AOP: Earth Day - Pictured

#PlanetVsPlastics

#ProtectPromoteInspire

April 2024

EARTH DAY P I C T U R E D

A LOOK AT PHOTOGRAPHIC AND MOVING IMAGE PROJECTS

BY MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Planet Vs Plastic

The Association of Photographers’ (AOP) is a membership organisation ‘created for photographers by photographers.’ Originally formed in 1968 when a group of influential photographers came together to form the Association of Fashion & Advertising Photographers (AFAP) and would later become the AFAEP, when editorial photographers were added before becoming the AOP in 1993. Established to protect photographers copyright, this remit has expanded to include further protection and support through business and legal expertise.

The AOP is the leading membership organisation representing professional photographers. From student level through to the highest levels of the profession.

AOP Members include: Photographers, Assisting Photographers, Agents, Commissioners, Associates, Affiliates, Students and Affiliated Courses. www.the-aop.org www.aopawards.com

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.

The copyright in the individual photographs in this book remains with the Photographer or relevant rights-holder unless otherwise stated.

The Publisher does not accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Copyright © 2024 The Association of Photographers Limited All rights reserved.

Cover Image: © Rowan Fee

#ProtectPromoteInspire

1

CONTENTS

ABOUT AOP

ROWAN FEE

ZOJA KALINOVSKIS

TAL SILVERMAN

1.

13.

29.

51.

2.

CONTENTS

15.

KIN HO

DOUGLAS KURN

31.

KAI BASTARD

ELISABETH HOFF

ALEX MACRO

3.

19.

37.

WENDY CARRIG

ANDREA JONES

ALAN MCFETRIDGE

5.

24.

41.

ELEANOR CHURCH, LARK RISE PICTURES

11.

27.

HANNAH JONES

EUAN MYLES

45.

54.

AOP & SUSTAINABILITY

2

LADY OF THE LAKE

© Kai Bastard

Kai Bastard @kaibastard www.bastard.london In the UK, approximately 5 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated each year.

This Earth Day, the UK is shining a spotlight on innovative solutions to plastic waste, with brands like Beauty Reorganised leading the charge. This pioneering brand is transforming the narrative around plastic by recycling waste into stylish, compact makeup organizers. Their latest campaign features a striking and inspirational image: envision a modern-day Lady of the Lake, emerging not from water but a sea of plastic, triumphantly lifting a chic beauty organizer instead of Excalibur.

Beauty Reorganised's commitment to sustainability extends beyond the image. The campaign was brought to life at BAD STAR Studios, a hub that runs on renewable energy. Every detail, from the local crew to the catering, was chosen to minimize environmental impact.

The dramatic sea of plastic depicted in the image was gathered from just two weeks of waste from ten households, all of which was recycled postshoot to ensure zero contribution to landfill.

With this campaign, Beauty Reorganised isn't just promoting a product but spearheading a movement towards sustainable production in the beauty industry. Their innovative approach not only recycles plastic waste but also inspires the creative industries to rethink and reshape their environmental impact. Let's celebrate these positive strides towards a greener future this Earth Day!

3

FOOD AND DRINK PACKAGING WASTE ACCOUNTS FOR 83% OF RECORDED PLASTIC

Sourced from The Big Plastic Count 2024 // Greenpeace UK

4

© Wendy Carrig, The Little Mermaid

5

WASHED UP Wendy Carrig @wendycarrigphotograpy www.wendycarrig.co.uk news : wendycarrig.blog These images were created using a compilation of discarded objects washed up on the shores of our beaches: from plastic lighters & bottles to shotshells and fishing paraphanalia. They aim to bring urgent attention to the overwhelming plastics crisis that is engulfing our seas and causing catastrophic harm to our natural world.

ARTIST STATEMENT Instead of collecting sea shells I was attracted by the man-made flotsam and jetsam of sea-worn metal and brightly coloured plastics.I called it ‘treasure’ and got laughed at for the constant haul of so-called rubbish I would lug back in cast-off nets and fish crates. There was so much of it that if the mood took me I could choose objects by theme or colour. The quantities did of course bother me, but at that time plastic was a hidden threat to our oceans.

