6 June
2013: Four iconic new portraits
unveiled at the Discovery Museum represented a particular significance for me when I was chosen to undertake the photography
commission on behalf of the North East region’s science and industry museum in
Newcastle.
Picture Caption: Jane Atkinson, the
first woman in the world to manage a blast furnace; 9,200 tonnes of liquid iron
at 1700 degrees!
The portraits are part of an exhibition entitled Trailblazers, exploring the achievements
of women, both living and historic, who have made a significant contribution to
the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) industries. I am also planning to feature at least one of the four women (pictured), Jane
Atkinson, in my ground breaking project “First
Women” which will be unveiled in 2018 to mark the 100th
anniversary of women’s suffrage.
I have spent my life promoting positive images of women and
when the names of the sitters were unveiled in March I was really excited to
meet some of the women I would be photographing and start the real creative
process of deciding how and where to shoot them. I truly believe that photography
as a visual tool can inspire and change attitudes, and by creating role models
we can encourage young women to aspire to a life in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths.
Trailblazers includes 24 portraits, drawn mainly from the
National Portrait Gallery collection. All the portraits feature groundbreaking
female scientists who have made their mark in science and technology over the
past 250 years.
The four women featuring in the new Trailblazers’
portraits are Jane Atkinson, Senior Vice President, Sembcorp Utilities UK Asset
Management and in 2007 winner of the CBI First Woman Award in Manufacturing as
she frequently has been at the forefront of women in engineering and industry;
also Fiona Cruickshank, non-exec director at SCM Pharma, a leading business
figure and a former North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (see image below). Joining Jane and
Fiona are Nicola Pearsall, Director of Northumbria Photovoltaics Applications
Centre (NPAC) and group leader for the Energy Systems and Materials research
group in the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences; and
Laura Wilkinson, (see image left) the youngest of the four selected, and an Engineer with
Northumbrian Water with a degree in Applied Biology which has allowed her to
use her knowledge on microbiological processes.
I won the commission thanks in part to the work I had carried out on ‘Science in Profile’ when between 1988-1989 I worked
with my partner John O’Grady and The British Council on their collection of 24
colour portraits of Great British Scientists. This included the last official
portrait of Nobel Prize winner Dorothy Hodgkin and Dorothy is also featured in
the Trailblazers’ exhibition.
I have been a portrait
photographer all my working life and I am passionate about creating images of
girls and women that make people stop and think. My passion is fired by years
of working as an editorial portrait photographer with the Sunday Times and
Observer colour magazines, where I was often sent around the world to cover
‘human interest’ stories involving women.
When on assignment I use my intuition and
creativity, to shine new light on a person, to give the portrait originality
and longevity. As a working photographer I have learnt to believe in my own
convictions, developing my own style, creating portraits that I believe reveal
the ‘true self’ of my subjects. I encourage my subjects to ‘be themselves’ and
to trust me to interpret their individuality.
Also the preparation and planning required
beforehand means that editing is a huge responsibility as it is the
manifestation of the shoot, with everything going into the split second of the
shutter opening! If all has gone well the pictures will speak to you and you
will be able to choose the definitive shots easily.
It is this strong belief in the power of
photography that has lead me to create my collection of ‘First Women’ portraits
with the mission statement ‘Inspiring women in the UK’.
And last but not least completing the STEM quartet is Nicola Pearsall
Just in case you need reminding, my project First Women looks at how women will
be remembered over the past 100 years. In the years leading up to 2018, the 100th
anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, I am shooting and collecting 100 iconic
portraits of 21st century women who have achieved the landmark title “First
Woman” across a range of fields.
In 2018 I will launch the First Women
travelling exhibition throughout the UK in celebration of 20th and 21st century
women. The exhibition will feature three types of photography: portraiture,
documentary and archive and will be linked to an interactive website as well as
the publication of a beautiful photographic book. Each unique portrait will
feature extended captions and introductory essays.
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