A first year HND Photography student has captured lockdown through a lens perfectly as part of her graded unit end of term project.
Sara Amelia (32), who is based at Forth Valley College’s Stirling Campus, even created her own sepia toned black and white preset with editing software to edit her images, snapped photos of everyday life, her daughter Freya (3), partner Barry Cowan and Staffordshire bull terrier Kira, at their Stenhousemuir home over the last seven weeks.
The truly striking captioned photos – entitled Home School - have framed what it has been like for people experiencing the ‘new normal’ which has been enforced on society due to the Coronavirus epidemic.
Sara, who was a carer with Falkirk Council for 13 years before starting her own wedding, portrait and real estate business named ‘SAC Photography - Sara Amelia’ in 2017, balances running it while attending her classes at FVC.
She, said: “Attending college and doing the HND Photography course has been so beneficial for me and I have learned so much. The lecturers are all brilliant and I would definitely recommend it.
“I was going to finish my first year and complete the HNC, but recently I have been learning about documentary photography and photo-journalism and it has become my total passion.
“My lecturer Matthew Sowerby has really opened my eyes to this form of photography and this is what inspired me to do my graded unit on life under lockdown and now I can’t wait to start my second year and complete the HND.
“I had two other ideas for my project initially – one involved using some of the interesting wedding photos I have taken – and while they are good and I might have passed or got an ‘A’, Matthew convinced me to go with the lockdown pics as I agree with him that they have much more soul.
“I really would love to do more of this type of photography when I leave college and I am going to produce a book of all the photos I have taken while stuck at home as I have only selected a few for the graded unit.”
Sara’s photographic graded unit consists of 27 images and can be viewed here https://spark.adobe.com/page/O2hDMFlV4d3sL/
In her intro to the photos Sara says:
‘On the 24th of March 2020, the country came to a standstill. A terrible virus ravaged the world with comparisons to that of the legendary Spanish Flu. Schools closed, restaurants & bars also closed their doors. Like many other businesses, my business as a commercial photographer was affected to the point I could no longer work. People were dying, and we were ordered by the Government to close our doors to our friends and family.
‘It took a while to adjust, into a world of no apparent goals, appointments or schedules. It seemed like the world was ending. But gradually, week by week, the people began to change. We painted rainbows with our children and stuck them to our windows. We played, and baked and ran and danced. Trapped in isolation, but free from institution.
‘And although apart, the people came together. We stood outside once a week and clapped while waving at our neighbours. Thanking the NHS and those essential workers with a new admiration and respect.
'I can't tell you the end of this story, for it has not ended yet. But what I can tell you is, I am changing, people are changing, the whole world is evolving.’
Lecturer Matthew Sowerby, said: “Sara has produced an important photographic document of life under lockdown. It’s an excellent example of how college assignments can be closely attuned to real-world situations, giving students the chance to develop skills, knowledge and confidence - around projects that 'matter'. Sara's documentary is very much a case of ‘making learning work’, and forms part of an impressive photographic portfolio she can show to employers."
Colin Gunning, Curriculum manager in FVC’s Department of Creative Industries, said: “It is wonderful to see our learners continuing to engage with their studies – particularly when having to do this alongside family and work commitments. I am incredibly proud of Sara and the rest of her photography colleagues for continuing to produce such high quality and stimulating work during these challenging times.”
