This week we talked with Constance, A recent English Literature Graduate, who is now taking her masters at Sussex University.
How has being in Brighton influenced your photography? Brighton influences my work immensely, as does my hometown Bristol. Living in these amazing cities stimulates creativity because there is so much culture, politics and art at the heart of these places.
Why do you prefer documentary photography? I love how the camera can instantly capture the beauty that we see before us. I see it as important to arrest these visions of beauty, whether it is the people, places, spaces, objects or events that surround us.
How important is colour to your images? Colour is of great importance to my work. I have a keen interest in art, and the artists that stand out to me use a wide range of colours and bring them together to produce something beautiful. Naturally, there are phenomenal colours that constantly surround us, and I make use of photography to capture these colours.
What inspires you? Are you influenced by any artists? I am most inspired by the people I meet in my everyday life. I enjoy taking portrait shots of the people I love and care for as I feel that the greatness of their personalities can be reflected in the photographs I take. I am also greatly inspired by artists such as David Hockney, Martin Parr, Egon Schiele, Malick Sidibé, Julia Margaret Cameron, Frida Kahlo, to name a few…
What do you want viewers to take from your photos? I’d love for the people that view my photographs to see them for what they are. I try to capture the scenes, people and landscapes that I love and to be able to share them with others is a joy in itself.
Can you tell us a bit about your time at Sussex? I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sussex and am glad to carry on here for another year to do my masters. The people you meet are interesting and engaging and there is a great sense of community amongst the students.
And where do you want to take your photography in the future? I’d like to carry on taking photographs that mean a lot to me personally and wish for them to become a visual diary that I can hold onto forever. I am also currently planning a photography project that focuses solely on portraits of people, allowing me to explore what it means to represent the beauty of mankind visually.