Document Scotland

Over the last few months, I have been involved in setting up a project which aims to combine photography with zeitgeist.

Conceived over a beer and a bowl of dim sum in a backstreet cafe in Beijing earlier this year, Document Scotland is the brainchild of three Scottish photographers: myself, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert and Stephen McLaren. We looked at the world and decided that the world will soon be looking at Scotland. In the run up to the 2014 referendum on Independence, there's no doubt that the 'best wee country in the world,' as the Government likes to describe it, is going to be in the eye of a political and social storm, one which will shape and mould Scotland's future for generations to come.

And into this maelstrom, photography must step. Scotland has a long and noble tradition of producing peerless documentary photography. In addition, the country has provided a backdrop for many of the most acclaimed and celebrated photographers who have chosen to come and make work. We firmly believe that it our responsibility to take on the challenge of defining and communicating what the next two years have in store, socially, culturally, environmentally and politically.

So Document Scotland sets out with a manifesto to encourage, support and disseminate outstanding documentary photography. It should have the power to provide the resources for its photographers to develop themes and ideas and to make new work. Working collectively will give each practitioner support, guidance and a sense of working towards a common goal.

Today we welcome our fourth member of the team to Document Scotland: Edinburgh-born photographer Sophie Gerrard has already acquired the reputation as one of the country's most exciting emerging talents. We are looking forward to working with her and raising the profile of- and opportunities for each one of this 'fab four' collective.

Here's more information about Document Scotland.

The A41 Project hits the road...

One of the most engaging debates surrounding inequality in the word's wealthiest countries is why it exists at all. In societies blessed with resources, both human and natural, not to mention cash and other capital, why is it that so many of these nations appear to be in crisis?

Notwithstanding the global financial meltdown and long recession the world is still suffering under, the consequences of living under systems which contribute to a steadily widening of incomes are being hotly debated. The statistics and research around outcomes for health and wellbeing make fascinating reading. How is the ever-widening gap between those with wealth and those without contributing to problems in our own country and around the world? What can be done to change, rectify and re-balance these consequences?

Last year, I started researching a project based on the ideas of these imbalances, using the A41, one of England's major trunk roads, as a template. The road runs from one of England's richest neighbourhoods in central London, all the way to Birkenhead, on the banks of the Mersey, in one of the country's poorest wards. This lead me to the Equality Trust, a charitable organisation which aims to raise awareness about these issues and campaign for changes in policy.

The result was the putting together of an Arts project which focuses on the issues brought to the surface by the collaborative research. Funded by the Arts Council England and The Equality Trust, the A41 Project also engages with groups and individuals interested in applying the ideas, practices and ethics of photography to the issues surrounding inequality. Having established participatory groups in London, the West Midlands and Milton Keynes, I am eager to hear from anyone wishing to participate in the project from the North West, particularly Cheshire and Merseyside. No experience necessary, as they say.

The result will be exhibitions, websites, blogs and possibly a publication. In the meantime, please follow the project via Twitter twitter.com/germanocean or via the Equality Trust website http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/

Win a signed photo

On Sunday 9th September I will once again be taking part in the Hoylake 10k race.
As last year, I will be raising funds for two very worthwhile causes, detailed below.
And once again, I am asking you if you would be prepared to help me by entering a competition to guess my finishing time for the race.

This year's incentive to enter is that the entry closest to guessing my official finishing time will win an exclusive, signed copy of one of my favourite photographs.

The image (see above) is a stunning landscape, taken at dawn from the small Hebridean island of Tiree on Scotland’s west coast showing the hills of Mull and the distinctive shape of the Dutchman’s Cap, a small, uninhabited island situated between Tiree and Mull. The winning entry will receive a 20" by 14" print, with a plain white mount surrounding the image.

Entries cost GBP5 each and there is no limit to the amount of times you can place your guess. Simply email or text me (07831 838717) your guess in minutes and seconds  i.e. 52.37  and pay the entry fee either by cheque or online via PayPal (www.paypal.com - my account is amazon@colinmcpherson.co.uk). If two entries are the same, I will reallocate your guess to the nearest available slot in minutes and seconds.

