Statues Redressed - Liverpool - Summer 2021 Retrospective

My summer of 2021 was spent working on the feature documentary “Statues Redressed” commissioned by Sky Arts in association with Culture Liverpool, filmed and produced by Northern Town TV… the documentary was the brainchild of Eddie Morgan the head of Northern Town TV. The programme aired on the 18th October 2021 (it’s still available on catch up - links below!)

I was involved as the unit stills photographer producing promotional images for both Sky Arts and Culture Liverpool. Their requirement were images of the big reveals, those eye catching shots that hit the news stands - and yes we got our fair share of those as well as a bit of notoriety when Nigel Farage used a photograph of mine of Queen Victoria that featured in The Guardian newspaper to berate Liverpool and the project on GB News! (Queen Victoria in Derby Square was redressed by artist Karen Arthur and historian Laurence Westgaph).

As a documentary photographer I was interested in capturing the “behind the scenes” - how the statues were redressed and how the documentary was made in addition to capturing the big reveals. For me one of the most important behind the scenes was related to the audio installation by artist Harold Offeh of the testimony of Stephen Nze describing the toppling of William Huskisson’s statue in Summer 1982 almost 40 years before Colston! The empty plinth remains as a reminder.

There is actually so much to write about my personal experiences that I could fill a book. I’ve therefore put together a set of images in a gallery to tell the story of the summer through my eyes. They feature the artists and camera crews involved, those who I worked alongside and who produced this fantastic documentary. There are many more images I’ve shot but this should give you a flavour of what happened in Liverpool in my Summer of 2021.

I’m grateful to all those that trusted me in making the images, with big thanks to those that were subjected to my camera during filming. Artists, the crew, Northern Town TV, Culture Liverpool and Sky Arts - so well received Culture Liverpool commissioned an outdoor exhibition of images in Liverpool One!

Thank you…

Gallery link: http://www.image61.com/statues

Official Statues Redressed website: https://www.statuesredressed.com/ 

Link to the documentary on Sky TV: https://www.sky.com/watch/title/programme/9f7a443c-3505-4c76-b1d8-fd063b6d2b5d 

Link to the documentary on NOW TV: https://www.nowtv.com/watch/statues-redressed-2021/A5EK4nmp9qb5yRZ4CF57u 

What is “Statues Redressed”? - unashamedly lifted from Sky’s own press release back in July 

“Sky Arts is following a group of artists including Bob and Roberta Smith, Chila Kumari Burman, Daniel Lismore, Taya Hughes and Stephen Jones as they take on Liverpool's statues including Liverpool Resurgent (aka Dickie Lewis), Kitty Wilkinson, Benjamin Disraeli, Christopher Columbus and The Beatles.

This summer, Sky Arts will follow a collection of inspiring artists in a unique project as they creatively reimagine some of Liverpool’s most iconic statues, giving them a whole new look by dressing them up or creating art around them.

The documentary special, Statues Redressed, coming to Sky Arts and streaming service NOW in October, will see the artists challenge and celebrate the role of these statues in modern times, as part of the ongoing debate around who and what should be immortalised as public monuments.

Chosen because of its rich history, Liverpool has the highest number of statues in the UK outside of London, including cultural icons like The Beatles through to sporting heroes, royalty, and monuments depicting people linked to slavery and Britain’s colonial past.

Some of the artists’ interventions range from the celebratory to the confrontational, and all will be thought-provoking. As each statue is gradually revealed to the public, spectators will be prompted to look again, think again, and question how we feel about the public art that surrounds us. The artists involved in the project include major artists and heavyweights in the public art scene, as well as rising stars, local artists and designers.”

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, said: “Statues have often been a source of discussion and controversy and we all know how live and urgent the questions are around what statues are for, who or what they should represent and who deserves to be memorialised. This collaboration between Sky Arts, Liverpool Council and a cohort of brilliant artists will tackle some of those questions head, on in an entertaining and thoughtful way, with a healthy dose of wit and humour threaded throughout. We’re looking forward to seeing the results and engaging the people of Liverpool in the conversation.”

