Part 2 will be published the following week and I will make sure to post about it. The entire episode is interesting with a fresh, new approach to podcasting and I hope you can listen throughout. If you’d like to jump straight to my segment, skip forward to 0:45 minutes. I’m discussing our new group exhibition called Unlocked as well as various aspects of being a photojournalist, what photography is for me, social media and also the pandemic. I would urge you to listen to the entire episode though as it’s enjoyable and informative.
With huge thanks to all who contributed, especially our main sponsors, Gogar Services and Fujifilm UK.
“UNLOCKED” – a public art project by the Ealing satellite group of London Independent Photography, with the generous support of Ealing Police Station, to stimulate reflection and discussion of the impact of the pandemic on our daily lives and ways forward. This unprecedented project will be on five storeys, on the front of the Police station, providing a canvas, the likes of which have probably never been seen in London before.
A mockup showing Ealing Police Station and the immense size of our project.
We need to ask a favour! This is a huge exhibition project planned for September, as part of BEAT. It’s a project that has taken over a year of planning and discussion.
Matching face mask and outfit to one’s surrounds as the lockdown comes to an end. Knightsbridge, London, UK. June 14, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Alongside generous support by FujiFilm UK, we’ve applied for an arts grant to help with the funding. As part of that application for the grant, there is a crowdfunding aspect. The grant committee will monitor how many backers we have and from that, gauge interest in the outdoor exhibition and decide to back this unique project or not. We would hugely appreciate your support in making out 5-storey public art project become a reality.
Please back our project and make your pledge, regardless of how large or small: https://www.spacehive.com/ealingunlocked Every individual pledge will bring us closer to getting the grant and bringing this to life.
Kindly share the link or this post far and wide. Thank you.
Alongside the exhibition, we are also planning a talk and workshops given by photographers in the group, about this project, in conjunction with OPEN Ealing.
NHS superhero mural by street artist Lionel Stanhope, pays tribute to NHS workers as they battle COVID 19. Railway bridge in Waterloo. Near empty streets during the lockdown as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. London, UK. May 30, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Our fundraising print auction, almost eight months in the making, ends this Sunday, November 15th at 5pm. The auction is open now for bids, so please swing by, look at the amazing selection of prints, make an investment and literally, help to save lives.
What challenging times we’re living in. Most of the world is sadly gripped by a second wave of this awful pandemic. At least the environment is definitely benefitting from these lockdowns as we all become Zoom experts though.
Sadly the timing of our MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders) fundraising auction couldn’t be more appropriate. Every penny we raise will go directly to the organisation and help their stellar work across 70 countries, battling this pandemic.
From purely an investment point of view, not surprisingly, spending has been lower for so many people during the past nine months and I think that’s probably going to be reflected in the bidding in our auction, which could end with some bargains to be had. Of course every penny raised will still help MSF and benefit all those whose aid they come to.
Some thoughts and advice from TV auctioneer extraordinaire James Lewis on collecting photography.
James has kindly been a big supporter of this auction and donated his time. Bamford Auctions and The Saleroom have also waived their fees too, so all of this project is about MSF. So do swing by, have a look, collect some great photography and help make an immediate and crucial difference: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/timed/bamfords/catalogue-id-bamfor10698
We, at Eyewitness have organised a print auction of 66 prints by 42 photographers worldwide, to raise funds for Médecins Sans Frontières’s (MSF) coronavirus crisis appeal.
To see the catalogue of all the images, please visit Bamfords Auctions.
Photographers featured (in order) are: Shane Balkowitsch (USA), Fabrizia Costa (UK), Steven Neeson (UK), Paul Lowe (UK), Ian Berry (UK), Tom Stoddart (UK), John Downing (UK), Crispin Rodwell (Rep of Ireland), Tim Page (Australia), Yoshie Nishikawa (Italy/Japan), Mark Harrison (UK), Jason Bell (UK/USA), Clive Arrowsmith (UK), Rob Heyman (Australia), Edmond Terakopian (UK), Johnson Wee (Malaysia), Stuart Wood (UK), Ross Grieve (UK), Paul Sanders (UK) and Greg Finck (France).
After seven months of work, I’m thrilled, excited, nervous and overjoyed to share a project that our team at Eyewitness have been working on.
It’s an online print auction with the wonderful folks at Bamfords and the amazing James Lewis, of 66 photographic prints by 42 photographers worldwide, to raise funds for Médecins Sans Frontières’s COVID 19 fund.
People out for a Sunday stroll sit and enjoy the view of the bay with its yachts and the town perched on the hillsides. Whitby, Yorkshire, UK. 1974. Photo: Ian Berry / Magnum Photos
Whilst in the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown, a concerned group of 17 photographers, members of the Eyewitness Collective, dispersed across several continents, came up with an idea: to collect a series of prints by members and by selected invited photographers, in order to raise funds for the battle against this awful pandemic. We have been overjoyed by the feedback and thrilled that so many world-class photographers, true masters of their craft, have donated their beautiful prints.
9th Division Trooper, ‘Y’ Bridge, Mini Tet, Saigon, Vietnam, 1968. Photo: Tim Page
As numbers of infections and deaths due to COVID 19 are sadly on the rise again and lockdowns are imminent, it’s very timely to make this project a reality, so we ask our friends and colleagues in the media to help this cause.
As an international group, we couldn’t have chosen a more important, dynamic and crucial group of people as the teams at MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders). The organisation is working across the world, to counter COVID 19. With nearly 50 years of experience fighting epidemics, protecting the most vulnerable and saving countless lives, we are humbled to do our part in helping MSF. We ask you to join us in turning our hopes into reality and make a difference in the lives of so many.
