Image credit: Ian Maginess. Launch of the photographic exhibition for the Big Film Photo Walk with participating photographers and representatives of the Library.
Seated from left: George Kingsnorth, the Very Revd Shane Forster (Library Keeper), Peter Templeton and Jeff Marshall. Standing from left: Eric Marshall (Library volunteer), Scott Swann and Kristian Brice, and Carol Conlin (Library Assistant Keeper). Missing from the photograph were photographers Michael Burns and William McIlwaine.
The Library was one of the venues selected by photographers who took part in the 2024 Big Film Photo Walk. The idea for this project was to bring together film photographers across the country to celebrate their analogue adventures, similar to how Record Story Day pulls together the vinyl industry each year.
In total, more than 800 film photographers came together in 39 different locations throughout the UK, and shot more than 20,000 film photos in the course of the day. Armagh was the chosen city for Northern Ireland and was mentions on the Analogue Wonderland website:
Locations and logistics: Analogue Wonderland staff, ambassadors, and community members from around the country stepped forward to lead the Photo walks in different locations – from Margate to Manchester, City of Armagh to Fraserburgh, and Blackpool to Brighton. We even had an online event for folks who weren’t able to physically join any of the walks.
The idea for choosing Armagh came from a suggestion by Archbishop Eamon Martin to encourage people to visit the Catholic Cathedral. George Kingsnorth, a keen film photographer as well a Deacon, thought it would be a good to do an Analogue Wonderland Photo Walk between the two cathedrals in Armagh.
Photographers from different parts of Northern Ireland visited a number of venues around Armagh. Thanks go to Jeff Marshall and his family members (Markethill) for their venue suggestions.
The Library invited the photographers to choose one of their photographs to go on display. Speaking ahead of the exhibition launch, one of the photographers, George Kingsnorth said,
As someone who is supplied by Analogue Wonderland with film, I wanted an opportunity to meet other like-minded people. There wasn’t a walk happening in Northern Ireland and I was asked if I would like to host one. I’m glad I said yes as it turned out, many of the other photographers were also keen to go but where unsure of being the host.
Thanks to this first Photo Walk in June, we have since been to Newcastle and have a planned trip to Whitehead Railway Museum at the end of August. It is amazing how the sowing of simple ideas can blossom into something beyond what we imagined, including being invited to submit work for an exhibition. What more could you ask for?
The exhibition will be on view in the Library’s Long Room until the end of September 2024.
