Asides

Wandering On The Moors – Compelling Portraits.

Wandering on The Moors with Carolyn Mendelsohn and other inspiring female humans, or Compelling Portraiture hosted by award winning photographer Carolynn Mendelhson and accompanied by guest photographer: Miss Aniela. In attendance 5 other inspirational females:

  • Gemma Brunton
  • Dani Heavens
  • Rowan Coleman
  • Rebecca LaChance
  • Kay Young

Based in  Haworth, Haworth the home of The Bronte Sisters and the setting for a photography workshop,  Ponden Hall was our base and home for three days,the potential real life inspiration for Wuthering Heights and setting a romantic but dark tone for the photography workshops.

As a photographer, you are constantly aiming to achieve the connection between subject and camera, I  attempt to portray narrative with or without figures within images, one of my first aspirations was to be an Author, I wonder if photography quenches some of that young “story telling” desire. If I am being honest I have never joined any photography workshops since becoming a full time photographer and considered this a huge step. But so many qualities of the workshop appealed to me: the location, the guest photographer (whose work I follow), Carolyn herself and the work she produces and her approach feels familiar and warm.

I keep looking a the images I have taken and tweaking ever so slightly in post processing and It is clear to say, I love them. Time will be spent over a few blog entries to enable reflection.

Bear with me as I take a little journey backwards.

  • Model: Ella McNeil
  • Stylist: Caroline Brown
  • MUA: Lauren Rippin
  • Photographer: CJGriffiths Photography

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Day 1. California Dreams Do Come True – A photographic journal.

I do not want to come across boring, I mean who does…..But this trip really was that made of dreams.

After a ton of time and I mean quite a few years, me and my partner in crime, Ben were able to make it across 3k miles of sea to California. A late honeymoon, supported by a number of amazing people who donated money as a gift to help make our dreams a reality.

Travel to me is like being renewed or reset, a chance to look at other worlds and people and know that life is elsewhere.

Regarding photography, I once read an article about that mechanical instrument the camera, where the writer stated “keep some money back for travel and do not spend it all on equipment” – he was right.

2

I never thought I would ever visit Disney Land – it is just not on my bucket list, a child hood fantasy perhaps and not on the “to do” list for California. The first day was supposed to be at The Vans Pool Party – Skateboarding event. But we were so near by, we just thought “what the heck”.

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In there before anyone else – early doors, taking care to notice signage explaining that we could be exposed to cancer or other hazardous chemicals (these signs are everywhere). Strange thing to read when you are entering a famous entertainment centre (America has all their bases covered, there is no way they are going to get a law suit slapped on them).

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So early doors, there was no one about…………..Now I am aware my images are starting off pretty dull and un-creative and ass I start my day but I have slipped into tourist mode and   just capturing anything that looks interesting and it all looks interesting.to be fair. Quite a dull day weather wise too, apparently it is known as “May Grey”! My partner in crime is bemused that I am even trying to take photographs, but you know – its an extension of myself, I cannot help myself, it is a affliction.

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It is all just so American!!!

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I know I am touch with my childhood spirit – but this is ridiculous.

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Even the toilet facilities are attractive – I am looking up at this window and thinking “is this the window with the candle that remains lit for Walt Disney’s return?” I have read about this and I like the level of creepiness.

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OH MY GOD!!!!! M.I.C.K.E.Y……..those Disney Staff are soooooooooo happy. Must be the nice weather.

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Everywhere I looked, I was like: Ohhh, awww , wowwwww. Even though it is all pre fabricated a bit like Facebook and Disney is basically showing off its “highlight reel”, it is difficult not to be impressed.

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The art deco inspired buildings really got me.

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I was being submerged into a fantasy land of Disney characters, colour, twee music and very expensive food and drink as we raced around trying to take everything in.

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I mean. look!! It is Captain America – goddammit!!

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even the shops left me agog!

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We entered Radiator Springs and if you are not sure of the reference, this is the place where the Disney film, Cars is set.

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Where we were prepared to get our kicks.

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A scaled down version of Radiator Springs.

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and the scaled up version.

