PRISMA Issue 11

Issue 11

CULTURE - EVENTS - TRAVEL - NATURE

31 December 2023

Editorial Article A Year in PRISMA: Highlights from 2023 by: Louise Anderbjörk

HOLIDAY SPECIAL Seasonal greetings from the team

+ 2 Extra Articles!

INSIDE FEATURES

PRISMA SEASONAL THANK YOU

Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

A FESTIVE PRISMA SPECIAL A seasonal thank you from your Editor-in-chiefs

Season’s greetings! Welcome to a festive special of PRISMA magazine! To celebrate the one year anniversary of PRISMA (an event we almost but not quite called our ‘PRISMAS special’), we are proud to share an extra special issue to you all. The editorial article (page 5) has recapped everything that PRISMA has done in this first year of its existence, which has been rather a lot! As well as that, we have included an two extra articles than usual for you to enjoy. All of this would not have been possible without the hard work of our wonderful team! From Maggie and Kailee sourcing stories, Alexandra and Rosie putting them together, to Eleanor, Iain, Lucile and Ella sharing them out into the world, we are beyond grateful, and excited for more issues to come! On that note, if you’re a photographer that would be interested in sharing your work with us in 2024, then know that we’d love to hear from you! Otherwise, thank you reader for taking the time to enjoy our magazine, and we hope you are as excited as us to see what 2024 holds for PRISMA! Louise Anderbjörk Tristan Sharman Editor-In-Chief Editor-In-Chief

Thank You From the PRISMA Team

Eleanor Reid Deputy Editor-In-Chief

Alexandra Godfrey Editorial Editor

Maggie Zhu Photography Editor

Kailee Parsons Photography Editor

Iain Cunningham Web Editor

Rosie Leeson Copy Editor

Lucile Belorgey Media Manager

Ella Wong Layout Editor

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PRISMA ISSUE OVERVIEW

INSIDE FEATURES Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF PRISMA Editor-In-Chief: Louise Anderbjörk & Tristan Sharman

Photo: Alexander Swyer

Changing Seasons: Alexander Swyer describes the delight he takes in rising up early to capture the light in outdoors scenery, sharing advise on how to make the most of your time capturing photos outside.

Photo: Thomas Kihlberg

Local Attractions: Locality is what matters to Thomas Kihlberg in his recipe for a perfect photoshoot. Using the variations in lighting and shapes, he explores the correlation between smaller scenes and wider landscapes.

Photo: Hilde Christensen

Photo: James Vaz Queiro

Finding Light: Hilde Christensen writes inspiringly of how capturing nature within her own garden helped her to nurture her passion for wildlife photography despite her being housebound.

Photo: Marcel Dutu

Day of Camões in Lisbon: Krisztian Kos and James Vaz Queiro capture Lisbon’s Day of Camões, portraying a spectacle in which the youth, elderly, locals, and tourists all join together in a vibrant array of celebrations.

Photo: Marelle Tikenberg

Proposal at the Pink House: Marcel Dutu shares the romantic story of his highland proposal, the setting of which he captured in a series of images, showing the power of photos in capturing precious moments.

Self-Taught Pet Photography: The joy of photographing her cat, Misty, led Marelle Tikenberg to buy her first mirrorless camera. Since then, she uses the dynamic landscapes of expand her range of pet portraits.

Issue Overview 1 Seasonal Thank You 2 Inside this Issue 3 Editorial Article 5 Photo Stories 21 Photo Competition

Photo: Joel Kessler

Photo: Aleksandra Gołębiowska

Where Do I Sit?: Joel Kessler captures photographs of chairs, asking what stories each tell of their owners and surroundings.

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Beauty of Sunrise: Aleksandra Gołębiowska says that nature photography is ‘for everyone’, and recommends the beauty of sunrises.

