205dpi Issue Apr’15
Will Good Illustrator www.facebook.com/secretworkingroup
This issue Apr’15
Who are we? We are photographers. Journalistic ones. We document, record and capture anything we find interesting, beautiful or captivating. Sometimes our stories may seem strange or unusual, but we are the eye behind it all; and that’s what this magazine is all about. From cakes to paralympics, graffiti to kickboxing, our editorial documentary style takes us around Cornwall, the UK and the rest of the world. Follow us and our collective of photographers as we capture our adventures, our remarkable stories and our everyday
What’ve we been doing? For the majority of our staff team, we’re all approaching final deadlines for our final year in University. As 205DPI was an idea generated within University, the end of our degrees gives a nostalgic angle on the last two years. What’s next for 205DPI?
p.s. keep updated: 4.
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36 Feature Story Kate Peters Kate is an established portrait and landscape photographer, specialising in unusual stories.
22 2. Scarlett Purdy
Covers a touching story of hardship and hope, investigating the truth behind Thai Bride marriages.
Monthly Single Images: David J Blanks Kieran McMullan
30 3. Mikey
Zbieranowski
Describes his trip in cold New York this winter passed, analysing the way he shoots off-assignment.
1. Lois
Golding
Exhibits a beautiful lifestyle feature on Barcelona based couple Michael and Alex.
36 4. Amlan Sany
Amlan documents a traditional festival based in West India, celebrating the harvest season.
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Real talk with Kate Peters
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Feature - Real Talk with Kate Peters
“The most important thing, no matter where you are, is that you have a genuine interest or thirst for knowledge.” This month we have a photographer who has a elegant and precise style within everything she does. Kate Peters is a London based photographer who balances her photographic life with a mixture of commissioned and personal project. Kate’s work ranges from the 2012 Olympic athletes, to professional Dominatrix portraiture, Los Angeles interiors and Christian Theme Parks. In this interview, Kate explains all the elements involved that equate to her working process. Hey Kate! It’s clear you’ve got a wide range of interests and subject matters. With your portfolio so diverse, are there still genres or subjects you’re yet to explore? My working approach is always idea-led. So when I have an idea, I will look at exploring it using whichever approach I think will fit best. There are plenty of subjects that I would love to explore, but I’m quite a slow producer in terms of my personal work, so I try not to think too far ahead - I get easily distracted. I have three potential new ideas bubbling away at the moment all at various stages so we’ll see how I get on with those. What attracts you to potential projects? Is it the underlying story or the final image and product that you prioritise? It’s pretty much always the idea or story that attracts me when thinking of new work. I have re-occurring themes that crop up and I tend to work around them, often without realising it until the project has progressed. I’m always
thinking of ways to express a particular idea in the most compelling and appropriate way visually. Having said that, I will also respond to things that I’ve seen that are visually intriguing, which then often inspires an idea. It’s the strength of the idea and my appetite to find out more that compels me ultimately though. If you were given the choice, do you prefer working with people or exploring with just your camera? I enjoy both. A photographer’s life can be quite solitary and I definitely need people around me to bounce ideas off and collaborate with. I think balance is important, and especially works well for me, but I need to have a mixture of both for it to work best. If you are shooting a commercial portrait, how much does a person’s character influence your lighting choice? Lots of things will have an effect on how I choose to set up, and usually I can only
Feature - Real Talk with Kate Peters
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hazard a guess at what their personality is like in advance. I will always try and find out what they look like if I can. If the shoot is for a magazine feature for example, it helps to know what the written piece will be about, so I can make the tone of the images match. I’ll approach each shoot with one set up in mind, and then base a second idea on either the subject or location once I arrive. You have to be open to change things at the last minute. You photograph a lot for both personal and commissioned projects. How much of your work is commissioned? And do you enjoy this as much as you personal work? My main workload definitely leans more towards the commercial side - there are bills to be paid! I really enjoy the commercial work I do, but my personal projects are always in the back of my mind. I try and put as much enthusiasm and thought into everything I do, but I couldn’t do one genre without the other. One of your projects ‘Olympians’ was part of the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. Do you have a particular piece of work that you’re particularly proud of ? I think the Olympic commission was definitely one of my favourites. It marked a point where I felt I could actually call myself a photographer with conviction. It was a real privilege to be trusted to take on such a big project and it was a great experience to produce the work too.
