What Else A Picture Can Tell
It’s always interesting observing how images are used to convey a message in the press. Here in Northern Ireland, where there is a tradition of award winning photojournalism documenting The Troubles, there is a familiarity with the powerful message an image can convey. The adage ‘a picture tells a thousand words’ is often associated with the context the photograph is taken in at the time (and raises questions on whether documentary photography is truly objective – a blog topic for another time!). Selecting a certain picture over another speaks volumes too, it can provide insight into the mentality of the picture editor. Case in point with a story published on the 28th March on the Belfast Telegraph’s Sunday Life website.
The story is about Fiona Hurley, a former Miss Northern Ireland who is now the new Agony Aunt for the Sunday Life. Very early on in the piece readers are informed she is a qualified hypnotherapist and psychology graduate who in her past had battled depression and low self esteem - a seemingly perfect person to turn to for advice. Whilst at times the story is showbiz in tone, it is clear that it was written to demonstrate Fiona’s credibility as a professional in the mental health care industry – someone worthy of being taken seriously as the new advice columnist.
I wonder, at what point did the picture editor think that it was appropriate to accompany the article with a photograph of Fiona modelling lingerie? This picture undermines the premise of the entire article and worse, Fiona’s credibility. Classy work Sunday Life, quality all the way.
In sickness and in health
Having a 6 day working week over the past 7 months has seen my time divided between contemporary photography magazine SOURCE and Belfast Exposed Photography Gallery. Grateful as I am in being gainfully employed, and especially so being cushioned in the photography industry, my marketing career has invariably led to my own photography practice taking a back seat.
Until of course this week, where a seemingly innocent ear infection has forced me to slam the brakes on work life to take time to recover. This stillness has actually afforded me something invaluable – headspace to think about my own work. Initially it felt like a guilty, self indulgent pleasure, but as the days have passed the creative cogs began churning and this time not for an organisation, but for my own project. I’ve started tweeting again and I have started the necessary preparations required for a new project – which I guess you could say I’ve embarked on as of this week!
So I am strangely grateful for the ear infection and penicillin in tow, as I am reminded of my pledge: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish ’till death do us part. I pledge to you, photography, my faithfulness….
Appassionato: The Instruments Project
This work is about exploring the relationship between a musician, their instrument and their music. The ability to make an inanimate object create a sound that both expresses feeling and evokes emotion in a listener is incredibly powerful.
Along with obvious technical skill, a musician needs to be acutely aware of an instruments range and limitations, and be able to tap into their own emotional range to use it as a form of expression. This is gained from hours of time familiarising with the anatomy of the instrument to understand its response to each caress.
This body of work is a ‘work in progress’ which will feature instruments on their own and being played by a musician. This work aims to capture the closeness between musician and their instrument. The tight, intimate close ups in the imagery is not dissimilar to what a curious inamorata would see when playfully exploring her lovers body.
What adds depth to this project is the inherent belief that the camera is also an instrument and the imagery is an emotional response to the music. There is a seductive dynamic between musician, instrument, photographer and camera that it is almost as complicated as a love triangle.
The President and I
There’s a reason why I don’t like doing PR and to a lesser extent, press photography – deadlines and pressure kill my creativity. When it comes to my photography I’ve got to create at my own pace.
I was recently asked to join an award winning press photographer to photograph the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, just as an opportunity to build upon and refresh my technical skills in a different photographic context.
President McAleese was opening a new building for PIPS a suicide awareness/support centre in North Belfast. A charismatic woman, she spoke with conviction and sincerity about the impact of suicide on both individuals and the wider community.
I actually got to meet President McAleese a number of years ago when she visited Tasmania at a state reception the our local government had put on for her. She was very warm and it was very charming chatting to her. I was actually asked to be the official photographer for her visit to Tasmania, but declined, partially due to the fear of getting it wrong, and at the time I was engaging in more fine art studio work and not experienced enough in PR photography.
But as life swings in roundabouts, I got to photograph her again in 2009, and this time without any deadlines or pressures.
No Script For Photographer
I recently got to see upcoming Dublin band, The Script, who won Best Irish Band in the 2009 Meteor Awards, play in Belfast. The gig was organised by a local bank interested in raising its profile to a younger target market by running a competition through a local radio station to win free tickets to see the band.
I didn’t want to pass the opportunity of doing more music photography and took my camera along. I painstakingly worked through the surging crowd and made my way to the front of the stage and hadn’t anticipated that when I got there I’d be told to ‘put the camera away official photographers only’ by security.
As I retreated into the crowd I noticed how a third of the crowd were holding up mobile phones and digital compact cameras, yes they too were photographing the band! Why weren’t they told to stop? Well for starters there would have been a riot! And secondly, because it was obvious they were taking photos for their own personal use. However so was I, but I was discriminated against because of the type of gear I use.
If only I was a given a script before going to the gig, I would have known about the different rules for different camera users…
Welcome to the first blog
Good photography comprises of many factors; composition, exposure, timing, and the ability to see and anticipate a moment to capture. A skilled photographer can bring all these factors together, quite literally, in a fraction of a second to produce a stunning photograph. This is particularly true of photojournalism, one of my favourite styles of photography. Working often in life threatening situations, and to demanding deadlines, a photojournalist must get the shot that tells an entire story to a readership – yes the picture that tells a thousand words.
Within this particular framework a single, strong image works well. In other formats available to photojournalists, such as book publishing and exhibitions, they are able to present a complete body of work as a photo essay. Either way, their work is always contextualised with additional information which connects you more to the work.
When I view photography online a high proportion of it is presented as random single images.mWith a lack of consistency and little or no additional information on why the photos have been taken it’s hard to appreciate whether the photographer crafted the image for a purpose or whether it was a fluke. After a while, looking at pretty photo’s just doesn’t cut it for me.
As a photographer I see the world as a series of forms, colours, tones, light, and subjects. With Kiritia Images I aim to engage the viewer with what I see and think through my work. There are many photographic project ideas in the mix with new themes and concepts being researched that will be updated on the site. So you’re very welcome to the site, and come back to visit for the updates.
