Astronomy: Documentary Photgrapher needs help

[pook]

Morning all!

Not posted in her for ages, mainly because astronomy often takes a back seat to my other obsession and career, which is photography.  I'm still around, and I still browse the forums, and I still have my 6" Newt...  and I even get to use it occasionally!


However, I'm looking for astronomers who might be able to help me create a documentary project on amateur astronomy/astronomers, especially if you have a home observatory.

Why am I doing this?  Because so far as I know, no one has yet, and as we all know, it's a fascinating subject with broad appeal, yet somehow still seems to be put into one of those slightly marginalised categories...  you know...  "bloke in a shed" syndrome.  Astronomy only really gets the limelight when Brian Cox gets involved.  Not that that's a bad thing, nor is that a complaint about Brian of course, which is a great inspiration to many, but I’d like to tell the astronomer’s story a little more.

So I need help.  I need to strike up some working relationships with astronomers who would be willing to work with me.  The documentary images will be portrait based, but not exclusively so, but this is anthropological work I am embarking upon here, and it's most definitely about the people involved. This is NOT commercial work, but will be most likely viewed as an art based project and there is a possibility of gallery exhibition and a book published, but as this is purely speculative I’ve no clear idea how the work will eventually be disseminated, nor at this stage do I know exactly how the project will end up looking.  One thing I can assure you all of though, is that this is definitely for the good of astronomy and not some cynical attempt to further marginalise those with hobbies and interests that are not mainstream – the opposite is true.  I wish to celebrate it.  It will be different from what I usually do though, which is more fine art/conceptually driven work.  However, astronomy has always reared its head in my work.

Here’s some stuff from the last project I embarked upon where astronomy and photography met head on. 

---------------------

Going Home:

We are all made of stars.

The iron in our blood, the carbon in our cells, and the calcium in our bones: All these elements were forged inside dying stars as heavier and heavier elements are fused together when stars lose their battle against gravity. When the star finally expires in nature’s most spectacular firework show - the supernova, these elements are spread throughout the universe to create life elsewhere. This is where we came from. Our own sun awaits this fate too, and its death will fuel life elsewhere. The cycle repeats until entropy has used the entire universe's energy.

We are all made of stars.

This series of images is a whimsical look at our species' long fascination with the heavens, and Man's desire to reach the stars... to go back to our beginnings... to go home.

----------------------

The project I'm planning however, is definitely more documentary in nature.

I would ideally like to work with people on a longer term basis rather than just roll up, take some shots, and disappear.  I'd like to develop the work more than that in order to tell the full story.

I’m North West based, but will travel for those willing to get involved.

If anyone likes the sound of getting involved, please PM me via these forums, or even just reply to this thread.

Thanks for reading.

David Gregory

[edit]

I hope this call for assistance is not in breach of any forum rules, but this is not a commercial venture. 

[Steve Ward]

Actually a very good documentary was made a while ago ,  with Adam Hart-Davis showcasing some of the UK's better known "Men in Sheds" ... 

This is the first part of seven on YT.

[pook]

Yep..  that was great!   I love Adam Hart-Davies.

I'm planning a photo-documentary though, and book/exhibition..  more of a monograph than a video based documentary.   

Thanks for reminding me about this though.  I'm going to watch these again! 

[admin]

I hope this call for assistance is not in breach of any forum rules, but this is not a commercial venture. 

If it is non-commercial it can stay 

If anyone is interested in participating please PM pook (David Gregory) for details.