TOP-UP PHOTOGRAPHY 2021
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University Of South Wales
Published by: University Of South Wales BA (Hons) Photography University Of South Wales (ATRium Building) 86-88 Adam Street Cardiff CF24 2FN Copyright © University Of South Wales, 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retreival system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publishers. The authors have asserted their rights to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents act 1988. Published: June 2021 Designer: Lewis Brymner Editors: Lydia Prendergast Celia Jackson Introduction Text: Anna Bainbridge
CONTENTS
3 Introduction 4 Morgaine Davies 8 Anna Bainbridge 12 Leighton Baker 16 Denise Jones 20 Lydia Prendergast 24 Amanda Newman 28 Anita Baldwin-Guild 32 Bethan Slocombe
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Photo credit: Lydia Prendergast
“To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.” Wendell Berry, The Peace of Wild Things, p. 37
There is no doubt that we live in the strange and unfamiliar world of COVID. The past year has been difficult for everyone, but it has also given us the opportunity to pause and contemplate our lives, beliefs and personal goals. Unexpectedly, we had time to re-evaluate society’s value system and gain clarity on what is really important to us. The title of this exhibition, PAUSE, denotes the hiatus when our lives had to be put on hold. It also refers to the break in the hectic routine of modern living, a halt to overconsumption and a time for thinking and self-reflection. The exhibited pieces are the accumulation of this process and to a degree, a manifestation of life under a pandemic. For the exhibiting young photographers, this has been a challenging period marked by restrictions on our freedom and social mobility. We had to be inventive in expressing our thoughts, creative ideals and moral principles through the medium of photography. The end result is an assorted collection of artistic outcomes that also signals the end of our journey through three years of studying photography. During this time, we have learnt a lot about the technical aspects of this medium, and even more about ourselves as we matured and developed our individual vision. What unifies this collection of diverse images is our unwavering confidence in the importance of visual communication and the power of photography. Our creativity is the light that can convey optimism and a belief in our future dreams. We want to bring this light to everyone who visits the exhibition. Please take a look, pause and think. Anna Bainbridge 3
The EMI factory in Treorchy was once a centre for industrial employment in the South Wales Valleys, but since its closure the structures have been left abandoned. They are now no match for the strength of the natural world which has pushed through despite the odds to reclaim the site. The EMI Factory intrigued the urban explorer in me; but it also seemed to hold such fond memories for so many of its past employees that I knew I needed to create a book dedicated to those people, sharing their stories, juxtaposed by images of the site now. Talking to the people who once worked there made me feel a personal connection to the place, and inspired me to combine two elements; the personal stories from past employees, alongside images of the site in its current state. The juxtaposition between past and present, industrial and natural is a key focus of this work. Instagram: @morgainedaviesphotography
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E.M.I Treorchy: A study in memories Morgaine Davies
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Dawn Boreham, 71 - Twilight Shift Spring Setter “On a Friday we would try and shift along, help all the slow ones along and then whoever’s turn it was we’d go up the fish shop and we’d have fish and chips then for supper and have a good old natter before we went home.”
Steven Demaid, 59 - Electro Plater “One chap, he was awful tight, and every dinner time, he’d have a rucksack, and everything was heated by coal then so he’d have his rucksack and fill it up with coal. Everyone knew he was doing it, and then he used to have a pushbike and there was an entrance to come in and one to go out and the gatehouse was in the middle. This boy left at lunch and fell off the bike outside of security and coal went everywhere.”
