Dammmm it’s cold- fail to succeed

5th February 2015

 

It’s been an intense (and and chilly) few days judging World Press Photo in Amsterdam but the team really have looked after us!

14256 images down to a final 6 for singles and stories.

The process was exciting, harsh and interesting. The psychology of the judging experience is eye opening. Luckily, my two sidekicks were intelligent, feisty and professional. The conversation was in-depth, poignant and at times philosophical. It was interesting to see how three minds from such varied backgrounds would ultimately decide the fate of the entries. World Press Photo is also really questioning how photography continues to evolve and has some pretty ambitious and impressive plans…. very exciting! It was an absolute honour to take part and an experience I will cherish.

This weeks’ post is a contrast of commissions and personal work. Part of the process of learning is playing and ‘failing’. Every time I do it feels like a development. Sickeningly over optimistic you say? Nah.  I’m slowly beginning to learn to embrace my frustration and see it more as a stepping-stone. These images are from a test shoot with Andrei as I am shooting YWA, LWD on film that has expired the year that I was born. Difficult to obtain and inadequate in it’s ‘quality’ makes it a delicate choice of film but I shall persist. It’s nice to imagine the life the film has had, where it has been stored whilst it patiently awaited its use.

The second image is from a recent cover for The Sunday Times Magazine. Emma Healey was warm, helpful and patient. After reading her article I realised we shared a lot in common and it seems she touched a lot of the readers with her honest ,open account of teenage life. It was refreshing to read an unpretentious and raw but simple piece that reflected her character well. I shall definitely be buying her book.
OAO x