the Photographer - Issue Two 2018

Fine art, fine work Rory Bicknell’s expression of all things antique

Child’s play Rachel Thornhill’s her own perfect customer The Magazine of the BIPP / 2018 / Issue Two

Shattered dreams Claire Glasscoe reveals the everyday untold stories from the Syrian conflict

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Portfolio Reviews If you are thinking of going for your first, or upgrading to your next, BIPP qualification you might like to take advantage of a Portfolio Review to gain an understanding of what you need to do to qualify and how long the process might take.

Portfolio Reviews offer professional photographers the opportunity to receive face-to-face advice on their work from one of BIPP’s Approved Assessors. Our Assessors fully understand the requirements for qualification and are highly experienced photographers with a wealth of industry knowledge.

We recommend candidates seek guidance on preparing for qualification at a Portfolio Review before booking a qualification date.

Thursday 18 October 2018 - Inn On The Lake Hotel, Gravesend Friday 19 October 2018 - Franklin Gardens, Northampton Saturday 20 October 2018 - Doncaster Racecourse Thursday 22 November 2018 - The Ricoh Arena, Coventry Wednesday 28 November 2018 - London

Important information • Portfolio Reviews cost £50.00 for Members, £90.00 for Friends, and £100.00 for Non Members (inclusive of VAT).

• All Portfolio Review sessions run for 45-50 minutes.

• Please bring approximately 40 low res images (no more than 5MB per image) on a laptop or tablet.

• If you are a non-member interested in applying for Provisional membership please bring copies of your insurance.

• Please note portfolio reviews are non-refundable and non-transferable.

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I SSUE TW O, 201 8

Cover image © Claire Glasscoe

Rory Bicknell / Antiques 2 P J Gates Photography is a specialist studio that focuses on serving the high-end antiques sector. Lighting excellence is the key component

BIPP College Award 2018 24 Jon Mackenzie is winner of this year’s BIPP College Award. We get the low-down from photographer and tutor at Arts University Bournemouth

Rachel Thornhill / Portraiture 10 Forming positive partnerships is one of the driving forces developing Rachel’s portraiture business, with an eye on the longer term bigger picture

BIPP Student Awards Open 34 Stuart Bridewell says his course at Wiltshire College Salisbury pushed him to consider a whole different way of shooting

BIPP pages 50 Company partners, BIPP regions and events plus Member Services Advisory Board information update

Venture studios / Eton 22 Jonny Foster at Eton’s Venture Studios provides a glimpse of how the franchise operates and what it takes to be Studio of the Year

BIPP Student of the Year 42 Gabriela Pieniazek from Edinburgh College takes this year’s main prize.

We also round up category winners and merits from the same institution

Claire Glasscoe / Syria 54 The most difficult tales to tell make the most of combining images and words – this issue’s cover feature is no excecption

the Photographer is published four times a year by the British Institute of Professional Photography, Ardenham Court, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP19 8HT. T: 01296 642020 E: info@bipp.com W: www.bipp.com President: Kevin Wilson Hon FBIPP Chief Executive: Chris Harper FBIPP Directors: Bryn Griffiths FBIPP, Roy Meiklejon FBIPP, Denise Swanson FBIPP, Frank Tomlinson FBIPP, David Wheeler FBIPP

Membership Services Advisory Board Frank Tomlinson FBIPP (National) Gerry Coe Hon FBIPP (National) Denise Swanson FBIPP (National) Jo Scott FBIPP (National) Scott Hogg ABIPP – Scotland Faizal Kirk ABIPP – North East David Stanbury FBIPP – North West Katrina Whitehead LBIPP – Yorkshire Bryn Griffiths FBIPP – Midlands Scott Johnson FBIPP – South East

David Wheeler FBIPP – South West Roy Meiklejon FBIPP – Cotswolds John Miskelly FBIPP – Northern Ireland Editor: Jonathan Briggs, editor@bipp.com Advertising: Tel 01296 642020 Email: jack@bipp.com UK Subscribers £20, EU £40, Rest of the World £50 ISSN: 0031-8698. Printed and bound by Magazine Printing Company, Hoddesdon, Herts

Neither the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) nor any of its employees, members, contractors or agents accepts any responsibility whatsoever for loss of or damage to photographs, illustrations or manuscripts or any other material submitted, howsoever caused. The views expressed in this magazine are the views of individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the BIPP. All advertisements are accepted and all editorial matter published in good faith. The Publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, that any particular product or service is available at the time of publication or at any given price. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or stored in a retrieval system, or broadcast, published or exhibited without the prior permission of the publisher. This magazine is the copyright of the BIPP without prejudice to the right of contributors and photographers as defined in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. Registered at Stationers’ Hall, Ref B6546, No. 24577. © BIPP 2018 Issue Two / 2018 / the PHOTOGRAPHER 1

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RORY BI CKNELL W ORKI NG PROFI LE

The art of finer things

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are antiques and a similarly fine way of working – the two go hand in hand at P J Gates Photography. The pieces speak for themselves but present numerous challenges for a commercial photographer. Shimmering gold leaf, acres of highly polished surfaces and scale (both large and small) form the everyday life of this London studio. And what’s particularly interesting is that it’s servicing a market that will still demand the highest quality output – and for that read 5x4 film.

The top end of the antiques market it seems certainly respects the notion that a photographic print from large-format negs provides a level of realism, depth of detail and sheer quality that helps sell the pieces it depicts. P J Gates supplies prints to highend dealers who send them on to prospective purchasers. It’s like the finest possible catalogue and perhaps cannot be truly matched by digital print processes. The business was formed by Peter John Gates and his assistant Phillip J Paddock more than 40 years ago in 1976. Photographer Rory Bicknell has been with the company for seven years now, and says the rarity of approach was attractive: ‘I knew that large-format was used alongside digital for certain clients and that appealed to me. Whilst I didn’t originally have a specific interest in antiques, my passion has always been lighting, so the challenges involved in this kind of work was exactly what I wanted to be working on.’ Rory explains that building up a shot can be complex and time consuming: ‘We use continuous lighting throughout – some photographic lights such as 800w ARRI and 2000w Blondie lamps but also a large range of theatre lights.

They give us much more control over which parts of the furniture we light and which parts we down. Most have a good range of spot and flood and they all have internal barn doors so can be adjusted with precision to achieve the exact lighting we want.

It is not unknown for us to have 10-15 lights on one piece of furniture.’

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RORY BI CKNELL W ORKI NG PROFI LE

The first decision is what kind of lighting the piece needs and that will fall into one of four broad themes: moody, plain, soft or hard. Rory continues: ‘If the piece in question has a lot of engravings or modelling to it we may decide to “rake it” with light to bring out all the texture. However, if a piece has a lot of gilt (painted gold) to it, it is important not to burn the gold out and we would opt for a flatter, softer lighting approach. Each piece is different and needs careful assessment before the shoot begins on how it will be shot, and how it will be lit.’

For film, Rory shoots on a SINAR 5x4 plate camera using Kodak 5x4 Porta 400 negatives and Schneider-Kreuznach fixed lenses. Images are commonly shot at f32, f45 or f64 to attain a large enough depth of field for the piece to be sharp front to back.