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Feature - Real Talk with Kate Peters
Have you ever turned down a commission and if so why? I’ll turn down a commission if I feel that I’m not suitable for it, but I’ve learnt that the hard way - definitely listen to your gut! It’s rare that it happens though as most of the time you’re being commissioned because of what you do or specialise in. Do you have a dream assignment or a commission you would love to do? I love travelling, so anything that takes me somewhere new is a dream, particularly somewhere warm to get away from the British winter! Do you find that there are more interesting stories out in the world or do you think the United Kingdom has the same amount of interest? There are interesting stories to be found wherever you are. It can be easier to work if you’re out of the country as everything will be different and interesting, so you can easily be inspired by a new place. Most of my work at the moment is UK based, but I’m exploring universal themes so they could be expanded elsewhere at some point in the future. The most important thing, no matter where you are is that you have a genuine interest or thirst for knowledge in what you are photographing. Interview: Tom Sandberg
David J Blanks Monthly single image www.eclectiveimages.com
An Apartment, Cherished Lois Golding documents a lifestyle piece on collectors Michael and Alex.
This Spring I had the pleasure of spending time at the home of two of the most inspiring characters I could wish to meet: Michael who works in luxury retail environments, creating events and show-pieces, in the world of merchandising; and Alex, who works for the Catalan government, with a brief - amongst other cultural responsibilities - that includes promoting Catalan language films in the international arena.
whips!), but also on his Instagram account, that has garnered a huge following over the last two years.
Their beautiful apartment is situated in the Gothic district of Barcelona, in an ancient building, high above cobbled, narrow streets and wandering tourists. The apartment is in the classic Spanish style - a series of inter-connected rooms with original tiled-floors and heavy panelled wood doors, oozing heritage and atmosphere. It was no surprise to find that Picasso had once been a regular visitor of a previous owner.
What’s even more impressive, are the stories behind each piece he owns. It’s this, he told me, along with feeling a connection, that makes the art of most value to him. For example, one entire wall of the guest suite is hung with small paintings from an artist in Louisiana, where Michael grew up; another, a painting of Antwerp depicting a church he’d walked by every day for months; a sculpture, gifted to him by a monk he’d met in China just last year.
Throughout the rooms were the inevitable spoils of the couple’s working lives: a printed acetate butterfly hovering over a painting (Michael’s, an ex-window display piece), and several walls-full of film soundtracks (Alex’s connection with film). But perhaps the most fascinating additions were the objects of their combined passion – though in very different forms - for arts. The perfectly executed scenes Alex creates using his immense collection of Playmobil. Often humorous and very conceptual, the scenes not only appear in random places throughout the apartment (a fish tank beach diorama for example, and an S&M cage scene with figures in black bikinis and
Michael on the other hand, is a natural art collector with a fantastic eye for display. No matter his collection varies wildly, featuring illustrations, paintings and sculptures from different ages, each piece works perfectly throughout the apartment as if it were hung in a gallery.
When I first arrived at the apartment Michael began ‘the grand tour’, introducing me to the history of the building and some of the beautiful things within it. Only when I got to know Michael and Alex better did I really appreciate how important the telling of these stories were. Their home is a place of warmth and everyone who passes through it seems to become a part of their life together. How much more apt could the definition of ‘home’ be, than an exquisitely presented selection of meaningful objects that speak volumes about the people who live within its walls? Michael and Alex’s is a creative home, the true reflection of very inspiring people.
Lois Golding
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Pakchalita
Scarlett Purdy documents a mother’s self-sacrifice to remove her daughter from hardship.
