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Photo Stories
In tandem with Pathos Images
Editor’s Note This newspaper edition, in partnership with Pathos Images, is a collection of photo stories, encompassing social documentary, portraiture and journalism, from 19 different photographers. The stories cover a wide range of topics from cold water swimming to the complex relationships between siblings, from the UK to Africa, from personal reflections to inspiring women. Each photographer has approached their work from a documentary grounding, thus focusing on capturing the reality of today’s society as it happens before the lens. The sheer variety of work displayed highlights the determination of this collective to create work in a competitive and saturated market. Each of the images showcased has been carefully selected and edited to represent the wider bodies of work, as well as illustrating the diversity of stories around the world, from personal circumstance to current affairs. We invite you, the reader, to spend time with the work, in the hopes that you get a sense of the enormity and importance of photography as a medium for storytelling. Engage, reflect, revisit. As this group of photographers did when making the work.
Edited by Beth Prodger, Emily Hutchinson, and Joseph Walshe Cover Image by Scarlett Hills-Brooks
Contents
Dan Hill
The Rise of Ball
Siblings
www.bethprodger.com 07464382507 bethprodgerphoto@gmail.com @bethprodger_photo
Eli Perriment
p.7
Sometimes Home
www.elijohnathan.com 07547371409 elijohnathanphoto@gmail.com @elijohnathan
Lawrie Barton Two Banks
p.11
www.lawriebarton.com 07720939702 mail@lawriebarton.com
Georgia Fountain Julie and Julian
p.13
www.georgiafountainphotography.com 07903790971 georgia.fountain@hotmail.com @georgeephotography
Emily Hutchinson 50 / Fifty
p.17
www.emilyhutchinson-photography.co.uk 07539569592 ehutchinson19@outlook.com @emily_grace.photos
Faces of Strength www.jessrixphotography.com
07393827589
07853409690
contact@danhillphotography.co.uk
jessrixphotography@gmail.com
@danhillphotography
@jessrix_photography
Tidal Women
p.3
Jess Rix
www.danhillphotography.co.uk
Scarlett Hills-Brooks
Beth Prodger
p.21
p.25
Euan Wilson Shenfield
www.scarletthillsbrooks.com
www.euanwilsonphotography.com
07599673467
07557475975
shillsbrooks@icloud.com
euanwilson18@gmail.com
@shillsbrooksphotogrphy
@euanwilsonphotography
Narra Fortin Lost Loves
p.29
Jack Rodine
Workers of Nigeria
www.narrajasmine.com
www.jackrodinephotography.co.uk
07366095667
07517858529
narraedh@gmail.com
jackrphotos@gmail.com
@narrajasmine
@jackr_photos
Joseph Walshe Isle of Dogs
p.31
Ranni Samuda Tank Crossings
www.josephwalshephoto.com
www.rannisamuda.co.uk
07570107505
07470430223
josephwalshephoto@gmail.com
rannisamuda@gmail.com
@josephwalshephoto
@rannisamudaphotog
Paris Kondal Dehlia
p.35
Ellie Kaye
Shock Horror
www.pariskondal.com
www.elliekayephotography.com
07376108032
07931150211
pariskondal@hotmail.co.uk
ellielousiekaye56@gmail.com
@pariskondal
@elliekayephotography
Katie Sillett
Samo and Woody
p.39
Holly Parkinson East Africa
www.katiesillett.com
www.hollyparkinsonphotography.co.uk
07934864960
07432119948
katiesillettphotography@yahoo.com
holly.p.photography18@gmail.com
@katiesillet.photography
@holly.p.photography
Tom Newman
This Green and Pleasant Land
p.43
Ollie Norcott
Father and Son on the Farm
p.47
p.49
p.53
p.57
p.61
p.65
p.69
www.tomnewmanphoto.com
www.ojnorcottphotography.wordpress.com
07527899234
07518161468
tomnewmanphotography@outlook.com
ollie.norcott@gmail.com
@tomnewmanphotography
@olliejnorcott
Beth Prodger Siblings
Siblings are complex. The relationship between siblings is, in most cases, incomparable to another relationship in your life. At least, this is the case for me. Cicirelli (1995) stated “the relationship with a sibling is usually the longest relationship that an individual will experience in their lifetime.” This duration is not measured by the quality of time spent together, but rather for how long that person has or will be in your life. With this project I wanted to explore the interaction between siblings whilst observing their relationship too. From the offset, I wanted to gain a greater insight into how and why sibling relationships differ between families. I grew up in an environment with aunts and uncles that I never saw or visited due to family issues. Whereas my sister and I are very close we, like many other siblings, have experienced our ups and downs. Retrospectively, I know much of this was down to me idolising my sister. From my experience spent with different sets of siblings, ranging from 4 to 40 years old, I realised that there was always a degree of honesty with how they spoke with one another. Every relationship is different and Siblings is a reflection of those relationships. It looks at both the subject’s collectivity and individuality. This project is dedicated to my sister, Libby.
