The exhibition may be titled Blackpool in Black and White but Emilia Logo has in fact photographed a number of other places to assemble this very fine solo photographic exhibition currently on show at Tea Amantes, Albert Road, Blackpool. The room was quite full on my arrival and got busier through the evening.
Enlarged and framed to a good size, these photographs are perfectly composed and grab attention straight away. Some were of the now closed Bonny Street market, being dismantled at the time of writing and are therefore now a historical record. More images were presented on a video screen.
Some of the technique is experimental, with creative use of slow shutter speeds and blurring. A screen of rain drops adds a different perspective. The contrast range selected is spot on achieving tonality with deep blacks, perfect for the purpose. Naturally one does not see a scene with so much contrast, which is one of the things that make monochrome photographs that bit more interesting, despite virtually perfect colour now being available.
Emilia was in demand from some fairly adoring fans, but I managed to have a quick chat and asked where her inspiration came from:
“My university studies inspired me in that I was able to try different genres of photography. Previously I was mostly doing portraits, but then I had to try things like street photography and sport. I tried street photography three years ago and fell in love with it. This exhibition features documentation of Blackpool and a number of streets in different cities.
My street photography is not just about people but also about the buildings, the way light plays on them and the shadows that it creates.”
I asked what photographic future that Emilia sees for herself:
“I’m not sure. I’ve only been doing street photography just short of a year and consider myself still very fresh and new in the field. This is my first solo exhibition, so we’ll see. In the meantime I will be wandering around the streets of different cities with my camera. I shoot on both film and digital, the latter using a mirror lens.”
Thanks to Emilia for those insights into her work and technique.
Thanks again to the Tea Amantes tream for the tasty nibbles, including jam donuts a fave occasional treat for me. And for the pots of tea, which were well worth sampling. I’m nearly out of my special Chinese tea pot tea, so I will be down.
As I lined up to catch the service 6 bus home and said my goodbyes to Anna and the team, people were still entering the cafe to view these excellent photographs. They will remain on display until 6th February 2023.
