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Please go give our Facebook a like, new content coming soon so keep your eyes peeled!

I’m currently in the process of starting up a new quarterly photographic magazine, showcasing a range of photographic talent from the North (Manchester, UK)

This free magazine will be available in and around the City of Manchester and intends to present a contemporary outlook on photography based in the north, featuring our personal work as well as that of our peers. We also hope to include the work of one established professional in each issue, we will use this as a way of publicising the work we believe needs to be shown within Manchester’s art scene.

Please check out the Facebook page and give us a like, we have a submission page where people can submit imagery for future issues, were always looking for fresh new talent so check it out!

[the-photographers-retrospective]

I’m currently in the process of starting up a new quarterly photographic magazine, showcasing a range of photographic talent from the North (Manchester, UK)

This free magazine will be available in and around the City of Manchester and intends to present a contemporary outlook on photography based in the north, featuring our personal work as well as that of our peers. We also hope to include the work of one established professional in each issue, we will use this as a way of publicising the work we believe needs to be shown within Manchester’s art scene.

Please check out the Facebook page and give us a like, we have a submission page where people can submit imagery for future issues, were always looking for fresh new talent so check it out!

[the-photographers-retrospective]

Second Adolescence & Daydream Mixtape - Ben Gore.

A while ago on the blog we posted a feature on Brighton based photographer Ben Gore and his project Second Adolescence. Ben's plan was to gain crowd funding in order to publish his work. The book was pitched as “an autobiographical photo-diary" that looks at themes of fading youth and the struggle to grow up.

He also created a zine along the same theme which featured photos he found important but didn’t feel fit into the narrative of the book.

Further to the feature, its great to hear that Ben was able to fund this project and publish his work. He very kindly sent us a copy of both the book and zine.

Second Adolescence & Daydream Mixtape - Ben Gore.

The project is made up of a collection of images taken over the past year. They document Ben's transition from life within a family home to a shared house in Brighton. The photographs portray day-to-day life from his perspective: his new house, friends and his experience of living in a new place. He describes this newfound freedom as his ”Second Adolescence”. The book depicts the life of a young person, old enough to do as he pleases and enjoying newfound freedoms, but without the burden of responsibility. The imagery illustrates this stage of life - not yet grown up and holding onto child like characteristics but instead “growing sideways”.

This book is presented in a diary-like style, beginning with a handwritten author’s note reading: “Growing sideways, another year, a few more stories”. This is signed off with “Ben” and a simply drawn cartoon. This adds to the diary-esque feel and the intimacy of a book of autobiographical photographs. The work is not about perfection, but simply seeing the world through his eyes, allowing the audience to observe the details that he notices in life.

Documentary photography often has an outward focus reporting about the lives of others and world issues. However what I enjoy about this book is that it is Ben’s story. The body of work acts as a journal of his past year. His style of photography enhances this point; it is informal, spontaneous and to me reminiscent of a hand written note in a dairy or journal. It is visually pleasing and Ben is a talented photographer, taking inspiration from a ‘rough and raw’ style of skating photography.

The fact that he has decided on a book/zine as the way to present his work is significant for the overall concept and the viewer’s understanding. The book format enhances the sense of the photos as a dairy and object used to record feelings in an immediate way. It also fits well into the lean towards smaller self-published projects within the British photography scene in recent years. The contemporary photo book has been chosen medium for some of the most critically acclaimed projects over the past five years.

The book format adds structure to Ben’s work, in contrast to a gallery where the viewer can browse. The images in a sequence allow stories to be told and connections to be shown. In a gallery, work is more public and on display to many people at once. In comparison, the book allows the reader a more intimate view of the work. The self published aspect keeps the book more personal, it is simply Ben sharing his imagery and stories.

