My second year at SNAP!

SNAP! Photography Festival

I have one bad thing to say about SNAP photography festival, that it’s only once a year and I have to wait a full 12 months for the SNAP experience to be in my life. This was my second year there, so I felt a little more comfortable within myself being around so many people. Well, I knew at least half of them this time, many of whom I now call very dear friends. SNAP hasn’t just been something for me professionally but has been useful throughout most aspects of my life. Both times at the festival have left me feeling more confident, inspired and more in touch with myself. I have to add in there that these feelings have come after a brief lull. For many, the high of the immersive week itself is followed by a low, a sort of come down. But that’s just how life works sometimes and for me personally, for what I get out of it, the brief low that follows will always be worth it in the long run.

Stunning surroundings

This year saw a few changes to the week long photography gathering they call SNAP. First off there was a change of venue. This year it was at West Lexham near Norfolk. A really beautiful site with tree houses, a boating lake and all the space the festival needs to inspire you to learn and socialise, and it was also a great backdrop to take a few pictures if you felt like it too! I feel at home with the people I’ve met through SNAP and it really is a great community. Laura Babb is behind the festival and has got things just right. Their Facebook group is a very inclusive, supportive and helpful resource in so many ways, it perfectly reflects what the whole thing is about. I was going to quote some of the manifesto here but you’re quite capable of heading to the SNAP website to read it all for yourself!

Mindfulness at SNAP!

There was a focus for SNAP 2018 which was mindfulness and your well being. There was a buddy system to help newcomers feel welcome. I tried Yoga and some meditation which helped me work past my nerves to get up and sing a song on open mic night! I’ve always loved to sing but it’s been a while since anyone actually heard me apart from my cats (and they don’t stick around until the end of a song!)

Good times

Party night was a hoot, it started off in the pool and ended with a disco glitter theme in the village hall. I also learnt a few things across the week attending the many talks, with some of my highlights being Hannah Hall, Wyn Wiley and Matt Badenoch. What am I forgetting? The beach trip, the freezing cold swim during a hail storm, the great food, the camp fires and the endless laughs. All the new friends and great conversations I had, inspiring me for my year ahead. A massive shout out needs to go to my bestie Emma for being my rock and sharing a room with me, in particular on party night when I insisted on interrupting her relaxing post-party bath with a mass of glitter curtain and for staying up to watch me lip sync to Whitney Houston. These were good times.

The square shots were taken on medium format film using my Rollei Magic II and all the other were shot with a Leica M10.