Rory comments: ‘We start by leading with the key light and use additional lights to slowly build up the image step by step, sometimes lighting quite small areas that just need brightening up slightly. It is all a balancing act and particularly when using g Image © P J Gates Photography Ltd. For details on these items contact PullmanGallery.com

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RORY BI CKNELL

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film can be very time consuming as everything has to be achieved in camera.’

With analogue labs being almost unheard of now, the film offering is only possible on a commercial basis due to the fact that all the required processes are available in-house. The studio’s 2,250 sq ft boasts E6 and C41 processing and a colour printing darkroom with two Durst enlargers and colour correction done by hand. The studio’s output is strictly driven by client need – film and digital capture sit side by side, but now as time has gone on the studio finds itself able to offer something many others cannot. Rory says: ‘In a way, you could say that we’re lighting experts with decades of experience around photographing antiques. The media that is used to capture the images and methods used to output them is not so much the issue. We can provide whatever is required by the client.’

Whilst digital capture offers great flexibility, Rory points out that every single digital image will need some manipulation: ‘There are particular issues with our subjects that will always need attention.

Wood tends to come out very red / ginger and will need adjustment; fine details in grain and ornamentation will need individual attention when it comes to sharpening to avoid images looking “gritty” and unnatural; contrast is always adjusted in LAB colour rather than RGB so as not to destroy colour tones. All of this work is going to be individual to the piece. We often shoot multiple bracketed frames and will place black velvet in front of furniture and down the sides to prevent light reflecting up into the g

All images © P J Gates Photography Ltd

W ORKI NG PROFI LE

Below left to right: common fixes to colour, reflection and perspective

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RORY BI CKNELL W ORKI NG PROFI LE

front of the piece, making the surface appear milky. We then put frames together in post-production to reinstate the foreground.’

The content that P J Gates produces is mainly for dealers themselves – the individuals who own the pieces. They are used in catalogues, adverts, websites and as prints to hand over to potential buyers. Each year they produce photography for catalogues including for Ronald Phillips and the Pullman Gallery.

‘The way that the piece is lit is the key, and where the experience and knowledge lies. It’s something I have been learning over the past decade and continue to develop every day,’ says Rory. ‘So yes, sometimes I do think of myself as a lighting specialist and not so much a photographer! We will always want to use the right tools for the job and so I would like to keep the film side of the business if financially viable as I feel that the prints that we produce from a negative are far superior and give a richness and depth

of colour that somehow cannot be achieved from a digital print. Of course, there has to be the continuing commercial demand for that output in order for it to be realistic.’

In some cases the client will come to the studio in person to discuss what they wish to show, what type of photography they would like and hence can be advised on how best to achieve the results they are after. It seems to be this role of the photographic problem solver that makes this studio tick and means the next 40 years can be just as captivating. info@pjgates.co.uk

Image © P J Gates Photography Ltd. For details on these items contact PullmanGallery.com

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R A CHEL THORNHI LL LBI PP PROFI LE

The essence of a photographer

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f I wanted to choose a photographer myself, I would want someone with some form of recognition.

Beginning my business two years ago, I looked for something that would push me and say “I am doing all of this properly” – that is what the BIPP meant to me from the start,’ says Rachel Thornhill when we catch up with her following a marketing job for the National Trust.

Rachel was commissioned by the education team at Box Hill in the Surrey hills, to create pictures to help drive a through-put of schools that in turn helps to build up the footfall of the estate and so secure more project funding.

The children there were learning all abount maps, compasses and finding their way – which also meant a lot of rolling around in the grass. Rachel talks about the nitty-gritty of this type of job: ‘Whilst we had releases to allow the children to be recognisable in the pictures, we eventually decided to focus mainly on cutaway shots that communicated the activities and fun being had. All the same, I still have plenty of tangled hedge in my hair right now…

I am specifically trying to vary my work – although portraiture is the main element of my work life, it’s

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important to keep an eye on the business as a whole. Whilst family portraiture is lovely to do and clients tend to come to you via referral and you talking about what you do, that cannot be the be all and end all. This morning’s type of work can achieve the same result of spreading the word about my talents and product but simultaneously open a wider channel and lead to a different type of customer.’

Rachel feels strongly about developing her business around positive partnerships. As seen in the opening image ‘Chasing Bees’ she’s developing a relationship with Mayfield Lavender on the Surrey downs and she feels it’s through making the effort to talk to people that new avenues arise. Rachel says: ‘It’s one of my favourite photographs – the fun we had that day hunting for bugs in the plants, looking at the beautiful butterflies, and in this photograph, chasing bees.

Playing a game, I’d sent Benjamin to the other

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end of the row, then called him back to chase the bee. He was running as fast as he could, and the freedom he felt is shown in his face. I adore the energy and happiness that is radiating from this little man, that brings back the happiness of the day we spent together. I don’t want to develop my business in a hard-edged business-orientated way. I think that being open with people and really doing it in a positive way with goodwill and helping others means the strangest things can and do happen.’

There’s plenty of substance in the statement that Rachel is pretty much her own target customer, and she often references back to her own thoughts about photography as a product.

She says: ‘I needed to know that my work was at a level that I could charge for. I felt that the BIPP was particularly stringent in terms of their review and mentoring processes, and that was key – there’s no point in a membership or qualification that just anyone can have. So confidence was really important to me – that the work I’m producing was of industry standard, coming to work in this industry as I did without any formal photography background.’

Rachel’s first exposure to BIPP review was a portfolio review with David Wheeler. Rachel recalls: ‘I talked at him, continuously, and I’m not sure if he quite knew what had hit him!

He was wonderful at telling me everything that had to be developed (and that was a lot) in a positive way – it left me knowing that I had the building blocks to work on.’ Rachel also went along to a training course hosted by Bella West with Marco Joe Fazio and David Wheeler. Although David was providing a practical weddings session, Rachel hoped she could get something out of the experience. ‘To be fair, at that time I didn’t “get” a lot of it and was hiding in the background. David helpfully brought me into the session and I came away

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on a high. It was a line in the sand for me, realising that the wider world of photography has so much to offer all genres and meeting like-minded people is such a great foundation for progression.’

This experience was followed by attending Michael Wharley’s ‘Losing the flash fear factor’ course. ‘It was amazing,’ Rachel says, ‘he was very laid back, not over-complicating matters and helped me see that I needed to know about this side of photography in order to know when I should be using it. His general positivity helped me enormously. I have definitely got out of the BIPP what I wanted to – and needed to – get out of it. The community side is something I really like and personally I feel it’s vital to have an open mind – for example seeing landscape photographer Charlie Waite talk and engage in Q&A for me just adds tools and awareness to my professional life – often I am putting a person in the landscape and can benefit from a specialist perspective.

For example, this is a photograph from Charlize’s 3rd birthday and really shows her true spirit, as a girly girl that loves the outdoors. Understanding the context of the portraits I’m taking clearly makes a lot of sense and can open the door to new ways of working in the future.’