“My work has always hinged on the ethos of DIY and self-publishing. The process means I'm able to create whatever I like, in my own time, and on my own terms. The project was very personal to me and I wanted to have full control over the editing, printing, and distribution. Once I felt the project was ready, I wanted to put it out and not have to try to wait for someone to publish it for me in their own way. Self-publishing is a project is an intimate process and this reflects in how the work is seen by the viewer. I want looking through the book to feel like peeking into someone's diary.”

Ben’s story begins with a strong sense of moving on. The cover photograph is a portrait of a young man gazing out to sea, which fits well with the theme, as the location for his new beginning is the coastal town, Brighton. The sea also has strong links with opportunity, freedom and ‘new horizons’.

The narrative continues with imagery of Ben’s new life in a shared house and his relationships with others. It seems that they are all exploring Brighton and their relationship as a group is developing. He takes close up shots often of relaxed moments between people that an outside viewer would rarely see. I enjoy the way in which Ben captures small details of his friends’ appearance; their tattoos and bruises. These close up portraits showing unique features skilfully document a growing connection and intimacy.

I also like the subtle way that the images reference previous projects that Ben has had involvement with, such as Radulthood, rooting the book in the wider context of his life as a whole. I was intrigued by the inclusion of many images showing animals and was interested to ask Ben more about this.

“There's a lot of images of animals in the book simply because I love animals. If I have the time, I will pet every dog I walk past in the street. Each animal has it's own personality in the same way a human does and I find that really interesting. The main cat in the book is Gonz, my cat. The book for me is all about the process of growing up and I like that you can see Gonz grow up too. He appears as a kitten about a third of the way in and by the end he's a fully fledged cat. Obviously it's not something that was planned but I love that you see him grow and mature literally as you can see I do in the same way through the pictures.”

For me personally one of the strongest aspects of the book is the way in which the work captures pace and atmosphere of the group’s life. Through his sequencing of images, Ben builds the narrative towards the climax of a night out. After the imagery of drunken behaviour, the tone changes and a sense of calm returns. The viewer is left to wonder about a possible step closer towards maturity. Clever references to past childhood can be observed within other images in the book, toys left to rust and childhood objects abandoned suggest growing up and moving on.

I am excited for the next chapter of Ben’s journal and think that it will be interesting to see how both his life and photography develop in years to come. He has made a strong start to what promises to be an interesting project.

Review and photographs by Nathan Cutler 

The Photographers Retrospective

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Last weekend to check out The Blue Monday Press pop up shop in Brighton.

Lots of exciting stuff happening over the next couple of days. Find out more below. 

Facebook: here

Their blog: here

Review and interview about Ben Gore’s recent work Second Adolescence and Daydream Mixtape coming soon. Until then check out his blog. 

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Matt Leeves - Manchester - 2015

This on going project explores the British/Chinese community in Manchester. With this project I wanted to draw upon the elements of Chinese culture which reside in one of the Uk’s largest cities, with a particular focus on consumerism and the spaces which fit neatly into an otherwise stereotypically british landscape.

Nikon D810 with the Nikkor 28mm - 85mm zoom lens and a Nikkor 50mm F1.4 Prime lens.

Matt

The Photographers Retrospective

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Miranda Barnes - 'Black Lives Matter'

Here's a few words from Miranda on what her work is about:

"Documenting the protests here in NYC after the Ferguson and Eric Garner verdicts was important to me because not only is it history, but I am a young black female who is effected by racism in America. I think its also imperative that people understand that the saying Black Lives Matter is a movement and not just 3 words. I'm very excited to see where the movement goes in 2015 and hope I will be there to witness and document it."