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Eli Perriment Sometimes Home
During the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, many of us have experienced a deep sense of displacement. Our perception of time has changed, and society has been left in a kind of limbo. This, combined with the physical and emotional isolation, has resulted in many people experiencing profound mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. This feeling of solitary confinement, and struggling with the repetitive nature of everyday life, has been especially hard for those of us with pre-existing mental health concerns. The work contained within this project explores my own personal experiences of lockdown whilst suffering from a longterm eating disorder. During this time, I have been living in multiple places and situations: full time in a psychiatric hospital, then at university accommodation, and finally back at home with my parents due to my condition worsening. This body of work serves as a document of my own feelings of transition and displacement, set against the backdrop of a global sense of anxiety.
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Lawrie Barton Two Banks
The images here are from my book Two Banks which is a study encompassing both the North and South sides of the River Thames, focusing specifically on the bridges that connect them. The book opens in rural and quaint Richmond-Upon-Thames and follows the path of the river down through London and closes at the world famous tourist attraction, Tower Bridge. It seeks out differences in the people, activities, the appearance of the river itself and its environs. The images shown here are from Southbank and The Millennium bridge which served as a great canvas for creating silhouettes in the evening light.
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Georgia Fountain Julie and Julian
COVID-19 was a very difficult time for many. As the pandemic progressed, more people were urged to stay inside. Spending time with their families and trying to find new hobbies to entertain themselves became a new normal. However, for those who were vulnerable it became much more than this. A lot of different emotions were present and staying in became a shared experience between everyone. Julie and Julian is a project documenting two key workers who were at risk to COVID-19 and had to shield at home. This intimate project documents the quiet and small moments between the subjects, away from their normal busy life. The images depict their new day to day lives and how they adapted to having to stay in all the time. Within this series, the photographs capture the subject’s vulnerability in a calm and non-intrusive manner, to unveil the emotions and feelings of the subjects.
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Emily Hutchinson 50 / Fifty
The point in a woman’s life when she is most likely to be represented (or feel represented) is between the ages of 15 and 29. Outside of this, much of our visual media is dominated by images of men. Women become increasingly invisible as they age – in and outside of the media. They must contend with the double-edged sword that is ageism and sexism. In the public eye, ageing women begin to be forgotten, but the opposite is true for men. For women, they must remain ‘beautiful’ and youthful in order to remain relevant. Remember the sacking of Arlene Phillips from Strictly Come Dancing and Miriam O’Reilly from Country File? The BBC felt they needed to “refresh” the shows, in other words, their female presenters were too old and needed replacing by younger counterparts. Why is it that we so frequently see older man-younger woman pairings in TV presenter roles? Apparently, a woman’s power is her youth. The patriarchal, ageist society we exist in forces women to fight for visual presence and acknowledgement – something that is often handed to men for free. Women encounter and are trapped in a catch-22 when they reach mid-life: when the news media surrounding ageing is positive (increasing from its non-existent state), its circulation is problematic because it celebrates the idea of being ‘ageless’. This ‘successful
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ageing’ narrative places unrealistic, demanding pressures on women as they grow older to deny or defy the natural ageing process. This project has been long in the making. A quote I saw on social media a couple of years ago really struck me, and once I started thinking about it, I noticed it everywhere: “It’s not that women don’t age well, it’s that women aren’t allowed to age”. It got me thinking about why this was, why we weren’t talking about it. 50 Fifty is a collection of portraits of women, all in their 50s, talking about their experience of ageing, the menopause, and all things from raising children, role models, life advice and battles with cancer. Shot very simply against a white paper backdrop, each portrait was taken over a period of 8 weeks as the UK emerged from a third national lockdown. We must continue to fight for the exposure and visibility of mid-life women, normalise this time in their lives, and celebrate diversity.
