London Street Photography Festival 2011

This came in from event organiser Bret Jefferson for the London Street Photography Festival 2011.

Click here for more details....

http://londonstreetphotographyfestival.org/support-the-festival

Representing people in the right light.

I spoke to Nick Fallowfield-Cooper on Thursday evening about a need he had for atmospheric shadowy images of hooded girls hanging out on street corners. Friday afternoon I decided to head out to the local council estate at around 3.30/4.00 when I was sure I would come across such suspect individuals..! Not a bit of it! All I encountered were delightful happy polite and well intentioned young youths enjoying the first of the Spring sunshine to start their weekend! They were to be found against the backdrop of uncannily beautiful tower blocks bathed in the late afternoon rays. It seems however hard I try, I cannot stop portraying everyone, the world over in their best light!

Dee King

www.deeking.co.uk/blog/


Nick says...


My request for teenage gangs went out last week and Dee responded with positive images, this is certainly not a problem as the majority of our images sold have a 'air' of positivity. The representation of teenage gangs in Britain over the last ten years has been negative but the use of images of teenage gangs are generally taken in positive or at least a neutral light. 
Why is this? Clients using images such as the police or local councils need positive images, for example to represent local projects or case studies, portrayed in a good way.


Negative images do come up but these are normally taken on the 'front line' for the press.


Another good example is the representation of the homeless, we sell more images of people with a feel of positivity rather than down and out street shots, there is of course a market for both but positive images seem to sell more. 


In conclusion, try not to preconceive genres and keep it positive!

Issy Oakes Private View

One of our photographers, Issy has an opening of her new exhibition on 14th March until the 19th, 2011. For anyone who is in the north London area, I would highly recommend you paying a visit.
From our point of view, Socialstock loves this kind of environmental portraiture.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

Stoke Newington Library Gallery,

Church Street,

London

N16 0JS

14/03/11 – 20/03/11

Private View: Friday 19^th 6-9pm

People of Stoke Newington

'People of Stoke Newington' is a social documentary about place I have come to call home. This pocket of civilisation is bustling with a variety of shops, bars, restaurants and studios, but it is the people who work in them that give Stoke Newington its life and soul. Many members of the community have taken part in this project resulting in a collection of images that celebrates the diversity of our community. It is my hope that from seeing this body of work you will remember a few faces and perhaps next time you top up your Oyster card or buy beer in the pub, you might recognise them and say "hello".

Popular UK social documentary images - we need more of these!

Below are some of the images that we need more of...

Secondary education...

Primary education...

People re-cycling...

Youth crime...

Care of the elderly at home, day centre or Care Home...

Housing, improving social housing

Getting CRB checked

At Socialstock we are always asked about getting CRB checks from our photographers. At present we are looking into this so that the process can be made easier. 

Below is a piece from one of our photographers, Kitty who managed to do this through the social services department of a local borough council. It should be noted that Kitty has been employed by the local borough so the process was made a little easier.

Despite this I think there is some important pointers that may help anyone else who is looking to get CRB checked.

If anyone has had problems or found the process easy to  obtain a CRB please leave your comments below.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper - Picture Editor

'I had to have a CRB check because I was working part-time with a vulnerable young adult.  The Social Services department of the borough in which I was working gave me the application form. After I had completed it I had to show them proof of my ID, which they photocopied and sent off with my application. (Passport, Birth Certificate, driving license, current utility bill.)  Because the CRB check was a prerequisite for my employment, they paid for it to be carried out.

The Criminal Records Bureau check is called a 'Disclosure', and is confidential.  My details were checked against Police Records and ISA Vulnerable Adults Barred List information. The process took around 2 months.  The Disclosure is therefore an indication of trustworthyness'.

For more information their web address is www.crb.gov.uk

Kitty

Being motivated

This piece has come in from one of our relatively new Socialstock photographers.
Grant has been working hard and getting sales. In his article he writes about a shot of two community police officers, well I know we have a client looking at these shots at the moment for an educational book publication, hopefully another sale!
As Grant  mentions, leg work is needed at the start to build a 'decent' number of images but this is an investment for the future.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper -Picture Editor

Here's what Grant has to say...

Working for social stock as social documentary photographer is not a short term deal!

It takes time, skill and a lot of patience and effort. That old chestnut the more you put in the more you get out applies to this job.   Being  pro active and getting out on the streets is key.

On many occasion when I am feeling lazy or really just don’t want to turn the photographer charm on which means I have to talk to people, oh what fun that can be.....I just go and stand in the middle of the high street step back into a door way and watch the world go by rather than trying to come up with lots of fantastic ideas for pictures just let them come to you, stepping away and relaxing as the world goes mad.  I can guarantee you will get pictures every time   . On one occasion I remember seeing two community support officers walking down the high street on patrol, it was a rain day so I was standing well back in a shop door way so as not to get my new Nikon 200mm f2.8 wet, hood on lens and my head too, taking pictures of people trying to hold on to their umbrella’s, great pictures and fun to watch especially when they don’t know I am taking picture of them, people act natural then.

Anyway these two officers one male one female on patrol nice picture always needed just had to do it without showing  their faces and if possible without them  seeing me so just for fun I did the old surveillance   route having a bit of fun jumping in and out of shop doors behind a phone box trying not to be seen while taking pictures I know I know what a big kid but you know what , it was great fun and the officers never saw me and I got another cool picture in one of those doorways of a woman dragging on a fag in the rain with umbrella up, easy work if you can get it.

On the way back home I took the short cut through the park you never know what you will see, this is also something I do a lot but I always have my press photographers ID round my neck  .

It was a sunny day people chilling walking over a small footbridge sometimes hand in hand (see social stock for that picture) but one man was sitting on a bench with his head in his hands which is great straight away as I can’t see his face don’t need consent as he can’t be identified he looked very stressed some sort of personal life problem, so me being me making the best of a bad situation and all, shot of two frames nice picture.   Job done on to the next one that picture sold two weeks later.   It’s a tough game but someone has to do it, so it might as well be me.

In the four months I have worked for social stock over 1000 images uploaded that’s a lot of key wording. and pictures have sold every month too. I set myself targets for uploading my next target is to have 2000 on file by June 1^st  .   “That will be hard work but fun” 

All the best

Grant Falvey

Happy New Year from Socialstock

A Happy New Year from Socialstock and a big thank you to all of our photographer's who have worked hard over the last year.

We are in the process of a re-brand on our site, with new features which will make image buying even easier for our clients. I shall post a popular image selection this week so that you all know what our customers are looking at. Keep uploading and lets make 2011 a prosperous new year.