LUSAD-Scenes of the Unexpected

Sophie Neal
I have taken a selection of photographic images of various sites in Loughborough. Most of the pictures are not of the same site but they all display unusual or hidden objects or locations I came across while exploring the town. Where possibly I took close ups of the chosen subject matter, making other areas of the images appear out of focus. This was done with the intention of drawing the viewer's eye straight to the intended focal point and nothing else. I believe this makes the images striking and powerful.

Two of the photos are of a small hidden garden I found that can only be seen by looking through the few gaps in the tightly woven branches that form the fence. The beautiful garden sits secluded and out of place in the heart of a busy town which provides a sense of mystery. This overgrown piece of natural beauty holds a small shed, a water feature that could only be heard, and small crooked steps that lead to another path at the bottom of the garden. The reason I chose this subject was because of its peculiar situation within the rural environment; such a beautiful place concealed from the industrialized buildings it's surrounded by. The images are an insight into the hidden and unseen places of the town that are unexpected and unknown.

The other four images include: a statue of a mythological creature partially lit up, making it's form just about recognisable; a strange object hanging from the chain of a mechanical device; a wall of repeated panels taken from an unusual angle, and an uncanny image of two symmetrical light beams that portray a curious setting, allowing less than half the image to be visible.

Each of the six images chosen display an unusual element, whether it's the angle the picture was taken at, the lighting, perspective, time of day or cropping. Each image requires more than a glance, by the onlooker, to understand what it is and how it's come about. The photographs display the unexpected appearance of Loughborough; they are intended to make the viewer question what it is they are seeing.