What jobs can you do with a photography degree?

'do it cos you love it' is a call to action for the people who have given up on doing what makes them happy, and it’s a reminder to myself to never apologise for the things that make me feel alive. During this series, I faced my fears of imperfection and of stepping 'out of my lane' as a photographer.

I photographed myself, bonded prints to canvases and painted over the top, shaded with charcoal and covered my skin in paint. Most importantly, I did this for the thrill of it. I revelled in the experience of art-making and released the fears of what this might look like to everyone else. I create because I love it, and in doing so, I’ve  found a place for myself within it.

The Best Days of Our Lives explores and documents the experiences of living by questioning the validity of this commonly used phrase.

Typically, when talking to the older generation, I am told I will look back on this time as the best in my life.  However, I am often left hoping that this isn't true and I wonder if these are the best, then I don't want to see the worst.

Therefore, through this series of cinematic images I explore our collective vulnerabilities, developing a narrative that examines what it is that strips us of the potential to lead an authentic life and see beyond our individual space.

In a state of isolation and inability to explore the world, our minds begin to wander, and we reminisce of simpler times where there was no limit preventing us from venturing out. Yet, technology has allowed for a compromise, where we can roam streets and pathways of places we have never been, whether it's for entertainment or curiosity. Before anyone ever visits a new place, they might view maps or imagery around that place, in order to gain a better idea of what it might be like. Painting the scenery in a way which depicts a utopia, this work aims to capture the perfection found within imagery tied to holiday destinations.

Docklands investigates the impact of global trade. The ways in which the environment has adapted and been affected by this trade, alongside the continued change in environment due to the constant movement of trade,  is explored in the work.

The focus on a small port and its surroundings was intentional as trade is not limited to just the port but expands into the sea. Observing the lone ships roaming the seas on heavily calculated routes, yet seemingly aimless to the outside spectator, Docklands aims to expose the relationship between the relevance of global trade in the modern world and its environmental impact.

A Warning From History makes reference to the concept that life in itself is a cycle. Referencing the 1918 Flu pandemic as a mirror to Covid-19, it explores the idea that our current lives are a small segment of the human experience. Initially,  experiences we go through may seem new, but in reality, these experiences have already happened and will continue to happen in the future. This collection acts as a reminder that if we do not align our priorities with nature, our cycle of humanity may come to an end.

Iridescence is a social commentary that actualises social networking platforms, creating a fantasy existence where edits on how we look and the number of likes and followers have real-world worth. Iridescence removes the filters and exposes the effect social media is having on our lives; tackling issues such as body image, loneliness and screen addiction - and the composites create a character living within this 'utopia'. 

The body of work follows their navigation online, visualising how online pressures affect their battles with self worth, confidence and sexuality. Using self-portraiture to visualise my views on social media, and juxtaposing soft imagery with a harsh, unfiltered reality, portrays the issues resulting from these platforms. I hope this work goes towards inspiring positive change.

This project emerged from a series of walks around my local area during the various national lockdowns throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when we had the freedom to go outside for exercise. I used the camera as a mediator between myself as the observer and the intra-urban, and used these moments to document the various marks and evidence of human existence that caught my attention and that are prone to go unnoticed by others. 

'Observe' is a body of work that touches on those banal traces of anonymous narratives that you witness as part of the daily norm. As the city constantly develops and changes, so does my photography and the imagery that inevitably follows alongside it, finding the beauty within the banal.

In the recent 8 months, the urge to face notions of trauma and memory has been documented through the chosen medium of photography. Addressing issues such as addiction and loss has proven beneficial, as photographing became a vital form of therapy for my father and I. The returning visits to his home allowed a sense of trajectory to unfold. During the time of documenting, my father was admitted to hospital. His liver failure had taken a toll, and his body almost went into shock. The doctors told my father if he was to drink alcohol again, it would be fatal. Since then, he hasn't had any alcohol. "Break the Habit, please" allows the viewer to explore the emotions of witnessing post-destruct and sobriety first-hand through the daughter's eye.