The Artist Support Pledge - the Instagram #artistsupportpledge movement

I’m joining the movement - you can now buy my photographs!

My photographs are usually commissioned by clients - rarely do I sell individual work. But I’m going to embrace this project. It means that you can buy my work at an affordable price and in turn it will help other artists as I will buy their art. All photographs will be produced on a Hahnemühle fine art high-end artist paper which is stunning - making these gallery grade images!

The images might be a one off print that I’ve produced as a test print so when its gone its gone or it might be a short run of 30 images… I am not going to produce endless copies.

Why am I doing this?

Quite simply I had my commercial work annihilated by COVID19 like many other creatives… it has been a traumatic year losing work, initially it impacted both on my sanity and self esteem. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel I’m sure of that!

Where can I find your work?

Right here! In addition images on my website can be printed, some might not be available to the #artistsupportpledge project especially if you want it big or in a different medium. Simply ask me and I’m also happy to work on commissions.

What is #artistsupportpledge? And how much is your work?

Artist Support Pledge is a generous culture and dynamic economy in support of ALL artists and makers. Artists post pictures of their works for sale for no more than £200 (200 USD/ 200 Euro/ 300AUD/ 300CAD/ 20,000 JPY) plus postage. Everytime an artist makes £1,000 (or equivalent) in sales they commit 20% on purchasing the work of another artist using the hashtag. There are no enforcements, it is a system based on trust where everyone, at every level can contribute in supporting artists and makers.

Who started this movement?

An artist called Matthew Burrows from Wirral - like down the road from me!

“Matthew Burrows is an artist, who lives and works in East Sussex, United Kingdom. Matthew is the founder and director of the artist mentoring scheme Artist Support Projects and is a mentor on the Turps Studio Programme, London.  Most recently, he founded the #ArtistSupportPledge to help artists during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Burrows was born in the Wirral UK. He studied as an undergraduate at Birmingham School of Art in 1990-93 and graduated with a Master’s degree in painting from the Royal College of Art London in 1995.

Burrows speaks of painting as a form of subsistence, dependent on and arising from the ground at his feet. His relationship with place is one of dwelling and ritual, a process of mythologizing, of drawing meaning from the particularities of the environment and his movement in and through it.”

How can I buy a print or contact you?

The simplest way is by bookmarking my website and watching out for image releases here or on Instagram.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

David

WHAT DOES A PHOTOGRAPH MEAN TO YOU?

An article I originally wrote for Showlite Ltd who published it in January 2019

David Edwards, internationally published commercial photographer and successful brand designer, continues his series about the importance of image.

A little over a year ago I wrote an article for the Showlite blog… Image is everything in which I explored the value of having great team photos. I’m now going to challenge you by asking you a question. What does a photograph mean to you? 

A photograph is a “snapshot” in time and most people will identify it as a memory. That memory may be childhood, a wedding, holiday or loved one. It is a hard copy of a tiny portion of our brain whether it is in physical print or on a mobile device… something that may last longer than our actual memory which gets fuddled with all the clutter of everyday life and the many new experiences the grey matter has to deal with.

Leave behind the family snaps we all have, where mum or dad have us as minute beings squinting in the sun with a wonky horizon. Turn now to what we see that creates desire. We are bombarded by visual experiences and it is therefore imperative as a business we have great images… the best possible images. 

Why would you want to commission a photographer? Is it worth commissioning a photographer? 

Consistency of delivery… it doesn’t matter whether you are choosing a photographer to shoot weddings, interiors, products or fashion. You as a business owner need to know that if you put a photographer in front of a subject then you will get the results you were looking for. You will have seen their work, liked their work and that’s why you commissioned them. 

Why is it appropriate to have great images… memory… yes, that personal factor. Images are not only your here and now but also show what you’ve achieved and where you have come from. 

