@kcameronphotography_2

The theme I have explored is fast fashion and the way it is disposable within the fashion industry by consumers. I have approached this by setting my photoshoot around a post-apocalyptic theme, I have taken my main inspiration from the “Mad Max” film series by George Millar (1979-2015). I got the idea to base my shoot around this theme after reading articles concerning the damaging effects that fast fashion has on landfill sites.

I was excited about planning this project as I have always been eco conscious and a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre. I was keen to explore a shoot that focused on ornate and extreme hair and makeup. I kept within reusable rules by sourcing second hand fast fashion garments from second-hand shops, borrowed or found at clothing swap events. My styling approach was based on the idea that after the apocalypse you could only wear clothes you could get your hands on. I worked with a creative team to mix the fashion up in unexpected ways. I decided to collage some of my images using various materials e.g. gold leaf, dried flowers, Clingfilm, and the bright colours suggest a kind of chemical landscape - this relates back to the chemical pollution of the planet caused by fast-fashion landfills.

@ecfashionphoto

Disparity is a project exploring the themes of juxtaposition and contrast. I wanted to challenge the stereotype that designer fashion can only be worn in fashionable cities so I clothed models in these garments in rural housing estates and rural areas that are not traditionally associated with high fashion and glamour. I explored these themes by combining two contrasts in styling and location. I used a number of different garments to portray the high fashion look, including tulle because it is a luxurious fabric often seen in designer collections. I chose locations that would contrast with the dresses. When people look at my work, I want them to feel like they can express themselves through dramatic and beautiful clothing wherever they live. 

@meganmechelledalton / megandaltonphotography.com 

Through her latest work, Megan has used photography as a form of therapy to hold a mirror to her own personal relationships and feelings surrounding men. In return, this expression of vulnerability was met from the men the other side of her lens.

Pop culture often reduces performativity to the idea that gender is a social construct; this sets the ‘social’ against the ‘natural’, implying that gender is an artificial layer. Performative gender roles are created by the repetition of what’s expected from an individual; gender is not a thing so much as an involuntary process of active and linguistic patterns.

Arguing the social against the natural, Megan brought these two elements together in her still life practice by mirroring the body movement and nuanced gestures of her subjects; orchestrated natural forms which comment on the artificial façade of performative masculinity.

Megan has developed a timeless photographic language on both digital and analogue mediums by using a distinct, rich colour palette and minimal aesthetic with graphic sensibilities. Megan has applied her photographic approach for publications including the Financial Times, Boys by Girls Magazine and listed as a ‘One to Watch’ in the AND Then There Was Us 2019 Annual.

@kwxme / kwxme.com

Kwame Dapaa is a Ghanaian-born artist based in the North of England. Kwame is a multi-disciplinary creative artist in his own right. His specialty is photography, but he also dabbles with styling, set design, movement and art direction. His art is communicated through both still and moving image.

This project is about being seen as more than a photographer, but as a creative with different dimensions showcasing different skills through other roles. For the first time, Kwame has subverted the lens onto himself, displaying themes of vulnerability whilst delving into topics such as masculinity, heritage and culture. This has shone a light on how being an immigrant has influenced and affected his working process and style.

Additionally, Kwame has held a strong interest in documenting the process of what makes a fashion image behind the scenes, which is something that is often overlooked. Many of Kwame’s work exhibits the use of mundane items and materials in unconventional and obscure ways which can often be eye-catching and draw attention to bodies and items pictured. By mixing materials, props and textures together, for example, latex and metal, this creates an unusual style of layering which engages the audiences. 

@jvckfrancis

As a photographer my aim is to produce work that is raw and authentic. As a result, I strive to give the viewer a platform to empathise with my subject by reflecting societal affairs in my work. In particular, I enjoy photographing images that reference the lower socio economic class as I feel that this echelon of society is occupied by the most authentic and real people. In the past, fashion imagery has not represented this social group and I aim to rectify this through my work.

