Photography has become part of our everyday life.  We take photographs in order to sell our belongings, we take photographs on our phones to share a special moment with an absent loved one and we spend hundreds of pounds on fashionable studio photographs to celebrate family bonds.

Are they any good?  What is a ‘good’ photograph?  
I believe anyone can take amazing photographs without the use of fancy unaffordable equipment as long as there is an understanding of what is happening when we take a photo.  In order to understand, share and experiment with this process we need space. 

 Lakeside Heart and Soul Community Interest Company will provide that space and more!  The space could offer studios to set up product photography, painting backdrops, lighting, costumes, glamour and even darkroom facilities to run workshops in traditional film photography. 

The glorious surroundings of Shipley Country Park are ideal for nature and landscape projects and to be based in a thriving creative hub along with other community activities could potentially collaborate and as a result becomes a productive place for the community to be proud of and to share.

 Over the past 8 years I have run my own community photography courses on a freelance basis and I have had to make the most of the facilities offered, which has been quite a challenge! 

I have had great success in taking groups of recovering alcoholics out into the Peak District for a bit of soul searching and landscape photography.  We also set up a makeshift studio in a little spare cupboard in the rehabilitation centre displaying their favourite belongings, playing with lighting and composition and creating some really interesting shots which reflect their individuality.  I believe this has a very powerful, therapeutic effect on a person.

I have worked with Sure Start groups of young mums and dads, setting up family portraiture groups, showing families on benefits (who actually admitted to having paid considerable amounts of money for portraits) that they could have the skills to take fantastic portraits of their family and friends. 

It is clear that there is a great need for this kind of powerful activity to be available to everyone in the Shipley, Heanor, Ilkeston area.  It could potentially do an incredible amount for the community and change the lives of many individuals.