Engagement - Online Talks

John Bulmer

14 October 2020

John Bulmer

This first Engagement talk featured Award Winning Documentary Photographer and Film Maker, John Bulmer.

John was a pioneer of colour photography in the early 1960’s working for the Sunday Times Magazine from the very first issue till the 1970’s.

He photographed stories for Town Magazine, a fashion magazine that became well known for good photography, using others such as Terrence Donovan, David Bailey and Don McCullin. John Bulmer did many ground-breaking stories for them including; The Black Country, Nelson, The North, as well as overseas stories in South America, Africa, New Guinea and Indonesia.

The Sunday Times then produced the first of the Colour Supplements, later copied by all the newspapers. John Bulmer shared the cover of the first issue with David Bailey. Many of Bulmer’s most important assignments were abroad, but he was also acknowledged as an adroit recorder of provincial Britain. His reputation as a recorder of the industrial cityscape was probably gained at Town, where he was responsible for stories on Nelson, Lancashire, The Black Country, and The North is dead.

John moved into making documentary films. He filmed a programme on the life of Van Gogh in the South of France, directed by Mai Zetterling, and went on to direct many films on travel and untouched tribes in the most inaccessible parts of the world. These were primarily shown on BBC, Nat Geo and Discovery Channel.

John’s work can be found here: www.johnbulmer.co.uk

He has published two books with Bluecoat Press: The North and Wind of Change.

Margaret Mitchell

12 November 2020

Margaret Mitchell

Margaret Mitchell is a Scottish documentary and portrait photographer whose work ranges from exploring communities and children’s worlds through to longterm documentation projects on environment, opportunity and social inequality.

Her photography explores the intricacies and complexities of people’s lives with a particular emphasis on place and belonging. Responsibility, dialogue and collaboration are key components in her approach.

Mitchell’s talk will take us on a journey through her early documentary practice through to current day work. Within this she will discuss her long-term projects ‘Family’ and ‘In This Place’ which address both personal and political issues and can be seen in her upcoming book with Bluecoat Press.

Mitchell is the recipient of a number of awards including within the Sony World Photography Awards and The Royal Photographic Society’s IPE160. Work has been exhibited widely including at the National Portrait Gallery, London; FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby; Festival Circulation(s), Paris; Somerset House, London; the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh and Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow.

Alongside working on personal projects, clients include the Guardian, Shelter, Telegraph magazine and CNN. Her work is held in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Margarets’ work can be found here: margaretmitchell.co.uk

Her new book is published by Bluecoat Press.

rps.org/events/groups/documentary/2020/november/engagement-margaretmitchell

Mik Critchlow

26 November 2020

Mik Critchlow

Mik Critchlow is a British Social Documentary Photographer based in the North East of England.

He began a long-term photography project documenting his home town of Ashington, Northumberland. The son of a miner, he has worked in the community with a deep-rooted empathy for the townsfolk, documenting the area and it’s people during a period of social and environmental change.

His work is held in public and private collections and has been exhibited and published widely including: Side Gallery, Amber-Side Collection, Brunel University, Durham Art Gallery, Arts Council England, Northern Arts, The British Journal of Photography, and Creative Camera.

Recent exhibitions include: ‘Forever Amber’ - Laing Art Gallery (2014), ‘The Share’ - Northern Rock Gallery (2014), ‘About the North - Imagined Dialogues’ - Side Gallery (2018), ‘WORK + WORKERS’ - Side Gallery (2019) and ‘Photo-North Festival’ - Harrogate Conference Centre (2019).

He recently published Coal Town, his long term project about Ashington, his home town. Coal Town, is published by Bluecoat Press.

Mik’s work can be found here: www.mikcritchlow.com

rps.org/events/groups/documentary/2020/november/engagement-mik-critchlow

Jim Mortram

10 December 2020

Si, Kirsty and Bandit. ‘All the millionaires and that, they are sat there in their big houses and judge us. The benefits people always fob us off, every week they say “You can’t expect us to give you money straight away.” and yeah, that’s alright but you don’t know how we have to live, what state we have to live in and you’re there going home to your nice food, to your brand new car, a seven bedroom house and we’re left here and no one has a care in the world.’

Jim Mortram

This Engagement talk features Award Winning Social Documentary Photographer and Creator of Small Town Inertia, Jim Mortram.

Jim lives near Dereham, a small town in Norfolk. Dereham is no different from thousands of other communities throughout Britain, where increasing numbers of people struggle to survive at a time of welfare cuts and failing health services. For over seven years, Jim has been photographing the lives of people in his community who, through physical and mental problems and a failing social security system, face isolation and loneliness in their daily lives. His work covers difficult subjects such as disability, addiction and self-harm, but is always with hope and dignity, focusing upon the strength and resilience of the people he photographs. Small Town Inertia is a remarkable body of work. A full-time carer for his mother, Jim is, like his subjects, unable to escape from the geographical confines of his hometown and his understanding and sympathy for his struggling neighbours is apparent in every photograph.

The event will be around 90 minute and is free. However, we invite you to make a £5 donation which will be forwarded to the charity Trussell Trust, which is working to stop UK hunger and poverty.

Jim’s work can be found here: jamortram.co.uk & smalltowninertia.co.uk

rps.org/events/groups/documentary/2020/december/engagement-jim-mortram

Arteh Odjidja

25 February 2021

Arteh Odjidja

Arteh Odjidja is an award-winning portrait photographer and educator born and raised in London. Arteh considers London to be his home and a place of inspiration for his work. He also draws much inspiration from his global travels and his focus on empowerment through the medium of portraiture.

He has been commissioned to create work for some of the world’s most recognized brands and organisations including Virgin Atlantic, Christian Dior,Paul Smith, Ozwald Boateng Savile Row, Mont blanc, Oxfam-UK to name a few. Over the last 7 years, Arteh has also been active as an ambassador photographer for Leica Camera UK–allowing him to share his knowledge and experience through handson workshops and presentations throughout the UK.

Arteh’s growing passion to make a positive impact through his work has led him to explore international project-based assignments and self-initiated personal projects, that challenge our sense of privilege and equality in our modern world. His well publicised ‘The Stranger Series’ Project which profiles the stories of young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds has been exhibited extensively throughout the US and UK in prominent galleries and public museums including the Tate Modern, The British Museum, City Hall London and the Museum of Contemporary Photography–Chicago.

Arteh’s work can be found here: www.arteh.co.uk Arteh’s

The Stranger Series project will be published by Bluecoat following a Kickstarter campaign.

rps.org/events/groups/documentary/2021/february/engagement-arteh-odjidja