The ‘Eye of The Storm’ is a photographic documentation of local music artists and creatives which has an articulated and concentrated focus on Hip hop, Grime, and Dj’ing to locate a British identity within these individuals and at the level of community and country; at an important turning point within British identity and culture; a voyage away from the EU, I feel it is important to reveal the identity of what creates community for me and to make a statement. The project is a substantial body of analogue contact sheets and prints created between October 2017 and May 2019. Within these two and a half years I attended 100+ shoots, planned over twenty separate street, home and studio shoots with individuals and groups with the local Hip hop community. I also planned one big shoot in Montpellier Park in Cheltenham in which over 25 people were photographed together. I have created thousands of images, near 100 rolls of film and contacts (minus colour contacts), met, networked and worked with 50+ people and I really feel I have explored the landscape of community and culture vigorously and attentively.
I have learnt all about the community in Gloucestershire, been let behind the stage and shown how it is all put together in real time, I have been shown who, how and what goes into creating Hip hop and Grime music and all of the preparation that goes into the performance of these arts. This project is always growing and I am now exploring more than ever through photography. Articulating the book has been the hardest part, to put a break in the work and to stop shooting for a few weeks, but I have been able to create a finalised version of my work whilst being at University and am Proud to have my name on it. I see the future of this work exhibited in galleries in the local community to engage the public with art music and crafts. I have also learnt how to manage a high work rate and fast turn over using analogue mediums, and feel confident as a freelance to branch into the world more.
I have learnt all about the community in Gloucestershire, been let behind the stage and shown how it is all put together in real time, I have been shown who, how and what goes into creating Hip hop and Grime music and all of the preparation that goes into the performance of these arts. This project is always growing and I am now exploring more than ever through photography. Articulating the book has been the hardest part, to put a break in the work and to stop shooting for a few weeks, but I have been able to create a finalised version of my work whilst being at University and am Proud to have my name on it. I see the future of this work exhibited in galleries in the local community to engage the public with art music and crafts. I have also learnt how to manage a high work rate and fast turn over using analogue mediums, and feel confident as a freelance to branch into the world more.
CONTACT SHEETS AND PRINTS
"The shoot was very experimental, which gave the photographer and myself to get creative, which for me is a must." Jean Pieere David Leongson (JPDL) - 2017
© All Images Subject To Copyright. Ryan Free 2018
Amersham and Wycombe College
Photography Student Award
Winner 2016
Photography Student Award
Winner 2016