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Anna’s Easy Spring Recipes: Student recipes that don’t cost the Earth. Anna Bainbridge
I am a photographer based in Wales, specialising in food photography. I have always been passionate about food and became interested in healthy eating and sustainability as an adolescent. My cook booklet, Anna’s Easy Spring Recipes, is a collection of eight meals that aims to promote the benefits of a plant-based diet, specifically to students. The recipes are designed to be accessible, both in terms of cost and level of difficulty. In turn, I hope to challenge myths that healthy eating is expensive, exclusive, complicated, and tasteless. The imagery in the cook booklet has a coherent visual language, reflecting my philosophy when photographing food. I believe less is more and have not overdressed any of the final dishes I photographed. My intention was to photograph and style the food in a way that looks attractive and appetising, in the hopes that this would make my audience excited about trying plant-based meals. Instagram: @earthfoodcolours
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Can we have our ball back, please? Leighton Baker
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This project is a reflective look at the way the sporting community has had to adapt to the Covid-19 lockdown. The images are a poignant reminder of the effect of the lockdown and are presented as a timeline in a photobook. They examine the emptiness of the sporting venues and the work carried out to return these places to their original purpose. All the images are in colour to intentionally create the impression of optimism following the easing of restrictions. Several of the images have considerable significance for me. As I worked on this project, I realised that I was photographing what I was missing during the lockdown. In that sense, I had become part of my project. Instagram: @bakerfineartphotography
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Children’s Uncertainty in 2021 Denise Jones
This series of images uses the medium of photography to express visually the deep and complex emotions felt by children. They were taken as the children played in a ‘romantic’, semi-wild natural environment. The work focuses on the unsettling effect of such solemn, bored or pensive expressions on young faces, and how these reflect children’s experiences during the pandemic. These expressions, while fleeting, are all very different from society’s expectations of how children ‘should’ be portrayed by photography. However, they are far more realistic in terms of capturing the inner subjective reality of children, their rapidly changing and often chaotic feelings and emotions. Instagram: @sw_denisejones
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Colour Spectrum Of The World Lydia Prendergast
Australia (Aboriginal) – Black, Red and Yellow Black - Aboriginal people of Australia Yellow - The Sun - giver of life and protector Red - Earth, the Red Ochre, and spiritual connection to the land
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‘Colour is very much about atmosphere and emotion and the feel of a place’. (Webb, A.) These words have accompanied me throughout the final year of my photography degree. ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘feel of a place’ encapsulate this project, which transports you to different countries and explores their ‘place’ through the representation of colours. During the coronavirus pandemic, people worldwide have had to live differently and halt their plans, such as going on holiday. However, this project allows you to do just that from the comfort of your own home. It presents a range of meanings relevant to different cultures and traditions through moving image and first-hand experiences, supported by photographs that provide an insightful story. Six continents are represented, with a focus on Portugal, Ethiopia, India, Texas-USA, Brazil, and Western Australia. Each country is unique, with its national colours and traditions, all beautifully interpreted through the movements and gestures of dance. Instagram: @lcp_captured.moments
Brazil – Yellow and Green. Yellow – Gold and wealth of the country Green – Forests – The Amazon
Ethiopia – Red, Yellow and Green Red - Power, and Sacrifice of the country Yellow - Peace, Love, and National wealth Green - The Lands and Hope.
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Perfect Imperfections Amanda Newman
The perception of negative body image contributes to poor self-esteem, self- stigmatisation and less self-efficacy. This has imprisoned me within a cycle of criticism based on my weight and body image. It restricts me in the way that I dress and hide my perceived faults to present a limited, edited version of myself to others. My aim is to express firstly, the constraining pressure to conform to social and cultural standards; and secondly, the change to accepting and being comfortable with my body. This led me to portray myself within the natural environment of the beach, where the body can be freed from society’s ideals and evoke a sense of acceptance. The use of black and white takes away the distraction of the colours and allows the viewer to concentrate on the subject matter. I have placed myself as the subject, to be viewed but also to look back at the viewer, challenging their gaze and their judgement. Instagram: @amandanewman102
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Down To My Level Anita Baldwin-Guild
Until 2008, I led an active life, often finding myself in the Lake District hill or fell walking, snapping away at the stunning landscape and wildlife. However, following surgery in 2008 and subsequent health and mobility issues, my life was irrevocably changed. Even now, I am still transitioning from a non-disabled person to someone disabled. The reality is that for people like me, it can take many years to come to terms with their disability. I aim to look at my disability critically, removing the emotional attachments and frustrations that beset me daily. The main goal is not to devalue imagery that shows disabled people’s achievements, but to provide an insight for the viewer into the world of someone dealing with life-changing restrictions later in their lives. I want to show the audience that the journey to acceptance is long, painful and difficult, and to keep that at the forefront of their minds before judging by appearances. Instagram: @ baldwinguildphotography
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Independent Women Bethan Slocombe
My project Independent Women aims to promote gender equality and respect for women through the use of image and text. It is my firm belief that women should be able to go where they want to and wear whatever they wish, without being criticized, catcalled or worse. The project is a series of 12 portraits, shot in locations such as alleyways and deserted culde-sacs in which women habitually would feel vulnerable and unsafe. It explores the use of lighting, expression, dress and body language, in addition to the super-imposed text. I am determined to keep raising awareness of this issue, which even in the 21st century poses a threat to lone women, as the tragic rape and murder of Sarah Everard has most recently shown. Everyone, whatever their gender, has the right to enjoy being outside and to feel safe while doing so. Instagram: @bethanslocombephotography
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THANK YOU
Anna Bainbridge Leighton Baker Anita Baldwin-Guild Morgaine Davies Denise Jones Amanda Newman Lydia Prendergast Bethan Slocombe
Gawain Barnard Sarah Barnes Peter Bobby Carol Hiles Celia Jackson Eileen Little Ian Llewelyn Magali Nougarède Ian Wiblin
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