“MSF would like to say a huge thank you to the Eyewitness Collective for choosing to support our COVID-19 response. MSF is currently racing to respond to the pandemic in over 70 countries, and funds raised by the Eyewitness Collective will undoubtedly help us to achieve our vital priorities. These include supporting health systems and authorities, protecting vulnerable populations through vital medical services, improving infection prevention and control measures, and even opening new projects” – Meera Patel, Community and Corporate Giving Coordinator, MSF UK.
I’m humbled to have my two donated prints in the company of an image by Magnum Photos’ legendary photographer Ian Berry from his iconic series The English, an image by the renowned Vietnam War photographer Tim Page, an image by the celebrated photojournalist Tom Stoddart from The Sudan, the fall of the Berlin Wall by the prominent photojournalist Paul Lowe, timeless fine art prints by the creative Yoshie Nishikawa, as well as several celebrity portraits by the likes of Mark Harrison, Jason Bell, Nicky Johnston and Clive Arrowsmith, to name just a few.
A rare moment of joy between siblings at Ajiep, in Bahr El Ghazal Province , south Sudan during the devastating famine of 1998. Photo: Tom Stoddart
The vast majority of the participating photographers are multi award-winning creatives, whose recognisable works grace the walls of galleries and private collections, the pages of magazines and books, the world over. The collection of prints cover fine art, photojournalism, music, street photography, portraiture, abstracts, landscape and daily life. We also have a couple of timely images made during this pandemic.
“The art of photography has been the choice for the wise investor for the past decade. It is a great honour to team up with some of the world’s greatest photographers to help the world face its biggest challenge in over a century” – James Lewis, CEO of Bamfords, is a regular face and voice on TV and radio.
Auctioneer James Lewis, CEO of Bamfords, is a regular face and voice on television and radio; he is without doubt one of the most recognised faces in the international antiques world. Photo: Stuart Wood
We’re thrilled to embark on this project and collaborate with the well-loved TV auctioneer extraordinaire, the wonderful James Lewis, who will be spearheading this online auction. He has generously donated his time and expertise, so that all of the money raised from this print auction can be donated to the MSF COVID 19 appeal, funding their emergency teams of experts as they help save lives. We’re most thankful that, as well as working tirelessly for many weeks preparing the sale, the wonderful team at the auction house Bamfords, have waived all auction fees, as have the kind folks at The Saleroom, which will provide the online platform for this auction, for free. This collaboration will ensure that the funds raised will go to MSF.
“GraphiStudio is thrilled to be doing its part in the photographic community and helping the Eyewitness Collective with their charity fundraising print auction to help raise funds for MSF’s COVID 19 fund” – Dario Righetto, GraphiStudio Global Marketing Director
We’re also most thankful to our friends at the world renowned GraphiStudio who will be making several of the museum quality prints of these wonderful images and are supporting our initiative by waiving all of their fees too.
A couple laugh together on the West side of the Berlin Wall as the first people began crossing into the other half of the city. Berlin, Germany. 1989. Photo: Paul Lowe
Full List of Photographers Who Have Donated Their Work
Amelia Troubridge (UK), Brian Harris (UK), Clive Arrowsmith (UK), Crispin Rodwell (Rep of Ireland), Dave Sinclair (UK), David A Williams (Canada), Edmond Terakopian (UK), Fabrizia Costa (UK), Giles Duley (UK), Greg Finck (France), Ian Berry (UK), Ian Gavan (UK), Jason Bell (UK), Jill Furmanovsky (UK), Johnson Wee (Malaysia), John Downing (UK), Marcus Bell (Australia), Mark Harrison (UK), Mark Waugh (UK), Markus Andersen (Australia), Michael Mac Sweeney (Rep of Ireland), Nick Turpin (UK), Nicky Johnston (UK), Nik Pekridis (Greece), Paul Lowe (UK), Paul Sanders (UK), Peter Adams (Australia), Peter Neill (UK), Richard Bradbury (UK), Rob Heyman (Australia), Rob Taggart (UK), Rocco Ancora (Australia), Ross Grieve (UK), Salvatore Dimino (Italy), Shane Balkowitsch (USA), Steve Scalone (Australia), Steven Neeson (UK), Stuart Wood (UK), Terry Harris (UK), Tim Page (Australia), Tom Stoddart (UK) and Yoshie Nishikawa (Italy).
My Metaphysical 3
I photographed these invisible feelings of mine. The melancholy of existence and the absence of time. Photo: Yoshie Nishikawa
As numbers of infections and deaths due to COVID 19 are sadly on the rise again and more lockdowns are imminent, it’s very timely to make this project a reality, so we ask our friends and colleagues and all lovers of photography to help us publicise this project far and wide. The more we raise, the more people will survive this horrid pandemic, which affects us all, regardless of geography.
Deserted London town following the COVID 19 pandemic and the first month of the coronavirus lockdown. The deserted courtyard in the famous Covent Garden Apple Market. London, UK. April 23, 2020. Photo: Edmond TerakopianA heavy downpour of rain soaks pedestrians as they pass an illuminated advertising sign saying “Love Your Job”. Hammersmith, London. January 14, 2011. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
The Club of Black and White Photography and NOIR the best of The Club of Black and White Photography curators have very kindly bestowed an award for best image of the month of August to one of my images.
The international group is comprised of 68,977 photographer members, so it’s nice to have an image chosen from such a talented and large group of people.
The image was shot as part of my reportage on the COVID 19 lockdown. It was made on my Panasonic Lumix G9 and an Olympus M.Zuiko 75mm f1.8 lens.
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