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Dan Hill
The Rise of Ball The Rise of Ball follows Nick Ball, a boxer from Liverpool. Nick is promoted by both Frank Warren and Queensbury promotions, and is on the road to glory with a record of 13-0 – including a respected 6 wins by way of knockout. Fighting in featherweight, Nick trains and fights at the renowned Everton Red Triangle Gym in Merseyside. This project explores the life of Nick and the ins and outs of being a professional athlete. Working with Nick to produce this body of work fulfilled a lifelong passion of mine, as I’ve had a huge interest in boxing growing up watching the greats; Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali and Prince Naseem Hamed to name a few. The following small selection of photographs shows just some of the relentless hard work, drive, and power of both the sport and Nick as an individual.
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Scarlett Hills-Brooks Tidal Women
Tidal Women is a five-month long documentary project, all shot at sunrise. It explores the world of female cold-water swimmers in Cornwall. I set out to document the brave individuals who are passionate about taking the plunge. But as time went on, I began to notice things. Cold water swimming has an abundance of proven health benefits; reduces stress, boosts the immune system, improves mental and physical health. However, what stood out to me was the sense of friendship and joy it brought to all. Each individual woman had their own unique reason for taking to the sea, but despite the variety of differences amongst these women, it was clear to see that there is nothing that brings people together like facing a challenge and sharing a breath-taking experience together.
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Narra Fortin Lost Loves
The inspiration for this project came to me when I was feeling emotions I barely even knew about. Everything was so raw and intense. I was mourning the loss of two people who were extremely special to me, my godfather and his wife. For a long time I was feeling empty and uninspired. I wanted to do something that was personal to me, something that would push me past my comfort zone. It’s been incredibly difficult to put all that heartbreak into words and photographs. What you see in these images is pure, it’s an immediate response to past grievances. I asked each of the people in this project to bring something tangible to have with them as part of the shoot, as I did in my self portraits. The idea behind that was so that a connection could be established between the subject and the deceased, regard-
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less of who they are to the audience. Connections are the only thing that ties people together. We make connections all the time. But once you’ve lost someone, that connection feels distant, and along with the memories, all we have are the belongings that you hold dearly because in a sense, it’s all you have left of that loved one. Losing my godparents was one of the hardest things I’ve had to face, but creating this body of work has given me a sense of peace, and getting to know the stories of others has been calming. Everyone grieves differently, but through this body of work I hope to transform the pain we feel into something radiant, and something that makes us vulnerable to our very core.
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Joseph Walshe Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a peninsula based in East London. The land was formerly home to several operational docks which increased business and structural development in the area. Maritime business in the Isle was booming at the time from ship building at Millwall Docks to the trading of spices and teas at West India Docks. During WW2, the area fell victim to German bombings. Social housing replaced the destroyed buildings and in the 1980’s both West India and Millwall docks were closed down, leaving behind a vivid memory of a once booming area. Today, it is home to nearly 40,000 residents, populating
most of the Southern area. The Isle of Dogs has developed extensively from increased infrastructure to multi-million pound investments in residential and office buildings. Nevertheless, The Isle still remains a tight-knit community under the encroaching presence of Canary Wharf. This body of work is a photographic documentation of the Island’s current residents who are living in a world of 21st century retail and leisure in which regeneration is prominent. The diversity of both its inhabitants and landscape are showcased through the images in this book.
