A Photographic Life

In episode 12 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed considering the importance of photographer experiences and his own experiences as an art director working with Paris based photographer JeanLoup Sieff and New York based Sylvia Plachy. Plus this week publisher, photographer, lecturer and founder of Cafe Royal Books Craig Aitkinson takes on the challenge of supplying Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which he answer’s the question ‘What Does Photography Mean to You?’ Craig Aitkinson set up Café Royal Books, as an independent publishing house based in Southport, England. Originally as a way to disseminate drawings and photographs, in multiples, affordably, quickly, and internationally without relying on 'the gallery'. Since 2012 he has been making an ongoing series of publications, the broad subject of which is British Documentary Photography since 1960. This includes international photographers working within the British Isles, and photographers from the British Isles working internationally. There are a few exceptions. Craig publish's at least one title every week, presenting, generally, one series by one photographer. Every 100th title, he publish's a limited edition boxed set of those 100 books — aimed at public collections, so that the books remain accessible. Café Royal Books is just Craig Aitkinson. www.caferoyalbooks.com

In episode 11 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed considering the relationship between music and photography, what makes an 'expert' and buying cameras.  Plus this week photography editor and writer Laura Beltrán Villamizar takes on the challenge of supplying Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which she answer’s the question ‘What Does Photography Mean to You?’ You can read more of Grant's thoughts on cameras here: https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2017/01/02/what-camera-do-you-use/   Laura Beltrán Villamizar  is a photography editor and writer born in Bogotá, Colombia. She is the Projects Picture Editor for NPR (National Public Radio), working with the organization’s growing efforts to shape their visual journalism enterprise. She is also the founder of Native www.nativeagency.org – a non-profit platform dedicated to the promotion and development of visual journalists from under-represented regions and communities. Laura has written extensively on localised non-western photography for Nieman Reports at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. She is also is a teacher in photography and visual journalism and has set up festivals and educational labs for non-western photographers and documentary makers in Ecuador and Nigeria.   Before founding Native, Laura worked at World Press Photo, where she led educational programs in Latin America and co-produced the yearly Joop Swart Masterclass in Amsterdam.   Prior to joining World Press Photo, she was Associate Photo Editor for Revolve Magazine where she oversaw long-term features, international commissions for print and online, and curated the magazine’s emphasis on visual storytelling.   Laura has served on the jury for The Catchlight Fellowship 2018, The FENCE at Photoville in 2018, and The Sinchi Photography Competition for Indigenous and Native Photographers in 2017.   She was also selected for the Alexia’s Foundation Seminar: Latin America: Stories That Drive Change (Miami, 2017). Laura currently lives and works in Washington, D.C.     You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. © Grant Scott 2018

In episode 10 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed considering the importance of collaboration and drawing to photography. Plus this week photographer Al Brydon takes on the challenge of supplying Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which he answer's the question 'What Does Photography Mean to You?' Al Brydon is a photographer based in the North of the England and Co-founder of the Inside the Outside Collective. He describes himself as being less tall than he seems on the internet and has exhibited his work in both solo and group shows across the UK. Al has had two books of his work published by Another Place Press As We Wander and Based on a False Story. www.al-brydon.com You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. © Grant Scott 2018

In episode 9 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed and considering paid for portfolio reviews, the art of commissioning and the importance to being challenged as part of the learning process.  Plus in the third of a new series in which those engaged with photography supply Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which they answer the question 'What Does Photography Mean to You?'. This week photographer and filmmaker Ed Kashi takes on the challenge. Ed Kashi is a critically acclaimed photojournalist who uses photography, filmmaking and social media to explore geopolitical and social issues that define our times. He is also an educator and mentor to photographers around the world and lectures frequently on visual storytelling, human rights and the world of media. Ed has covered topics as diverse as the impact of oil in Nigeria, the protestant community in Northern Ireland, the lives of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, the impact of an aging society through his project, Ageing in America, climate change, the plight of Syrian refugees, and the global epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease among agricultural workers. A member of VII Photo Agency since 2010, Kashi has been recognized for his complex imagery and its compelling rendering of the human condition. His early adoption of hybrid visual storytelling has produced a number of influential short films and in 2015 he was named Multimedia Photographer of the Year. A leading voice in the photojournalism world, Kashi frequently lectures on a wide range of topics for arts institutions, universities, schools and professional organizations. His work has been published and exhibited worldwide, receiving numerous awards and honors. Through his editorial assignments and personal projects Kashi has published eight books, including Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta, THREE, and Photojournalisms. In 2002, Kashi in partnership with his wife, writer + filmmaker Julie Winokur, founded Talking Eyes Media.  The non-profit company has produced numerous award-winning short films, exhibits, books, and multimedia pieces that explore significant social issues. Kashi is also on the Board of Directors of the Catchlight Foundation. https://edkashi.com You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. © Grant Scott 2018