The value of a great archive can’t be underestimated. Imagine you have a new client sat with you and they ask you what you have done… you get your smartphone out and say well this was us last week at the NEC… week before at Olympia… and they are all back to the “dad’s wonky family holiday shots”. 

How much better would it be if you had a folder of quality commissioned images on your mobile, a gallery on your website and social media channels to showcase your business. Consistent great images that paint a vivid picture of how good you are at what you do. Perhaps a stage further a folio of A3 sized prints showing off the very best of what you do… people like to touch and handle photographs and good photographs always look even better in print! 

Photography might be a hobby or interest that you or a member of your team have but your key driver is building your business. Concentrate on that. A commissioned photographer will deliver you more content to work from, should win you more business and will outweigh the cost of the commission many times over.

When you have read this blog… pick up your favourite magazine or newspaper supplement look at the images and then pick up your phone and commission some great photographs of your own. 

David was commissioned by Showlite to photograph a series of Autumn shows including PPMA Show, Independent Hotel Show, Restaurant Show and Big Data and create a stunning portfolio to showcase their work. View the show galleries here. *

David is always happy to discuss projects with new clients. http://www.image61.com/interiors/. 

* In addition: William Reed Food Shows, The Security Event, Passenger Terminal Expo, Channel Live & The International Security Expo

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A COMMISSIONED PHOTOGRAPHER (Pre-Covid19)

An article originally first published by Showlite on 30th May 2019

”We talked to internationally acclaimed photographer David Edwards about his work for Showlite, the challenges with lighting at exhibition venues and getting to wear a hard hat and harness …

When I was asked to write this blog I looked at the title and thought… there is no such thing as a day in the life of… it is days in the life of!

Preparation is key. I take a look at the show website and images from the previous year. Very quickly I can pick up the vibe of what the show is about and the scale of it. More importantly I can judge what the lighting is going to be like… natural light or venue lighting… time of year and weather will all play a role.

My interaction with Showlite starts with what’s being built… I will get CAD images of stands and feature areas to photograph before the show and the aim is to shoot photographs in the same orientation, although that doesn’t always happen – other stands or the venue can impact on the angle the shot is taken from.

Equipment is next. It doesn’t define you or make you a better photographer, but it does make a difference to the output. Plus, how much equipment can I feasibly carry?

Almost all the images I take are shot on medium format digital cameras. The much larger sensor sizes allow greater latitude when shooting in less than ideal conditions and can also provide images with greater detail. I pack a range of lenses to cover all eventualities as well as a back-up camera and system just in case! Additional lighting only appears if I have a new Showlite team member to photograph… there are one or two I haven't yet tracked down! This lighting is specific to corporate portraits and not to light the stands.

The single most important piece of additional kit is my sturdy tripod… as most of my stand shots are single or multiple exposures with a longer than usual shutter speed, this allows more light in and gives a better and more even exposure. 

As mentioned earlier, lighting in venues can be challenging - The NEC actually has a nice balance of daylight and artificial light, Olympia’s main halls with glass arched roofs provide fantastic coverage, although the areas behind that rely on artificial light is a big challenge. Shooting Passenger Terminal Expo at ExCeL recently had to be the most challenging. With very high ceiling and low powered lighting, lighting on the stands was critical.

In theory my shoot day starts at 7.30-8am on opening day at the venue and finishes somewhere around 4pm the same day. Passenger Teminal Expo was different… the number of bespoke stands being constructed by the Showlite team was huge… 35 stands to be precise and I decided having not shot at ExCeL that I would do a recce the afternoon before. This has its pros and cons - the client wants you there but doesn't want you to interfere as they are concentrating on the build. However, over the years I’ve shot for Showlite including doing the company headshots, I’ve become part of the team and this really helped as the team managed to get me into an onsite cherry picker to view the show from up top complete with hard hat and harness – all in a days’ work for a show photographer!

The aim is to get into the show as early as possible and shoot in the 2 hours before the show starts but for Passenger Terminal Expo I needed an extra hour. Meeting the organising team and getting assurances for access from them was a necessity but I now had a window that started at 7am!

