{"id":172345,"date":"2022-08-18T14:00:08","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/?p=172345"},"modified":"2022-08-30T14:50:22","modified_gmt":"2022-08-30T13:50:22","slug":"westminster-graduates-demonstrate-resilience-in-degree-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/technique\/interviews\/westminster-graduates-demonstrate-resilience-in-degree-show\/","title":{"rendered":"Westminster graduates demonstrate resilience in degree show"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jessica Miller visits the graduate show by Final year BA (Hons) Photography students from University of Westminster. Below, the students share more about their projects and advice for those looking to get into photography.<\/strong><\/p>\n

University of Westminster (previously The Polytechnic Institution) was one of the first institutions in London to demonstrate the new invention of photography, and in 1841 the first photographic studio in Europe opened on the roof of the building. It was also the first establishment to offer degrees in Photography and Photographic Science, with the undergraduate photography course being the oldest degree course in Europe.<\/p>\n

The projects within this 2022 graduate exhibition present resilience, creativity and imagination in presenting contemporary issues on both a individual and collective. Whilst their projects have been presented on the walls exhibition spaces, such as at the Truman Brewery for Free Range, many have also created photobooks.<\/p>\n

I spoke with some of the Westminster photography students about their work, inspirations and future plans as they conclude their studies:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Ameesha Jeyam – See You Soon<\/h2>\n

@ameeshajeyam<\/a><\/p>\n

Canon EOS 750D with either 50mm or 18-55mm lens for the self-portraits portraying my inner world and the iPhone XR or iPhone 11 pro for the day to day photographs depicting the outer world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Can you tell me about yourself and your project?<\/h3>\n

I’m a BA photography graduate from the University of Westminster. Engaging with questions on identity and belonging through portraits of myself and others is something I am passionate about and usually what I tend to build my practice around. I believe everyone has a story to tell whether it be personal or general, it deserves to be heard.<\/p>\n

See You Soon<\/em> brings the motions and emotions of depression, loss and heartbreak in a diaristic manner through a classic photo book. My experience with depression and anxiety is something I have been ashamed to talk about. One of the most highly recommended remedies for dealing with my mental health issues was to keep a journal and do something I love, a seemingly simple thing to do for most but something I found mentally draining.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\"self<\/a>\t\t\t

Image: Ameesha Jeyam<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

I was adamant that I could recover without the need to spell out my feelings by putting pen to paper, I quickly realised how fast my mental health was slipping. I made the decision to make journaling work for me by using photography instead of words. My book shows my personal journey over the last year, juggling issues with both romantic and family relationships.<\/p>\n

I found peace in photography. The book includes three elements: my inside world and emotions depicted through self-portraits, my outside world during the turbulence with simple photographs taken day to day on my iPhone and finally, the communicative aspects of the journey where personal text messages from the past and notifications from a self help app are included.<\/p>\n

How did you select the photographs for your show?<\/h3>\n

As I had designed a book for this project, there wasn\u2019t specifically a limit on how many photographs I would use as I could continue to add as many pages as I deemed necessary. However, my book had gone through multiple trials and errors where I was at first lost on how to really depict my emotions accurately with just photographs.<\/p>\n

In the beginning, I was creating staged photographs of locations, objects and myself whilst also just taking random photographs on my phone day to day whenever I felt something had sparked an emotion in me. Whilst I was thinking these staged, heavily equipped photographs were going to be the perfect shots for my book, I had realised that these images on my phone were much more intimate and aligned with the narrative for my book. It is always difficult to select the perfect images, but I believe if you are able to feel an image as well as you can see it, those are the best ones.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\"book<\/a>\t\t\t

Image: Ameesha Jeyam<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

What are your future plans?<\/h3>\n

I always used to fear this question as I never really made a definitive plan to follow. Luckily photography allows me the freedom to adapt my future plans.\u00a0 Initially, I had planned to take a well-deserved break from photography after university as, I\u2019m sure other graduates know, it can be a draining 3 years.<\/p>\n

However, I have been lucky to have been awarded the BA Photography Graduate Award<\/strong> which has opened me to more opportunities from galleries and programmes. Being presented with this opportunity has given me the ability to develop one of my most passionate projects, an exploration of my roots and the history of the genocide in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

This will be a very personal project that sheds light on the effects of war on several generations. With these new pursuits, I have been able to think more clearly about my future plans and that is to continue to develop all current projects and begin new ones that could be emotive or knowledgeable to myself and others. I am excited and honoured to be in a position to tell personal stories through my work.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\"girl<\/a>\t\t\t

Image: Ameesha Jeyam<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

Do you have any advice for others wanting to get into or study photography?<\/h3>\n