About The Exhibition
Belfast Exposed is delighted to partner with Translink on a photography competition to capture the 'Natural Connections' which have sustained, surrounded, supported and encouraged people and communities since 23 March 2020, the first day of lockdown last year.
In the last year, 12 months that will leave a permanent memory on the lives of people around the world, a number of everyday life experiences have become an essential part of our wellbeing. The importance of nature in our lives, from a small flower in a garden to climbing a newly discovered hill, or just sitting on a beach listening to the waves, never before has the connection to nature become more crucial. Coupled with the challenges of lockdown, bubbles and restricted gatherings, the need for connections has become ever more craved.
Commenting on the competition which will run from 1 March – 22 April (Earth Day) and can be entered online, Chief Executive of Belfast Exposed, Deirdre Robb, said;
“We have seen on a daily basis through news, print, and social platforms how the public is capturing, and experiencing the world, nature and lives around them through this pandemic. As we face the first anniversary of Covid 19 and the first lockdown which started on 23 March 2020, this project is focused on celebrating how resilient and imaginative we are to get through it, together, or individually. Never before has our wellbeing been so important to us, and the five steps many of us have now embraced as part of our lives are shaped by nature and the importance of connecting.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Translink on this project, which will include an exhibition later in the year, given their commitment to climate action and protecting our natural environment. We see huge synergy here with capturing how wellbeing and nature have helped during this challenging time. We want peoples images of what they naturally connected to during this time, it could be the outdoors, indoors, mountains, or lakes, their local park or a newly discovered path. So long as the image was captured since last March, or it can indeed be taken now, anytime up until the end of the competition on Earth Day. It’s all about seizing the moment of ‘natural connections’ from then until now essentially.”
Images (from left to right)
- Tra Walls (@trawalls)
- Sinead Murphy (@jessthespringer)
- Pato Cassinoni (@patriciocassinoni)
- Malachy McCrudden (@mal_photo_)
- Mark Bell (@mrkb.ll)
- Niamh Smith (@niamh.smith.photography)
How You Can Get Involved
To get involved in the photographic competition which opens 1 March, participants can send images taken since 23 March 2020 to Earth Day, which will be celebrated on 22 April 2021, capturing ‘Natural Connections’ using the hashtag #NaturalConnections2021 on social media. Entries can also be emailed to naturalconnections@belfastexposed.org, closing 22 April 2021.
Hashtag Submission - #NaturalConnections2021
Email Submission - naturalconnections@belfastexposed.org
The competition which is open to all ages, wishes to capture through photography our ‘Natural Connections’, the link between nature and connecting in the last year. Photos can be taken on a phone, or camera of any kind, so long as it captures the moment in time when connecting through or with nature was snapped.
Six finalists will receive a high-quality print of their photograph, with one overall winner being announced on social media across Belfast Exposed and Translink. The winner will receive a £200 voucher from WEX photo, a £100 Belfast Exposed gift voucher, and a Translink iLink Card (with credit for 4 weeks travel) to make new natural connections. An exhibition of the top entries for ‘Natural Connections’ will be held online and then later in the year at Belfast Exposed, in line with Covid 19 restrictions.
Prize for 1st Place - £200 voucher for Wex Photo, £100 voucher for Belfast Exposed & Translink iLink Card with 4 weeks travel
Prize for Six Finalists - High-quality print of their photograph
Free Sessions - 'Natural Connections: Composition, Tips & Tricks'
We are delivering free sessions where participants will learn a variety of compositions, tips and tricks to use to take better photographs, when taking part in the 'Natural Connections' competition.
***Each session is the same. You can choose the date & time that suits you***
Session 1 (1pm, Wed 10th March) - Book a free ticket
Session 2 (6pm, Wed 10th March) - Book a free ticket
Session 3 (1pm, Wed 7th April) - Book a free ticket
Session 4 (6pm, Wed 7th April) - Book a free ticket
'Natural Connections' is in partnership with Translink and Arts & Business Northern Ireland.