In addition to this, a common theme in my work is contemporary masculinity and identity. Being a young male myself, I am aware of the challenges we face due to traditional stereotypes and I aim to communicate this through casting unconventional male models. I intend on producing work that shows a sense of intimacy throughout by exploring the vulnerabilities of young men today. Consequently, I often utilise close crops of my subjects in order to accentuate their unique features and exhibit their personality and identity.

@oliviagrayphoto / lala-2010.wixsite.com

Blank: The Art of Therapy, reflects how Olivia Gray uses photography as a form of therapy. Olivia’s therapeutic approach portrays her own mental health through the imagery and in turn gives the viewer an image that they can resonate with and find comfort in. Her minimal aesthetic is one of the ways in which her work comforts her. Olivia finds the use of unusual and oversized garments that cocoon the figure and a soft colour palette therapeutic.

Olivia is concerned with the way that mental health issues are overlooked within the fashion industry. It is important to Olivia that her work looks like fashion photography as this is the visual art in which she wants to develop her career. In this work there is so much more that meets the eye, everything in her images has a double meaning, visually pleasurable and therapeutic.

Olivia Gray’s work has been published by Vice magazine and she has worked with brands such as Solas Collections.  

@b.hcphotography

When people view my work, I want them to feel the joy and love that went into shooting the series, I cast my sisters in many of the shots and I photographed them around our home in the countryside. All my images are inspired by the idea of natural, from the rural location, to the casting of all-natural beauties. I also shot them laughing and having fun rather than posing. My colour palette is muted and taken from the surrounding landscape. I have used natural light to amplify the contrast through light, shadow, and tone. For the styling I have explored current trends seen in fashion orientated social media and I have put my own twist on these trends by adapting and modifying them to fit creatively with my ideas and photoshoots.

@toni.jwphoto

I am a fashion photographer based in West Yorkshire. My work explores the issues that women face in society today regarding the sexualisation of their appearance. Far too often I see that women are subject to judgement and harassment from others due to what they wear and how they look. As women, we should be proud of our appearance and identity, and we should not accept the idea that we have to dress a certain way for our safety.

In my images, I convey strong and confident femininity through the use of a soft colour palette and gentle but assertive poses as a way of changing these societal norms and allow women to feel free and confident in what they wear and the way they look. Every woman, or every woman knows of women, who have experienced this disrespect and I believe it is time for change.

@siousiou_photography

I love finding beauty in the smallest details and in many different aspects of life. I grew up in Taiwan which is close to Japan. For this work I researched the “Shashin” culture of Japan, a way of recording people, scenery, and society in a naturalistic style instead of deliberate, moreover, with nature light and poses. I intend to explore this method and combine it with fashion. With natural make-up, shooting in both the studio and on location. Owing to the influence of the Disney Princess in our childhood, it is ingrained in girls from an early age that to live even just one day as a princess, to feel special and beautiful, is the fulfilment of a girlhood fantasy. Wedding days represent this fantasy and through my photographic work I construct scenarios that encourage women to act out these dreams.

@simmykanda

Simran Kanda is a creative born and raised in Leeds. She is a fashion photographer / stylist and she would like people to learn and gain knowledge about her culture - Hinduism and Sikhism. The theme she has been exploring involves the use of gold, pearls and diamonds and fabrics that were used in India in the 19th century. In addition to this she makes reference to these jewels and fabrics because she is interested in the history of India, specifically the stealing of the Kohinoor diamond from India by the British.

Her photographic work and styling has featured in several magazines including; Boyfriend Magazine, Mordant Magazine, Identidad Magazine, Creators Magazine and Noctis Magazine. One of her styling shoots, with a model called Amina, about modest fashion was featured on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour’s Instagram page. She has also been featured on two podcasts involving Female Magik and Time out by IZ_HXN. She was one of the guest speakers for these podcasts for upcoming creative females in Leeds involved in the fashion and photography industry from a creative’s perspective. Simran has noticed that there are not enough people like her in fashion and her aim is to raise the voice and profile of the BAME community.

