The beauty of reportage is that it never really goes out of fashion. With so much of the our print media we now receive either retouched or over manipulated, it is very difficult for the viewer to know what is ‘real’ and what is retouched. Our trust in printed imagery is changing. However a reaction to this trend is steadily taking shape and there is now a movement back to ‘pure’ photography. Photography has always been about capturing the moment and never more so than now. As budgets tighten reportage photography offers an effective alternative to the glossy unbelievable imagery in so much of today’s editorial and advertising.
Subsequently when Audrey Dickie of Gigha Hertitage trust approached me to produce photographs for a forthcoming calendar I jumped at the chance. This gave me the chance to go back to my roots and work on a real reportage assignment.
Working without payment but with all expenses paid Audrey asked me provide portraits of the colourful characters on the Island of Gigha. The intention of the calendar is to help maintain the Island’s profile.
Gigha is a unique community owned Island, seven miles long by a mile and half wide situated three miles west of the Kintyre Pensular.
In 2002 the Islanders with the help of the Scottish Land Fund and the lottery bought back their island from the private land owner Derek Holt with a £3.5m grant.
From my perspective the intention of the project was to keep the assignment as real and natural as possible. Armed with only a Canon 5d digital camera and two lenses a, 17-35 mm and 50 mm I set off for Gigha. I remember reading an interview with Sabiastiao Salgado in which he claimed it was important to be as close to the subject as possible. He did’nt believe in using telephoto lenses!
I was allocated two hours with each person, this would hopefully give me the opportunity to build up a picture of their working life.
Pictured above and below are portraits of some of the workers of Tarbet Farm.
Thanks must go to Mark, Adam and Kirsten for giving up their time during the milking of the cows.
Kirsten with Daisy on her lap
Whenever working with ‘real’ people( not actors or models) it is important to quickly establish a rapport, subsequently this will allow the portrait session to flow naturally. The more you engage with you subject the greater the return.
Each person chosen for the portrait session had a wonderful story to tell, none more so than the chairman of the trust Willie McSporran, pictured below.
Ann has recently become the new Minister on the Island and is pictured inside Gigha Church
The award winning wind farm on the island is an impressive project. In its first full year of operation it generated £100,000 of profit to reinvest into the community. Andy is in charge of maintenance and dat to day running of the wind farm.
John Martin is pictured in the wonderful clear waters off the boat house beach. Later that week John rowed around the Island for charity.
What a pair of rogues. Johnny and Willie being themselves.
Ewan adds to the fun
The offshore salmon cages at the Salmon farm
Gigha Halibut Farm
A wonderful misty morning was spent photographing Kenny and Betty Robison at Ardlamy farm. Kenny has a great relationship with his herd of Friesan dairy cattle. After the photo shoot Betty treated us to tea and toast in her lovely farmhouse kitchen.