You can check out the rest of Miranda's work here:

http://mirandabarnes.com/

or here:

http://mirandabarnes.tumblr.com/

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Imagery from freelance photographer Francesca Solloway

Here's a few words from Francesca on what this project is about:

"I'm a recent graduate of photography currently based in South of England, working with medium formant film and ideas around our connection to place and space through urban and social exploration. I am currently working on a few personal photographic projects, one of these being a photographic journey to be funded by the kickstarter community (video in production). I work with photographic series, creating narrative through images. The images I have selected to share come from my most recent project and work in progress, Ebb and Flow: The ever changing face of the urban wastelands. This work was inspired by writing of Paul Farley and Michael Symmonds Roberts book Edgelands - Journeys into England's true wilderness. The idea is to capture these urban wastelands as they come in and out of being from development to desertion to re-development. The title encompasses this idea of how the urban landscape is ever changing just as the waves come in and out on the beach changing and shaping the landscape."

you can check out the rest of Francesca's work on her website:

https://francescasolloway.wordpress.com/

or her tumblr:

http://francescasollowayportfolio.tumblr.com/

The Photographers Retrospective

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Open Call for Submissions

We are currently looking for new artists to collaborate with and promote. 

We welcome all submissions however we have a strong preference towards a body of work with a concept or narrative. You can submit through the table on our page, message us or email.  

Within the submissions include your name, some information on yourself, your photography background and also a small piece of writing explaining the imagery.

Check out our last submission from Brighton based photographer Ben Gore - Here 

We look forward to hearing from you,

The Photographers Retrospective

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Imagery from Ben Gore: 

Heres a few words from Ben about himself and his work:

"I'm a Brighton based photographer and I've been self publishing photo-books and zines for a number of years. I also run DIY gallery B Rad out of the hallway of my house and am editor of a skate zine called Radulthood.

I'm currently in the process of putting together my first solo photo book and exhibition which I'm crowd funding through Kickstarter. The book is titled Second Adolescence and is being released alongside a zine called the Daydream Mixtape. The book and zine are filled with photos I've shot over the last year or so and has been in the pipeline for a long time. The book is an autobiographical photo-diary and looks at themes of fading youth and growing up or growing sideways. The zine builds on similar themes and features photos that didn't quite fit within the structure of the book but are still important to me. Both publications follow on from my previous projects Fried Brains and Here & There in that they look at the process of growing up. During the last year I've moved from my family home to a house share in Brighton and the book is an investigation into what that change has looked like for me. The title Second Adolescence runs along this theme and is about the freedom of living away from home and remaining childish while growing up and maturing. I'm hoping to publish a project every year or so which essentially serves as a chapter in my life and when the series is viewed as a whole it will show how I've changed and how the world around me has developed."

You can check out more of his work at: http://bengore.co.uk/

His Tumblr: http://bengore.tumblr.com

And if you would like to back his project:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1375707356/second-adolescence

The Photographers Retrospective

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Manchester - 20.01.2015

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400

Matt

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Featured Artist, Jake Macleod

Manchester - 17.12.2014

Model : Jasmin Brown

Pentax P30N & Kentmere 100

The Photographers Retrospective

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Untitled - 2014

Mamiya RZ67 Pro ii & Kodak Ektar 100

Matt

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Imagery from Matthew Bradley, based in Cape Town, South Africa

Heres a few words from Matthew on what his work is about:

"My photography acts as an archive of “visual-mental notes” that I make of things, whether they be situations that I come across, or situations that I construct. I look at objects closely, extracting them from their situation in an attempt to recontextualise them, as a process of understanding the world around us and the abilities of the medium of photography."

You can check out his Tumblr here: http://mtthwbrdly.tumblr.com/

And his website here: www.matthew-bradley.net

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are you a physical collective that meet? I am a first year design & craft student at brighton university, I dont study photography but it is something I really enjoy and am looking for like minded people I can learn from and share ideas with.

Hello!Yes we're are a group of three photographers who met at college in Brighton, I'm currently in manchester but the other two members are still in Brighton. If you have any questions then please feel free to ask!MattThe Photographers Retrospective

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Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2015

Full review on this year’s Taylor Wessing Portrait prize at the National Portrait Gallery in London (UK) coming soon!

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Untitled - 2014

Mamiya RZ67 Pro ii & Kodak Ektar 100

Matt

The Photographers Retrospective