Am just going to leave it right here – next episode: Radiator Springs and beyond. I am not sure what I expected entering Disney and as the day grew hotter and hotter, I wanted to really put the camera away or thought actually this would be much better if I was here just here to photograph! Because sometimes the want to photograph overtakes being able to take the moment in, luckily the cameras magical ability allows you to take in those moments later….

 

Showzam Circus Festival 2016 Blackpool

Showzam 2016Chickens and Horses (87)

I think I am now on my 4th or 5th year of photographing the very visually pleasing Showzam Circus festival.

Showzam in #Blackpool #UK hosts a variety of street and indoor performances across #TheWinterGardens, #TowerBallroom and #TowerCircus over a 5 day period.

If you were around this year you may have caught sight of wood wind playing chickens or a steam punk werewolf riding his bike through the streets of Blackpool.

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Poor Blackpool tends to get a lot of stick (of rock), the poor mans Brighton, the “uncool” cousin of Manchester. I am here to “blow” the trumpet of Blackpool, christening it with it’s new name “Blackcool”.

 

#Showzam is a mostly free festival currently in its 9th year. See you in 2017.

in Deference – a collaboration of photography, light & projection.

When time has passed and things have changed. Do you remember that feeling of that time, place, person or feeling or do we
move on? 


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“No matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away.” 
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
I am currently working on a collaboration with local artist and educator: Jayne Simpson http://jaynesimpson.co.uk/
Using a film of a shrine I had made for a previous project based on memory and remembrance we set about projecting the film into the concrete space, onto walls of the
vast arch above us, in small nooks dripping with stalactites we
wrapped the projection around pillars and plinths and Claire began photographing this amazing space whilst trying to capture those qualities that were not visible, like the damp stench and the diesel and water on the floor. The atmospheric and narrative based images that Claire
captured led the way to further collaborations and individual work whilst retaining the sentiment of our curatorial idea - Jayne Simpson artist.

'One must always maintain one's connection to the past and yet ceaselessly pull away from it'.

Gaston Bachelard - The Poetics of Space




The projections placed into the space of The Boathouse which 
was due to be filled with concrete had such an ambient feeling and clues to a narrative of its former life.

“When I was fifteen, all I wanted was to go off to some other world, a place beyond anybody’s reach. A place beyond the flow of time.”
- But there’s no place like that in this world.
- Exactly. Which is why I’m living here, in this world where things are continually damaged, where the heart is fickle, where time
 flows past without a break.” 
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Our investigations led us to The Regent a former cinema and bingo
 hall in Blackpool town centre.


The Regent - CJGriffiths Photography and Jayne Simpson (15)


A place where dozens of people had passed through shared joy and
 laughter now selling antiques and collectibles on the ground floor
 But above lay a labyrinth of old corridors, staircases and
 balconies with a suggestion of what had gone before. 




 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  




In the Spring/Summer we got access to ‘The Regent’ on Church Street Blackpool, now a thriving Antique/Secondhand centre the building had been rescued and given another purpose and gratefully we were 
given access to the upper floors of the building that had once been used as a Theatre but retained some of the original stall and lots of ornate, although crumbling plaster work. We ventured further into the enclosed spaces at the top of the building including the
 original projection room. - Jayne Simpson - Artist.

Following Jayne's residency at Fleetwood Museum and it's recent
 news of loss of funding, I was invited to photograph inside,
investigating its exhibition and space with my camera. I wondered 
how Blackpool Museum could help with their recent good fortune,
 could the exhibits be shared. If Fleetwood Museum was to go, how 
would we remember the rich fishing towns history? https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/Residents/Libraries-arts-and-heritage/Blackpool-Museum.aspx

 As art galleries and museums get closed down. As creativity
 gets removed from education.

  That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is 
the most important of all the lessons of history.


Aldous Huxley






 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  




  

To see further work, installation and exhibition.
Jayne Flyer finished
 
'A rather large dossier of literary documentation on the poetry of houses could be studied from the single angle of the lamp that glows in the window'.

Gaston Bachelard - The Poetics of Space