Last summer when travelling in Thailand, an opportunity arose to stay with a family in a remote location in Nong Pai – so small and remote it’s not even on a map. This came from connections to a family in London where the Englishman had acquired himself a Thai Bride, where they now happily reside with her daughter Pakchulika. They now travel back to Thailand every few years to visit her family. My initial intentions were to document their way of life, to experience living exactly as they do as to produce a thorough insight. The location was so remote that it took me two days to arrive there from Phuket, the nearest shops were a 40-minute drive away and the nearest house was a 10-minute walk. Jungle, bamboo, corn and paddy fields surrounded the house itself, which were the family’s main source of food. It had two rooms – the kitchen and the sleeping room, an outside shack with the only real toilet for miles around (thanks to the Englishman), and a tank of water for washing. Their main hangout was a shelter from the sun out the front where the whole family would sit everyday, gossiping with other locals, preparing food, drinking and smoking. I was quickly accepted into the family, which is when the situation became very obvious. My impression that they were happily married and living in England was wrong. Her moving to England for her own benefit was also wrong. I’ve always thought that Thai Brides do it for themselves, to get themselves out of
the poverty and into a better life – how naïve of me. It’s actually an incredibly sacrificial decision, which only really benefit the family that they leave behind. The self-sacrifice is so bittersweet that I find myself conflicted between respect, pity, and sadness – there is no real winner in this. The family that is left behind looses their beloved child, yet gains the income she sends. The new husband thinks he is gaining a new life partner, but in reality he is just attaining a wife using him for his money. The bride loses her family, endures a marriage she doesn’t want, and is alone in a foreign country with her only deliverance being that she is saving her family from total poverty. The major effort in this being to give her daughter a better life. This was inadvertently confessed to me one night as she told me about
26. Scarlett Purdy
her pre bride life working as a “bar girl”, and that she had did whatever it took to make sure that her daughter didn’t have to experience the same way of life. Well, she has definitely succeeded… but at major cost to everyone involved. Instead of exploiting this in my photos, I decided to focus on their happy reunion, of how strong their family is despite their sorrowful situation, giving them a collection of images to look back on as they have little means of taking their own. However, I plan to continue this project from a more in depth angle, focusing on their new life in the west, shedding light on the overlooked stories of Thai Brides.
Scarlett Purdy
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“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!�
- Dr. Seuss
The Imperfection of Discovery
New York is such a photogenic city. It has influenced some of the greatest photographers and fostered so many iconic images; except it’s easy to get caught up in chasing those ‘decisive moment’ style shots from classic black and white street photographers. In reality, there is beauty everywhere. I was drawn to quieter moments and unusual patterns and shapes and light. It’s a very different approach to the way I shoot assignments or long-term projects, I found it much more relaxing. There’s something liberating about turning the camera towards everyday things that seem out of the ordinary; it could be the way a shadow falls onto the salt-stained deck of the Staten Island ferry, or the way ice forms on the edge of a bus. In one of Vivianne Sassen’s books, she called this ability of seeing “sculptural qualities of the ordinary”. Another of my big inspirations is Saul Leiter. He had such a unique perspective on life in New York and a wonderful eye for colour; all things I find important within my own work. A lot of the people in my photographs are anonymous or kept at a distance. I find it hard to ask to take
32. Mikey Zbieranowski
someone’s picture since the camera usually makes them uncomfortable and it really changes their mood. I’ve started shooting with a compact camera, which helps, but I still prefer more anonymous and unguarded moments. I like to imagine how that subject might be feeling, and then share that moment of discovery in a quiet way. It’s still intrusive and highly subjective, but it’s a notational way of working – similar to a sketch – and this is why I usually keep this work personal. Winter is the perfect time to be in New York. The weather brings a bold palette and sharpness to the city, as well as that undeniable romantic charm. I love watching people dart in and out of the plumes of steam from street vents, the freezing of the Hudson, or the way a blizzard totally saps the colour from the trees in the park. I totally agree that from time to time we should put down our camera and experience things unaided by technology, but having my camera with me is like having another pair of eyes that picks out things that I would have otherwise overlooked. It’s a real joy.
the Gajan and Charak Festival Amlan reports from West Bengal, India, On a historic indian traditional festival.
