Vikki has delivered all your cameras and films to Jessops to be processed. We can’t wait to see all your photos – we were eavesdropping a bit and heard some of your fantastic ideas!

We’ll soon be announcing when and where you can see all the entries (and the winners, of course). They’ll be on display throughout the whole Photography Festival.

Here are some photos – thanks Carl. And thanks to everyone who took part.

Our youngest participant, Mollie

STILL IMAGES:

• 6-10 jpeg photos by e-mail (Max size: 3MB)
• A short explanation of the project
• A biography/CV and any supporting material you think relevant
• A website link (if possible) and contact details
• Any further details of the work if available, such as image titles and dimensions

MOVING IMAGE/VIDEO:

• Website link, if available, or work posted on a CD
• A short explanation of the project
• A biography/CV and any supporting material you think relevant
• Contact details

Please send your submissions to events@guernseyphotographyfestival.com and include the word ‘submission’ in the subject of your email.

The address for postal submissions is: Guernsey Photography Festival, The Gallery, 9 – 11 Mansell Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1HP. Please note that we are unable to return any work posted to us.

Deadline for all entries: 31^st March.

The Guernsey Photographic Club – established 1953

Run by: Robin Millard

Meets: Vale Douzaine Room, fortnightly throughout the whole year.

Programme: Very full, covering Print and D.P.I. Competitions. There are informative talks and demonstrations, also social events, outdoor evenings and competitions with other clubs.

Experience necessary? Members have varying levels of experience.  Although not a training club as such, they are very willing to help newcomers with their problems.

This Club is great because… there’s a good atmosphere and a willingness to share knowledge and plenty of friendly banter plus encouragement for those finding their way.

How do I find out more? Contact Robin Millard on 237515 or the Secretary, Derek Tostevin on 237342.

What Is He Doing? by Derek Bridel

Pigin Happy by David Le Prevost

Spectrum – established 1957

Run by: Carl Symes

Meets: Scout Centre in Rue Mainguy on alternate Tuesday evenings at 7.45pm.

Programme: A mixture of events – from print and digital competitions judged by the members and external judges to outdoor photo shoots, many with instruction, to visiting lecturers. Also inter–club meetings and competitions.

Experience necessary? No, just a desire to learn. The standard is quite high, with a number of members having distinctions with various photographic organisations. However, members want to help, guide and show the less experienced how to improve.

This Club is great because… it’s committed to putting on a programme that enables the less experienced members to learn and improve their work while keeping the more experienced members challenged.

How do I find out more? Just come along to a meeting (no charge for the first couple of attendances to see if the club offers what they are after), the programme can be found at www.spectrumguernsey.moonfruit.com

Polar Bears by Tony Wills

Simon by Carl Symes

Prism Photographic Club – established 1983

Run by: Carol Paes

Meets: At the Forest Methodist Church Hall, every three weeks. You don’t have to come to every meeting or enter every competition, although lots of members do.

Programme: Their full calendar is released in January and can be found on the website.  A year-long league competition is judged by the members present on the night and there are many annual competitions which are judged externally using local photographers.  Prism also organise outside shoots as well as frequently having guest speakers run workshops or lectures. There is a huge range of experience within the club, with some members just enjoying taking a photograph whilst others get engrossed in manipulating their images using relevant software.

Experience necessary? No experience is necessary, just plenty of enthusiasm…oh and a camera!

This Club is great because.. Prism is a very friendly, welcoming club, open to all abilities and with plenty of photographers willing to share their knowledge.  The members have a thirst for knowledge and a bit of friendly rivalry – so the atmosphere on club nights is great!

How do I find out more? Check out www.prism.org.gg to see winning images from previous years as well as look up details about the competitions and dates for the meetings.  Or for more specific information please contact Carol using the contact page on the website.

Here Birdie by Peter Palmeri

Pathways by Olivier Dorey

dicc – digital image camera club – established 2008

Run by: Adam Prosser & ALL of its other members

Meets: completely run on the Internet with monthly meetings at 8.00pm at the Last Post on the last Thursday of the month.

Programme: monthly challenges which are all found on the website so you don’t need to print your pictures or meet regularly (apart from social meetings in the pub!). Members also discuss over the forum and facebook arranging regular meet ups on an ad hoc basis – one person may have an idea or want a bit of company and from that a seed grows and a new outing is conceived. These sort of meets are usually at short notice – if its at all feasible then the pub and/or eats are usually partaken of!

Experience necessary? Not at all!

This Club is great because… it’s lighthearted, fun, easygoing and social – with a name like dicc you have to have a sense of humor!

