From purely conceptual works through to social documentary and street photography the latter used as reference point but subverting and challenging its strategies and relations far and wide. From citizen journalism to free association, from photo text works to moving image, from audience participation on and offline, to photo documentary.

Topics addressed in the Conference:

1) Beyond Street Photography

Linking directly to the heritage of photography, one of the most contentious issues we have today to contend with is terrorism acts and censorship, blogging and controls online. Right Here Right Now sheds light on a world reigned by absurdity and incongruence, guided by serendipity or perfect collisions of time and space caught by photographers who chart the world as flâneur or image hunters defining the moment. FORMAT will go some way to engage with contemporary issues facing photographic production today engaging in current debate around the freedom to make images in the public realm. What are today’s’ relevant strategies to build on the tradition of street photography but going beyond?

2) From the Decisive to the Indecisive

By looking around and away from the street – to include a concept and a reality of public realm beyond the urban scene, what is the essential relation between the camera, the photographer and the world and the moment, or series of moments? The process of making images in the public realm charts the moment that the photographers’ physical action records the instants, the collisions that provoke them to react to want to record. Or not? What other instances can we have in which the indecisive moment is far more reaching in meaning and effect to tell a situation or a story? How do we deal with web-based projects and activities, either located or mobile, in which the continuity, rather than the moment, form the basis for engaging with the public realm?

Speakers include:

Sophie Howarth and Sara T'Rula, respectively Co-Editor and Project Manager of the project and book ‘Street Photography Now’: “Street Photography 2.0" – exploring how social media is radically reforming the photographic landscape.

Nick Turpin, on the inspiration behind street photography

Micheal Wolf, on his series ‘Google Street View’

Mark Sealy, on ‘Canvases of Representation: the photographs of Nontsikelelo Veleko’

Nate Larson & Marni Shindelman, on their series ‘Geolocation: Tributes to Datastream’

Bruce Gilden, on his 40 years of street photography

Amy Stein, on her series ‘Stranded’

Yumi Goto, on The Secrets Behind the Images: Visual Answers from Asian Photographers

John Maloof, on the incredible work and story of Vivian Maier

Chaired by Huw Davies, artist/filmmaker and Dean of the Art, Technology and Design faculty at the University of Derby

PROGRAMME

9:00am – 09:45am: REGISTRATION

10:00am – 10:10am: Huw Davies Introduction

10:10am – 10:50am: Sophie Howarth and Sara T’Rula

10:50am – 11:20am: Nick Turpin 

11:20am – 11:30am: BREAK

11:30am – 12:10pm: Yumi Goto

12:10pm – 12:50pm: Mark Sealy

12:50pm – 1:50pm: LUNCH

2:00pm – 2:40pm: Bruce Gilden

2:40pm – 3:20pm: Amy Stein

3:20pm – 3:30pm: BREAK

3:30pm – 4:00pm: Nate Larson and Marni Shindelman

4:00pm – 4:40pm: Michael Wolf

4:40pm – 5:10pm: John Maloof

5:10pm – 5:30pm: Q & A via text

5:30pm – 5:40pm: Huw Davies Closing

5:50pm – 6:00pm: Buses from QUAD to the University of Derby

6.30pm – 7:00pm: FORMAT 11 Exhibition Launch at the University of Derby, Faculty of Art, Design & Technology, Markeaton Campus. Featuring Athanasios Zacharapoulos (aka Lomef) performance: 11x11photographic journals, a music slideshow.

Reception until 8:00pm, return busses provided.

FINISH