As a mum to two small boys, Rachel knows the importance of making portrait sessions exciting and engaging for children. She explains: ‘Through games, silliness, songs and imagination, we always

Image © Rachel Thornhill LBIPP

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g have lots of fun! And the best bit? When children are playing, they really come alive, and we get to see a little glimpse of their true personalities.

That’s the spark that you want to remember for years to come. I find it fascinating that photographs become more valuable as time passes.

Their true value is a gift to be discovered by our children in years to come. Imagine the look on their faces when they’re snuggled up with their own children looking through the album of photographs from this very moment. That is something very, very special.’

However, Rachel finds having her own photo taken completely terrifying. Beyond providing a touch point by which people can get to know her, she feels it’s actually most important to put herself in a subject’s shoes: ‘It’s an important experience to know how my clients feel and is all about building rapport. When you can see a tiny hesitation in a face, that’s when the trust isn’t quite there. Taking time to reassure my subject is something that I’ve realised is vitally important through having the experience myself – it makes such a difference when people are relaxed in front of the camera, both to the integrity of the image being captured, and the customer experience being provided. Through mentoring and review I have understood a lot more about what I can do to get a better picture. This photograph was taken as part of an energetic lifestyle family session with Evie, her mum and her older brothers, but what I needed for Evie was the opposite. She is a very pensive young lady, and so I wanted to create something a little calmer and tune in to her personality. Using a vintage mirror, I asked Evie to look at me in the reflection. The window to the right helped bring out the texture of her hair and helps create a soft feel to the portrait. Family portraiture is not about pushing to create ener­ getic moments that you want – it’s about learning to get in sync with who you’re with.’

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A BIPP qualification represents far more than the ability to ‘pass’ a credentials check, though.

Do clients care? Do they understand it? Rachel comments: ‘It says you are behaving in a manner that is required by a known industry body. There are a lot of photographers in my area and I need to show that I am focused, professional and striving to be the best I can be and provide a strong level of service. The continuing process through qualifications means that the photographs I take and clients buy are rising in standard. I think it’s important to bear in mind why and for what end an image is being shot for, and then also take time whenever possible during commissioned shoots to try new things to keep our personal creativity alive. Chris Harper was positive generally about my work but in a way that he was crystal clear about standards and where I had to go. My work improved significantly in the period close to submission. Chris helped me identify my style – until then I didn’t really know what that was – I knew what I liked to take but there was so much shift and variation. I began to think about how images fit together and understand a body of work where someone could recognise your style and say that’s clearly someone’s work.

Perhaps that’s the essence of becoming a photographer – standing on my own two feet and getting on with it and “working it out” were great things to be able to do and formed a background, but finding a recognisable style is possibly where the real name-tag is earnt. Yes, I can happily entertain a group of two years olds for 45 minutes and be on their wavelength. Yes, I can make sure that expectations are set firmly and I strive to give my clients the experience I myself would want. That’s all about professional service, but the piece of you that no one else can emulate is how all of this joins together with the picture you find, that you create. That’s my photography. www.rachelthornhill.co.uk

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VENTURE STUDI OS A DVERTI SEM ENT FEATURE

Eton is an award-winning adventure

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enture has operated its franchise model for the last 17 years, and in this time has established itself as the premium market leader. It is the only nationally recognised brand in the sector, making it truly distinct as a franchise concept. It supports studios from day one with an exceptional training programme whilst the central marketing team generated nearly 20 per cent of customers that visited a Venture studio.

In 2017, 15,000 customers did just that – making it ten times bigger than its nearest competitor. It is this market presence that led to Venture being chosen by Samsung to work on the launch of ‘The Frame’ television – generating high-quality customers for all Venture franchisees and fantastic brand association.

Venture is very proud of the fact that most of its franchisees are on the 3rd or 4th term of their agreement, and strongly believes that the culture within the model is key to this.

Jonny Foster is the studio owner at Eton’s Venture Studios – for him the culmination of a journey that began right out of university. His first job was as a trainee photographer with Venture after graduating from Kent Institute of Art & Design in advertising and fashion photography.

‘Venture was attractive to me with its strong links to fashion and reputation for well-produced imagery,’ he says. ‘And then beyond the photographer role there’s the design and sales side to develop. I felt it was a good place to use my talents.’ Jonny became sales manager and then general manager at the Reading studio and then went to Venture looking to buy his own. ‘I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny and own a studio myself, whilst being part of a larger family.’ The Eton studio – Jonny’s pride and joy – is open six days a week Tuesday to Sunday for sessions and viewings, and quite literally everyone’s welcome… He says: ‘We’ve had horses, reindeer, motorbikes, you name it! If it fits through the doors it can come in. Customers are far more creative than they used to be and they’re coming to Venture for our recognised approach – the essence is people want to have fun, and with us families can create quite a personal atmosphere. The building of a strong client relationship based on trust is hugely important.’

That relationship is carefully built up approaching a session. The diary manager, Zoe, first talks to the client to enable proper pre-planning of the session and to lay the groundwork for one of the four photographers to then have a telephone call with the client a few days before they’re due

in. Jonny explains: ‘We use Pinterest a great deal to understand what people are about, their interests and what makes them happy and so help develop what the session might be like. With a contemporary look to the studio we can have a relaxed chat about what we have planned and they’ll pick out their favourite techniques and then we’ll bespoke that as far as possible once again. The time that goes in, creatively planning a session in line with the clients’ interests certainly forms the basis of a successful shoot. Then it can all come alive before the camera.’

Senior photographer Kirsty says one of her most memorable sessions was only last week: ‘The session was with Ben Harris, his lovely wife Debbie and son Alfie who is 12. Ben has had diabetes for several years and is a double amputee. I was really nervous as I wanted to give them the best “Venture” experience possible and capture their wonderful relationship. Ben was the most amazing and positive, forward-thinking

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human being I think I have ever met and does some fabulous work with the charity SportsAble. We got some lovely energetic, lively and fun family images along with some really beautiful monochrome shots of Ben and Alfie together with their rugby gear which is a big passion for them. The session was all captured by our GoPro camera too, which was an element of the Venture session that Ben loved.’

Kirsty has worked for Venture for more than five years.

She has always had a passion for portraiture and capturing the essence of her subject. The best thing about the job for her is when she sees the families faces smiling and joking throughout the session – as a family should be – knowing that she has played a part in creating a wonderful moment.

Photography trainees at Venture complete a predefined course, divided into ‘core skills’ and ‘advanced skills’ – the objective being to give photographers the knowledge and skills to create the standard of photography that is synonymous with the Venture brand, whilst delivering an amazing customer experience. The training is accredited by the BIPP and photographers completing Venture training can also apply for the work to be assessed to receive BIPP qualifications.

New franchisees complete a mixture of classroom and studio placement training. They must be able to manage each part of a studio operation and ultimately deliver the required customer volume for the studio. Training courses are then available for all studio roles once staff are in place. Venture Studios is also a full member of the British Franchise Association, meaning that the model and training is endorsed by the regulatory body for the UK franchise sector. Venture is a previous winner of the BFA’s franchisee of the year award.

