Lucid

Richard Dowker graduated from the BA Photography Programme at Middlesex University in 2015. Richard conducted his work experience at 'Ryda Studios' during the third year and after graduation worked as a studio assistant there as well as working for the model agency Wilhelmina. This allowed him to carry out test shoots with the models from Wilhelmina in the studios when he could fit in between commercial bookings. He has worked as a freelance photographer since February 2019 and has recently co-created 'Super' Magazine with Douglas Greenwood and Ryan Cahill which is currently on its second issue.

www.supermagazine.co

Fraser Stannage graduated from the BA Photography Programme at Middlesex University in 2016. Fraser produced a stunning selection of fashion / atmospheric images for his Final Major Project in Year 3 which he presented in a Zine called 'Settle' that he'll be showing at the talk. He achieved work experience at 'Boys By Girls' magazine during his second year, working for the publication managing their social media presence and for the last four years has worked as an agent and producer at 'Together Associates'. Together represent a range of photographers including John Tonks who gave a talk at MDX earlier in the academic year. Fraser has co-ordinated and managed various photoshoots for the photographers that the agency represents, and will talk about his transition into working within the production side of the photographic industry.

www.togetherassociates.com

James Gerrard-Jones runs one of the UK’s leading commercial photographic agents with John Wyatt-Clarke. Wyatt-Clarke & Jones' niche as an agency is to introduce the work of non-advertising photographers (particularly documentary and fine-art photographers) to advertising clients. The strategy has put Wyatt-Clarke & Jones at the heart of the mainstream advertising establishment.

wyattclarkejones.com

Cian Oba-Smith (b.1992) is an Irish Nigerian photographer who was born and raised in London. His work focuses on communities and subcultures around the world with a particular interest in approaching subjects that are often misrepresented and presenting them in a different light. The relationship between human experience and environment is at the core of his projects. His photographs can be found in a variety of places online and in print including FT Weekend Magazine, Crack Magazine, The Fader, Port, Dazed & Confused, The New Yorker and others.

www.cianobasmith.co.uk

Nicola Shipley is an experienced curator in the photography industry and runs The Grain Photography Hub (where Camilla Brown is Associate Curator).

Racheal Burns is a recent graduate who worked as a Teaching Assistant at Manchester Art School and set up Format Fringe last year. She now works at Redeye where Nicola mentored Rachael.

GRAIN delivers activities in collaboration with national and international partners to support and grow photography opportunities in order to support artists and develop opportunities for audiences and participants. We are dedicated to supporting artists in realising their ideas and to developing new and ambitious opportunities in photography.

Our programme incorporates an Artist Professional Development Programme which includes bursaries, residencies, internships, masterclasses and portfolio days and Audience and Community Engagement through socially engaged practice, community representation and a range of inclusive approaches.

We commission and produce new work as well as delivering research and development projects, exhibitions, commissions, events and a range of artists opportunities and training support. Our growing portfolio of projects are underpinned by our ethos to support artists and develop the artform.

Working beyond the boundaries of a museum or gallery context offers rich and rewarding contexts for new work and opportunities to develop new collaborations and audiences. We aim to identify and address the needs in the sector and to be increasingly ambitious in our programme.

GRAIN is led by GRAIN Projects CIC, a unique and collaborative arts organisation that responds to the needs of practitioners and communities and supports artists, photographers and curators. We are supported by Arts Council England and Birmingham City University.

GRAIN began its story in 2012 at the Library of Birmingham. In 2015 we became an independent arts organisation with the support of our partners. We are based in the Midlands with the reach of our projects extending nationally and internationally.

grainphotographyhub.co.uk

Redeye, the Photography Network, is a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society set up to support photographers at every level, and build networks across photography. It is based in Manchester, UK, and has members, subscribers and users across the UK and globally.

It aims to form a clear picture of the ways photographers and photographic artists are working now, and give them access to events, opportunities, advice and information that are relevant to their work and difficult to find elsewhere. Alongside this it works to bring photographic and other organisations together, to encourage ethical and best practice, and to build a voice for photography.

“Redeye is a leader among a strengthening body of nationally significant photography-focused organisations that address career development for professionals.” - Arts Professional

www.redeye.org.uk