This new exhibition with The Photographers Gallery in Ramilies Street, London, ‘How to Win At Photography – Image Making as Play’, on until the 25th September, is a great new multimedia exhibition looking at the relationships between photography, image making and play.
It’s great to see how the focus is on the playfulness of photography, something that has been captured in so many of the collections here. About Happy – A selection of happiness, of joy and moments of cheer. It’s amazing how infectious a smile is. Hicks has taken these images around the world and as you can see, there’s a predominance of children here having fun with so much innocence but isn’t it great to know that as adults we’re still capable of simple pleasures too.
In recent times when so many people have had so many stresses and worries it’s always important to take time out to see what is around us that can make us smile. As a photojournalist these are the moments that are captured and shared and hopefully do make a difference; the moments that are so spontaneous and fleeting they could be easy to miss, but the beauty of the camera is that it captures them and hopefully does bring a smile to the face of the viewer. Photography reminds us of the times we have had fun! Of places, activities, events, people, places, journeys we’ve had, and we love. These can then become permanent reminders of those special moments and as a photojournalist these images from so many different cultures and societies remind us of how we are all really incredibly similar in the things that make us smile and in fact ultimately can unite us.
‘About Sweet‘ taken around the world over many years, this collection has the best of sudden or planned bouts of affection, moments that made people smile! The outside world does something to us. In other countries, living space is light and full of family, so the open areas are the only way to express affection, emotion or just plain sexual excitement! Even more examples of people smiling, happiness that the camera captures, making them last and hopefully bringing even more joy to all those that see them.