PRISMA EDITORIAL ARTICLE

Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

A YEAR IN PRISMA Editorial Editor: Alexandra Godfrey

LOUISE ANDERBJÖRK Dear PRISMA readers, Happy holidays! It is an amazing feeling to once again be writing your December editorial article as founder and Editor-in-chief of PRISMA. This time last year, I was writing the introductory editorial article for PRISMA’s very first issue, telling the story of how PRISMA came to be. Now, 11 issues and 79 published articles later, I am very proud to be able to continue that story and share some highlights of the exciting growth PRISMA has experienced in 2023. When PRISMA launched in December 2022, it was just 7 undergraduate friends from St Andrews who made up the editorial team and wrote our first series of articles. By the end of February, however, we had published works of another 11 student photographers and were steadily increasing our reader base within the university. It was fantastic to see PRISMA’s outreach grow, and in March we received our first submission from a university-external photographer who had worked professionally with photography in Scotland for over 30 years. This was a big first step towards our aspirations of creating a diverse photography community, where amateurs and professionals alike could meet and exchange their passion for photography, all within one magazine.

Following that, we were thrilled to be able to continue this exchange in person at our first local photo exhibition at the end of March, where we met many of our photographers and readers for the first time. With our community growing, the PRISMA editorial team expanded too, and we entered the summer months welcoming four new members to the team. Several of them graduated in June, marking a shift away from operating primarily as a St Andrews student magazine, to now having an international team working with outreach across the world. Our first article produced by an international photographer was published in June, and since then our international contributions have amounted to works from 67 photographers from 16 different countries. Following somewhat of an admin makeover behind the scenes, we launched our brandnew website in July. Along with a full online archive of all published photos stories and editorial articles, the website introduced our new mailing list that shares our issues and newsletters to you monthly - be sure to sign up if you haven't already! Come August, several members of the PRISMA team headed to Edinburgh to work at the Edinburgh Fringe for a month. There, we gained our first official press accreditation, as members of Fringe Media, and build new relationships with local publications and industry professionals. We were

Photo: Kailee Parsons

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thrilled to also receive press access to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, marking our first media appearance at a major international event. Back in St Andrews, the autumn months were among our most successful outreach months of the year. We were honoured to be invited as guest speakers at two local speaker evenings, where we shared the story of PRISMA. Thanks to St Andrews Photography Society, we also led our first photography workshop, which highlighted the wonderful scope of photography and the many ways there are to get involved in photojournalism, even as an amateur photographer. Finally, we were very grateful to have been asked by United Nations Association St Andrews to co-host a photography competition, and subsequent exhibition, on the theme of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The competition and exhibition evening at the Rusacks Hotel was a great success, and we are delighted to have met some incredible local professionals with whom we now have exciting projects in the works for the year ahead. So, that effectively brings us back to today. Reflecting upon this past year. I just want to extend a massive thank you to each and everyone of my team members, our photographers for their hard work, and you, our readers, who have made this all happen. PRISMA could not have gone from a mere idea in 2022 to where we are today without you, so thank you for supporting us!

Photo: Thomas Kihlberg

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

CHANGING OF THE SEASONS Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

ALEXANDER SWYER In my opinion, sunrises and the golden hour is the best light for a photographer to capture the beauty of the great outdoors. There is nothing more exhilarating than waking up and trekking to the top of a hill, along a field, or seeing the sun spread across the sea before you. I am lucky that I live in West Sussex, at the base of the South Downs National Park, where the south coast is only a short drive away. Consequently, I have no shortage of photographic opportunities. Winter is perhaps the best time for landscape photography, as the sunrise is at a much easier time to manage than in the spring! Most of my shots are planned around a full-time job and school runs, so early starts are always best for me. I also love how the cold of winter can change the landscape, with trees stripped of their leaves, and frozen water or hard frosts glittering on the ground. Having local pre-planned spots in your knowledge bank also allows for greater organisation and efficiency in finding the best compositions. If there is an area that I want to photograph that I have not been to before, then a pre visit on a day off is a must, which usually involves taking the family somewhere for a new walk. I also am in the habit of taking my camera with me wherever I go, as you never know what photographic opportunities crop up, even on the drive to work. Every sunrise and every season is different day-to-day, month-to-month and year-toyear. This makes photography a fantastic hobby that makes me want to get up and take a photo again and again.