How do I find out more? Go to www.cleverdicc.com or email info@cleverdicc.com.

Fruit by Rachel Luff

Love Chocolate by Chrissie Johns

Viola and Elsa at 10 and 9

Nelli grew up in a small town in Finland and became interested in photography at the age of 16. Despite her success she admits, ‘I still don’t consider myself as a photographer, it is a thing I happen to do, my way of recording my life.’ Many a photographer would shy away from photographing children as they aren’t always keen to stay still, but Nelli is fascinated by them: ‘They can be very independent and clever, though we often treat them as if they have no opinions at all! I like the way children communicate, they don’t need spoken words, yet they always understand what you mean. They are probably better at reading our behaviour than we adults.’

One visitor to Guernsey told me that she found Nelli’s portraits lovely but rather sad. I asked Nelli if she had set out to capture her young subjects looking this way. ‘I didn’t ask them to look serious, I think children don’t always want to smile, we just think they should. Also, I work quite slowly, so no one could keep a natural smile that long. When a person forgets themself in front of the camera, there are no expressions left.’

Julia turning five

Jean Christophe Godet likes Nelli’s work because it is ‘very classical with a strong Finnish identity’, yet not all of her subjects are from Finland. Nelli understands what he means, however: ‘It’s the typical Finnish melancholy and loneliness which shines through. That’s part of our way of seeing the world. And also the light I often use is a typical Finnish spring/winter light.’

Perhaps surprisingly for a photographer, Nelli almost never carries her camera with her. ‘I feel a lot of pressure to take portraits if I carry my camera with me, its presence is almost like stealing my experiences! Sometimes you see something, or rather someone, and you wish you had your camera with you. But still, I enjoy wandering around without it. It feels more free.’

Anni Maria at 24 with Donna

Nelli divides her time between Isnä, her village in Finland, and London. This balance suits her perfectly: ‘When I go home, London seems to be so far away with all its craziness, and when I’m in London, Isnäs seems like a small dream world.  Visiting Guernsey for the Festival was a great experience for Nelli. ‘What I really liked about the Festival was the intimate atmosphere. And you can tell that it’s driven by a real passion for photography. ‘

Here Nelli describes what happened when she photographed Sergey at the Nakhimov Naval Academy:

Sergey

‘When visiting the school for the first time, excited and lost, I found the timeless atmosphere on the hallways of Nakhimov Naval Academy. Students running around, playing and teasing each other. Like all boys, loud and restless. All very curious about me, some of them more shy, others more open with many questions to ask. Someone giving me a part of his lunch, a small mandarin and half of his bread. Some of the boys still too small for their uniforms, but clearly wearing them proudly. Military men, as they called themselves.

Clearly all the students are excited about my photography, they want to be part of it. I place my tripod on the hallway floor and choose one of the younger students for the portrait. All the other boys are trying to make him laugh, but Sergey stands there with a serious face, long sleeves covering his small hands. Waiting for me to take the picture, not even blinking. Light coming from behind surrounding his face. He listens carefully in case I have any instructions, but I’m staying quiet. The portrait is done.’

As for the future, Nelli has plans to explore other projects but she is not ready to abandon her stunning portraits. ‘I guess as I move on, my images will start to get different. Ultimately, the works are documenting my life. But I think I will stick with portraits for many, many more years.’ Which is great news for Nelli’s many fans.

www.nellipalomaki.com

Zahra, aged 10. 'Zahra comes from a liberal Muslim family and as I was photographing her, becoming an adolescent, the conflict of two cultures would often pop up.'

Kiana heard about the Guernsey Photography Festival through a friend and she was inspired by the Journey theme because it encapsulated her work perfectly. Winning the Festival competition has already brought more attention to Kiana’s photography and, of course, it has provided her with the funds to work on her Journey project, which will be exhibited at the Guernsey Photography Festival from 24th May 2012 along with her winning entry May God be with you, my daughter.

A teenage boy rests during late-night biking practice in Bushwick, Brooklyn. ‘In contrast to the crime statistics, I was struck by the peaceful sense of intimacy amongst kids growing up in this neighbourhood.’

Kiana explains her forthcoming project: ‘As a kid in northern Tehran, I barely had any chance to travel and explore while I was growing up. My interest and main sense of inquisitiveness was developed after I moved to Canada. I still don’t think I know enough about the Iran with some ten ethnicities and more than 50 dialects spoken. So I proposed my Journey to the Guernsey Photography Festival to feed my own curiosity. I will be travelling throughout Iran, border to border, documenting the daily lives of nine-year-old girls. According to Islamic Shi’a laws, a nine-year-old girl is considered to be mature enough to take on “life responsibilities”, but those responsibilities vary from town to town, throughout the country.’

