First Blog Post! : Upcoming Projects
My name is Rachel Walls and this is my first blog post! I’m a recent photography graduate from Edinburgh Napier University and have been taking photos semi-professionally for the past four years and have found a calling in rural documentary photography! (Mainly things like sheepdogs and cows to be honest ). I first discovered a passion for photography during my 4th-year work experience in high school. I had arranged to spend a week shadowing the Head Technician at Edinburgh College of Art photography department where I was taught darkroom skills! I then went to Edinburgh College for a year to study the basics before being accepted into Napier to study for four years! I gained some amazing experiences and friends during this time and I truly feel like I have the skills to do any project I think of.
Right now however I have the most free time I ever will have in my life (hopefully) so starting a weekly blog seemed like a smart (and fun) idea! I’ve never really done anything like this before so apologies if there are any mistakes or things arent flowing very well but hopefully, the more I post the better I write! (feedback is also appreciated).
It’s me! Looking and feeling a bit awkward being in front of the camera rather than behind it. (Photo by Kyle Morrison)
I’m based in Edinburgh so I am super lucky in terms of street photography (The Fringe etc.) so I plan on doing lots of projects as soon as normality returns. But in the meantime, I have a few projects already underway and some that are still in my head! I thought I would spend my first post showing you all what is to come and give you something to look forward to!
The Friend Project
So during this second full lockdown, I’ve been feeling (like many many others) very deprived of social contact and that I was missing my friends a lot. (Sometimes Zoom just can’t replace being in the same room). I began to get quite sad at the idea that I didn’t really know when I was going to see them all in person due to lockdown and also some living in different cities so I sat down and tried to find a project somewhere in all of this. Eventually, I figured out a way to replace the sadness with excitement by making a big list and planning a ‘first photo’ of everyone on it. The general idea is that the photo is taken the very first time I see each friend in person in 2021. This little project idea has turned into a nice way of coping with a lack of social interaction and giving some positivity to a bad situation. Also keeps me occupied with planning!
This is Alex! We went on a walk in the snow early in the year and he is the first photo in the project!
This project is in progress and I shall keep you all updated as it progresses!
Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and Potato Soup was initially my Final Project for my fourth year at uni that I knew I was interested in continuing long after. I never would have imagined how inspirational I would find Andy and Jean and their farm. I sincerely hope this project never ends (also an excuse to pet some dogs and see some sheep) but also because I predict it to be a long-term project showcasing a modern-day farm in Scotland over the years. This project is on hold right now for obvious reasons but I am planning on going up as soon as I’m able! In the meantime, you can see the project so far by clicking here!
Mental Health and Lockdown (Working Title)
I’ve been wanting to do a project like this since the pandemic started however I couldn’t really find the motivation to do anything at the time (which is a shame cause the first lockdown just seemed more fun). During the last couple of months, I’ve been struggling with a big rollercoaster of Anxiety and OCD, and trying to pick myself back up and feel like myself again when nobody can leave their homes has been a huge task. This project will be focusing on my perception of my surroundings during this time, my comforts, the people around me and I am doing my best to portray my own experience of mental health issues and the feelings of derealisation that came with them.
Taken on New Year’s Eve