PRISMA Issue 9

Issue 9

CULTURE - EVENTS - TRAVEL - NATURE

31 October 2023

Editorial Article Photo Journal: Introducing our Photography Editor by: Kailee Parsons

INSIDE FEATURES

PRISMA ISSUE OVERVIEW

INSIDE FEATURES Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

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

Photo: Jim Scott

Photo: Catherine Lefrancq

Northumberland Castles: Jim Scott describes his experience as part of the Northumberlander Project, which aims to create the first ever photographic record of all 70 of Northumberland’s historic castles.

Photo: Louise McGinley

Photo: Auld Romantics

Birds and Nature: Catherine Lefrancq is a self-taught photographer, who particularly focuses on nature and wildlife pieces. She aims to highlight abundant beauty, and how important it is to preserve in modern society.

Photo: Alia & Chris

The Park: Glasgow park and its seasonal variations are the photographic passion of Louise McGinley. She uses a mirrorless camera and focuses on the wildlife that hides away in the shadows.

The Soul of Sir Walter Scott: ‘The Auld Romantics’, a series of images created by Kristy Ashton, aims to pay a nostalgic and romantic homage to Scott and his contribution to Scottish and World literature.

Photo: Amanda MacEachen

Maasai Mara Safari: Alia and Chris explore the Maasai Mara with an array of photos depicting incredible wildlife, drawing inspiration by the diversity which ‘cannot be matched anywhere else in the world’.

Issue Overview

Music Festival Photography: The electrifying atmosphere of TRNSMT music festival is captured by Amanda MacEachen’s, including some of the UK’s biggest music stars: Niall Horan, George Ezra, and Cat Burns.

PRISMA

The Editorial Team

1 Inside this Issue 3 Editorial Article 5 Photo Stories 17 Photo Competition

Editor-in-Chief - Louise Anderbjörk Editor-in-Chief - Tristan Sharman Deputy Editor-in-Chief - Eleanor Reid Editorial Editor - Alexandra Godfrey Photography Editor - Kailee Parsons Photography Editor - Maggie Zhu Copy Editor - Rosie Leeson Layout Editor - Ella Wong Web Editor - Iain Cunningham Media Manager - Lucile Belorgey

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editor@prismamagazine.co.uk

Photo: Auld Romantics

PRISMA EDITORIAL ARTICLE

Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

STORIES OF A PHOTO JOURNAL Editorial Editor: Alexandra Godfrey

KAILEE PARSONS Dear Reader, Following on from Tristan’s introduction as a new Editor-in-Chief in Issue 7 of PRISMA, I thought now would be a good time to introduce myself. My name is Kailee and I am one of two Photography Editors at PRISMA, having joined the team this past July. I have the happy task of liaising with photographers from around the world to organise upcoming content and edit copy to ensure that photo stories look their best. This means that I am not only inspired by incredible photography on a daily basis, but also that I get to be part of the process through which this photography reaches a wider audience. I speak for the entirety of the PRISMA team when I say that I hope you will enjoy the photography within the pages of this magazine and their accompanying stories as much as I do, and as much as I have enjoyed bringing them to you. I am a recent English literature graduate from the University of St Andrews, where I met both of PRISMA’s Editors-inChief through our mutual love of student theatre (I can only guess that arts-related hobbies often overlap). I was a writer before I ever was a photographer or a theatremaker, but I know these passions stem from the same place: a love of storytelling, and more specifically, of capturing fleeting moments in order to share them with others. I touched upon these passions in a previous article for PRISMA, ‘Capturing Everyday Beauty’, where I talked about the beginning of my journey with photography. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed taking pictures with my phone camera and a little point and shoot, but in 2017 I made several friends who were talented photographers. I found myself enthralled with their ability to capture small yet intricate moments that even in writing and theatre are elusive and gone in an instant—they can be reexperienced, but not paused to admire. I was enchanted by my friend’s film camera, which bore the words, ‘Learn to stop time’ in stickers on the side. That was exactly what they were doing, I thought: stopping time. I saved up for a secondhand DSLR camera the following year, and a few months later, I was lucky enough to find a film camera at a yard sale in perfect condition. I began to teach myself to stop time, using every means available. Later that year, I spent a week at Camp Moran on Orcas Island, my childhood summer sanctuary. Despite the similarity to the animal commonly associated with Washington state, the spelling is merely a coincidence; Orcas is pronounced ‘OR-kes’, being a shortened version

Photo: Kailee Parsons

of the name ‘Horcasitas’ belonging to the Viceroy of New Spain, who sent an exploration expedition to the Pacific Northwest in 1791. Moran State Park is the largest public recreation area in the San Juan Islands, and the largest State Park in Washington. Aside from my current home in Scotland, Orcas Island is one of my favourite places in the world, and is one of the few places outside photographs that time stops. Only reachable by ferry, the campgrounds of Orcas Island are completely surrounded by nature. At Camp Moran, I feel more peace than almost anywhere else.

In these photos, I wanted to capture the stillness and quietude that my time on Orcas Island has afforded me.