Among the many enchanting folk festivals of Bengal, Gajan and Charak festival has a special place even in today’s modern age. Hindus celebrate the festival on the last two days of the month of Chaitra, generally falling in the month of April, to bid goodbye to the passing year. The core reason for the festival is to worship the deities of the respective devotees for the hope of a better rainy season and good harvest. Also people believe that the festival will provide them prosperity, eliminating them from any sorrow and sufferings which they suffered in the past year. Gajan is actually linked to persons who are related to the agricultural community, directly or indirectly. They pray for the rains and better harvest. Lord Shiva is said to be closely related to this community. The persons who are involved in the festival become a Shiva Devotee and are respected by all. During Gajan, celebration is performed by devotees signifying marriages of the male forces of Siva, Nil or Dharmaraj with their respective consorts. One way it signifies the union is through the forces of sun and earth. People dress up as Cosmetic Shiva, Parvati, Krishna and other deities. The most intriguing part of Gajan Festival is Chark Puja. Many devotees observe a fast on the day of Charak Puja, until the midnight puja takes place. The tradition of Charak Puja is all
about worshipping the Charak tree (actually the trunk of a tree without any roots or branches). The height is around 30 to 40 feet. The tree is worshipped by priests and then erected inside a ditch and is balanced by bamboos. The Charak tree is believed to be the abode of Shiva and Parvati. An Idol or a Mask is first attached to the top of tree before the worship, before it is then hoisted up straight on the ground. Several people are engaged to pull it up. On the day of Charak, bamboo stages are erected, with their ground full of knives, glass and thorns. At midnight, when the puja as well as the fasting session is over, all the devotees get on the stage and start moving forward on dangerous ground. The most amazing part is how sanyasi priests pierce sharp hooks in the bodies of participating sannyasis almost without any cut or injury. The bloodless piercing of sharp metals in human bodies looks like a magic act. The devotee pierce their tongue with sharp needles and is tied with hook on their back and sways hanging from a bamboo pole. The ground on which they fall is embedded with glass, thorns, knives and other devious weapons. The blessing of the God keeps him safe from all the possible harms. The festival not only reflects the blind faith but also the eagerness to accept penance on the road to achieve salvation.
Amlan Sany
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Kieran McMullan Monthly single image www. kieranmcmullan.com
This issue’s stars 1.
David J Blanks
www.eclectiveimages.com
Lois Golding
2.
‘An Apartment, Cherished’ 07980 018660 loisgolding@outlook.com www.loisgolding.carbonmade.com
Scarlett Purdy
3.
‘Pakchalita’ 07975 695033 scarlett_purdy@hotmail.co.uk www.scarlettpurdy.format.com/home
Mikey Zbieranowski
4. 5. 6. 44.
‘The Imperfection of Discovery’ 07532 213914 mikeyzb@hotmail.co.uk www.michaelzbieranowski.tumblr.com
Amlan Sany
‘The Gajan and Charak Festival’ amlansany@gmail.com www.flickr.com/photos/amlansanyal
Kieran McMullan
www.kieranmcmullan.com
With thanks to.. Lois Golding
Editor-in-chief www.loisgolding.carbonmade.com
Production team Tom Sandberg Manager
Paige Harrison Editor & Writer
Sophie Sear
Assistant Manager
Matt Cox
Brand designer & sign writing god Instagram - mattcox904
Kate Peters
Special feature photographer. www.katepeters.co.uk/project/diary
Toby Ellis Heather Golding
Support, advice and guidance.
45.
Will Good Illustrator www.facebook.com/secretworkingroup
To contact for requests, questions or more information: team@205dpi.com All images and text published in 205dpi are the sole propertry of the featured authors and the subject copyright. 2015 Š 205dpi