Iran is a country in a state of flux, something Kiana notices when she returns: ‘I miss the Iran that I remember growing up in, but every time I go back, I am reminded that Iran has changed as much as I have changed.  I feel more and more distanced from my homeland and disconnected from the friends I grew up with.’

It is clear that this intensely personal journey will allow Kiana to reconnect with her home country and to gain a deeper understanding of how its society is changing.  That we will be able to share some of this insight is a privilege, and a reminder of how photography can expand our own horizons.  The Guernsey Photography Festival team looks forward to welcoming Kiana to our island home – and you definitely won’t want to miss her Journey.

Ghazaleh, having a moment, on her way back from the first Mother's Day dinner in the absence of her father. Ghazaleh and Farhang lost their father on their 30th birthday.

www.kianahayeri.com

May God be with you, my daughter explores the emotional journeys of Iranian teenage girls as they leave their home country in hope of a better future.  In the following image, Parastou’s mother dozes in bed after receiving a call from the Australian Embassy to say her daughter’s visa has been approved.  Parastou is now in Sydney and Kiana will visit her in January.

From 'May God be with you, my daughter'

It was this project which so impressed the Guernsey Photography Festival judging panel.  Judge John O’Neill of OPA elaborates:  ‘The glimpses into a family story telling that of a new life, the making of friends and the sheer beauty that comes with the liberation at the end of this series made Kiana’s work a clear and well-deserved winner of the 2011 prize.’

Kiana’s ongoing project, Your veil is a battleground, tackles the dichotomy between how Iranian youths are expected to conduct themselves and their desire to push these boundaries.  Kiana explains:  ‘In Iran, there are a lot of restrictions about how you dress and how you interact with the opposite sex.  I started following these girls who are always trying to push their head scarves back a little bit, or put on a bit more makeup.  The whole summer I was in Iran, I was working on this project.  For me, it was very nerve-racking.  Morality police were marching through the streets, but the girls were pretty relaxed.  They’re always risking being fined, being detained for a day or two, or sometimes even being lashed.’

From 'Your veil is a battleground'

Kiana uses her photography to tell stories, her own and others who need their stories to be told.  ‘Obviously Iran and its culture have played a big role in who I am or where I am right now and it is somehow reflected in the work that I do,’ she says.  I asked Kiana whether she felt that people’s perception of Iran was wrong, and therefore felt a need to set the record straight:  ‘Yes, there are a lot of false concepts about Iran and Iranians.  Most images that came out of Iran prior to the presidential election in 2009 were pictures of women covered in black chador and men with long beards.  Iran and its culture is much more complex and deeper than what has been portrayed so far.’

From 'Your veil is a battleground'

In this image, ‘The two men at the doorway are Shayesteh’s brothers.  She argues with her ‘over-protective’ brothers over the outfit she had chosen to wear for her birthday party.’

Kiana sums up the impact of her work beautifully:  ‘I don’t believe that the world can be changed with one photograph, but I do believe as a photographer, I am able to impact individuals. It all happens in small and quiet ways that we don’t always see.’

Next time I’ll be focusing on how Kiana got into photography and looking ahead to her Journey Festival commission, for which she will be travelling to Iran in order to document the daily lives of young girls.
www.kianahayeri.com

Caroline Mauger

Welcome to the Guernsey Photography Festival Blog!  We’re already looking ahead to the 2012 Festival, which will take place from Thursday 24th May until Friday 22nd June.  My name is Caroline and I’m looking forward to bringing you lots of interesting features on all things photographic over the coming months and, of course, during the Festival itself.  Your comments and suggestions would be much appreciated, whether you’re a photographer, keen amateur or simply an admirer of great photography.

What better person to kick off the 2012 blog than Jocelyn Allen, worthy winner of the Guernsey Photography Festival ‘Identity’ competition?  Jocelyn was commissioned to do One is Not Like the Other as part of her prize and it was fascinating:  she photographed her closest relatives then presented them alongside portraits of herself wearing their clothes and imitating their poses.  It really made me reflect on what makes us individual, and Jocelyn’s presence gives her work a continuity and personality which I find very engaging.  I also love the quirky titles of her projects!  It was great to catch up with Jocelyn and find out more about this emerging talent and her latest work.

From 'One is Not Like the Other' - Being Grandad

How did you get interested in photography from such a young age?
My parents gave me a 35mm camera very early on.  I recently found a photobook that I made when I was 7; it was mostly pictures of my family, some landscapes on holiday and then pictures of my cuddly toys and bedroom.