Photo: Alexander Swyer

Photo: Alexander Swyer

Photo: Alexander Swyer

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Winter in West Sussex

Photo: Alexander Swyer

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

FINDING THE NATURAL LIGHT Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

HILDE CHRISTENSEN Do you ever dream of going to Africa and photographing the awe-inspiring wildlife? Or to America to capture the beautiful landscapes? I certainly do. However, such opportunities do not always materialise for all of us. I live in Norway and am housebound due to illness, quite impractical considering my love is nature photography.

Recently I had been losing motivation to photograph at all due to this reason, until I read an interview with photographer Audun Rikardsen. He said that he took most of his photos in his local area because that’s where he knew the motives, the landscape, the backgrounds, and when and where the most beautiful light would turn up. As a result of that I began to look at my immediate surroundings, and in particular, my garden. We had done a bit of rewilding by letting trees and bushes grow as they wished, so it had already turned into a space where birds liked to frequent, especially when encouraged by quite a bit of bird seeds and water. That’s when I really discovered the lives of the little ones living here, the ones who are so easy to overlook. Every spring new baby birds are born, and it’s pure delight to see them come out of their nests, so eager and naïve, with parents who work so hard to raise their little chicks. I found sleeping baby sparrows outside my kitchen window and was happy to see how safe they felt. I ended up discovering a world that had been sitting at my door all my life, but I had ignored whilst being busy with everything else. I guess photography can be about finding light when you thought there was none, and finding opportunity in new places.

Photo: Hilde Christensen

Photo: Hilde Christensen

Photo: Hilde Christensen

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Finding light in photography

Photo: Hilde Christensen

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

DAY OF CAMÕES IN LISBON Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

KRISZTIAN KOS In Lisbon, on the Day of Camões, it is an expectation and a duty to go outside into the city’s electrified streets. On this national holiday, the white pavements fill up with people who have travelled to this city from all corners of Portugal. Families, youths, locals, and tourists all wait for the spectacle to arrive from the Avenida de Liberdade.

They can already hear the cheers from the other side of the Praça dos Restauradores and the fanfares that rise and spread throughout Lisbon down to the river Tagus.

Kids that return to their families with steaming Bifanas traditional Portuguese pork sandwiches – and elderly couples, who have dressed up specifically for this special occasion, feel the tremors of excitement on their skin.

They’re almost here. After the procession of green and red glitter has passed through and disappeared up Lisbon’s steep streets, the city settles down into a controlled chaos. Shopkeepers sit on their stools outside their stores, and watch the spectacle with bartenders stretching their smoke breaks, chatting with animated hand gestures. All of a sudden, crowds of voices and steps flood the passageways, the alleys, the staircases.

The young have spilled out everywhere and are flowing quickly through Lisbon’s veins. Gradually, they fill up the bars and cafes that peek out from beneath the blue and yellow-tiled façades of the buildings. The thrill dissipated from the parade crystallises in their eyes and on their mouths, and they carry it through the rest of the night to come. Through every crack of every window and every door, snippets of Portuguese life escape into the street, contributing to the vibrancy of this magical occasion.

Photo: James Vaz Queiro

Photo: James Vaz Queiro

Photo: James Vaz Queiro

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Celebrating day of Camões

Photo: James Vaz Queiro

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

THOMAS KIHLBERG We are all surrounded by beautiful nature, and the way we capture it has so much potential for difference and variation. Using nature’s own ingredients of rain, fog, and sunshine within the composition is my recipe for a great image. I would recommend using the weather forecast as an excuse to go out, and give yourself time to explore the world around you. My favourite location for photography is only a short drive away, and I always check the day’s weather forecast in advance to know the conditions of that specific day. That makes my outings more organised and successful, making the whole experience more pleasurable. I am able to familiarise myself with the surroundings, and figure out what kind of feeling I want to portray. When I go to take photos, I am usually out for a couple of hours. Allocating specific time for photography has always helped me throughout my life, and means I am properly dedicated to my hobby.

