This symposium will explore the visual language and the narrative base of photographers’ films, and consider what might be unique about this sub-genre. It will discuss the relationship between still and moving image discourses, and consider the creative identities of these artists.

In recent years technological developments in both image capture, (through the high quality moving image facility of DSLR cameras), and in editing software, have facilitated an enormous increase in the production of moving image work created not by film crews but by individual photographers. Equally, the demand for and dissemination of this work though online platforms has seen the Photographers’ Film become an identifiable form of practice both in commercial and critical discourse. But this apparent revolution in practice is not simply technologically determined, nor is it new.

This event will explore how moving image and film have long been a part of the photographers' practice of expression - from the early experimental works of Eadweard Muybridge and Man Ray; the non-fiction films by documentary photographers such as William Klein and Martin Parr; film developed for specific genres such as fashion and music by pioneers like Nick Knight and Anton Corbijn; through to feature length fiction films directed by photographers such as Gordon Parks (Shaft), Larry Clarke (Kids) and Elaine Constantine (Northern Soul).

The intersections of Film with adjacent domains such as photography is often under-represented and this event seeks to address this and contribute to a growing debate through a discussion of the moving image work of photographers.

This symposium is organised by the newly formed UWE Photography Research Group, and will be the official launch event.

Confirmed Speakers:

Elaine Constantine – Photographer and Writer/Director of the feature film Northern Soul (2014)

Martin Parr – Magnum Photographer and documentary filmmaker

Image Credit: Image from the film ‘Northern Soul’ by Elaine Constantine, 2014

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