The atmosphere at Jonny’s studio perfectly reflects the Venture culture – a feeling that translates into every single shoot. A session will typically consist of an hour spent with the customers in the studio, with 40-50 edited images created and art worked into a slideshow for the client. These are shown in full room scenes to be properly visualised in situ. Once the product has been designed the images go to their retoucher to create the final high-res files for the lab.

Jonny comments: ‘We’ll typically apply some gentle skin finishes and polish up the overall look and feel. People just expect to look amazing in their pictures. They don’t ask –

I would say these days it’s assumed.’

Jonny’s approach to marketing also has a very modern edge to it, concentrating on partnerships to raise awareness and reach new people. ‘We try to look more at a local angle, supporting events, fairs and auctions, charity events and so on, and also corporate links such as with car dealers – providing add-on purchase gifts. This activity goes hand in hand with maintaining an active on-line and social media presence.’

He’s clearly doing a lot of things right, being winner of the Studio of the Year Award at ‘The Ventures’ this year. Judged across a number of variables including feedback given to head office, a customer satisfaction score, average order value, cancellation rate, creativity and team development, it’s now the fourth time he’s picked up the accolade.

And with a gross turnover for 2017 of £685,000 with an average order of £840, you can see why!

Venture is currently looking for new franchisees in areas across the country, so if you want to be part of the Venture family, contact Michael Wilson on mikewilson@venturephotography.co.uk

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JO N M ACKENZI E | W I NNER ARTS UNIVERSITY BOURNEMOUTH Image © Jon Mackenzie

Jon Mackenzie writes: ‘I’m interested in trying to understand gender stereotypes. My portfolio depicts men who fall into different hegemonic masculine stereotypes. Therefore identifying who to photograph, gaining access to them and persuading people to be photographed is generally my biggest challenge. It involves a lot of research, e-mails and phone calls. I typically shoot alone on locations that I haven’t visited before and use a fair amount of lighting, so the logistics of this can also pose a fair headache.

My course leader, Professor Paul Wenham-Clarke (FBIPP) and mentors have all provided very constructive feedback and helped the development of my aesthetic and theory behind my work throughout my studies. I assisted during and after my BA and have worked as a producer previously. My intention is that after completing my MA I will be ready to freelance as a commercial photographer at an advanced level, which I now feel ready to do. I’ve been fortunate to have had some great mentors on my course. Jane Hilton has been a big influence and support of new work shot in the US and assisting Julia Fullerton-Batten had a noticeable impact on my aesthetic. I’ve always loved meeting new and interesting people from all over the world. I’ve worked out a way to combine that love into my photography by developing my practice as portrait photographer.

A dream commission would be one where I could travel somewhere new, meet and photograph some really interesting people.

I’d love to shoot a story like that for The Telegraph Magazine or The Guardian Weekend.’

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B IPP COLLEGE AWARD 2018

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B IPP COLLEGE AWARD 2018

The tutor writes: ‘After graduating from our BA Commercial Photography course Jon spent a few years working in the industry assisting and later as a producer.

When he joined the MA Commercial Photography course he wanted to make a big personal project rather than make work led by a client’s needs.

He chose the very hot topic of gender identity and then applied a very professional approach to his image making, treating each shoot like a commission.

Jon has worked on his location lighting skills in order to build a distinctive style. It goes against the well-used Hasselblad and 80mm lens, plus film approach, which we have seen so much of, but that’s only one of the reasons his work gets noticed. Another reason is the amazing people he manages to track down and put in front of the lens. It’s one thing having a great idea for a project, but a different ball game getting permission. Often the whole thing grinds to a nasty halt when you can’t find the right people or they won’t answer their e-mail.

Jon is brilliant at researching this and has obtained access to all kinds of interesting people such as bare knuckle boxers, wrestlers and porn stars.

Jon decided that he wanted to go to the US to find particular characters he was interested in.

Again, this is not an easy task – he had to spend time researching

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JO N M ACKENZI E | W I NNER B IPP COLLEGE AWARD 2018

Image © Jon Mackenzie

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who to photograph and how to make contact, then get permission and plan a route to complete the series in the most efficient way. On top of this, how to fund it and make sure he had the necessary kit. It was one long series of challenges he had to overcome. It’s so often the case with photography, shooting the images is the “easy” bit, it’s all the rest that’s particularly difficult.

When students are working away on projects we keep in touch by e-mail and Skype so they can have long-distance tutorials when they need them.

Masters students have recently shot project work abroad in various countries including Ghana, India, the US, Malta, Iceland and Italy. There seems to be a lot of people joining the course who are interested in making portraits for editorial, advertising and documentary use. Young photographers are not hung up on what pigeon holes they should be working in – that’s an old-fashioned way of thinking. They like to shoot across genres such as shooting fashion in a documentary style. They also like to put work out on social media when the project’s half shot, or even just starting.

This goes against the previous decade’s practice of keeping work under your hat until its finished. I think this new openness is very refreshing. It’s an old line but we make our own breaks in this world and we have to go out there an kick doors open. No one is going to come to you – not until you’re famous and that has to be earnt. It’s great to see Jon winning this award because it’s no fluke. He has consistently produced great shots and is a really hard worker who is earning his place in the industry.

Jon’s work demonstrates what a wonderful career photography can offer – if you have the right attitude.’

Professor Paul Wenham-Clarke, Course Leader – MA Commercial Photography

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DEBI HEATH | M ERI T WALSALL COLLEGE

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All images © Debi Heath

B IPP COLLEGE AWARD 2018

The tutor writes: ‘Debi’s work is exceptional and clearly stands above other work from this year in terms of the process, the concept and theory behind the imagery. What is really strong is the underlying links between the ideas explored, the methods employed to develop these concepts and the intended impact on the audience. The overall synergy between these key areas of the practice raise it above the norm.

The professional standard of the outcomes and the complexity and challenging nature of the whole process from shooting to final print has been executed with skill, determination and great care – truly exceptional. There are many areas that have been challenging in this process from balancing a young family and home life along with the demands of the programme is one but above this is the sheer complexity and unpredictability of the experimental process that Debi has explored. These images are not straight forward darkroom warmtone prints. This process has now developed further into a bromoil process.

The course ethos at Walsall College is one of supporting and working with the individual and the individual’s needs, unique desires and directions. There is no house style and no requirement to work in any field, style or medium – digital or darkroom. Debi works across both digital and darkroom but her real passion is darkroom and alternative process. We have given her access to facilities and expertise to help her discover, experiment and explore – she has taken full advantage of the opportunities available to her.

We have been promoting a couple of areas within the institution – darkroom and particularly top-end warmtone and alternative processes. It is a growing area and Debi is the pinnacle of this development. Digital-based product/advertising work is also an area of strength that has shown growth and very strong outcomes over the last few years and much of this is down to links with the BIPP, particularly Bryn Griffiths FBIPP. This year there was a product photographer shooting Ferraris and printing with Chromalux that was a potential for the college award submission. I chose the alternative approach of traditional darkroom as the area to submit as we feel we need to keep these skills and knowledge alive and growing whilst moving it into a 21st century context.