Paris Kondal Dehlia
Dehlia began as a response to the increasing need to document the new overwhelming quietness surrounding people due to COVID-19. The pandemic changed the lives of thousands across the world. Many fell into a state of silence and uneasiness formed around what life meant now. Those that were already living in isolation seemed to be forgotten about. I chose to build my project around my Nuniji (maternal grandmother) who we had recently moved in with and had lived alone since the death of my Nunaji (maternal grandfather) several years ago. In March 2020 when the lockdown began, I started to document the daily life of my Nuniji. The project not only sought to explore her relationship with the outside world and now heightened isolation from family and friends but also the familiarity of home. This project seeks to relate to others about what home means to each of us, as many people have been subjected to staying indoors during the pandemic, the home itself has been crucial in nurturing and providing nourishment to our lives. The elements of my grandmother’s daily life are based around her deteriorated health, the remnants of my late grandfather and her faith in Om which resonate through the photographs.
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Katie Sillett Samo and Woody
This series is a documentation of lockdown walks between (owner and dog) Samo and Woody, in January 2021. Due to Covid-19 the United Kingdom was still in its third national lockdown. For some it was a difficult time with seemingly no real hope of returning to normality. This made many appreciate the smaller things in life during the lockdown, with just one period of allowed exercise time allowed. In Samo’s case his new daily routine meant going on walks with his dog Woody. For many others (like Samo) this was the daily great escape and led many to appreciate not only the space around them, but also the value of a dogs company too.
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Tom Newman
This Green and Pleasant Land The Second World War ended 80 years ago but, in many ways, its lingering legacy is still with us both physically and politically. Britain’s recent decision to leave the European Union is arguably the most dramatic political and economic change since 1945, adding to its current and recent insecurities. For many in today’s society this past period represents a more prosperous time of Britain’s global dominance through its’ former Empire, with WW2 representing a perceived ‘finest hour’.
Remnants of WW2 are now a rarity within the British landscape. These crumbling buildings are all that remain of a genuine historical crisis in recent UK history. Seen by some as metaphors for a bygone golden age and others as an eyesore. These images act as a current record of a changing social, political and vernacular landscape. Sitting as they do amidst , urban regeneration, housing estates, city limits and the rural landscape itself.
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Jess Rix
Faces of Strength Faces of Strength celebrates influential and inspiring women. This collection of portraits shares the stories of a wide variety of women, all of which are empowering and inspiring in their own unique way. Each one of these women have shown strength, be it conquering a male dominated area of work, overcoming hardships or going out of their way each day to help others. Faces of Strength explores and sheds light on the different ways in which women are powerful, breaking stereotypes and inspiring those around them. These women stand out in society and are wonderful examples of empowered women and therefore deserve to have their stories shared with the wider world. Each individual has been photographed in an environment of their choice; a place of significance to them, a place they feel empowered or a place that brings them comfort and happiness.
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Euan Wilson Shenfield
Shenfield is an affluent suburb situated in the Southwest of Essex, a commuter town since the Roman times, once a quaint rest stop for the weary traveller, now a modern Essex suburb. The explosion of rail travel in the 19th century made commuting from Shenfield to London a stress-free endeavour it has provided a home for the traditional nuclear family and the business man and has consistently provided a closeknit community with traditional values. In recent years extensive change has come to Shenfield with the new Elizabeth line beginning at the train station, it brings the town into zone nine of Transport for London’s zoning system. The emergence of new infrastructure along with increasing property prices, high end housing developments and the collapse of long-standing local businesses have unsettled residents who believe that the sense of community is slowly being eroded. Many of the older residents that would previously have enjoyed retired life in Shenfield are moving away in favour of quieter rural hamlets or seaside villages, while the young people are leaving for university never to return as they are priced out of their hometown. New residents are arriving from the city, much like they did at the end of the 19th Century, only this time they are young, wealthy financial hot shots as opposed to the quiet, more reserved family man. Meanwhile local watering holes, butchers, greengrocers, and all types of locally run businesses that have served the families in Shenfield for generations are being torn to the ground to make way for luxury flats or supermarket chains. The town of Shenfield, like many of its residents is slowly adjusting and emerging into the modern era, and while it may seem to be getting newer, shinier and all around more modern place to live, as a community it is slowly losing its identity. This documentary project captures that community in its current state, shining a light on the people within it and the landscapes that surround it.