When did you decide to follow a career in photography and were your family supportive of you trying to break into something so competitive?
I used to be very academic at school, but I suddenly got very bored and couldn’t decide on 4 A-Levels, so I decided to do a BTEC in Photography instead.  I was scared to tell my parents, but they were fine with it.  We all know it’s competitive, but I think every career is these days.  I wouldn’t really say I have a career in it yet, but I’d rather be trying to pursue it than looking back in regret in thirty years and saying ‘I wish I’d tried’.

What difference did winning the Guernsey Photography Festival make to you?
I found out that I had won two weeks before finishing my degree.  I was starting to get worried about graduating, but winning the competition was a big affirmation that I was doing the right thing and helped a lot with my confidence.  My graduate project, Reality of Youth Going Backwards in Vain, had been very personal and I found it hard at times during the making of it, so it felt great that people liked it that much.  Career-wise, One is Not Like the Other has definitely helped me get my name around the internet, resulting in website visits from 100 countries and all states of America.

Can you tell me about your visit to Guernsey during the Festival?
Yes, I was there for quite a few days:  I saw all of the exhibits, which were great, and I got to hang out with the other photographers and people involved with the Festival.  There was a really good atmosphere and the people who run the Festival make a great team and they are most hospitable.

Guernsey is an ideal place for a Photography Festival because it’s really beautiful and it’s like going abroad, but it’s close to home, quick to get there, better weather and you don’t need to change your money.  There are loads of great venues to show work, but they also think outside of the box so there are other lovely places where you can see work – like Samuel Fosso in the Sunken Gardens.

What are your latest projects?
I’m working on various things at the moment.  One is a project made up of many smaller elements about what aliens would document if they landed on Earth.  I’ve recently finished the opening sequence Double You Tee Eff, which is on my website and I’m working on stage two at the moment which is after they have just ‘landed’.

From 'Double You Tee Eff' - Aakifah and Abu

From 'Double You Tee Eff' - Arthur Belinda and Alfie

From 'Double You Tee Eff' - Nicholas

I’m also working on a self-portrait project that will last for 49 weeks.  At the moment I am on week 22 and it involves taking one picture a day of myself and overlaying the images.  From those I am trying to create a ‘truer’ representation of myself.  Every week I overlay the 7 images, then every 7 weeks I overlay those images.  The project is entitled The Many Faces of JFA.  I’m also currently experimenting a photograph/video, but it’s in the very early stages at the moment and I’m thinking I need to wait till I can afford a better video device.

From 'The Many Faces of JFA' - weeks 1-7

From 'The Many Faces of JFA' - weeks 15-21

I’m hoping to feature Kiana Hayeri, the 2011 competition winner, soon – have you seen any of her work and is there a message you’d like to pass on to her?
Yes I checked out her website when I heard she had won – I’m looking forward to seeing what she does for the Festival.  I’d just say to her ‘enjoy the opportunity, have fun with it and take some great pictures!’

To see more of Jocelyn’s work, go to www.jocelynallen.co.uk

Greg Hobson (curator of photographs, National Media Museum) giving an insightful lecture on the work of Tony Ray-Jones at the Princess Royal Centre for Perfoming Arts. Image © Carl Symes 2011

Adam Prosser's 'Harbour Life' exhibition at Cambridge Berth gave a fascinating insight into the daily lives of those who work at St Peter Port harbour. Image © Carl Symes 2011

(L-R) Lauren Heinz of Foto8 in conversation with participating photographers Adam Patterson and Dona Popa at The Gallery. Image © Carl Symes 2011

This stunning pic was taken at the bathing pools during one of David Gilliver's Light Painting at Night workshops. Check out the facebook album for more shots: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1215062480&sk=wall#!/media/set/?set=a.183682575018328.60915.175162852536967&type=1. Image © Carl Symes 2011

Festival Director Jean-Christophe Godet giving some guidance during one of the community workshops. Image © Carl Symes 2011

Image © Carl Symes 2011

Tim Andrews talking about his project at The Gallery. Image © Carl Symes 2011

Martin Parr giving an illustrated talk on his photographic career to 150 people at the OGH hotel. Image © Carl Symes 2011

Martin Parr's lecture at the OGH hotel was a sell-out. Image © Carl Symes 2011

Martin Parr signs a copy of one of his books after his talk. Image © Carl Symes 2011

*****Many more photographs from the 2011 festival are available on previous blog entries and on our facebook page*****

We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did…what was your highlight? Let us know by commenting below……..