Debi has the expected drive, dedication and desire to achieve the best but the really key area that she responded well to was that she would listen to advice and discuss possibilities in an open, creative and realistic way. This has proven invaluable in allowing her to achieve the highest grades we have awarded to a student, winning awards and competitions as well as achieving her LBIPP and being invited to join the “The Bromoil Circle of Great Britain”.

She is now moving on to an MA and an artist in residency where again these attributes will serve her well. I fully expect her drive, ambition and openness to discuss possibilities; combined with her no compromise approach to quality will ensure she stays at the top of her game as she moves towards the future and her ABIPP.’ Ian Male, Course Leader, HNC, HND, BA Photography, Walsall College Issue Two / 2018 / the PHOTOGRAPHER 31

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DALLAS W EEKS | M ERI T

All images © Dallas Weeks

KI RKLEES COLLEGE

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All images © Dallas Weeks

B IPP COLLEGE AWARD 2018

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STUART BRI DEW ELL W I NNER | OPEN

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018

All images © Stuart Bridewell

WILTSHIRE COLLEGE SALISBURY

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STUART BRI DEW ELL W I NNER | OPEN

Stuart writes: ‘I was hoping the course was going to hone my area of interest – in fact it opened an even bigger world to be explored. Certainly my lighting of people has changed significantly. The graduate project was sparked by a trip to Iceland with the words of another photographer (Tom Oldham) ringing in my ears; “consider a different way of shooting or nailing it outside your comfort zone as so much of it has been shot so well and is really familiar, it’s easy to overlap on work you’ve just seen before – that’s the danger I think”. This was the catalyst I needed to change my attitude, in fact the bleak weather we encountered really added to my determination to capture something different.

Since the course I’ve mainly been photographing couples, pre-wedding work and an incredible one year old boy a week before having a kidney donated to him by his father. I do, however, feel that my work has changed and there is deeper meaning, expression and soulfulness being captured. I think I still need to have my own projects to continue to explore and express what I find through the shots I make. I’m aware I have more consideration of the subject and intended message or use, but there are still intuitive moments when I reach for the camera without thought.’

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018

Image © Stuart Bridewell

WILTSHIRE COLLEGE SALISBURY

g The tutor writes: ‘During his two years studying on

the degree at Salisbury, Stuart developed a personal and critical approach to photography helped, I believe, by the tutorial discussions and seminar conversations students are offered by our degree. What is particularly pleasing is how, in a relatively short period of time, Stuart developed and explored his own sense of visual trope. In the end, Stuart clearly transferred theory into practice, placing his personal definition of pictorial discourse within the arena of spirituality and mindfulness.

Stuart entered the course in Year 2 and so his challenge was to get up to speed with the academic requirements of the course and units offered, whilst balancing a family life and a highly demanding part-time job.

Our USP at Salisbury is the tutorial and 1-2-1 support we can offer our students. They are not a number to us, they are aspiring professional photographers and we treat them as such. All our staff have a commercial background in photography and we are lucky enough to offer great resources, great facilities and great support on a daily basis.

Lots of students come from a comfort zone of supported investigation and grade guidance. Students appear to be reluctant to fail. We interview students and promise them a supported environment with key caveats. These caveats include the suggestion that students need to “take off the stabilisers” and be brave enough to explore and experiment without overbearing guidance – “dare to get it wrong, dare to fail”; engage in self-development and critical self-reflection and be open to practice-based discussion with staff and peers alike in order to “get it right”. A student who focuses on grades will fail to develop because they will produce “safe repeated work” to achieve that grade. They will not be able to offer or exploit a broader and expansive photographic narrative. A successful professional photographer is successful because they have developed a unique, expansive and engaging way to visualise the world, not because of the grade they got at an arbitrary academic exit point.

Students must explore and investigate, listen to the views of others but ultimately trust in their own skills and trust their eye. It’s about trusting how you see the world, using the theoretical and pictorial discourse developed during the course to frame your viewpoint.’

Patrick Denis, Programme Leader, Wiltshire College Salisbury Issue Two / 2018 / the PHOTOGRAPHER 37

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M ARTA DROZDZ JOI NT RUNNER- UP | OPEN

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018 EDINBURGH COLLEGE

All images © Marta Drozdz

Marta writes: ‘Landed was a collaboration between award-winning fashion designer Rhys McKenna and myself. I saw his work on-line and instantly knew that I wanted to create an editorial with it. The pieces reminded me of medieval armour and science fiction movies so I started to develop my own narrative from there. On the day of the shoot I had a model fail to show up and my assistant cancel last minute. Luckily Rhys and the two other models helped me out with carrying all my equipment… My long-term ambition is to continue creating strong narrative-based editorials. I want to make work that questions and provokes discussion on the themes I base them on. There are a lot of photographers who inspire me but the big names would be Sølve Sundsbø, Georges Antoni, Emma Summerton and Patrick Demarchelier. A dream commission would be to work with designers from around the world. I love collaborating with like-minded creative people!’

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ERI K STRAKOTA

All images © Erik Strakota

JOI NT RUNNER- UP | OPEN

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018 EDINBURGH COLLEGE

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GABRI ELA PI ENI AZEK

All images © Gabriela Pieniazek

STUDENT OF THE YEAR

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018 EDINBURGH COLLEGE

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AUDREY PEDDI E

All images © Audrey Peddie

W I NNER | COM M ERCI AL

Audrey Peddie writes: ‘The fishing industry has always intrigued me so in the summer of 2017 I started researching how the fishing industry has shaped the local communities of the East Neuk of Fife. This inspired me firstly, to create fine art composites of fish with signifiers (runner-up, visual arts, BIPP student awards) and then photographing live folk music associated with the ballads from the Newhaven Fishwives that Hall and Adamson photographed in 184347. A curial part of my portfolio was to hit the North Sea on a fishing boat which left from Pittenweem, allowing me to record the daily work of the local fishermen.

These are traditional fishing boats with little modern technology. Fishing in the North Sea can be extremely dangerous and complex, so it was imperative to gain the fisherman’s confidence and trust. I had to abide by strict directions – “safe” areas constantly changed as they pulled their nets in or when creels were cast. Being female could have also potentially posed an issue as old superstition has it that it is unlucky to have a woman on board. Luckily this never posed a problem.

Work on board was very fast, I quietly watched the first haul which gave me an understanding of what was happening and what images I could capture. This portfolio

was from both trawler and creel boats fishing for prawns, lobsters and crabs.

The weather then posed a major challenge with the ‘Beast from the East’, – a freak snow storm followed by severe gales and high tides which caused the fisherman’s creels to become torn and tangled. This was followed by a down turn in the quality and quantity of shell fish due to the spring spawning season – all posing difficult times when it was impossible for the fishermen to work.

My lecturers at Edinburgh College go above and beyond for their students – with regular reviews of my work and discussions on how I could achieve better results – for example by shooting wider to see more of the story, and questioning whether I should interact with the fishermen to “set up” an image. I did not do this as I didn’t want to disrupt their work flow – I preferred to watch and capture candid moments. The fishermen were too busy working to really notice me photographing them and I also did not photograph their rest periods as personally I felt this was their private time. Research showed that due to the layout of the boats, it is often the backs of people that is seen by the camera. This was something that I then tried hard to avoid… but no image could really be planned.’

