student of photography, not the finished article, but a work in progress. Therefore, the thought of photographing an ever moving object who cannot understand art direction, is rather daunting! The other reason is because these are animals that have been photographed hundreds of times by more proficient photographers. How could I find a new angle, a fresh contemporary perspective? If all I was achieving is another, less accomplished representation of the same subject, what would be the purpose?

Many of the images I found at the Willis Museum were what I would expect from such a prestigious competition, creative, magnificent examples of the splendour of nature. As I have neither opportunity nor finances to access many of these animals, they can only inspire me to a point. However, there were two aspects of the exhibition that were very much unexpected.

                                          Aliens, Hui Yu Kim
I imagine wildlife photography to be similar to wildlife documentary with respect to the mindset required to spend hours, even days, waiting for the perfect opportunity. It is a waiting game that would not appeal to all photographers, requiring more than an interest in your subject matter, but a life's pursuit. This was reiterated to me by the first "surprising aspect" of the exhibition, the youth entries. Pictured above is the winning entry from the 10 Years and Under category, "Alien" by Hui Yu Kim from Malaysia. When you see it in the flesh it is absolutely breathtaking, the macro lens revealing every minute detail, tone and texture. To think that this image was taken by a young child, using equipment such as extension tubes, tripod and reflectors, is remarkable. To me it shows that wildlife photographers are somehow born to it, it is not taught but inspired from within.

The other surprise for me was the images taken by Daniel Beltra, winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year. The photojournalist award is given for a memorable story told in six images. Beltra's images capture the leaking BP wellhead, Deepwater Horizon, as it leaked 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

                                          The Price of Oil, Daniel Beltra

 I spent 12 years working in the Marine Reinsurance Market where such environmental disaster were considered only for their financial implications. To have spent years looking at the millions being settled for pollution claims seems somehow removed from the sight I saw before me. I knew that these claims represented a tragedy for the environment, knew that the money was going to counter the terrible effects of such spills, but had only seen it from a facts and figures viewpoint. To visually see the effects is an altogether different experience. The reaction of the chemical dispersants with the oil produced the most amazing colours, almost beautiful. The aerial photographs which show large sections of the ocean alight is truly powerful, illustrating how immense the task ahead will be. When presented with "Still Life In Oil" you are left in no doubt that this is an horrific event that Beltra is capturing, not simply a work of art.

                                                  Still Life in Oil, Daniel Beltra

I didn't expect to be able to personally relate to the exhibition, so to have my own perceptions of wildlife photography challenged was both refreshing and a reminder that photography is a journey that I have only just begun. If you have the opportunity to view this exhibition at The Natural History Museum before is finishes on the 11th of March, I would definitely recommend it.

It was while looking for photography exhibitions in London that I stumbled across Deidre O’Callahan’s Hide the Can series on the V&A website. To be honest, I was looking for new movements in contemporary photography, not a 2003 exhibition, but I was drawn to O’Callahan’s subject matter through my connections to Ireland.

O’Callaghan spent four years getting to know the men of Arlington House and photographing the despair, humor and hope that she found there.  Arlington House is an imposing red brick building located in Camden Town, built over a hundred years ago by Lord Rowton to house impoverished manual laborers. It has over 382 beds, making it the largest male refuge in Europe. Today over 70% of the residents are Irish, few work, and most are alcoholics.

 O’Callaghan was originally invited to the house to document a group trip to Co. Clare made possible by the Aisling Project. For many of the men this was their first trip home in over twenty years. Now in their 50s and 60s, they left Ireland as young men to find work in manual laboring. O’Callaghan states “They emigrated, not through choice, stayed though reluctant, and never returned out of pride”.

I am married to an Irishman who himself left Dublin over twenty years ago to find work. Although they have since returned, his parents left Ireland forty years ago for the same reason. Today, the youth are again leaving Ireland in their droves as employment prospects plummet yet again. On a recent visit, I was speaking to an elderly man who was devastated that his grandchildren had to leave their homeland for any chance of employment. Following the glory years as the “Celtic Tiger” of the European economy, he had thought that those days had finally come to pass. Today, Ireland has the highest suicide rate in young men under 25 as the unemployed  who can are leaving rural Ireland. This is difficult for a country whose citizens have such a strong sense of national identity. As O’Callahan stated, it is not by choice that they are leaving.

When my Grandfather first heard I was dating an Irishman he was surprisingly concerned. He had owned a landscape gardening business whose workforce were the same Irish laborers as the original residents of Arlington House. He would pay them in cash on a Friday and they wouldn’t turn up again until the Tuesday or Wednesday, whenever the beer money ran out. I found myself wondering how many had passed through the doors of Arlington House. 

  

 Hide the Can is a combination of O’Callahan’s images of the residents at odds with the outside world, text from Bono recording the work of the hostel as it tries to integrate the residents within  that world, and interviews with the residents themselves. When published in 2003, Hide the Can won New York’s International Center of Photography  Infinity Award for best publication  and the Rencontres de la Photographie D'Arles award for best book. This critical acclaim is much deserved as O’Callahan’s work show all aspects of the political, humanist and aesthetic forces that drive documentary photography. O’Callaghan has successfully stepped into a community, stepped back, reflected and then produced a body of work that is a testimony to the support these men give each other in a shared situation of mental and physical difficulties. The write up on the V&A website states that “Hide the Can” is a traditional version of humanist documentary photography, one in which O’Callaghan attempts to give a dignity to the men of Arlington House and show her empathy for a forgotten generation of migrant workers.” My greatest fear is that these men do not just represent a period of history past, but a real future possibility with the current economic climate in Ireland.