My moment of realisation came when I discovered a large discarded fishing net had imprisoned scores of large shore crabs. All struggling for survival, their claws bound and trapped by plastic; I managed to cut free and save many of them ahead of the incoming tide. Recently voluntary beach clean-ups in my area mean there has been less treasure to find, and I’m grateful that progress is being made. We are all part of the problem, so we need to be part of a solution.

Featured in Photo London magazine: Issue 28 - Wendy Carrig Winner of AOP GOLD award for Still Life: AOP Awards 2020 | Gold winner! | WENDY CARRIG Washed Up, solo exhibition: Creating a photography exhibition | WENDY CARRIG

6

© Wendy Carrig, Leaf / Aegi & Stauff

7

© Wendy Carrig, Untitled / Sauvitel

8

© Wendy Carrig, Breakaways

9

© Wendy Carrig, Lighters / Shells

10

X TRILLION

Eleanor Church | Lark Rise Pictures @larkrisepictures X Trillion - a feature documentary following the first ever all-women expedition to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - premieres on 1 May 2024 at Curzon Soho, in London. The feature debut by Eleanor Church follows the gruelling journey of eXXpedition’s all-women crew led by Emily Penn, as they sail 3,000 miles across the North Pacific Ocean through the densest accumulation of ocean plastic on the planet - in order to make the unseen, seen. © Eleanor Church / Lark Rise Pictures

11

The Premiere event kicks off a number of screenings around the UK - find out more at Modern art is a broad term used to describe the styles and techniques of art produced from the late 19th century to the present day. It encompasses a wide range of artistic movements, from impressionism and post-impressionism to cubism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, and pop art. Modern art is characterized by its departure from traditional styles and techniques and its embrace of new forms of expression, such as the use of non-representational forms, unconventional materials, and innovative techniques. Modern art has had a profound impact on the art world and continues to inspire artists and art enthusiasts around the globe.

The 14 women international crew was made up of scientists, filmmakers, circular-economists, engineers, teachers, packaging designers and creators - but only a few were sailors. It is a life-affirming story of adventure, discovery, science, solidarity and a call to action that burns with optimism.

Director, Eleanor Church, said: “We were a crew of women with different skills, goals and motivations, brought together to witness and record the true extent of the plastic pollution crisis with a focus on micro plastics and their toxic impact on female bodies in particular. We all emerged transformed by the experience and are committed to telling the story of what we witnessed and working to find solutions.

As Michelle Byle, crew member and packaging designer, sums up in the film: “We are about as far away from civilisation as one can get. Yet here, all around us, is evidence of our daily lives on land. Our choices. Our purchases. This is your old toothbrush, my empty shampoo bottle, the lid to his coffee cup.”

The crew recorded an average of half a million pieces of microplastics per square kilometre here, and that was only on the surface. Who knows how much is in the 5,000 metres of water beneath. The scientific data they gathered has been used as part of ten international research projects. eXXpedition North Pacific was the 10th eXXpedition mission - it set out for answers to questions like: Where is the plastic coming from? What does it mean for our natural world and human health? And what can be done to solve it?

Emly Penn exxpedition Founder, concludes: "There's not one answer. But the beauty of it is there's loads of things that we can be doing. We’ve got this amazing level of awareness, and the big challenge is how do we turn this into action. And that, I believe, is where we need an army. We need an army of people and we need people from all different disciplines.”

“The film is about this global crisis, but more than that it highlights the crucial role women play in helping to change systems and find solutions to the big problems facing humanity.”

“We know that there is no silver bullet to solve this monumental problem, but with these voyages and scientific expeditions we aim to inspire women from a broad spectrum of professions to work together and use their unique talents to help develop solutions. This expedition turned these amazing women into ambassadors for change, with the power to help transform our future.

Produced by Verity Wislocki, the film explores the practical and emotional responses to one of the biggest global challenges of our time, as the crew leave families and land behind, to battle high seas, storms and sea sickness, and carry out cutting-edge microplastics research. For the first time the film turns the camera on the extent of the plastic pollution crisis in one of the most remote places on Earth.

“If we want to see a real change, we need to go to the next level. And we need to use the things that make us brilliant and find where they intersect the problem.