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018 EDINBURGH COLLEGE

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SARAH NEW M AN M ERI T

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B IP P STUDENT AWARDS 2018 EDINBURGH COLLEGE Gavin Smart is an amazing problem solver. His work is storyboarded from the beginning allowing him to make a series of photographs which will be layered together in post-production. What makes his work stand out is the attention to detail and how he works out the direction of light, depth of contrast and colour grade based on the original landscape back plate. He is a very skilled model maker which helps him create complex sets in the studio.

He is the one to watch in the future as he hones his skills as an advertising photographer. Gavin has already been commissioned by The Leith Agency to shoot a project for the Royal Bank of Scotland which was featured on billboards across Scotland. He was also the BIPP Student Photographer of the Year last year.

Marta’s work is aimed at the fashion market, combining contemporary youth culture and excellent conceptual ideas based around beauty and gender. It’s a competitive market, so we are over the moon that the judges selected her work in the Awards. Hopefully this will give her a platform for the future.

Overall it’s great news again that so many of our students have featured in the BIPP Student Awards this year.

They follow in the footsteps of our many alumni, helping us promote the quality of photography delivered at Edinburgh College. We are proud supporters of the BIPP and look forward to next year.

Jon Lee, Course Leader, BA Professional Photography, Edinburgh College www.edinburghcollegephotography.co.uk

All images © Sarah Newman

The tutor writes: ‘As course leader of BA Professional Photography at Edinburgh College I would like to speak for the rest of the photography lecturers at Edinburgh College to say we are delighted that so many of our students won awards in the BIPP Student Awards 2018.

A great end to the academic year to see Audrey Peddie, Sarah Newman, Gavin Smart and Marta Drodz winning so many accolades – congratulations from all of the staff.

They have again this year made highly thought-provoking and complex photographs.

Audrey’s work comes from a larger project documenting the commercial fishing industry in the North East Coast of Scotland. She worked extremely hard throughout the year building up a network of contacts within the fishing industry and negotiating access to many trips out to sea to photograph the men at work – much trust was needed to allow this to happen. Based in Fife, her project was personal looking at the hardship and challenges of the fishing industry, the highs, the lows and its decline.

Her work is technically strong and full of narrative. We are so pleased that this was selected as the winning series in the Commercial category and that her efforts have been rewarded by the BIPP. Sarah’s work is aimed towards the advertising and editorial market, which ranges from still life to people shots. She starts with a concept and builds the photograph, usually in the studio, carefully using lighting and post-production skills to make visually arresting work.

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GAVI N SM ART

All images © Gavin Smart

M ERI T | COM M ERCI AL

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EDI NBURGH COLLEGE

All images © Gavin Smart

M ERI T | VI SUAL ARTS

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C O MPA N Y PA RT N E R S

L.

Type produces the world’s only 400ppi ultra-high-quality silver halide prints, available as individual prints, portfolios and photobooks.

Having designed and built their own printers from scratch, L.Type applies 21st century digital technology to expose traditional silver halide (‘C-Type’) paper to a previously unachievable level of accuracy. Printing at 400 pixels per inch, L.Type can reveal all the detail that a young human eye can see at arm’s length.

A

IM has recently launched a new insurance package for the modern professional photographer. The photographers’ package insurance policy provides a comprehensive range of covers including photographic camera and computer equipment, public liability, employers liability, professional indemnity, money and legal expenses. It combines very competitive premiums via interest free Direct Debit with leading edge cover, which has been extended to help deal with some of the risks associated with operating in the digital environment.

Presentation is key to the L.Type experience too – L.Type prints are beautifully packaged and can be presented in an exclusive portfolio box for maximum impact. Every print is hand-trimmed and individually checked to make sure you get the very best. And every print is subject to 100% replacement guarantee if you are not completely happy. Special prices are available for BIPP members and exclusive portfolio packages available for qualification purposes. www.l-type.com

Examples include: • computer and equipment breakdown, • data reinstatement • cover against damage caused by computer hackers This year we have appointed AIM as broker to look after the BIPP’s own insurances. As well as providing a significant cost saving, we can thoroughly recommend from first-hand experience their friendly personal service. Please do give them a try when your renewal comes around! www.aimriskervices.com

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COM PANY PARTNE RS

T

rust the UK’s leading, multi award-winning professional print lab to print your images.

Loxley Colour has a long history in the photography industry, which has given us invaluable insight into what makes the perfect printed product. Choose from a wide range of hand made products direct to you or your customer from our 72, 000 sq. ft. facilities located in the UK. Whether it’s photographic and Giclée prints, the iconic Bellissimo albums range, wall products that wow or a complete mounting and framing service that offers

E

stablished in 1965 in the heart of London, AC Cooper has been providing Photography and Print services for over 50 years. As specialists in the industry we produce the highest quality of work to a diverse range of clientele, Auction houses, Luxury brands, Photographers, Artists, Private Collectors and other like-minded creatives. We provide a personal touch and have an open, dynamic approach to our work. AC

photographers limitless options, Loxley Colour is the lab of choice for professional photographers who care about quality.

Enjoy Complimentary Colour Correction, a free test prints service and excusive discounts for BIPP members' qualifications prints.

Quick, convenient online ordering and an award winning customer service team make partnering with Loxley easy. For more information visit the website or contact us on 0845 519 5000 or cs@loxleycolour.com www.loxleycolour.com

Cooper is a reputable name that is recognised and trusted within the sector.

Being an accredited Hahnemuhle certified studio assures our clients of continual excellence, in all we do.

Our friendly and professional team are experienced in all aspects of photography and printing, providing unsurpassable quality and expertise. www.ac-cooper.com

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RE G IO N S & E VE N T S

South East | BIPP SOUTH EAST AWARDS 2018 - NOW OPEN | Deadline for entries Friday 14 September 2018

How to enter: • Submit 10x8 Prints along with digital files that can be on a CD, memory stick or you can Dropbox the digital files to awards@bipp.com • Provisional, Student Members & Friends can only submit in their one relevant category.

• The file name for each image should be the image title plus your membership number (eg, Sunrise over Desert/5004).

• An Entry Form is needed for each image and MUST be attached to the back of the image (available online).

• All forms must include the title of the image, the category and your name.

• Payment for entries – £5 inc VAT per image – please call the office on 01296 642020 to pay for your entries once you submit them.

• Send your entries to 'BIPP SOUTH EAST AWARDS' at BIPP, Ardenham Court, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8HT to arrive no later than 5pm Friday 14 September 2018

Categories: • Abstract/Illustrative • Advertising (including product & commercial) • Architecture • Fashion, Hair & Beauty • Fine Art • Forensic • Friends • Industrial • Landscape • Non-commissioned • Open (non BIPP Members only) • People & Portraiture (including pets, babies, children, relevant events (eg corporate hospitality, balls etc) • Photojournalism (including press & pr, editorial, sport, all other relevant events, HM Forces) • Provisional • Science & Nature (including wildlife, macro, medical, scientific) For full rules of entry, • Student see www.bipp.com • Wedding

Cotswolds | BIPP COTSWOLD REGION AWARDS - NOW OPEN | Deadline for entries Friday 28 September 2018

How to enter: • Submit digital files on a CD or memory stick, or dropbox awards@bipp.com • Provisional, Student Members & Friends can only submit in their one relevant category.