I will be raising money for two specific projects:

Wednesday Special Needs Club Soft Play Sensory Resource. Located just around the corner from where I live and where the race will be run, the Soft Play Sensory Resource caters to the particular requirements of Wirral's special needs people of all ages. It is run and supported by the volunteer helpers of the Wednesday Special Needs Club, which has no official funding. It is located in a specially equipped room in Hoylake Community Centre (registered charity no. 1015141). For more information go to http://www.wsnc.co.uk/index.html

Musa's Family. During my trip to Swaziland in 2008, I had the privilege to meet Musa, who lives with his extended family in a small stockade in Pine Valley, near Mbabane on the edge of the Drachenberg mountains. Like almost all families in Swaziland, Musa's family have suffered due to the staggeringly high incidences of HIV/AIDS in a country which has the highest rates of infection and the lowest life expectancy in the world. Over the last four years, I have attempted to help Musa, who is the head of the family and the main breadwinner, by paying for him to study accountancy and to gain a qualification that will allow him the opportunity of a good career that in turn will help him support his family. Money raised has also been used to connect their homestead to main electricity and to repair houses flattened by storms this year. By sponsoring me in running the Hoylake 10k you will be a part of the support that I give to Musa which allows him to buy everyday items, travel to work and pay for his nieces and nephews to attend primary school. To see a gallery of photos of Musa and his family, please visit http://pa.photoshelter.com/c/colinmcpherson/gallery/Musas-Family/G0000p3eoFLEZSgw/

I am aware that these are difficult times for us all and that many of you will already support charities and fundraising events. Nevertheless, any amount you can support me with will be greatly appreciated by everyone at the WSNC and by Musa and his family. Last year I finished the race in a personal best of 47 minutes and 00 seconds and my aim is to at least match that time this year. I'd also like to match the GBP890 which was raised last year.

Many thanks for your time in reading this mail.

For more information about my photography, please visit www.colinmcpherson.co.uk

My Olympics is over already....

While the whole World - or 4 billion of you - are gearing up to watch tonight's opening ceremony and the golden moments over the next fortnight, I'll be reflecting on my own brief Olympic experience.

When Saturday Comes commissioned me to cover the Men's football tournament matches at Old Trafford, featuring United Arab Emirates versus Uruguay and the controversial Great Britain team in action against our old friends from Senegal.

After the hype of the GB team in the run-up to the Games came the reality: a family-friendly atmosphere which never had the cutting edge of a 'real' international match. The home songs were muted and there was even applause for the opposition - something which was welcome but unexpected in the context of international football. No-one, other than manager Stuart Pearce, seemed bothered that Team GB had not won. Most people in the near-capacity crowd just seemed delighted to be at an Olympic event.

Probably because of the absence of players from Scotland and Northern Ireland, not to mention the location of the match, the crowd sported England and GB colours in equal measure. I saw only one saltire being waved - but don't worry lads, I know where the offender lives!

For colour and energy, it was the wig-wearing Uruguayans who stole the show.

So the bandwagon rolls on without me. I'm off on holiday. I'll be keeping an eye on Usain Bolt and the other great Olympians. As for the football, I just can't wait until the real season kicks-off at Dumbarton on 18th August.

To see a gallery of photos from Old Trafford, please visit http://colinmcpherson.photoshelter.com/

New museum gets a helping hand!

A quick trip over to Manchester this week to discover the delights of England's new National Football Museum, housed at the futuristic Urbis building in Manchester city centre.

Upon arriving I was informed by one of the excitable gaggle of PR people on duty that the star attraction was Maradona's 'Hand of God' shirt. Well, as any self-respecting Scot would do, I hot-footed it to the relevant display cabinet and paid homage to the shirt which is on loan from former England internationalist Steve Hodge who nabbed it from wee Diego after that famous 1986 World Cup match.

It set me thinking. Maybe the more appropriate location for this item would be at the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden? I can imagine it would become something of a shrine! Not that I endorse cheating or gamesmanship, you understand. It just somehow has more resonance in Scotland, for some reason.

Anyway, petty nationalistic gibes aside, the newly-opened NFM is excellent. Its director is Kevin Moore, a fellow Tranmere Rovers fan, so as you would expect it balances out history and modernity with a good mix of large and small clubs represented in each of the four packed floors of displays.

It also tackles serious issues related to English football's more troubled histories: fires, disasters, hooliganism. although the alleged theft of a bracelet in 1970 doesn't get a mention anywhere!

On the top floor is Stuart Roy Clarke's sublime 'Homes of Football' photographic exhibition (his entire collection is now housed at the NFM). It's a tour around football in the nations of the British Isles and further afield including new images taken in Africa. Superb. Indeed the whole place is.