We’ve got this amazing level of awareness, and the big challenge is how do we turn this into action. And that, I believe, is where we need an army. We need an army of people and we need people from all different disciplines.”

Screening Dates - for latest list of screening dates and venues visit: The Premiere event kicks off a number of screenings around the UK - find out more at :

Wednesday 1 May - UK Premiere screening and Q&A - Curzo Soho, London Friday 24th May 2024 - Firstsite, Colchester Thursday 30th May 2024 - Electric Theatre, Guildford Wednesday 12th June 2024 - Genesis Cinema, London Saturday 13th July 2024 - Highland Cinema, Fort William

12

Rowan Fee

WAVE

© Rowan Fee

@rowanfee www.rowanfee.com 13

14

© Kin Ho

Polystyrene surveilance: a pile of polystyrene boxes under a CCTV camera

POLYSTYRENERECYCLABLE CHAOS Kin Ho @kin_ho_photo www.kinho.com

Finalist: 38th AOP Photography Awards, Environment category

Hong Kong used to ship their used polystyrene to China for recycling. In 2018 China banned all imports of trash including recyclables.

These images were taken in Cheung Sha Wan (Hong Kong) wholesale food market, a major port for food import, where polystyrene boxes are mostly used.

According to The Society of Environmental Journalists, Polystyrene takes around 500 years to decompose.

The boxes are piling high, waiting for the government to decide how best to deal with the issue. The Hong Kong government has been encouraging reduction of polystyrene at source.

In the UK, we do not recycle polystyrene.

15

Polystyrene dock: a pile of polystyrene boxes by a dock at night

Human Made: man walking in the middle of the road, with polystyrene boxes piled up on both sides © Kin Ho

16

Neatly: Used polystyrene boxes piled up neatly

Mass: a very large pile of polystyrene boxes © Kin Ho

17

THE WORLD PRODUCES MORE THAN 26 MILLION US TONS OF POLYSTYRENE (PLASTIC FOAM) EACH YEAR [8]. AMERICANS ALONE THROW AWAY AROUND 25 BILLION STYROFOAM COFFEE CUPS EVERY YEAR [9].

Sourced from Earth Day.org

18

© Elisabeth Hoff

DROWNING IN PLASTIC A Visual Warning

Elisabeth Hoff @elisabethhoffphoto www.elisabethhoff.com “By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish” Ellen MacArthur Foundation Report, 2016 After reading this terrifying fact about the global plastic pollution problem, I felt inspired to do something that might make a difference.

Drowning In Plastic was my attempt as a fashion & beauty photographer to do ‘a beautiful take on a dirty subject’. Each image focuses on a model swimming through water – either surrounded by, or entangled in these single use plastic items. In some of the images the pollutant’s appearance changes, to almost become the representation of the wildlife it might replace. The aim was to make the viewer do a double take.

The plastic cutlery floating in my ‘Sardines’ shot looks almost exactly like the fish themselves.

This problem is very, very real. If we do not change the way we use this non-disposable substance in a disposable way, the above prediction will become a fact.

Plastic is killing our seas.

Partnering with the Marine Conservation Society we executed an extremely successful awareness campaign to encourage volunteers to take part in the MCS’s yearly Great British Beach Clean. Coverage included most of the UK’s broadsheets including The Times, The Daily Mail, and The Mirror.

19

© Elisabeth Hoff

20

© Elisabeth Hoff

21

© Elisabeth Hoff

22

AROUND 135,500 TONNES OF AGRICULTURAL PLASTIC WASTE IS PRODUCED EACH YEAR IN THE UK WITH; APPROXIMATELY 32,000 TONNES BEING PRODUCED FROM PLASTIC PACKAING WASTE; AND APPROXIMATELY 103,500 TONNES BEING PRODUCED FRON NON-PACKAGING PLASTICS (INCLUDING CONTAMINATION).

Sourced from: CIWM

23

© Andrea Jones, Frosted plastic silage bale wrapping

PLASTICS IN THE RURAL ENVIRONMENT Andrea Jones

@andreajonesgardenphotography www.andreajones.co.uk Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg, but despite the enormity of the black plastic silage wrapper mountains, often seen in the most idyllic rural settings, the reasons need to be understood and economic solutions found.