• The file name for each image should be the image title plus your name and membership number.

• An Entry Form is needed for each image (although payment details only need to go on one form). All forms must include the title of the image, the category and your name.

• Payment for all entries must be included: £6 per image (inc VAT). Please make sure you include your payment details with your digital files.

• If sending by post, send your entries to 'BIPP COTSWOLD AWARDS' at BIPP, Ardenham Court, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8HT. Entries are to arrive no later than 5pm on Friday 28 September 2018.

• Shortlisted entries will be asked to provide a print at a later date.

Categories: • Abstract/Illustrative • Advertising (including product & commercial) • Architecture • Fashion, Hair & Beauty • Fine Art • Forensic • Friends • Industrial • Landscape • Non-commissioned • Open (non BIPP Members only) • People & Portraiture (including pets, babies, children, relevant events (eg corporate hospitality, balls etc) • Photojournalism (including press & pr, editorial, sport, all other relevant events, HM Forces) • Provisional • Science & Nature (including wildlife, macro, medical, scientific) For full rules of entry, • Student see www.bipp.com • Wedding

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REGI ONS & EVEN TS

Membership Services Advisory Board & Annual General Meeting WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2018

This is your chance to get involved! If you’d like to join the team working to take the Institute forward, please let us know. There are some vacancies becoming available on our Membership Services Advisory Board. Being part of the MSAB involves a couple of meetings a year but most communication is by email or phone. If you’d like to know more about the election process and what the roles involve, please email or call Chris (chris@bipp.com).

The next Annual General Meeting of the British Institute of Professional Photography will be held on Wednesday 28 November 2018 commencing at 2pm, at the Holiday Inn Aylesbury, New Road, Weston Turville, Aylesbury HP22 5QT.

2018 Qualification Assessment Dates

Licentiate & Associate Wednesday 10 October 2018 Buckinghamshire Licentiate & Associate Wednesday 7 November 2018 Buckinghamshire Fellowship Thursday 8 November 2018 Buckinghamshire Important information • The non-transferrable/non-refundable fee for 2018 is £150 inc VAT. • At least 4 weeks before Assessment (by the deadline date) the following items need to be sent to Head Office: • Completed Membership Application Form (for non-members) • Completed Qualification Submission Form • Submission Fee • 4 copies of your Supporting Evidence • Copies of Professional Insurance • Your disc of 25-50 images including digital copies of your supporting evidence • Printed images (or albums in the

case of Weddings) & supporting evidence should be taken on the assessment day • Please note that you must have booked and submitted your paperwork, CDs and supporting evidence by the submission deadline.

Assessment day • On the day of your Assessment you will need to attend with your portfolio of 25-50 images and any other supporting evidence which is not contained in the book or folder submitted previously.

Please note You are able to book your assessment online however it cannot be confirmed until your Qualification Submission Form, submission fee and supporting documentation have all been received

by Head Office.

Regional contacts Cotswolds Stefanie Calleja-Gera ABIPP stef@scg-photography.com Midlands David Taylor FBIPP david@chapelstudio photography.co.uk North East Kevin Weatherly LBIPP kevinweatherly@mac.com North West Jonathan Beer FBIPP info@jonathanbeer.co.uk Northern Ireland David Campbell ABIPP marlin1@btconnect.com Scotland Jon Lee ABIPP jonleephoto@o2.co.uk South East Chris Harper FBIPP chris@bipp.com South West Bella West FBIPP bellawest@me.com Yorkshire Katrina Whitehead LBIPP katrinabipp@gmail.com

Please note that no refund will be given in the event that you wish to change or cancel your assessment.

If you have any queries please contact Head Office on 01296 642020.

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Chronicles of conflict

‘T

he situation in Syria is said to be complicated and few try to explain it,’ comments photographer Claire Glasscoe. ‘In all my discussions over the last six years with Syrians from all walks of life and circumstance, the message could not be clearer or more consistent – the revolution is a popular uprising of people, across the entire spectrum of society who have had enough of repression and demand justice, equality and freedom for all.’

The heart-breaking scenes of destruction and suffering seen in the news is the response of the Syrian government to resistance in its people. Claire explains: ‘The disaster that is Syria now, is man-made – that man is Bashar al-Assad.’ Witnessing the horror of the Syrian conflict through the media, Claire set about the beginnings of a wide-ranging and ambitious project to tell some of the untold stories behind the conflict, and in so doing attempt to make some sense of it all.

Her website www.thema-sy.org.uk attempts to explain diverse tales of resistance, resilience, mutual support, rebellion, active and passive involvement, hardship and extraordinary patience. Putting some hard facts behind the news coverage, The Syrian Centre for Policy Research produced a sobering report in February 2016 entitled ‘Confronting

g

Invited for breakfast with the neighbours – Jenan and Nouri relax in the shade of grape vines and fig trees in the garden next door to the clinic in Reyhanli where the neighbours are preparing Turkish coffee for the technicians they support. The National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs aims to help people who have undergone amputations as a result of Syrian war by providing them with prosthetic body parts as the first step in their rehabilitation. Established in February 2013 by a group of Syrian doctors living overseas, it is a non-profit organisation serving people in Syria and Turkey.

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C LAI RE GLASSCOE LBI PP DOCUM ENTARY

Image © Claire Glasscoe LBIPP

Names have been changed throughout to protect the identity of the individuals concerned

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Right: People with guns frighten 12-year-old Rasha and Fragmentation’. It outlines the extent of the devastawhen she hears a plane she stops what she is doing and tion in real terms. The population of Syria in 2011 freezes. Hanan says her daughter was a happy, bright girl was 23 million, but by 2016 it had fallen by 5 mildoing well at school before her injury. She has not been to lion – in normal circumstances it would have risen. school since the bomb exploded and her behaviour at home Average life expectancy has dropped by 15 years, from is difficult. Hanan doesn’t blame Rasha for being angry 70.5 in 2010 to 55.4 years in 2015. More than half of as she is the one most affected by these events. Despite the all families have been displaced from their homes. destruction of their home they are anxious to return to Syria.

How did Claire come to delve into the darkness of the conflict? She has a background in systemic Below: Yameen’s story began when he was 15 years old psychotherapy and health service research, docin 1980 and accused of being part of the banned Muslim umenting stories about diversity, adversity and Brotherhood organisation that was spuriously said to be an resilience. Now working as an independent pho‘agent of Israel’. He was arrested at night and taken to the tojournalist, she retains an honorary associatemilitary Intelligence branch in Idlib. Yameen ‘confessed’ to ship with the University of Liverpool, Institute being an MB member even though it was not true due to of Translational Medicine and her current work his torture. After two months’ solitary confinement he was brings together both aspects of the way she hopes to moved to Tadmor Prison, Palmyra where he was summarily present personal experiences with both images and detained for 111/2 years. The prison regimen was designed as words. The website acronym THEMA stands for a brutal ‘correction’ centre with a significant proportion of Translating Humanitarian Emergency into Medical Yameen’s inmates being professionals and intellectuals from Aid. It concentrates on documenting medical aid to Syria from the border zone – focusing on services g Idlib. On his release, Yameen became a translator.