You might ask why I need to start so early… it's actually quite simple - the stands need to be shot clean without people on them. There is also a phrase "the best laid plans of mice and men"… anyone reading this from a show background will understand that it is sometimes a fight to the finish… a computer monitor hasn't arrived on site or a venue fork lift driver isn't as careful as they might be and drives over part of your client's stand and there is a race to get it back up and running for opening time. It all adds pressure to my job as I am sometimes the last ‘team’ member at the stand before the show opens.

Once I have all the stand and feature images I then photograph with people to get a flavour of the show. These lifestyle shots, in addition to the stand images, assist going forward as they can be used to show potential clients what Showlite can provide, both organisers, venues and exhibitors. My images are used in a range of marketing materials including website, newsletter, emails, brochures, social media and content pieces. I fully maintain that a well-executed image can make the difference between winning business and not winning business.

As I said previously I finish taking photographs at 4pm but that’s not the end of the day. This is the start of the journey home. Depending on when/where I am in the country and the time I get home I will at least start the download of the images from digital cards from the cameras to the computer and back them up. I'll then usually spend half a day editing images and upload them to a portal where Showlite can access them in various size formats. Half a day editing is about the norm which is built into the project. Very occasionally it doesn't work out like that and I can spend a good few additional hours photoshopping and editing to get the best results.

An additional extra I do is contact the companies the day after opening with an image of their stand and the compliments of Showlite. It’s often the little things that make a difference and part of the reason Showlite turn to me time and time again!

David was commissioned by Showlite to photograph a series of shows including Passenger Terminal Expo, The Security Event, Farm Shop & Deli Show, PPMA Show, Independent Hotel Show, Restaurant Show and Big Data and create a stunning portfolio to showcase their work. View a selection of images from the shows here.

David is always happy to discuss projects with new clients. http://www.image61.com/interiors”

Image is everything

David Edwards, internationally published commercial photographer and successful brand designer, talks about the importance of image.

I remember when I was a young lad growing up my dad used to say to me "First impressions… they'll make up their mind about you in the first 30 seconds." It is something that has stayed with me and as a photographer I am acutely aware that image is the gateway to the person and it is important.

When I photographed a client team for a re-branding exercise the brief was… focus on the people, bring out their strengths, they are the unsung heroes who work behind the scenes delivering brilliant events.

Your team photos are a key part of your business and your brand identity. If you look at team photos they should all follow a theme whilst still retaining individual personalities. They should also seamlessly integrate with the overall look and feel of the branding and imagery across the website.

If you have a team you need to have everyone looking as if they are part of a cohesive group. This doesn’t mean your team need to be dressed in a uniform to look uniform, but it does mean there needs to be a strong theme running throughout. Your team is as much the store front as the product and arguably it is often the people rather than the product that makes the difference. This is what you should capture with photography.

As a business you need to create a strong brand image and personality which sets itself apart from the rest of the market and the team photos needed to be an integral part of this, particularly as they were going to form the basis of a new marketing campaign.

A word of advice though. If you commission great images you need to keep those great images up to date. People leave and join teams so you need to have a photographer that can replicate their work. Do not be tempted to just add an image taken on a smartphone and attempt to replicate the great photos you invested in. For new team members I would always recommend a holding silhouette with their name under - even “awaiting image” is a better stop gap giving you time to revisit and organise the update shoot. 

Look at websites where the theme is a continuous thread throughout. There is a major global food corporation that I consistently hold out as having the worst team photographs ever and possibly the worst website - there are smaller owner managed businesses that have better websites because they rely on their image to create their brand awareness. You can make any product or service interesting and exciting with a bit of thought.

Commission great images and give people a window onto how you do it, why you do it, who helps you do it… get the story going… because every business has a story and there is often an interesting back story. Engage your team and engage your customers… and remember everyone in the team is a hero!

David Edwards is an internationally published commercial photographer and successful brand designer. He is very approachable and always happy to discuss projects with new clients.