STREET PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS EXHIBITION by Chris Eustace
“Benito had waited for one and a half hours to capture the right shot, but just like Bono, he still hadn’t found what he was looking for.”
Thursday, the 4th of August signalled the culmination of a vision that stemmed from Andy Parker’s and Jovis Leigh Howeieson’s brainchild. The reasoning was that Brian Lloyd Duckett’s 52 Assignments Street Photography book would act as the perfect antidote to intermittent Covid restrictions and challenges. Eleven amateur photographers initially took the project forward in October 2020, with the aim of completing all 52 assignments and showcasing the results in their own book and exhibition.
Since its inception, word continued to spread and the group expanded rapidly. And, just one and a half years later, that initial dream become a reality. Over 30 members chose to exhibit their work in the show, and we had the honour of displaying our photos at the coveted Fujifilm House of Photography. The Urban Photographers Club, Street Photography Assignments book was also revealed on the night.
To help promote the event further, each photographer was interviewed about their experience with the group. We were also asked to describe the rationale behind one of our photographs in the gallery and offer guidance to any aspiring street photographers. Many of us shared one common piece of advice, which was to ‘be yourself and find your own style’ rather than trying to emulate popular photographers on social media sites.
© Benito Mpangi, Assignment 05: After Dark. Title: Letting Go
This insight is what our group encompasses so well, and why I feel we’ve all improved so quickly. All of us have our own unique methods and are respectful of each other’s approach. Consequently, we’ve been able to learn so much from observing, discussing, and sharing our knowledge with other Urban Photographer participants. For anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit the gallery, you’ll know exactly what I mean regarding the wide, varied range of prints on display.
For anyone who hasn’t visited the show, why not? However, if you simply can’t attend, then I’ll try and paint a picture of the exhibition for you. The prints are displayed in the gallery on the second floor of the Fujifilm House of Photography. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, the first cluster of photographs that catch the eye are located towards the left side of the gallery where a rogue wall is set slightly back from the main exhibition room.
These honoured and larger images take pride of place for a reason. Brian Llyod Duckett -whose 52 Assignments Street Photography book inspired the group during its infancy and through to completion – has one of his prints displayed there. Additionally, a photograph from Jovis - the founder and mentor of the group – is also present.
A printed blurb can be found adjacent to each photograph which provides more insight into Brian and Jovis as individuals, their aspirations, and their approach to photography. There are also a number of same sized prints that have been selected for different, prestigious awards. One such prize was bestowed upon Mark Powell and was chosen as the ‘authors pick’ by Brian Lloyd Duckett (the curator of the show) for his wonderful juxtaposition.
It’s always fascinating to hear the serendipitous stories behind such images. Mark explained that he was visiting his daughter in Madrid, and one morning had decided to venture out for a walk along the beautiful Gran Via. He then described how he was suddenly left scrambling for cover in a local museum after the heavens opened. Unbeknown to Mark, he had fortuitously stumbled upon an exhibition displaying work from a famous Spanish photographer titled ‘Twos’. The show included a collection of two soldiers, two police men, two vicars, two nuns, two identical twins and so on.
© Mark Powell Assignment 30: In The Gallery. Title: Ladies of Madrid
Mark then headed around the corner to view more of his work, and to his amazement he noticed a wonderful picture of two Spanish ladies wearing fur coats, being viewed by two Spanish ladies wearing matching fur coats, which is when Mark instantly decided to snap the shutter button. Mark had been in the right place, at the right time, which is one aspect of being a good street photographer; another part is capturing the moment, which Mark did beautifully (See photo 1 below).
Brain Boyce showed the same excellent timing by taking a picture that won the ‘Photographers Choice Awards’ in the 52 Street Photography Assignments project. This accolade was reserved for the photographer who had taken the best photo during the project and carried the respect of being chosen by our peers. Brian was delighted to have received such a commendation.
Prior to taking the photo, Brian remembers walking around the side roads near Oxford Street, where he gravitated towards an empty shop with graphical, arrowed-lined paper covering the windows in an obvious attempt to prevent prying eyes. Brian knew it would work as a strong background providing the ‘right figure’ entered the frame in the foreground. But, after several near misses where his chosen subjects selected different paths, Brian thought he had missed the chance.