I have always been drawn to the more intimate landscapes. I find that the smaller scenes reflect their wider surroundings, and am fascinated by this correlation. I want to show their stories and feel that relationship. As a landscape photographer, I rely on my sense of emotion to dictate the style of my shot. I look for interesting subjects that make my heart beat faster.

Unique lightings, contrasts in subjects, and different shapes and colours all contribute to the recipe of a successful photoshoot. Above all, I value the opportunity to shoot locally, and capture the beauty that we have all around us. I am always driven by the goal to improve my skills and my knowledge of my local area.

Photo: Thomas Kihlberg

Photo: Thomas Kihlberg

Photo: Thomas Kihlberg

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Photographing your local surroundings

Photo: Thomas Kihlberg

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

PROPOSAL AT THE PINK HOUSE Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

MARCEL DUTU Photography is an incredible tool and I believe it can be used to capture precious life moments and help transcend time. The images I have included capture a story close to my heart, and every time I look at them I am reminded of those precious moments. Although technically inferior to other photographers featured here, the strength of the memories they carry mean so much to me, and I hope might inspire others to capture beautiful moments with their loved ones also. When my girlfriend and I started dating, we quickly discovered that we both shared a passion for travel and exploring the beautiful country we live in, Scotland. When planning a small getaway one summer, we therefore thought what better place to visit than the Scottish Highlands?! So we packed our small suitcase and headed up North. Little did she know that in a jacket pocket tucked away in the suitcase there was also a small ring! On our first day we thought we would go wild swimming and I had found the perfect spot for us, Loch Glass, not too far away from where we were staying. So we did the cold plunge, and even in late summer the water was baltic! Shaking with cold, while she wasn’t looking, too busy trying to dry off and get warm, I reached for my jacket and grabbed the ring. Half frozen and wrapped in towels she turned around to see a half naked man, shaking cold on one knee asking her to marry her. And she said yes! Whilst others may see just a pink house, to me these photos therefore symbolise so much more; everything I love about Scotland, travel, and, above all, my fiancé.

Photo: Marcel Dutu

Photo: Marcel Dutu

Photo: Marcel Dutu

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Capturing a scenic proposal

Photo: Marcel Dutu

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

SELF-TAUGHT PET PHOTOGRAPHY Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

MARELLE TIKENBERG Five years ago, I embarked on my photography journey by capturing spontaneous moments of my pet in outdoor settings. Initially, I used my phone for this purpose, but my curiosity soon led me to invest in my first mirrorless camera. From that point on, photographing my cat Misty became a major aspect of my life. During our outdoor adventures, I make sure to have a camera by my side almost at all times. Along with it I always bring along a 135mm and 50mm lens, as well as a small light source. By sharing Misty’s photos on social media, I aim to raise awareness that cats can also be leash trained and enjoy the outdoors safely, just like dogs. I am delighted to come across a growing number of cats during our walks.

They are becoming less and less rare. I am a self-taught photographer, and each day I continue to learn and grow. The most important thing my feline companion has taught me is the significance of having patience. It is important to remember that when taking photos of animals, not every photoshoot will turn out to be successful. While treats can be helpful, there are days when even those cannot guarantee cooperation.

Occasionally, the presence of birds or other noises can overshadow posing and looking at the camera. However, even when Misty is uncooperative, the diverse nature of my home country Estonia offers a wide range of colors and settings to explore, from vibrant autumn leaves to cold and gray winter days. Witnessing the changing seasons and seeing Misty curiously explore the surroundings serves as a constant inspiration for me to continue my photography journey.