For more information, read Ian Herbert's article in the Independent which was illustrated by my photographs: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/the-peoples-game-exhibits-its-heart-at-the-national-football-museum-7917892.html?origin=internalSearch

or view my set of images at: http://colinmcpherson.photoshelter.com/

Driving (and eating) with Mr Zhao

The most important part of the assignment to photograph Beijing during my recent trip was the ability to manoeuvre around the gridlocked metropolis thus managing to get from one location to another to shoot.

My fate was put in the hands of Mr Zhao, my driver, and a man of considerable skill not only at negotiating the corridors of traffic chaos, but also for his ability to have the entire day mapped out to perfection, allowing maximum time not just for photography but also for lunch.

Mr Zhao proved himself adept at timetabling and at noon each day, no matter which part of the sprawling Chinese capital we found ourselves, he would lead myself and my assistant to a fragrant eatery of mouthwatering splendour. The long mornings, dust, heat and pollution would dissolve as we were seated ready for the latest installment of delicious cuisine which would have the three of us groaning as we emerged some 90 minutes later, stuffed and satisfied.

 Mr Zhao was not only a ‘foodie’ but also keen to be seen as a ‘food ambassador’ and as such each day’s menu was selected to show off the widest selection of comestibles. I Iearned that mutton was the prized meat to eat, due to its scarcity, while chicken and pork - stables of British-based Chinese takeaways - were less popular as these were considered ubiquitous and easy to source domestically. There were rich fish dishes, sumptuous selections of fresh vegetables and even an hour spent in front of a boiling vat of water eating what was termed a ‘Chinese fondue’. While my lack of bravery in tackling certain foods (a plate of organs defeated me), Mr Zhao nodded in approval at my dextrous use of chopsticks, a skill I honed as a boy.

Mr Zhao’s car turned out to be a magnificent Chinese-manufactured quasi limousine (Mr Zhao called it an “Eetch-ee” but it was actually a Besturn B70 produced by FAW Car Company). For me, it was an ice cold oasis, a cool sanctuary in the searing heat of the day as the mercury rattled 95 degrees F. While gliding through the traffic would be an exaggerated description of our low-speed perambulations, nevertheless, the whole experience of driving (and eating) with Mr Zhao leaves me restless for a return to Beijing and to the wonders of traffic jams on six lane ring roads and authentic Chinese lunches.

Aday Project - 15th May 2012

Like tens of thousands of photography lovers around the world, I joined in today's Aday project to capture Humankind in one single day.

I started late after a hectic day of work and family ups- and downs. I took my cameras and headed out to the bottom of my road to embark on an evening reflecting and capturing the environment around my home.

I have selected seven photographs to be uploaded to the project website, all taken on the Wirral coast. I like their diversity and energy, I hope you do too.

 For more information about the project, please visit http://www.aday.org/about

Scottish horror stories

 Some recent articles found in the Daily Tellalie

Chew Would Not Believe It!

Cannibalism is set to become a part of everyday Scottish life if the country votes to separate from the rest of the United Kingdom, writes our Scotland Correspondent Alan Cockrant.

    A shocking new report has claimed that with incomes likely to plummet and fresh food becoming scarce, Scots may have to resort to eating one another to survive!

    The experts warn that a return to the days of Sawney Bean could become a reality if Scotland votes for the SNP's flagship policy of independence. Bean, a macabre figure who headed a notorious clan of Galloway cannibals, was thought to be responsible for the murder and consumption of more than 1000 innocent Scots in the 15th and 16th century.

    Thankfully, the grisly practice died out when Scotland joined England in the 1707 Act of Union which created Great Britain.

    The report, which has not been made public by Alex Salmond's government, warns of catastrophic food shortages, crop failures, the total collapse of international trade and communications, leading to mass starvation in places like Scotland.

    And with the obliteration of the food chain, it is likely that Scots will be forced to resort to cannibalism. Asked to respond to the report's finding, a Scottish Government spokesman declined to comment.

    And no wonder: the SNP don't want you to know that "inviting Granny round for tea" might take on a sinister new meaning in an independent Scotland!

Scots Are Stupid!

Don’t take our word for it, take theirs!

    A new survey of attitudes has discovered that a percentage of people in the south of England think the Scots would be daft to vote for independence.

