I am applying for a place on the MA Photography (online) course at Falmouth University because it is the ideal moment for me to push my creative practice further. I graduated in 2017 as a full-time mature student with a 2:1 in Media Culture and Production from Southampton Solent University. Since then, I have used photography as my creative output whilst working full time in the automotive industry.
In 2019, I applied to the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme and pitched my business plan to the Southampton Solent Enterprise Fund for business funding successfully allowing me to set up my own business, Crocodile Car Agents, which combined my passion for cars and photography. Covid 19 unfortunately killed the business in its infancy. I was however able to use my photography for a brief time in one of my jobs, providing photographs for social media and printed advertising in Land Rover Monthly magazine.
For 2024, I was a season ticket holder to the MSV racetracks which I would go to at every opportunity. I documented my favourite photographs on my personal website tracking the year. Having a keen interest in motorsport there would be cars or drivers I would like to photograph at most events and knowing that they might only be on track only once in the day I would challenge myself to get photographs of that vehicle or driver.
I recently visited The Photographers’ Gallery in London where I saw the exhibitions of the Italian photographer Letizia Battaglia and fashion photographer Deborah Turbeville. I was intrigued by how the photographs had been prepared for display, not just the story photograph was showing. In the Letizia Battaglia exhibition, there was a section where the images had been hung from the ceiling on what appeared to be double sided light boxes, this was described as a “photo forest” where you could walk between the photographs in your own order rather than the images being on the walls around the room, this made them more interactive. This experience sparked an interest in the process of how to put on an exhibition, and I have since signed up to complete The Workings of a Photographic Gallery course at the gallery.
I am excited to explore a range of styles and techniques to discover my unique photographic voice. My recent photography has focused on motorsport and street photography, but I would like to explore the street photography further, specifically the moral and cultural implications. What is morally acceptable and how does it fit into modern culture whilst looking at the history of the subject and how it has changed, if it has? Is the in-your-face style of Bruce Gilden acceptable in modern culture or should street photographers be more candid in their work?
During my Access to Higher Education diploma which I completed at Leicester College my final major project looked at whether portraits had to be still. During the research for this project, I discovered the photo joiners of David Hockney and recreated one, I would like to try this again. I would also like to explore diverse ways of bringing movement into a portrait.
This year I have set myself and friends a 52-week photography challenge. Taking a photograph each week on a different subject. I am completing this challenge alongside the master’s course to keep me trying different photography subjects whilst continuing to find my photography voice.
The decision to apply for the course has not been an impulsive decision. I previously looked at applying when I was working full time just over a year ago. Recently I have had the opportunity to take a time out of working and decide what I would like to do in the future as my career in the automotive industry stalled. Having visited The Photographers’ Gallery and the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 at the National Portrait Gallery it reignited my desire to take my photography further beyond technical skills. Taking what I learnt in my degree further and exploring the visual and cultural context of photography which I believe the MA photography course will allow me to do.
With the course being over two years I feel that the direction that I would like to take is to refine my photographic skills, finding my photographic voice so that the can be commercially successful and be able to use the skills learned to inform and educate other people whether in a teaching or a gallery environment.