However, he soon observed an elderly man slowly navigating his way up the hill. The gentleman was smartly dressed with a hat and an umbrella, whilst the anticipation of the moment seemed to hang in the air forever. Soon, he was nearly adjacent to the shop, when a woman unexpectedly approached from the opposing side and almost, inadvertently ruined the shot. Brian was forced to react – he stepped forwards to create an angle that would restrict the photo blocker from becoming a photobomber, and at the same time the trendy character tipped his hat - either to hide his face from the camera, or to protect himself from the wind. In that instance, Brain took the shot (Photo 2 below).
The images in the gallery are of an extremely high standard, and the winners deserve all the credit handed to them. Just slightly along from that admired corner of prints, hangs a selection of images taken by GCSE photography students from Eden Park High School. Jovis is a strong advocate of helping mentor and support young photographers and through photo walks and workshops had tasked the learners with shooting images from assignment 24 – ‘All The Right Angles’. The learners responded to the brief with verve and creativity that shined through in their photos.
Ironically, it’s a right-angle in the gallery that leads the viewer to next row of photos on display in a more traditional rectangular-shaped room setting, with 3 of those walls showcasing the remainder of our works. Both colour and black and white photographs are presented and each image has the participants’ name and the assignment title written underneath which helps provide a suitable context for the observers.
One such photograph has: Benito Mpangi, Assignment 05: After Dark written below it. Benito is an excellent street photographer who specialises in night photography and this particular photo was taken near London Bridge Station at around 10:00 p.m. Benito had waited for one and a half hours to capture the right shot, but just like Bono, he still hadn’t found what he was looking for. He admits that luck had played a part in the final image, as well as his ability to machine gun an interesting scene (use continuous burst mode) in search of a strong picture. In addition, Benito’s skills at editing subsequently helped his vision come to fruition in the final print (Photo 3).
It’s always interesting to compare the different environments that have been used for the same assignment, and Benito’s and Lucy’s surroundings couldn’t be more contrary. Benito regularly shoots in the hustle and bustle of the city’s streets, while Lucy feeds on scraps in her seaside town, just like the resident seagulls. That’s why Lucy welcomes different events and gatherings in her community because it gives her a sense of purpose when out with her camera.
One such event is Halloween Night at the local funfair. Lucy knows the venue well because she has taken her children there several times before; however, on that particular night it was her first time trying out street photography. Lucy elucidated that there are always lots of thrills, spills, fun and drama in the air, and that she really enjoys the challenge of trying to utilise the available light in a demanding situation. Lucy selected the image because of the subject’s posture, expression, and outfit, which really stood out for her. It truly is a captivating photograph (Photo 4).
We still had some of our own light to play with, but by early evening everyone was too busy viewing the prints on display to consider shooting. Indeed, the gallery was heaving with friends, family members and many other interested parties. It was a proud feeling to be able to witness the attendees’ view and eulogise over our work. Many photographers signed each other’s programmes as a keepsake, whilst other members filmed the event and added the videos as reels and stories to their social media accounts.
© Brian Boyce, Assignment 07: Catch Their Eye. Title: Arrow Man
It was only fitting that such a special occasion ended with speeches, so appreciation could be directed to the relevant helpers and sponsors. Paul Nezandodonyi rightly thanked Jovis for the effort and dedication she had exerted into the project and exhibition. Brain Lloyd Duckett subsequently delivered a speech about how honoured he was to have been a source of inspiration for the group, and also echoed sentiments regarding the high quality of submissions.
Jovis began her speech by thanking all the Urban Photographer members for all their hard work and dedication. A special thanks was also reserved for Brian Llyod Duckett (Streetsnappers) for his exemplary mentoring and tutoring since the group’s inauguration. However, it was also acknowledged that none of this would have been possible without a host, so a debt of gratitude was offered to the Fujifilm House of Photography for being so accommodating and welcoming during the opening night and throughout the ongoing exhibition.
Extended thanks were also expressed to Ammonite Press. Jonathan Bailey in particular had generously shared much of his time during the creation of the book, whilst Paul Eckersley had welcomed and supported the venture throughout its entirety. Jamie Emmerson and Emmerson Press were also sincerely thanks for providing crucial and important guidance during the implementation and printing of the book.
Furthermore, Will Cheung from The Photography News was offered high praise for their promotion and exposure of the Urban Photographers Club by featuring the project in the 100th edition of the newspaper. Finally, Billingham were deeply thanked for their sponsorship. Harry Billingham, Mark Banahan, and Denise Sutton had all been generous with their time and provided fantastic advice throughout the mission. A Billingham representative ended the speeches and exemplified what everyone had been thinking - the exhibition had been a resounding success.
© Lucy Agius, Assignment 05: After Dark. No title.