I need to take a break. I have worked full-time throughout the MA and have taken many lunch hours at odd times in order to attend lectures. This regime also meant finishing work and getting straight on with studies. Weekends and days off for shoots and big blocks of work. It has been hard work but massively fulfilling.
The most valuable thing I am taking away from the MA is the knowledge of what I want to do with my photography. I want it to be a voice in the environmental movement, helping people to understand why we all need to change our way of life and treat the Earth more kindly. So how does that work in practice?
My work with Extinction Rebellion will continue. XR are very good at getting out on the streets and making a noise. It is so important that these actions receive maximum publicity and reach as many people as possible. Photography and video are the key tools here. Good video and photographs that capture the spirit and the energy of the actions are essential. I will continue to develop this aspect of my practice.
I will look for other organisations to work with. There are many activist organisations like Greenpeace and Climate Outreach. The latter are amassing a library of climate visuals to support outreach work.
Personal projects are a key development tool for photographers in all fields. I intend to develop a number of ideas into projects. These may end as books, talks or exhibitions. It’s too early to tell. Certainly, I will continue to develop my hyperphotography platform and also start to create more conceptual work. There is a long list of ideas to pursue.
A key aspect of the climate crisis is the human separation from nature. I want to explore this visually, looking at both the separation and how we might return to a better relationship with the natural world.
The input of peers has been such an important part of the learning experience. So I want to nurture the peer to peer relationships that have developed over the last two years. Plans for a collaborative project on Rewilding are already in place with Ilya Fisher who shares my concerns about the environment. Our styles of working are very different but the common goal allows us to develop ideas in parallel. Working with another person or team is creatively liberating. Ideas and reflections spark off one another. One person provides the seed of an idea that grows in the other.
Once I have recharged my batteries, I am excited about the future and the work that lies ahead.