Photo: Marelle Tikenberg

Photo: Marelle Tikenberg

Photo: Marelle Tikenberg

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Outdoor pet photography

Photo: Marelle Tikenberg

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

WHERE DO I SIT? Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

JOEL KESSLER Chairs might be lifeless articles for ordinary use, but many of them tell lively stories about their surroundings and owners. Think about the location. What happened here, or will happen here? Where is the chair standing?

Examine the chair’s placement in correlation to other objects in the scene. Are there other chairs surrounding it? Did the previous occupant of the chair have company, or were they alone? Touch the chair and feel the surface.

Study its design and take a seat for a while. Lastly, take a photo of the chair in the scene and let it tell its story.

What story is it telling you? As you might be able to tell from the photo stories, my photographic eye is often drawn to chairs. No matter if they are aesthetic or not, I like taking photos of them. I find that chairs have something calming and peaceful about them. I enjoy imagining stories about the people who have used these ordinary objects before and the lives they might have lived. I think about the people who have witnessed the scene set before me, people who never paused to take a seat, mere bystanders—pun intended! Besides photographing chairs, it is my passion to capture people in their element, such as at outings with friends, and to experiment with analogue photography in various ways.

Film photography, being my main form of artistic expression, offers so much artistic freedom in taking pictures, developing, and post-processing in unique ways. The thrill of finally seeing the developed images, not knowing how the shots turned out, never gets old.

Like life, photography is like a box of chocolates: “You never know what you’re going to get.”

Photo: Joel Kessler

Photo: Joel Kessler

Photo: Joel Kessler

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The hidden stories of chairs

Photo: Joel Kessler

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTO STORIES

THE BEAUTY OF SUNRISE Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

ALEKSANDRA GOŁĘBIOWSKA Photography can open one’s eyes to the beauty of nature.

It helps to see what’s often invisible to others. The most important thing in nature photography is lighting, which makes each photo different and unique. For me, the best light is at sunrise. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful time of the day, at its quietest point where I hear only the music of nature – the calming sound of waves and the singing of birds. It is at this point that the sky chooses to paint its most beautiful colours. The timetable of my photographic morning follows this plan; I get up at least 1 hour before sunrise, since it takes me about 30 minutes to get to the location. Once there I have enough time to scan out the best potential shots, set up my camera, and wait for the sun to emerge from over the horizon.

Despite the early wake-up call, such mornings give me a lot of energy. However, sunrise photography can often feel like a lottery. It is extremely weather dependent, and whilst weather apps help somewhat, the most important things continue to be intuition and willingness. There were a lot of unsuccessful outdoor shootings but still, when I close my eyes I can see the most beautiful sunrises, and those I will never forget. To me, sunrise is like a spectacle for a chosen few and I am lucky enough to be one of them. I dare to say that light is the best painter.

It turns a familiar landscape into a fairy-tale scenery.

Anyone can witness such an unusual phenomenon.

Sunrise is truly magical and I really hope that everyone chooses to experience the magic at least once; after all, nature is for everyone.

Photo: Aleksandra Gołębiowska

Photo: Aleksandra Gołębiowska

Photo: Aleksandra Gołębiowska

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Working with light at sunrise

Photo: Aleksandra Gołębiowska

PRISMA Issue 11 - 31 December 2023

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

PRISMA PHOTO COMPETITION It is our pleasure to congratulate the winner of PRISMA's December’s Photo Competition: Aamod Desai "A fly soaking in some sunshine before embarking on its next adventure. Taken at Kinnoull Hill, Perth earlier this year” To enter for your chance to be featured in our upcoming issue, submit a photo through the link on our social media!

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Email editor@prismamagazine.co.uk or contact us on social media to showcase your photography and enter into our monthly photo competition.

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Photo: Tristan Sharman

Cover art: Marelle Tikenberg

editor@prismamagazine.co.uk (c) PRISMA Photography Magazine 2023