A vast amount of my photography work is around documenting the journeys and explorations that take place during arts projects, creative educational sessions and work with young people and adults where imaginations and discovery can flourish.
I've always documented my own projects (all the photos on this website were taken by me) but I am also frequently commissioned to work alongside other creative practitioners specifically as a photographer and film maker to record the whole processes that takes place during arts projects.
Evaluation and documentation of projects – and finding ways to share this – is something I thrive on. Reflective practice is central to the way I work and has been a vital feature of projects I’ve developed over the years.
If you click on each photograph it will open up as an enlarged image.
For many years I've worked as a photographer on projects, alongside facilitating sessions. I'm interested in ways of documenting the discoveries and explorations that take place; the processes that happen in creative exploration are vital and often so full of contemplation, ideas and moments of awe and wonder. Whilst "end products" can be important, it really is the journey and the explorations along the route that are the most crucial part of the creative experience and this can be hard to capture.
I'm deeply interested in pedagogical documentation and in really being as true as possible to capturing the process that takes place, I'm deeply inspired by the work of the Reggio Emilia centres in Italy where I've taken part in study visits exploring pedagogical documentation. I frequently work on projects where the words and thoughts of participants are documented and sat alongside images and film.
Key to all my work has been exploring ways of working with groups and communities who might have less access to the arts and advocating for deep and meaningful participation and finding ways to document and share this is really important to me.
I'm deeply interested in pedagogical documentation and in really being as true as possible to capturing the process that takes place, I'm deeply inspired by the work of the Reggio Emilia centres in Italy where I've taken part in study visits exploring pedagogical documentation. I frequently work on projects where the words and thoughts of participants are documented and sat alongside images and film.
Key to all my work has been exploring ways of working with groups and communities who might have less access to the arts and advocating for deep and meaningful participation and finding ways to document and share this is really important to me.
In documenting projects, as with all photography, there's all the elements of exploring light and patterns and unusual angles ... but there's a whole other set of things thrown into the mix. I almost never ask anyone to pose (possibly with the exception of the puppets I've been recently photographing!), I don't want people to be aware of the camera and I don't want to interrupt peoples creative journeys and thoughts. It can mean you take hundreds of photos to get a few shots, but that's all part of the nature of it...
For me, its the act of watching, listening, contemplating and noticing details that feels a real privilege to share in projects. I'm happy in my comfy clothes sat on the floor in a corner watching what's going on and taking note of different discoveries happening around me!
For me, its the act of watching, listening, contemplating and noticing details that feels a real privilege to share in projects. I'm happy in my comfy clothes sat on the floor in a corner watching what's going on and taking note of different discoveries happening around me!
Examples of projects include:
Vista schools project, spring and summer 2016, documenting interactive theatre work with schools and creating a film of the project work.
Mashi Theatre, One World Evington, spring and summer 2016.
Small Action Big Change, Erasmus funded collaborative project between Dunkirk Primary, Nottingham and Rastaala School, Espoo, Finland.
I filmed and photographed throughout this project but specifically on the two residential camps. The films I created during the Finland residential in February 2016 can be seen on the link here.
On going documentation throughout my 9 year residency at Dunkirk Primary School, Nottingham
Many different schools projects with Creative Partnerships and other organisations.
Many different projects with pre-school children through organisations such as Creative Partnerships, West Sussex County Council and many others.
Vista schools project, spring and summer 2016, documenting interactive theatre work with schools and creating a film of the project work.
Mashi Theatre, One World Evington, spring and summer 2016.
Small Action Big Change, Erasmus funded collaborative project between Dunkirk Primary, Nottingham and Rastaala School, Espoo, Finland.
I filmed and photographed throughout this project but specifically on the two residential camps. The films I created during the Finland residential in February 2016 can be seen on the link here.
On going documentation throughout my 9 year residency at Dunkirk Primary School, Nottingham
Many different schools projects with Creative Partnerships and other organisations.
Many different projects with pre-school children through organisations such as Creative Partnerships, West Sussex County Council and many others.