Black plastic does it's job, keeping animal fodder, in the form of silage, sealed from the damage of moisture and protected from UV light to keep the bale content healthy and nutritious. Storing and recycling the plastic after use in a clean dry state can be hugely expensive for farmers.

A material that decomposes would be the answer but no substance is yet available that will tolerate the conditions that plastic contends with right now.

A direction currently being explored is converting to a clear UV plastic which allows inspection of the condition of the silage and is more attractive to recycling companies because it can be made into more products.

Or perhaps more companies need to be creative with the black end product - such as producing indestructible fence posts and timber planks that blend in just fine with the countryside.

Easy perhaps for photographers to shout out the horrors but we can only wish that our images prompt more creative thinking for economic solutions.

24

© Andrea Jones, Plastic Spain

25

26

'IN SEARCH OF THE WHITEBEAMS'

© Hannah Jones

Hannah Jones

@hannahjonesphoto www.hannah-jones.com/whitebeams-wip “This project is about some rare whitebeam trees that are endemic to the Avon gorge in Bristol. After hearing about these mysterious trees, curiosity led me to try to locate and photograph them. During my research, the project developed into a multi-layered body of work that explores themes of unseen women in the history of botany and women's relationship with the natural world.

In order to celebrate these trees and the unseen women who discovered them, I have been accompanying and documenting Libby Houston, a Bristol-based botanist and rock climber who has been researching whitebeams for the past 30 years.

I made a series of images and a first draft of a dummy book last year and will continue to shoot this summer with the intention of completing the final book at the end of this year.

The project has so far received a grant from the Bristol Naturalist's Society.

27

© Hannah Jones

28

© Zoja Kalinovskis

CLIMATE RENAISSANCE

Zoja Kalinovskis @zojakalinovskis www.zojakalinovskis.com

Inspired by the rich visual language of the Dutch Masters and Caravaggio, 'Climate Renaissance' is an ongoing series that serves as a powerful commentary on environmental racism, delving into the often-overlooked intersection of climate change and racial injustice.

Drawing inspiration from classical artistry of the Old Masters, the series employs a visual vocabulary that urges viewers to confront the contemporary crisis of overconsumption, waste, and pollution through the lens of historical aesthetics. It highlights how communities of colour, particularly in the Global South, are disproportionately affected by climate change with devastating consequences. The series is a conscious effort to meld classical aesthetics with contemporary urgency.

The compositions and chiaroscuro lighting, reminiscent of the Old Masters, become a poignant vehicle to navigate the complex narratives of our times. Through this lens, the series explores the intersections of climate crisis and racial injustice, unravelling a visual narrative that calls upon history to confront the present environmental and social issues. The classical influences serve not only as an aesthetic anchor but as a deliberate choice to emphasize the enduring power of art to bear witness and critique humanity’s impact on the earth. The series navigates the dual currents of time, weaving historical echoes into a contemporary discourse and brings forth the questions of how the future might look if we don’t start to make significant changes. It is a complex and forthright question intended to make the audience feel uncomfortable and emphasizes the need for change and collective responsibility in addressing these issues.

29

© Zoja Kalinovskis

30

HANKLEY COMMON WILDFIRE

© Douglas Kurn

Douglas Kurn

@dougkurn www.douglaskurn.co.uk Hankley Common is lowland heathland that is owned by the MOD (and used for exercise by them too, including live ammunitions discharging), which is also a Site Of Special Scientific Interest.

In July 2022 there was a massive wildfire, which was declared a major incident, with smoke being seen as far away as the M25 motorway, and in my home town of Chertsey. The fire brigade eventually got it under control, and I went along a few weeks later, primarily just to take a look, but obviously had my camera with me.

What I saw was a barren black land that I felt compelled to photograph.

Read more here: https://douglaskurn.co.uk/blog

31

© Douglas Kurn

32

CHERTSEY FLOODS

© Douglas Kurn

Douglas Kurn

@dougkurn www.douglaskurn.co.uk During the first winter that I lived in Chertsey (2014), the town was hit by severe flooding that affected many homes and businesses, and resulted in the closure of Chertsey Bridge, one of the major routes over the Thames in Surrey.