    Almost 100 people were quizzed about their attitudes to Scotland separating from the rest of the UK and being cast adrift from Britain. Nearly EIGHT per cent agreed with the statement that: "Scots would be stupid to vote for the SNP's flagship policy of independence.”

    Scotland has always prided herself on her excellent education system which has allowed Scots to lead the world in science, commerce and art. Now it seams all that is under threat as Scots face being termed "thick" for choosing to back independence.

    A Scottish Government spokesman declined to comment on the survey and deny that Scots would be labelled as "stupid".

    It seems that Alex Salmond's administration would rather it is not just his party which is regarded as idiotic, but the rest of Scotland too!

                                                      The SNP thinks Britain is rubbish!

Scotland’s 100% Rejection of Independence!

It's true! The entire population of Scotland is turning its back on the SNP's flagship policy of separating Scotland from the Union.

    It is the people of Scotland, Wyoming, who are the latest to have dealt a body blow to Alex Salmond's madcap plans. When asked, members of the 44-strong settlement which lies in the shadow of Cloud Peak, rejected the idea of separation for Scotland. This might be small town America but they have a BIG message for the SNP: we reject you!

    Hiram McCluckey, owner of Birds and Bullets Game Store told us: "You just have to look at the place. There's no way it could be independent. Scotland relies on the help and handouts it gets from the government. Scotland would be finished without them." Another concerned resident, the Reverend Hamish N'cube, revealed that concerned parishioners had bombarded him with questions about Scotland's future. Visibly shaking, the minister denounced any plans for independence for Scotland as "the work of Satan" and likely to deliver his people into "an infernal, eternal Hell".

    Other members of the community refused to comment on the plans for independence for Scotland, as did a Scottish Government spokeswoman, who said she was unaware of the survey.

    So it seems that far from having their heads in the clouds, the people of Scotland are talking sense!

Carlisle Photography Festival 2012

A trip to England's far north west frontier, appropriately enough on St. George's Day, to visit the inaugural Carlisle Photography Festival.

Billed as a focus for emerging international talent, the 11-day event is the brainchild of Danish-born photographer Tania Gibson and is being staged at some half-dozen sites all within walking distance of each other in the centre of Carlisle.

While it might have been bravado on the part of the organisers to state that they preferred not to utilise 'traditional' gallery spaces to present the work, the truth is that the Cumbrian Hauptstadt is somewhat badly served in this department. Nevertheless, the decision to colonise an assortment of non-gallery venues actually works well and gives the feeling of a treasure hunt around the town. Rather like the Brighton photo Fringe, albeit on a smaller scale, this proves interesting and arresting.

Much of the work has been produced by students at Cumbria University, where the degree course continues to attract plaudits. The work is varied in content and well-presented, but it is the stories behind much of the work which intrigue.

I am lucky enough to meet a high proportion of the exhibiting artists and am grateful for the time they afford me explaining the themes, inspirations and techniques behind the work. Although I feel at times like a Royal visitor being toured around, it does give me an insider's view of the work, which is illuminating.

Whilst some non-gallery spaces work better than others, the work has been programmed to take account of the settings (a bar, a restaurant, the backyard of an artist's house and a solicitor's office), and the most striking body of work resides at the latter in Lonsdale Street, where a collection entitled 'Seeds of Change' is presented on two floors of empty office space. It is here that I encounter Frances Hawkins with a sample of images from her project entitled 'Semper in Exubitu Vigilans' - the motto of the RAF apparently and a subject close to Frances' heart having grown up on RAF bases across the UK (see above). She is now photographing many of them and the photos demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the spaces vacated by the airmen once these places are closed down and become repossessed by nature.

A similar military theme emerges in the work of Gillian Gilbert who traces her parent's past during World War II through photography and installation. This multi-layered project brings to life the past, not in a sentimental way, but in a manner which documents not only facts but feelings and is all the more powerful for the way it is presented.

Much of the work is deeply personal and affecting. None more so than Sarah Louise Jackson's images responding to her and her family's (in)fertility (above). She bares not only her soul, but her body in the images in a brave and honest way. I wonder what's next for her having exhibited such an intimate project but she tells me her next project is set in a munitions factory which makes me think we'll hear and see a lot more of her and her work in the future.

There are works by 29 photographers on display at this small and perfectly-formed festival. And there seems to be the enthusiasm to carry on the project and to offer as Tania Gibson puts it: "new interpretations of both traditional and contemporary photography techniques and to meet new aspiring artists."

