My interests with photography have always focused around the landscape and the impact it has on us, whether this be taking pictures when I’m walking to document a journey or focusing on the water that separates the land. We imprint on the land every day whether we drive, walk or cycle. I choose to document the land and how it can imprint on us, focusing on memories. I comment on nature through some of my projects using this to explore themes of identity, feelings and the impact of nature on mental health. I choose to use personal memories to base work off whether this be of walks in the countryside as a child or visits to the Lake District throughout my life.
The project Looking Up focuses on how in a fast pace world we don’t always notice our surroundings even when the outdoors can have great benefit to not only our physical health but also on our mental health.
The project Innocence focuses on identity and was originally created for an open call for the Photo North festival. Moving this project forward from looking at how we change ourselves around people I am choosing to look at ways of expression the main one being dance. Leading to a project about how dance isa universal language.
Before our eyes- Unsung Heroes is a project based on Susans Farm in Carlisle.
This project , Before our Eyes – ‘Unsung Heroes’, is all about the unrecognised work that went on during the pandemic and how there are many unsung heroes that were still working and helping the nation keep a float in those hard and uncertain times. My main aim with this project is to show the hard work that iwas not shown or mentioned on the news as I believe the work they were and still are doing is very important.
Analogue photography is an immersive experience for the photographer from the beginning to the end of the process you are in control. From pressing the shutter to processing the image it is all by hand. I enjoy being hands on with my work so darkroom work is perfect. When focusing on memories with my work using an analogue camera allows me to add a nostalgic feel to the image. The work is tactile and allows me to manipulate my images by hand rather than on a screen, I can also change how viewers see an image and experiment with how I add chemicals to the paper to develop the images when printing. This way of working allows me to experiment with many techniques which helps to inspire me to think of new ways of working and creating interesting work for viewers.