Over the years there have been other incidents of flooding to a lesser extent, and I started documenting the floods in 2014. This year they came back with a vengeance, again resulting in the closure of Chertsey Bridge for a number of weeks at the start of the year.

I have documented the flooding over the years, and I have attached some of this years photos.

Read more here: https://douglaskurn.co.uk

33

© Douglas Kurn

34

A STUDY FROM CARDIFF UNIVERSITY IN THE UK FOUND THAT 86 TRILLION TO 710 TRILLION MICROPLASTIC PARTICLES CONTAMINATE EUROPEAN FARMLAND EACH YEAR. Sourced from : BBC Future

35

36

PROJECT WASTE Alex Macro

@alexmacrophotographer www.alexmacro.com/eco I did a lot of work for WaterAid in the late 90’s-2000 when waste was very unfashionable.

Fast forward to 2017 and I land in Hong Kong with the promise of the future, only to discover it was a steam punk version and little old grannies sifted the bins for tin or cardboard right in front of the multimillionaires. I was shocked into action and produced two series that hopefully fit your brief. The first was a personal still life project where I tried to make waste beautiful so the message came after you realised.

The plastics we use daily can be useful for seconds, hours or a few months. Here are objects that I have found that were used and discarded but will far outlive their user.

With this in mind I have made them into objects to look at in the hope I can continue the growing discussion.

© Alex Macro

37

© Alex Macro

38

© Alex Macro

ECO ATROPHY Alex Macro

@alexmacrophotographer www.alexmacro.com/eco Eco Atrophy – future environmental dystopia, right here, right now.

Plastic oceans, species loss, disappearing nature; predictions playing out in the present.

Plastic production is increasing, we wear it, we eat it and we suck on it, despite the growing evidence of its detrimental effect on land, water and life.

The signs are everywhere.

In 2018 Tanja and Alex started photographing plastic waste from the streets of Hong Kong in unexpected ways, playing on the contrast of an ultra slick and expensive city, with a heavy addiction to single use plastic that overflows from bins and washes up on it’s rocks and beaches.

A world city with a world-class consumerism habit.

With every new shoot the scope and vision grows, in what has now become an ongoing project. As our piles of waste continue to rise unabated, so does this work.

39

40

SONGS OF THE DEAD Alan McFetridge

© Alan McFetridge

@alan_mcfetridge www.alan-mcfetridge.com/ Alan McFetridge explores the aftermath of this century’s most intense urban fire and the rapidly changing relationship between human expansion and the fierce face of fire. In May 2016, in the traditional lands of the Cree, Dene and unceded territory of the Métis, Fort McMurray, Alberta, the hub of Canada’s oil industry, was upturned by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster that raised entire neighbourhoods and drove 90,000 from their home in a single afternoon.

After receiving the RPS Environmental Awareness Bursary Artist and photographer Alan McFetridge visited Fort McMurray in October 2016, at the start of winter, and then again during mid-winter in 2017 to understand

the local challenges in the aftermath of the Fort McMurray disaster and its meaning for life on Earth.

The scale of the Fort McMurray fire broaches the broader impact of local fire for the first time - this is the planet's physical reality. ‘ - A.M. The project is an experiment that asks how photography can better address socio-ecological issues within climate change through poetics and offer a way of resisting the norms of documentary photography, rationale or civil disruption See more

An Exhibition For Earth Day Lauderdale House, London April 3 -29

41

© Alan McFetridge

42

© Alan McFetridge

43

© Alan McFetridge

44

BIN STRIKE Euan Myles

GOLD Winner: 38th AOP Photography Awards, Environment category

In August 2022 to the refuse collectors of the city of Edinburgh decided enough was enough and they needed to strike like many public sector workers who are fighting for better pay and conditions. It is very true that you only miss them once they stop doing their job!

In August in Edinburgh the world famous Edinburgh Festival and Festival Fringe were in full swing with tourists from all over the world able to enjoy culture of the highest order after the pandemic years.

But instead of pristine mediaeval and Georgian city they were faced at every turn with overflowing bins of rotting food and drink, pavements that your feet would adhere to and rats running a riot in the middle of the day.

