'Blogging' an exhibition

What do you do when you want to arrange an exhibition which includes work from all over a city? Well, why not arrange it via a blog app?

That's Exactly whats going on over on Flickr at the moment. This group of people are gearing up towards a public exhibition which will be based at a Manchester venue, yet to be decided. I came across the idea while placating my flickr addiction and I'm sensing that this brilliant idea is something which could really work well.

Readers to this blog may remember that I arranged a photography exhibition in nearby Wythenshawe after teaching photography basics to around 100 locals. I think that its when 'local' people get a chance to exhibit their handywork, we see art operate on a slightly different level than when its a 'traditional' artist whos work we are seeing. Its almost like we are glimpsing at life and our world through common eyes, not necessarily those of someone who represents their ideas in a different way. I suppose its everyday art, by everyday people.



I also think its great to see creative uses for new web apps such as flickr too. Ideas such as this take something from the virtual world and place it very much in the physical one. I know there are other social documentary projects underway on groups such as flickr and its common knowledge that groups such as the BBC are being encouraged to interact and engage through web platforms of their own and those from other providers too. Its encouraging and creating a network through services such as flickr and youtube where people can express themselves creatively and seamlessly, not just with others online, but those in their communities too.

And to cap it all off, I think flickr espeially can be quite inspirational. Even as it is, I see it very much like an online photography exhibition which centers around any topic of your choosing. You can find pictures from all around the world and from all levels of photographers, bloggers and artists. Again raw work from experts and everyday people, all in one place.



I will be paying close attention to the planned exhibition and if your reading this and you think you could help with a potential location, why not check out the group over on flickr.

These photographs (excluding the first) are currently being voted on for inclusion in the final exhibition. Please see the flickr group for further information.

Photo Credits in order of apperance:
B-of-the-Bang: Paul Hurst
Salford: 'Frannk'
CJC angle: 'Jonwild'

Photography Exhibition

Sunday was a busy day for me as I put the finishing touches to a special exhibition of photography which opens at the Wythenshawe Forum later on Monday.

The work will be on display for two weeks and the photographs have all been taken by my students who studied on a course which I developed (pardon the pun!) and delivered for Manchester city council.

The work started a number of months ago when another BBC freelancer and friend contacted me to ask if we could write a short course to introduce people to digital photography, so we got together and devised a four week course which was aimed at complete beginners, to show them the ropes and get to grips with some of the current crop of digital compacts.

I then tutored around sixty people from four different community centres around Manchester and we looked at the basics along with some of the more advanced techniques of how to get the best out of even the point-and-click digitals.

I suppose its a common mistake, but lots of people often think that you need to spend mega £££ to get equipment thats good enough to take an award winning photograph, and while it can help, I think most people found it refreshing to find out that its not a necessity. All thats really needed is a 'good eye' and a bit of luck by being in the right place at the right time.

Some of the group were just intrigued by what they could achieve with their new piece of kit whilst others wanted to incorporate photography with their own art-related hobbies and one lady (Janet) was learning how to take better pictures for her blog.

Whatever the reason for being on the course, I feel that digital photography has something to offer most people who give it a go and even as Damian and myself devised the course, I began to plan for a special exhibition which would be used to showcase some of the photos taken by those on the course. Its this exhibition which finally saw the light of day today and as we stood back from the pictures which had just been hung, I felt very proud of each and every photographer represented there.

It would be easy to finish my post be saying that the course went well and that I'd like to do another but I'm hoping we've achieved more than that. I'm hoping that we've inspired some people to take a closer look at the world around them and I hope that we've helped others to realise that they have the skills to learn and grow in areas that they never thought possible.

Sometimes, we may think that as we press the button down, we are showing people whats going on in the world outside of the camera lens, but quite often we are also allowing people a glimpse inside our minds and sometimes even our hearts too.



The photographs may be seen for two weeks at the Wythenshawe Forum, Manchester.