The Process
Self Evaluation
Embarking on the ‘Unity’ project proved to be a journey of self-discovery, both in terms of the subject matter and my own creative process.
While deciding to begin ‘Unity’ I was unsure of the best approach to take and how I could be sustainable throughout the duration of this project and whether it could be maintained. To achieve this I looked at the locations of the communities I had in mind, Coed Hills seemed to be the best option available. It offered an up-and-coming eco-community, with sustainability at its heart and was relatively close to where I lived.
It was not just an eco-community that wanted to educate the outside world on how to be more sustainable, but also an art space for art collectives who wish to expand their art knowledge. The ethos of this place allowed me to revisit my understanding of photography and look deeper into my reasons as to why I started photography in the first place.
At the beginning of this project, I did not know how to do the community at The Coed Hills Community justice with just imagery and I felt that the story behind the community was just as important. Each time I went to Coed Hills, there were different experiences which helped me communicate an understanding of the community there. Rather than just point and shoot, I spent my time walking around capturing images which had meaning behind them, this included the whole character of the community.
I felt to understand the community within Coed Hills I would have to stay and partake in the events throughout the year rather than just go as an observer. I knew that just being an observer on the sidelines would not have given me a true understanding of the whole community there.
My focus for this project was to capture images surrounding sustainability that showed these aspects, such as solar panels which helped with generating electricity, the buildings
made from recycled and reclaimed materials, and the dragon which was carved from a tree from the Coed woods. It did expand quite quickly, in relation to what I shot.
The whole process was a huge culture shock, having to come away from everything I knew and disengage from the world I knew as ‘home’. I now understand that if I had not disengaged completely from my world, Coed Hills would not have had the impact it did on me.
Kevin Faenhart took a similar approach by living within the communities he photographed. He wanted to do the various communities justice, which I also wanted to be able to do, in my way. Like Faenhart, I felt that I had to immerse myself in the community to be accepted by them, which is similar to the experiences of Faenhart, although in his case the communities he visited initially rejected him.
Further to my research, the imagery which not only Faenhart but other photographers captured mainly processed in the medium of colour. Where Lizanne Leouw’s work seems to be more vibrant in colour, Bego Anton seems to have chosen to desature her colours possibly from a creativity aspect. I feel that with my work, I’ve gone in between, creating natural tones to compliment the environment of Coed.
Whilst I did experiment in the medium of black and white during my time in Coed Hills, it did not seem to have that ‘je ne sais quoi’ and that ‘wow’ factor which I was looking for. I felt the medium of colour showed off the natural beauty and magic of this community at Coed Hills.
When researching and viewing the work of Bego Anton, Kevin Faenhart and Robin Mellor, it is apparent they chose natural light when they could. Their imagery was considerably darker in some places, very similar to the images I captured. On the other hand, Lizanne Leouw’s imagery seemed to not have been shot in such a dark environment. I can only establish that it was due to the amount of light which Leouw had available to her and the environment she was shooting in.
I feel some of the images are not technically as strong as others. I think my work was good overall. The one image that stands out for me is the firewalking image. This image was difficult to capture however it shows the atmosphere at a particular moment within Coed Hills. The image itself turned out far better than I had expected, as I did not know whether it would work because of the technicality of when it was taken.
My approach regarding lighting followed the work of Faenharr and Mellor, however in the future I would very much like to be able to achieve the lighting of Leouw’s work. In terms of technical ability, Lighting could be problematic because of the use of natural light. It is better to visit at certain times of year in order to get this right. The lighting was better in areas of open space, while the images involving buildings could end up with a lot of shadowing. This is visible in some of the photographs I have taken. This would mean photographing at particular times of year when the natural light is most effective. Technically I feel this would help me achieve an image which was a less grainy, producing something sharper and crisper.
Privacy images and ethics
While you are able to visit Coed at any time, it can feel like you are infringing upon their space if you turn up without forewarning. This can feel as though you are being disrespectful, so I preferred to contact the community at Coed Hills to let them know I was going to visit. This space is the community’s home as much as it is a public space and an art space. My communication and respect for the community were a part of this project and I felt I did well.
I had to be mindful of creating images which would not show Coed in a negative light because when you come across these eco-communities, the media have a way of putting negative spins on alternative lifestyles.
Some articles suggest that there is a preconception that ‘eco-communities’ or ‘hippies’ are airey faery individuals who are high on drugs when actually that is not the case at all. They are just individuals and communities that have a very free way of thinking, choosing to ‘live off the grid’ and be away from ‘normal society’.
In relation to visitors of Coed Hills, I wanted to capture people enjoying themselves in the space it was. When viewing the images in the gallery you will see that individuals were not aware of the photographs being taken. Upon processing, it can be noted these subjects are more relaxed and at ease when unposed. You can see their character more clearly, and see who they are beyond the mask they might choose to wear at other moments.
For this reason, I had to be aware of the various peoples’ preferences regarding posting certain images on social media and have adhered to their wishes
What I did well
I chose to take photographs of the community’s everyday life in order that the audience would be able to compare their own way of living to that of the sustainable community. I wanted to make it clear that while this is an alternative and ‘hippy’ way of living, it was not an impractical or unachievable way of life.
For the viewers, I would hope this project encourages them to recognise and appreciate a project on a sustainable community. Even if they do not choose to incorporate it within their own day to day lives, but they chose to talk about it, they might inspire others by talking about Coed bringing a sustainable way into their life and consider about their environmental impact is.
The aim is to encourage people to spread the word about places like Coed and for people to visit, even out of curiosity, and to see what they have the potential to contribute. Visiting gives you the opportunity to really understand how special the place is and how you could fit into the community.
The whole process definitely tested me but I do not think the duration of the project has given me enough scope to be able to keep going back throughout the year to get the best quality images. Being able to go back again in my own time will allow me to get the best out of Coed.
This project is still unfinished, it is not the end. I have been invited back to Coed as both a visitor and to catalogue more of the community’s life. Every time I go back I take a little bit more of Coed home with me into my own life and it has definitely made me question things in my own life. I did not realise at the time the impact Coed would have on me but I do feel that visiting a new chapter has been evolving not only in my professional capacity as a photographer but as an individual who is beginning a new chapter.