As I board the train south, I just miss the arrival in the town centre of a shipping container which will house the final show of this year's event. I am sorry to miss it, but it strengthens my resolve to return next year to the 2013 Carlisle Photography Festival.

For more information on the festival which runs until 27th April, please visit: www.carlislephotography-festival.blogspot.com

Liverpool on the rise again?

A young footballer training alone at first light yesterday morning on a pitch in the Croxteth area of Liverpool. Like the place itself, his story is one of hope and redemption, not just for the aspiring star, but for the area - notorious for poverty and crime - and the city as a whole.

George Fletcher (17) symbolises not only hope, but what perseverance can achieve. His story is remarkable and has taken him from the despair of losing a friend as a result of a tragic crime to the brink of Olympic success in a few short years.

And the added ingredient to the story is that George has overcome disability to get to where he is now - a member of the British football team, set to represent his country at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

George's story mirrors that of the community in Croxteth - long blighted by neglect and indifference from politicians and people alike. Now the community is fighting back and giving itself a sporting chance of success in the future.

To read the full article, which appeared in the Independent on Sunday and featured my photos of George (on the cover) and other members of the community, please go to http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/special-report-a-story-of-hope-in-modern-britain-7668409.html

If that's a Rembrandt, I'm a Dutchman!

It's not every day that one of my photographs is compared (favourably) to the work of an Old Master; indeed I had to check that the date was not April 1st.

I am not sure what Rembrandt would make of the comparison between one of his paintings and one of my photographs. Nevertheless, it was flattering to read the following comment on the Guardian's letters page today.

The real story is not my picture but the issue behind it; a small, individual example of how a government's policy has a direct impact on peoples' lives. In this instance, the broad brush of welfare reform causing hardship and misery to a young family simply trying to do their best for themselves.

It's a snapshot of modern Britain, one that has a resonance with a bygone age in which the poorest and the weakest were cast out from society. Rembrandt would recognise that, at least.

To view the photo, the story and the comment go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2012/apr/01/jews-right-settle-west-bank?INTCMP=SRCH

Last orders for oatcakes

A trip down to Stoke-on-Trent for the final opportunity to sample a tradition which was about to die, or, to put it more bluntly, to be killed off.

In the name progress, large swathes of the district of Hanley is being razed to the ground to allow for rebuilding and regeneration. And standing in the way of the all-conquering bulldozers are ordinary people with lives enriched by local customs and traditions, rooted in their communities.

One such institution was Hole in the Wall Oatcakes, the last traditional oatcake maker in Stoke. Serving delicious pancake-style comestibles from the window of a converted terraced house to grateful throngs of customers has been a way-of-life around there since the landscape was dominated by potteries and collieries. Now the industrial landscape has withered and changed. And in its wake, the houses and businesses which sustained the community are going too.

So, for one final time, hundreds came to queue in sun-drenched Stoke. One final chance to sample this little local delicacy. One final chance to say "hiya duck!" and get on with their days, well fed and satisfied.

To read the full story, go to http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/shutters-close-on-the-hole-in-the-wall-7584577.html?origin=internalSearch

To view a full selection of the images, go to http://colinmcpherson.photoshelter.com/gallery/Last-Oatcake-Shop-in-England/G0000NplJfW.pOZQ/

It was the way he told 'em...

Sad news the passing of legendary Northern Irish-born comedian Frank Carson albeit at the ripe old age of 85.

I had the pleasure of meeting him on an assignment for The Times in 2008 when I was shooting a feature about British comedians. We had an uproarious day in Blackpool with some of the greats. Frank was a cracker!

To see my day out, complete with candyfloss, kiss-me-quick hats and Jimmy Crankie, see the link below:

http://colinmcpherson.photoshelter.com/gallery/Stage-Screen/G00006kIK1wOrU9Q/P0000lwySMPQ6t2k

The Proof Principle opens to the public

The Proof Principle, my year-long commission responding to the one hundredth anniversary of research and development at Unilever's Port Sunlight laboratory, is now on public view.

The exhibition opened today at the Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool and remains open until Sunday, 11th March. Admittance is free and the centre, Liverpool's creative hub, has extended opening hours, a cafe, bar and restaurant.

See previous post for details of The Proof Principle. As a taster, BBC Online have featured the show on their England home page. A good way to launch the show.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-17099408