In episode 8 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed and considering the wellbeing and issues of mental health amongst photographers.  Plus in the second of a new series in which those engaged with photography supply Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which they answer the question 'What Does Photography Mean to You?'. Photographer Nick Turpin takes on the challenge. Nick Turpin was born in London in 1969 and studied art and design at the University of Gloucestershire before moving on to study photography, film and video at the University of Westminster until 1990. On graduation he went to work as a staff photographer with The Independent newspaper leaving there in 1997 to pursue a second career in advertising and design photography. In 2000 Nick founded the international street photographers group in-public and in 2010 he established Nick Turpin Publishing. Nick has taught and lectured on contemporary street photography at museums, universities and on television. https://nickturpin.com You can read articles in which Grant has spoke previously about mental health within the photographic community here: https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2016/01/22/im-a-photographer-and-i-have-a-problem https://witness.worldpressphoto.org/the-loneliness-of-the-long-distance-photographer-5fb1bddda8ab You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. © Grant Scott 2018

In episode 7 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed and considering photographic degree shows, photographs as memories, and editing images for visual narratives. Plus in the first of a new series in which those engaged with photography supply Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which they answer the question 'What Does Photography Mean to You?'. Ella Murtha reflects on her mother's work and what that work means to her and the people she photographed ahead of the opening of an exhibition of that work Tish Murtha: Works 1976-91 at The Photographer's Gallery, London this week https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibition/tish-murtha-works-1976-1991 You can read more of Grants views on photo editing here https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2014/11/11/editing-is-rejection-understanding-the-editing-process/ and photography degree shows here https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2016/06/23/when-does-the-fun-begin-or-photo-degree-shows-why-do-they-exist/ You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. © Grant Scott 2018

In episode 6 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed and considering the relevance of awards and competitions to photographers, issues of diversity and gender inclusion within the photo community, and the realities of academia at this time of the year when working as a photography lecturer. He also announces a new feature to be included in future podcasts. You can read more about Grant's take on photography competitions here https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2017/06/28/why-do-photo-competitions-exist and here https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2015/08/04/how-to-enter-photography-competitions-and-win You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto and on iTunes by searching for The United Nations of Photography Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018.

In episode 5 of this new series of podcasts UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is back in his shed and pondering on how family members can influence the decision to engage with photography, the use of crowd funding to support a business and the re-surgence of alternative process's and pictorialism within photography. In this episode Grant mentions his article concerning Instagram acting as the gateway to photography for young photographers, which can be read here https://witness.worldpressphoto.org/is-instagram-the-new-gateway-to-photography-a74485eb10a1 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019.

In episode 4 of this new series of podcasts UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in Toronto, Canada talking about the process of photo sketching, how travel has changed for the photographer and the importance of archiving your work. [audio src="https://glassonionblogdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/a-photographic-life-episode-4.mp3"][/audio] In this episode Grant speaks of his interview with PixelRights Richard Chambray which can be see at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvaahI85AA And his article for World Press Photo on creating photographic archives which can be read at https://witness.worldpressphoto.org/creating-photographic-archives-for-the-future-3cd9f8e54063 Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. You can follow Grant on Twitter and on Instagram @UNofPhoto. Music by Laura Ritchie from the soundtrack to Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay www.donotbendfilm.com

In episode 3 of this new series of podcasts from a shed, in a garden somewhere in England. UNP founder and curator Grant Scott talks about the importance of keeping things simple when creating photo projects, the thorny issue for many photographers of self-promotion and recommends an article to read on line by the founder of Cafe Royal Books https://caferoyalbooks.wordpress.com. Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer in Professional Photography at the University of Gloucestershire, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book #New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in January 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be screened across the UK and the US in 2018. You can follow Grant on Twitter and on Instagram @UNofPhoto. Music by Laura Ritchie from the soundtrack to Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay www.donotbendfilm.com