TRANSformations (work in progress)

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Working with drag artists, these images are about the transformation back from drag to boy; I am fascinated by the way many artists I know take forever lovingly applying the drag for a performance or shoot… but cannot get it off quick enough at the end, armed with baby wipes they return to their former self in minutes.

GINGER-DONALD-306-SECS                     'Ginger to Donald in 306 seconds'

The images record that transition starting with a posed portrait in drag, the exposure keeps going while they wipe it all off and put their boy or day clothes on and are repositioned to complete the image. The length of time it takes to remove the drag makes the title of the picture.

MYRA-GARETH-499-SECS                            'Myra to Gareth in 499 seconds'

Harking back to early portraiture, I use long exposures and limited light sources in order to capture the transitions. Some of them also echo spirit photography and the viewer may well question is that really the same person in  the image - perhaps they challenge the notion of the photograph as a truthful image. They capture a period of time where something is happening, a change is being made in one single frame or image.

SHARON-JUSTIN-277-SECS'Sharon to Justin in 277 seconds'

They evidence the person behind the drag and reveal the often, contrasting characters. They record traces of post performance fatigue and the melancholy that can often follow a show after the adrenalin runs out...

Sometimes I find it difficult to shoot the performers I know when they are not in character or drag as I haven't studied them as hard off stage; I know their character's moves and expressions and so do they - they are used to being photographed in all their glory but can become awkward or a bit stiff without the face and clothes... (sometimes not always!!)

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'Scottee in 297 seconds'

It is interesting to see how they position themselves from their drag character to their natural selves and the way they interact  with their two selves - it is a collabortive process and I want to get as much as I can of the relationship they have with their character in the image.

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'Tom Harlow in 263 seconds'

I have a fair number of people who I want to work with for this project and once it is finished I plan to make large prints for an exhibition in London next year so watch this space!

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'Divine to Zach in 381 seconds'

Entering the Photographic Portrait Prize - an emotional rollercoaster!

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This year I finally got my act together and entered the National Portrait Gallery's annual exhibition 'The Photographic Portrait Prize'. I chose to enter one of my portraits of David Hoyle snapped in his dressing room at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, as this is a sustained project that we have been working on for a couple of years and I feel we have got to a point where we have a number of good portraits. IMG_8922 copy

Initially all you have to do is give the NPG a title and pay them some money, so I had a while after the initial deadline to make a final decision on which one I would choose from the series 'David Hoyle - Paralell Universe'.

Upon entering I was confident that I had lots of pictures to choose from that were strong enough, my main concern was that they were snapped spontaneously using just the available light in the dressing room, there wasn't a sitting as such and no special lighting which is part of what often makes a stunning portrait, however I felt that his character radiated through as well as our relationship and the intimacy he has allowed me in giving me full access backstage...

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Once I began the process of selecting that one amazing portrait that would hopefully capture the judges eyes and hearts, I began to lose my confidence and question whether I was good enough. I scanned catalogues from previous shows and wondered did we fit in, did we have a hope in hell? Many of the portraits chosen are beautifully lit and there is a bit of a trend in the types of portraits that make it through... there certainly hasn't ever been anyone who looks like David in there! I wondered do I think these portraits are good because I love my subject, what makes a winning portrait?! At times I thought who do I think I am entering such a prestigious prize and doubted my talents but other times I thought WOW these are great and could fit in!

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With about a 1% chance 60/6000 entries I think roughly, I really will be amazed if we make it but the process has been massively beneficial in analizing my work and thinking to the future... I asked a number of friends and colleagues for their opinion and have really appreciated their input...

This is David's choice, of course he went against the grain in choosing this rather messy one showing him in a beauty pose amidst the chaos of his dressing room,

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which he rather cleverly compared to Fragonard's 'The Swing'!!

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 His choice made me think differently in what I was looking for and I thought perhaps you're right - lets just go for it...

But after talking with others, I lost my nerve and decided to go with something more traditional - in David's words "the old man with a painted face..." Oh no, don't say that,  I said - is it a cliche...!"

I eventually got it down to 2 portraits and had them both beautifully printed at Metro. Much of my work doesn't make it to print these days so the process of making a professional print was also of great value.

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This portrait was the favourite and has indeed appeared on one of David's flyers and posters... It was descibed as something less familiar, it draws you in...

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Whereas this one, which was my favouite initially was descibed as a more familiar image, like an actors portrait almost, I hadn't realized this so that was interesting, although it put me off a bit until I saw it in print - and as suspected the colours really sang, so this is the one that I chose in the end.

I hand delivered it to LCC and out of the few I saw in the que I thought yes it held its own and even stood out so who knows - I really will fall of my chair if we do get in, but it's about time they had this wonderful representative of the "trans-spirit" on their big posh gallery walls!!

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Ann Liv Young at DUCKIE Gay Shame and Lesbian Weakness

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I dont intend this blog to just be for my nude non Facebook friendly photos, however here we go again! For this years Gay Pride (anti-pride party) I was shooting for Duckie at their annual ball of FABulousness of course! and amongst all the wonderful stuff to see and do including LEGENDry CHRISTEENE (see here for pics of them!) we had the AMAZING dance company that is Ann Liv Young! 10

What emerged was a full on dynamic ritualistic animalistic performance of beautiful nudity in many shapes and forms... I think the pictures tell the story, however the live experience was something else!! As the performance grew and grew moving into the crowded audience and bringing some of them naked up to the stage too - this was a HAPPENING of mammoth proportions! and with the projections reflecting from stage to audience, everyone was truly involved...

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It was a total joy to shoot this performance - making pictures from something so organic and exciting - you can't beat the liveness of this kind of work but it is important to have some kind of document - my aim was to capture the energy and create a beautiful visual from what was before me... The second half found me on the stage with the performers fully immersed...

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SIN IN MY HEART

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SIN IN MY HEART is an exhibition produced and curated by Two Little Birds - Paul Darling and Peter Gwyn. The show deals with themes of sex, death, religion and sin and will feature artists from London, Manchester, New York and Berlin. IMG_8447 copy SIN IN MY HEART will be a three day art event - 23rd /24th /25th May 2014 , with no actual “launch” as each day will be a new launch – like a private party for artists and art enthusiasts . 

TIMES (Friday 23rd 6 pm – 10 pm, Saturday 24th 6 pm – 10 pm and Sunday 25th 12 noon – 6 pm ).

VENUE = top floor art space at the Northern Quarter’s Kraak Gallery, 11 Stevenson Square, Manchester M1 1DB.

For this show I will be exhibiting some previously unseen images from my DARKROOM series, made live at art and club events over the last few years. This is the first opportunity I have had to exhibit this imagery, as some of it is quite explicit and I am excited about the responses and conversations that it will hopefully generate. Some may question whether some of the peices are art or porn, although I am very clear that they are art both in the context that they are made and the end results which echo old masters painting with its use of chiaroscuro and soft focus from the long exposures taken. My photobooth installations offer participants the space and opportunity to become the artwork and experience new things, they are described as liberating and fun! frames

As well as having work on the wall I also have my own little room which will be transformed into a 'DARKROOM' photobooth for the duration of the event - I will be inviting guests to make pictures in the dark by night and then on the sunday afternoon I will strip it back and try some portraits in the light... Oh and there's a shower in there so that could be fun - 'shower portraits' anyone?! I'm thinking Psycho!! I intend to blog throughout the event with updates from the photobooth so watch this space!! and if you want to come please get in touch via the event page https://www.facebook.com/events/667825859920985/