Image © Claire Glasscoe LBIPP

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CLAI RE GLASSCOE LBI PP

Image © Claire Glasscoe LBIPP

DOCUM ENTARY

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for Syrians delivered by Syrians. She says: ‘This work involves placing events in context, understanding and telling the wider story. It is a complex tapestry and perhaps at some point, when a clearer path for Syria emerges, the project will be frozen in time to form a documentary narrative and photographic account – but at present the situation remains fluid.

It is an evolving story.’

Casting back to the late 1980s, Claire was living in London and working as a psychiatric social worker in the child mental health service, working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

She enrolled on a course in Photojournalism at the London College of Printing – which turned out to be a complete inspiration: ‘The teaching and critique from eminent image producers and editors of the day such as Bert Hardy of the Picture Post and Colin Jacobson, picture editor for the Independent newspaper, genuinely was a revelation to me.’ g

Right: Nouri is carefully forming a laminate mould around a plaster cast for a prosthesis, so it fits the exact contours of the amputee’s intact body and stump.

Below: Aziz, a taxi driver in a free area of Damascus was riddled with shrapnel from the missile as it exploded. He was taken to a field hospital in Arsal, over the border in Lebanon for surgery and then a rehabilitation house to recover. This house though had previously been a Sunni mosque and therefore controversial in a predominantly Shia area. It was closed down one month after Aziz arrived and he was sent back to Syria. Meanwhile, the free area of Damascus where Aziz lived had been reclaimed by the Assad regime. He decided to travel to Turkey with his family to seek help from an ophthalmologist. His hope was two-fold – that the pain in his right eye could be managed and that its vision could be restored by 10% in preference to having a glass eye. The ophthalmologist though was not so hopeful.

Image © Claire Glasscoe LBIPP

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It is estimated that 80,000 people in Syria are in need of a prosthesis or an orthosis, and so this became one major focus point of the THEMA project, The National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs.

Based in Reyhanli – a small town in Western Turkey as close as it is possible to go towards Syria without crossing the border – Claire says the story is about a core network of Syrians helping one another: ‘… those who work tirelessly to provide a muchneeded service under duress and those in dire, often harrowing circumstances who receive a promise to restore their mobility and some agency in the world.

There are also those who can tell both sides of the story – as they are not only the recipient of a prosthesis but also a provider for one. My focus is one of asking questions, trying to understand and make sense of something that was outside my experience before 2011. The stories I have recorded have been gathered in an opportunistic way from places on the border-zone where healthcare is provided to Syrians, free at the point of delivery.’ www.thema-sy.org.uk | www.digitalphotoart.ltd.uk

Right: Three-year old Mahmoud was playing when the aerial bombing raid began. His mother picked him up and ran with him to the nearby hospital. It was in fact the hospital that was the intended target, but the Syrian regime’s missiles missed their target and at that moment she didn’t give it a second thought that there might be a ‘double tap’ strike intended to hit first responders.

Reem expresses dismay at her son’s reluctance to wear the prosthetic limbs they have travelled from Idlib for as well as the content of his play, which can be interpreted in various ways. Many parents worry how the war is affecting their children psychologically.

Below: Three students compare notes after completing their 2nd year exams in anaesthetics. The conflict interrupted the education of a whole generation of potential doctors.

Healthcare is routinely targeted by the government. For now these young men are training in Turkey at a Syrian institute of education, so they can provide an anaesthetist’s service to their fellow Syrians either side of the border. One day they hope they can complete their training and become fully fledged medical practitioners.

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Right: Muhammad’s destiny was sealed when his little brother was killed early in the conflict by an air raid in Idlib – this was opposition territory. His parents were imprisoned by the regime along with his sister, who was pregnant when she was released, and this deepened Muhammad’s resolve to fight for freedom, dignity and justice. He was an active combatant with the Free Syrian Army and sleeping when the vacuum bomb levelled the building in which he was staying. The suction caused the ceilings to collapse, and he needed to be dug out of the rubble. Following lifesaving surgery in a field hospital, Muhammad needed a prosthesis for his amputation and a polypropylene orthosis to address the spasticity in his left hand, all of which was possible in Turkey. After entrusting his personal records to me for documentary purposes, he returned to Aleppo where he has lost touch – presumed dead.

Image © Claire Glasscoe LBIPP

Below: Zabadani and Medaya, two linked opposition enclaves north of Damascus were increasingly under siege by the Assad regime from 2013 until 2015 when a total blockade was in place. Basmin lived in Zabadani with his family where bombs rained down from the sky every day for four years. He describes the regime’s tactics to defeat them and the strategies for survival they developed, but with sparse UN aid deliveries many children and elderly starved to death. Basmin was injured twice and the second time he was paralysed. A similar pair of enclaves in Idlib, Kafarya and Al Fu’ah were loyal to the regime and besieged by the opposition – so a deal was struck. Basmin was included in an exchange of injured people from these opposing sides and was evacuated along with 128 others to Lebanon then by plane to Turkey. On the other side, 328 were evacuated from Idlib to Turkey then put on a plane to Lebanon.

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Jakar, Bhutan, Eastern Himalayas: the early morning sunlight reveals smoke of incense rising above religious sites on the hillside opposite. From The Magical Charm of Drukyul by Claire Glasscoe

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guess there are just as many clichés around photography as there are any other subject, but one of the all-time favourite idioms across the board must be ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’… and so in that case there are a whole lot of words in this magazine. However, consider the phrase a little more closely – you’ve just read about Claire Glasscoe’s work around the Syrian conflict which is a very difficult issue to discuss simply because of its complexity. I’m sure that Claire would agree that this is a part of the work that has proven a real challenge. Her world is so full of detailed information and analysis, thought and feeling that the story almost becomes too big, too hard to tell.

It’s the very definition of the documentary genre: using pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual report on a particular subject.

Our understanding of the issues and the purpose behind Claire’s work is wildly enhanced by her pictures – they have the power to change perception and challenge assumption in a manner that words alone could never muster. At the start of July 2018, Syrian regime forces raised their flag above the southern town of Deraa. It was here that the uprising began on 6 March 2011.

Back then, Bashar al-Assad’s fall was expected to be just ‘a matter of time’. But that event has not come to pass, thanks to considerable outside influence. Time passes, events change, but the stories of suffering cannot disappear thanks in some part to Claire’s efforts that can form a part of permanent history. The tale of Syria is described in some quarters as an ‘epic failure of our age’.

When in eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, Sarin nerve gas dropped from the air, the US blinked and effectively withdrew from its self-proclaimed role as global policeman. What started as ‘a bit of local disturbance’ involving naughty children, now represents a major shift in the global balance of power.

Jonathan Briggs, Editor

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