The Bigger Picture Competition

We have had some stunning entries for 'The Bigger Picture' competition by the Economic and Social Research Council. This is the first year we have entered a competition run by the ESRC, and encouraged all our students - particularly A2 Photography - to enter. All that was required to enter was a photograph relating to one of five categories and a short statement describing the concept behind the image. The five categories were:

Being Me

Fragile Earth

Society in Chaos

New World Order

Age of Innovation

Here our entries - good luck!

James Grainger - 'A Tale of Two Cities'

Category: Society in Chaos

'This piece follows a strong theme of class divide. The photographs are taken in the city of Sheffield, but they contrast on the area of the city taken in - showing the wealthy city centre but also more deprived area, Shiregreen, using statistics about wealth inequality. In the centre of the piece is Jaray, who lives within Shiregreen and notices the large contrast and gap regarding wealth. The fragmented pieces of photographs used to collage in and around the photo borders were done by hand and digitally, this effect connoting the brokenness existing in society.' 

Charlotte Skingle - 'Forever Frozen Identity'

Category: Being Me

'Myself forever frozen, the life expressed by a combination of exposure to the atmosphere around me, isolated and distorted. The photograph can be perceived in a way that relates to imprisonment, the image is frosted beneath the dense layer of ice. Entrapping the emotion in the fragmented objects such as, the thread and how it is weaved within the frozen particles. The flowers and how they are slightly raised above the clouded ice represents that element of life which lingers on the surface. It can be recognised as an untouched feature of identity. No matter, how suppressed or damaged our true selves become there is always a strand, or piece left which is capable of keeping our essence animated.'

Steven Jones - Consumerism: It's Deteriorative Effect On The Environment

Category: Fragile Earth

'Driven by my distaste for humanities obsession with consumerist products and materialistic gimmicks, I created this triptych using unconventional darkroom techniques, to depict the detrimental effect of the world’s leading consumables – coca cola. Us humans discard the products empty plastic container that will inevitably not be re-used and will take over 100 years to finally decompose. This is unlike the natural environment as this form of beauty is already beginning to weaken and decay. The images were exposed through a bubbly layer of coca cola and left to soak in the sticky brown substance for over approximately 48 hours.'

Chloe Moulding - Looking through the Window of Time

Category: Society in Chaos

'The location for my photographs was a really significant part within my final outcome as the buildings that I revolved around were abandoned, vandalised and worn down, as well as having a significant history to them. I focused on derelict places that had eerie pasts and using specific techniques such as cyanotype printing to portray these haunting encounters. Cyanotype prints were really representative of my concept as the variety blue tones connoted mystery, misery and dark times, as well as the ghostly whites highlighting the hauntings from the history of the locations.'

Rhianne Hutton - The Disheveled Hands of the Mining Industry

Category: Society in Chaos

'My triptych image is looking at the hands of miners, capturing every dent, crack and ridge within the hands. I wanted to represent the wreck that the hands have become from the dangerous working conditions. This falls into the category of Society in Chaos due to the fact that these conditions that the miners are working in is effecting the workers life's physically and emotionally. Consequently, this will have an effect on how the miners will live outside the mines, causing the miners to be brought into isolation and they will start to react differently around the public and society.'

Nicole Nixon - A Place of Contemplation

Category: Being Me

'I was originally inspired by people being affected by their surroundings and how places brought out different personalities in a variety of people. This led me to consider what different places mean for different people and how these effected their thoughts and feelings. I have photographed a model laid on a plain, bare mattress, with an old blanket on it. my model wore their own pyjamas and had something personal with them. I did this because I wanted the photograph to look individual and showed their personality or background. I feel that people will be able to relate to this as everyone has their own place of contemplation.'

Ally Boldan - Women are a Piece of Meat

Category: Being Me

'My inspiration comes from the patriarchal society around us that we still have to tackle. A lot has changed in terms of gender equality over the years however we still face cultures and societies that do not quite conform to the gender norms. My work encapsulates the objectification and sexualisation of women; all ages and backgrounds and how they are treated as “pieces of meat” in all aspects of their life. My series of work is represented through raw beauty portrait shots of women with meat across their faces. They all link the idea of meat and women and how women can be represented as objects in different ways. Women are not a piece of meat, they are much more.'

Chantelle Humphreys - The Constraints of Domesticity

Category: Society in Chaos

'In the recent news a lot of women and men have been breaking the silence and sharing their stories of abuse in order to raise awareness and get justice. This movement inspired me in my photography work to create pieces which express the difficulties victims face everyday and the often prolonged struggle it takes to leave or speak out about the abuse. The strength of society shows 'Society in chaos' however it is a positive type of chaos as it creates attention towards an issue which needs it. I also believe my photographs express the chaos and confliction a victim may feel in their situation which is often trapped in the domesticity.'