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Jack Rodine Workers of Nigeria
Workers of Nigeria is a collective set of portraits of maintenance staff from the American International School of Lagos in Nigeria. Each employee is from a different area of the country, but they all come together to support a school in one of the largest cities in Africa. Sometimes, they sleep over at the school if the travel is too far, showing how much dedication they put into their jobs. The staff are an important part of the AISL community, especially during the pandemic, keeping the school clean and running smoothly. This project gives recognition to the workers of AISL that students and teachers see everyday.
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Ranni Samuda Tank Crossings
The vast chalk expanses of Salisbury Plain stretch across 300 square miles in the South of England. Around 150 square miles of this unique landscape is owned by the Ministry of Defence, making the plain the largest military training area in the UK which has been used as an arena in preparation for conflict since 1897. Salisbury plain is also an area of conservation, home to Stonehenge and other archaeological sites as well as many rare breeds of wildlife and an abandoned village. It is estimated that British and overseas military spend some 600,000-man days on the plain every year. Despite that, this monumental landscape is shared between the MoD, archaeologists, hikers, local dog walkers and grazing livestock. Inspired by Bernd and Hiller Becher, I have created a typographical study of the tank crossings used by the military to cross over the public byways on Salisbury Plain. Live firing is conducted on the plain for roughly 340 days out of the year but the military invasion of this landscape is often subtle, you could walk for miles and only see the dirt roads that stretch across the plain, the tracks left by armoured vehicles or the signs warning visitors of the risks of unexploded shells. But when the red flags are down, and you follow the paths photographed, the manoeuvres can be heard ever so slightly in the distance. On a clear day, training soldiers can be spotted on the horizon of the impassable ‘Impact Area’. You may even be greeted by an artillery gun or armoured vehicles moving across the grasslands.
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Ellie Kaye Shock Horror
Shock Horror is a new and upcoming indie punk-rock band from Bristol. The band members are; Charlie, who is the lead singer, Dom, who is the lead guitarist and Dan, who plays the bass. They started Shock Horror at the start of 2020 and are beginning to evolve the band by playing their own gigs in venues all over Bristol. The band are excited to announce they will be releasing their first album at the end of 2021.
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This photo series focuses on the band’s influences and the aspects which have helped make them into the band they are today. These influences are their own personal music influences, hobbies such as reading, meditation and philosophy, as well as the instruments which they play in the band.
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Holly Parkinson East Africa
During a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, I became aware of the many local people who helped and assisted me during my stay in East Africa. I produced this body of work, based upon on these people and how they rely on the tourism industry to the mountain in order to live and survive in an inhospitable environment for most western visitors. The people included in this documentation range from the porters on the mountain to young children fishing on the beach, who are using unique skillsets to create and then sell their wares. I wanted to capture the strength of these local people through my photography on this trip. This documentary photo series ultimately inspired me to research and write my dissertation on ‘The Photojournalistic Representation of Famine and Everyday Life in Africa from 1980 to the Present Day’, where I discussed how western media has slowly transitioned from pity to positivity highlighted some of the main issues that led to a long period of injustice, where many African countries suffered from westerners’ ‘compassion fatigue’. Whilst the 21st century has brought a positive shift in the way in which we see, document and interact with African countries and communities, and how we in western cultures deal with their representation, this body of work attempts to celebrate beauty and strength of African communities who, although change for the better has undoubtedly occurred are still beholden to the tourism of mainly western cultures for their survival.
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Ollie Norcott
Father and Son on the Farm On the outskirts of Tadley, Hampshire, is a small farm, owned by sheep farmer John Munday. Long-time family friend Simon has been given hunting access for over a decade and in recent years has been using the opportunity to teach his son how to hunt. They mainly hunt pests including rabbits, squirrels and rats whilst also providing protection for the young lambs in-season against foxes and birds of prey. Simon and his son, Elliot, also act as on-site security with the high levels of theft in the local area constantly acting as a threat to local farms. In addition to this, they also help out during lambing season.
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