The wonderful thing about photography is that it is really possible to learn to work magic. Within the pages of this magazine, you will observe moments that were thoughtfully captured just for you. Then, if you are inspired by what you see, you, too, can learn to learn to stop time.

Happy reading! _______ Check out Kailee’s photos and blog: https://kaileeparsons.wixsite.com/kaileemay

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Orcas Island, Washington State

Photo: Kailee Parsons

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTO STORIES

NORTHUMBERLAND CASTLES Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

JIM SCOTT Photography is often about making a record, capturing a moment in time or documenting a piece of history. The Northumberlander Project is setting out to create the first ever photographic record of all of the historic castles in Northumberland. At 70, Northumberland has more castles than any other English county, but surprisingly have never all been catalogued in one collection of images. Being the landing ground for Viking invaders and the borderland between Scotland and England, the county has seen a turbulent past with battles raging for centuries. The remaining castles, some over 1400 years old, are legacies of this dramatic and bloody past. The strongholds range from small remote ruins, to grand fortresses on top of hills and in lavish country estates, which are still inhabited today. A handful of them have featured in blockbuster Hollywood movies such as Harry Potter, Transformers, and Indiana Jones, as well as TV shows like The Last Kingdom, Downton Abbey and Black Adder. However, many more are forgotten ruins and earthworks being quickly lost to time, and may never be appreciated by future generations. As a proud Northumberian, committing these places to record using photography is important and exciting in equal measure.

Moreover, I feel my work needs to reflect the rugged nature of the landscape, inclement conditions of the region, and most importantly do justice to the dramatic history of its subjects. 35 of the 70 castles are catalogued so far and its social media following demonstrates the interest of people from all around the world. There is a lot to do, but the project is well underway.

Photo: Jim Scott

Photo: Jim Scott

Photo: Jim Scott

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Steeped in history and intrigue

Photo: Jim Scott

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTO STORIES

BIRDS AND NATURE Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

CATHERINE LEFRANCQ Nature and wildlife photography are an incredibly important part of my life. Over the years, I have never discovered another activity that causes me to feel so in tune with my surroundings. The vibrancy of the natural environment and the animals that live within it make them a never ending subject of fascination for me. The nature of modern society means that fewer people have the opportunity to spend long periods in the countryside and rural areas. As a result, we lose a sense of why it is important to protect. By going out into nature and recording it through photos, I aim to demonstrate its beauty, and why its preservation is so important. I am a self-taught photographer, and therefore I take my pictures by instinct rather than technical consideration.

My photographic work therefore varies considerably from one picture and subject to another. Most of the time I shoot handheld, without a tripod, in order to be freer in my movements. I particularly like to get down to ground level when photographing animals, trying to keep quiet so as not to disturb them. Taking pictures in areas of silence and solitude is particularly enjoyable, as it allows me to fully immerse myself in the photography.

For example, in my series “Birds on Earth”, all the photos were taken at nightfall. “Birds on Earth'' and “Wild Beauty” centred around birds and flowers. The beauty of these subjects makes them nature’s own work of art; all I had to do was translate this through my camera.

Through these works I hope to emphasise how precious this wildlife is to our world, and that we would be all the poorer without their exquisite beauty.

Photo: Catherine Lefrancq

Photo: Catherine Lefrancq

Photo: Catherine Lefrancq

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Emotion-guided photography

Photo: Catherine Lefrancq

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTO STORIES

THE SOUL OF SIR WALTER SCOTT Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

KRISTY ASHTON, AULD ROMANTICS To me, the arts of storytelling through photography has always been inseparable companions. Being a photographer, I am mindful of the incredible power an image holds to evoke an emotional response in the viewer, urging them to pause, reflect or immerse themselves in the narrative that I aim to convey. While I have always been aware of Sir Walter Scott and vaguely familiar with his stories and their influence on Scottish culture, it wasn’t until my partner Richard started reading Scott’s novels and recounting them during our morning dog strolls that I was ‘properly introduced’. That marked the instant I fell in love with his writing and the enduring relevance of his stories. I was compelled to capture this essence through my lens, giving birth to ‘The Auld Romantics project’. These series of images are inspired by some of his most colourful and iconic figures and aim to pay a nostalgic and romantic homage to Scott and his contribution to the development of Scottish and World literature. Each character represents a gateway to a story that shaped a vision of a nation and an understanding of its people. So far in our collection there is the rugged yet charismatic Rob Roy (‘Rob Roy’), the graceful and determined Catherine Glover (‘Fair Maid of Perth’), the endearing Rose Bradwardine (‘Waverley’), and the unwaveringly virtuous Jeanie Dean (‘Heart of Midlothian’). I hope that through these photographic artworks, a new and revived appreciation of Scott and his literary genius can be rediscovered and ignite the imagination for a new generation. To see more of our work please visit us at www.theauldromantics.com