@kammyk_photography_

This year was about myself, my passions, my struggles and my confidence. I wanted to get my passion and self confidence back for photography, which I was able to do this year. I got my work published in four magazines for the first time, which was extremely exciting for me. This year, I worked on themes I like, such as fantasy and beauty, and having a little context behind it linked with the elements of earths. I used this year to talk about myself, my background, my feeling and my culture and traditions, which is something I generally don’t do often in-front of people. I did a full project which I shot in India and in the UK, about my feelings on the culture and traditions and having to fight between the two but also embrace both. The final year helped me find my passion and confidence back as well as learn a lot of other things about myself, which I am grateful for. 

@phoebemartinphotography

My work explores the important themes of climate change and fashion sustainability, both of which have gained increased visibility in public conversation. Photography can be used as a powerful medium to raise awareness on social issues and potentially influence our surroundings, decisions and behaviours. I want to use my photographic voice to raise awareness on the need for climate change and ask viewers to take action on reducing plastic usage specifically.

My images reflect my style and views on these issues in a medium which is inexpensive and commonly available which viewers will hopefully quickly and easily understand. 

@thenemnguyen / namnguyen.tumblr.com

Nam Nguyen is a Vietnamese photographer who works mainly on analogue format. He developed an interest in the concept of fashion while observing the people around him and the multicultural environment that he has a chance to be surrounded by when studying abroad. For Nam, fashion is the mirror that reflects the state of society at the time. Through his photographs, he is trying to share his view on several contemporary matters happening in the world right now. One of his goals is to bring more recognition to the diversity of the Asian community and to showcase the Vietnamese culture through his projects.

His works are often described as structural and minimal with a mixture of elements from fine art photography. He often explores many types of film with different effects with the intention of expressing more emotion in his photographs.

@goakleyphotography

This work is a collaboration between fashion student Lydia Claxton and I. Together, we set out to create a zine, fashion film and social media platform to showcase her designs. Lydia wants to take menswear into the future, her designs take inspiration from military uniforms and on-trend casual wear for men. She’s created a fitted jacket that has detail and character, the jacket uses three different materials and unconventional zips. We created the brand ‘Future Commuter’ from this ethos.

The main goal of this project, was for it to be a body of work that I could use to present to potential employers, and it worked. In September I’ll start training to be a photography teacher at high school, this is what I’ve been working toward all of final year and I am over the moon that I was able to get this job and that this project helped me to get it.

@jennastamperphotography / js265492.wixsite.com

Through the course of creating this project about street style in Chester, life drastically changed with the sudden rise of COVID-19, and the country going into lockdown. I began to focus how the streets and the people in them changed due to the pandemic.

I took a more documentary approach to the project, and as the fashion element receded I focused on capturing every day moments that for me, reflected our experiences during this strange time. I mixed domestic photographs - the repeated pictures of my cat symbolised the boredom of lockdown - with candid pictures of the streets and supermarkets. My city has never looked this way, and I wanted this project to capture a particular unusual moment in time. I want people to see my work, remember the hardship, struggle and loneliness of the lockdown and the realisation of what’s really important in life.

@laurastubbsphoto / laurastubbsphotography.weebly.com 

‘The Boys’ project is an investigation into the nuanced nature of masculine identity. I’ve always found myself fascinated with boys; even within my friend group I’ve always been closer to boys than girls, that’s the way it’s always been. I think its something to do with the idea that I feel protected amongst boys and that they don’t judge as much as a girl does. The notion of masculinity was once always about being a strong individual that helped to care for others, but now its such much more than that, I believe it is how one expresses themselves to others and how you can make other people feel.

As a female photographer, I gave boys their own choice of space when being photographed me to photograph honest moments of expression, attempting to capture an instance through observation. The models I have used, were mostly people that don’t actually know how beautiful they are, and allowed me to let their faces and the selected locations tell their story.

“In a portrait, I’m searching for the silence in somebody” Is a quote I saw from photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson and I have subtlety used as inspiration at the heart of my project. For me, photography is about educating; it’s about suggesting a new perspective, about putting forward an opinion and about challenging preconceptions. That’s what I hope my project does.