PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday 23rd October 2012
PHOTOGRAPHERS LAUNCH DOCUMENT SCOTLAND
Three prominent Scottish photographers are today launching Document Scotland, a new initiative which aims to promote, encourage and support documentary photography in their homeland.
Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, Colin McPherson and Stephen McLaren are Scots-born photographers with a passion for documentary photography. Each has been working internationally for the last decade. Now they are turning their lenses on Scotland to document the social, cultural and economic issues facing the country today.
Document Scotland’s newly-launched website www.documentscotland.com will be developed over the coming weeks and months as a showcase and resource for everyone interested in Scottish documentary photography and will aim to:
• Build on the rich historical tradition of documentary photography in Scotland;
• Make photographic work which documents the social, cultural and economic issues facing Scotland today;
• Promote, encourage and develop new and existing photographic talent in Scotland;
• Participate in the growth of the digital economy in Scotland;
• Leave a lasting document as a resource for future generations in Scotland.
Commenting on the launch of Document Scotland, Mr. Sutton-Hibbert said: “Scotland has a long and pioneering tradition in documentary photography, indeed some might argue that we invented the genre. However you define the history of using photographs to record the people, lives and landscape of Scotland, no-one can doubt that we have a rich tradition of producing outstanding work by a multitude of committed, passionate and skillful practitioners, set against many of the great historical events of the age. It is with this sense of a place and history that we decided to establish Document Scotland. We are three Scots-born photographers, each exponents of documentary photography in our own individual ways. We have lived and worked extensively both at home and abroad. Now, in a sense, Caledonia is calling.”
Mr. McPherson commented: “Our aspiration is that the understanding of photographic practice continues to reach every community in Scotland and that people everywhere are inspired to make and enjoy photography. And with that, we will leave a visual document, a testimony to the extraordinary times we are living in.”
Mr. McLaren added: “Scotland today stands at a decisive moment in its history. Events over the next few years will shape how we relate to our neighbours and the wider world. Photography can and should play a central part in documenting this epoch. Document Scotland hopes to play a part not only in recording this era but also in growing the photography economy of Scotland by instigating, collaborating and disseminating photographic work and practice through traditional and new means.”
To find out more about Document Scotland, please contact Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert on Tel: 07831-138817, email ; or Colin McPherson on Tel. 07831-838717, email .
Thank you for visiting.