Eventually after four weeks the strike was called off to the great relief of all and hopefully with a greater apriciation of the men and women that deal with our rubbish I decided one night to go out and photograph some of the piles of rubbish and detritus that had started to build up around every bin.

I took lights and lit them up in the middle of the night to document this strike.

Almost every five minutes while photographing several dozen bins I would get the fantastic retort of "Don't bother photographing that it's going to be a rubbish photograph".

@euanmyles www.euanmyles.co.uk

© Euan Myles 45

© Euan Myles 46

© Euan Myles 47

© Euan Myles 48

© Euan Myles 49

UK HOUSEHOLDS ARE THROWING AWAY AN ESTIMATED* 1.7 BILLION PICES OF PLASTIC A WEEK THAT’S 90 BILLION PIECES PER YEAR. *Assuming the data from our households are typical across the UK

Sourced from The Big Plastic Count

50

© Tal Silverman

Tal Silverman I commissioned my model maker (Ben Millar) to make busts of both my children which were then sculpted from plastics. To highlight the potential health dangers and environmental issues of ocean plastics.

© Tal Silverman @talsilverman www.talsilverman.com

Ben Milllar @millarmodels 51

Virtually every piece of plastic you’ve ever thrown away still exists in some shape or form. Microplastics are generated as a byproduct of the plastics we use; from the abundance of packaging being shredded apart in our seas and eaten by fish, to man-made microfibres shed from clothing, we’re continuously exposed to the unknown effects of microplastics within our bodies.

Some smaller than the width of a human hair, these nano-fibres can work their way into our bloodstream and through our lymphatic system.

Already studies show that microplastics have been found in 114 aquatic species, and more than half of those end up on our dinner plates. It is thought that it will take another five to 10 years before we will understand the real damage microplastics may be causing to our bodies – by then at least another 25 million tons of plastic will have flowed into our seas.

© Tal Silverman

52

MICROPLASTICS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON EVERY PART OF THE PLANET. THE TINY PARTICLES OF THIS ANTHROPOGENIC MATERIAL HAVE BEEN FOUND BURIED IN ANTARCTIC SEA ICE, INSIDE THE GUTS OF MARINE ANIMALS INHABITING THE DEEPEST OCEAN TRENCHES, AND IN DRINKING WATER AROUND THE WORLD. Sourced from BBC Future

53

elegant

FASHION

mood

AOP & SUSTAINABILITY As a first step into measuring how well the AOP and the wider membership are adopting a sustainable business practice, we hired Creative Zero to undertake an AOP operational carbon audit. The results are positive resulting from having the AOP team work remotely, excluding the AOP from Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

The AOP’s total footprint from 1st Apr 2022 to 31st Mar 2023 was 10.37 tonnes CO2e (equating to 2.08 tonnes CO2e per full-time employee, compared with an individual in a UK ad agency who on avg. produces 3.4 tonnes CO2e). The largest portion of our emissions come from Purchased Goods & Services (33%); followed by Awards Book (28.7%) and Homeworking (21.9%).

More information here: https://www.the-aop.org/uploads/aop-x-creativezero-carbon-audit-report202223.pdf

The AOP Sustainability Working Group is tasked with demystifying sustainability within photography and short-form moving image production and providing clear strategies for all professional image-makers to use in the urgent pursuit of a net-zero carbon future.

We will provide information on the business case for photographers and producers to be developing low carbon or carbon-free ways of working, along with linking to tools to measure greenhouse gas emissions from shoots/production and how to use that data to benefit your clients and business.

This is a place to find out about carbon reduction techniques to be used within your production decisions that will help bring the industry towards the only viable option we have, which is a carbon-neutral economy.

54

© Eleanor Church / Lark Rise Pictures, Xtrillion

Screening Dates - for latest list of screening dates and venues visit: The Premiere event kicks off a number of screenings around the UK - find out more at :

Wednesday 1 May - UK Premiere screening and Q&A - Curzo Soho, London Friday 24th May 2024 - Firstsite, Colchester Thursday 30th May 2024 - Electric Theatre, Guildford Wednesday 12th June 2024 - Genesis Cinema, London Saturday 13th July 2024 - Highland Cinema, Fort William