Photo: Auld Romantics

Photo: Auld Romantics

Photo: Auld Romantics

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Rediscovering Rob Roy

Photo: Auld Romantics

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTO STORIES

THE PARK LIFE IN COLOUR Photography Editor: Kailee Parsons

LOUISE MCGINLEY It is September and the late warm sun falls over this well visited Glasgow Park – a haven for local Wildlife, home to 50 hairy highland cattle, along with the wellestablished escape artist bunnies that just refuse point blank to be house pets. I have spent many hours here with my camera because it contains everything I love to photograph - botanicals, animals, and people. The park holds interest for me throughout the year but, each season on repeat, I decide that the colourful transition from summer into autumn is my favourite time for a visit. I pass the tiny sprouting seedlings in the greenhouses, cheekily trying the locked door, before resigning myself to peeking through the glass instead and attempting some impressive contortion techniques to not get caught in the reflection while my camera clicks. I spot a sleeping bee and sneak up with stealth, I get down on the ground beside a low hanging squash. My knees are always dirty. I aim to capture and depict in my images how the scene makes me feel – a sense of calm. A quiet pause for breath. This is my first camera and I am learning everyday. I opted for a mirrorless camera, the Fujifilm XT3. I have not regretted my choice. An array of beautiful interchangeable lenses are on my wish list.

Most of all I am hoping for a zoom lens in order to capture the wildlife that can’t be lured with the supply of nuts and seed. They sit quietly in the shadows, unnoticed by the humans, while I attempt to capture those otherwise lost moments. But for now, whilst I learn, my prime lens works hard for me.

Photo: Louise McGinley

Photo: Louise McGinley

Photo: Louise McGinley

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Wildlife of Glasgow Park

Photo: Louise McGinley

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTO STORIES

MAASAI MARA SAFARI Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

ALIA & CHRIS There is no place on our beautiful planet quite like the Maasai Mara. We have returned many times, and each visit we discover new locations and encounter wildlife in unique situations, which give us opportunities to capture compositions we have not been able to create before. To put it in simple terms we cannot get enough of the Mara.

When we think of all the places in the world, we consistently come back to it as one of the most beautiful destinations. This is because the diversity that Mara offers cannot be matched anywhere else in the world. As avid safari goers, we have realised that wildlife encounters are most definitely food for our souls. You wouldn't call us morning people; however, we find ourselves quite easily able to wake up at 5 am. Perhaps it is the anticipation of what the day holds, and the thought of the upcoming encounters with nature that fill us with excitement. Our morning wake up calls consist of listening to the sounds of hippos from the distant Talek river, to the roaring of lions, and birds chirping as the dawn of a new day breaks. Mara embodies the African dream that we all dream of; such as seeing like a cheetah on a hunt, elephants roaming the wild plains, or even catching a glimpse of an elusive leopard. The beautiful and diverse landscape of Mara, combined with the expectation of the unknown, leaves us with an indescribable feeling. The cycle of the wild and rebirth of the earth tosses you into a different magical dimension that ensures we return year after year to capture exquisite wildlife moments through our passion of photography. Until the next time.

Photo: Alia & Chris

Photo: Alia & Chris

Photo: Alia & Chris

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Giraffes in the Maasai Mara

Photo: Alia & Chris

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTO STORIES

MUSIC FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHY Photography Editor: Maggie Zhu

AMANDA MACEACHEN The electrifying atmosphere that a music festival brings is indescribable, everyone gathered in one place, and all for the same reason. Every attendant has a source of connection, whether it’s the music or just enjoying a pint in the sunshine, it’s a field of happiness. This year I had the honour of photographing Scotland’s biggest music festival: TRNSMT. I was allocated the Friday slot, with music legends Pulp headlining, and also featuring sets from Niall Horan, George Ezra, Cat Burns, Dean Lewis and many more. The day started off with a very packed camera bag, picking up my photo pass and making my way to the media tent. It was such a privilege to be surrounded by so many creatives and interact with numerous talented people. We were all on our feet for over ten hours of the day, and one thing I completely underestimated was the effort of constantly running between stages to make it on time for the start of acts. I had 14 acts to shoot during the day, and we must have looked like maniacs running around with so much equipment. We were lucky with the glorious weather we were given; the sun was shining and everything seemed to run incredibly smoothly throughout the day. I felt very grateful to be in the photo pit and to shoot some of my favourite artists, as well as capture the thrilling crowds and moments that fans will treasure. I ended the day with a total of 2500 photos taken and painful arms from having to hold my camera so high to reach the stage! It was an overall extraordinary experience, and definitely felt like a pure full circle moment.

Photo: Amanda MacEachen

Photo: Amanda MacEachen

Photo: Amanda MacEachen

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Dean Lewis at TRNSMT

Photo: Amanda MacEachen

PRISMA Issue 9 - 31 October 2023

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

PRISMA PHOTO COMPETITION It is our pleasure to congratulate the winner of PRISMA's October Photo Competition: Lewis Baldock "A photo of Eilean Donan castle in the spring of 2022. Taken from the Eilean Donan Lookout” 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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Photo: Catherine Lefrancq

Cover art: Alia & Chris

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