Something in the Air (work in progress)
I am currently working on a project that shines a light on the work of various environmental and social justice groups across Manchester who are campaigning tirelessly for the provision of more green space in their respective neighbourhoods.
See clip below for a glimpse of a section from a composite film below
In the summer of 2025 I facilitated a series of camera-less plant-based 16mm filmmaking workshops at three different sites across Manchester where major redevelopment programmes are currently underway.
At each of these sites local people have been campaigning tirelessly to save either an existing precious green space, as in the case of Ryebank Fields, Chorlton, and Barney’s Hill, Collyhurst or, as in the case of Ancoats Retail Park, for the installation of a desperately needed multi-purpose green space for the growing local community.
This discreet section of the longer project "stars" a selection of leaves, grasses and wildflowers, as picked by the workshop participants in and around these sites.
The plants were carefully arranged on strips of 16mm ilm before being left to develop in the Manchester sun. (Phytogram technique). The plants include leaves picked from the incredibly beautiful and rare Aspen Grove at Ryebank Fields; an assortment of meadow flowers from Barney’s Hill in Collyhurst; and a selection of wildflowers and leaves from the derelict Ancoats retail park.
This section of the film was made in collaboration with the following groups:
Save Ryebank Fields
www.saveryebankfields.co.uk
Instagram: @friends_of_ryebank_fields
Trees Not Cars
www.treesnotcars.com
Irk Valley Sandhills Friends Group
Facebook: Irk Valley Sandhills Friends Group
Spark Artists Network
Instagram: @sparkartistsnetwork
Still from Something in the Air (2025)
After participating in a workshop led by filmmaker Karel Doing (who coined the term 'phytogram' to describe a process that uses the natural chemical compounds in plants to create images on photographic paper or film) at at LUX in north London a few years ago, I have been experimenting with the technique ever since. I eventually came up with the idea of bringing the process into the realm of the environmental activism that I've been involved with - in that I source the plants that 'star' in my phytology films from various contested places - green spaces or brownfield sites in and around Manchester - places that are being hard fought for by local people who are in desperate need of more green space in their respective neighbourhoods as high-rises proliferate around them.
Phytogram experiments
I discovered the magical world of phytograms in a workshop led by filmmaker Karel Doing, who actually coined the term 'phytogram', at LUX in north London. It's a beautiful technique in which the internal chemistry of plants is used to create images on the emulsion of photographic paper or film. Incorporating this natural processes in the art of photography was such a revelation in that it brings together three elements that I love: plants, film and photography - and uses fewer nasty chemicals than traditional film/photography processing. What I love about this kind of camera-less filmmaking is the relinquishing of control. You initiate the process but then the process itself takes over. Alchemy steps in, and you just wait to see what happens, making small adjustments here and there.
(I'll be adding some moving-image examples of this process here in the near future)
Before placing the plants that you've collected on the photographic paper or film stock, you have to soak them in a solution of water, soda and vitamin C and allow them to soften. The plants I picked floated around a bit before settling into his lovely arrangement.
Phytogram experiments
I discovered the magical world of phytograms in a workshop led by filmmaker Karel Doing, who actually coined the term 'phytogram', at LUX in north London. It's a beautiful technique in which the internal chemistry of plants is used to create images on the emulsion of photographic paper or film. Incorporating this natural processes in the art of photography was such a revelation in that it brings together three elements that I love: plants, film and photography - and uses fewer nasty chemicals than traditional film/photography processing. What I love about this kind of camera-less filmmaking is the relinquishing of control. You initiate the process but then the process itself takes over. Alchemy steps in, and you just wait to see what happens, making small adjustments here and there.
(I'll be adding some moving-image examples of this process here in the near future)
Before placing the plants that you've collected on the photographic paper or film stock, you have to soak them in a solution of water, soda and vitamin C and allow them to soften. The plants I picked floated around a bit before finally settling into this lovely arrangement.