About this Event
Representation, Identity & Finding Your Voice Behind the Camera
Who stands behind the camera matters just as much as who stands in front of it.
For photographer, filmmaker and visual artist Leesha Williams, photography has always been about more than simply making an image. It is about identity, perspective, representation and the stories we choose to tell.
Drawing on more than a decade working across weddings, commercial and brand photography, filmmaking, DOP work and personal art, Leesha will explore how our own experiences inevitably shape the way we see and photograph the world.
A key part of the talk will focus on photographing darker skin tones, including lighting, exposure, editing and colour, while challenging the idea that darker skin is inherently difficult to photograph. Leesha will share practical insight into creating imagery that represents people accurately and intentionally.
But this talk goes beyond technique.
Leesha will explore who gets to create images, who gets to tell particular stories and how different perspectives behind the camera can change the way people and communities are represented.
She'll also share her experience of building a creative career that doesn't fit neatly into one category, moving between photography, filmmaking, commercial work and personal projects while developing a recognisable creative voice across them all.
From moving image and DOP work to personal projects exploring identity, community and lived experience, Leesha will discuss why photographers should think beyond what they photograph and consider why they photograph it, how they see it and what they personally bring to the image.
About Leesha Williams
Leesha Williams is a photographer, filmmaker and visual artist with more than 10 years of experience across weddings, commercial and brand photography, portraiture, film and fine art.
She runs two photography companies and has created campaigns and content for brands including Laura Ashley, with her work also appearing in publications including HELLO! Magazine.
With a BA and MA in Art, Leesha's personal practice explores identity, representation, Blackness, queerness and lived experience. Her work has been exhibited in the UK and internationally, and she has spoken on radio and podcasts about representation and diversity within the photography industry.
Alongside photography, Leesha has increasingly moved into filmmaking and DOP work and is currently developing her own film under the mentorship of We Are Parable.
A multidisciplinary creative, Leesha's work is united by a focus on people, storytelling and creating imagery that feels honest to those in front of the camera.
Expect an honest, thought provoking and practical look at photography, representation and finding your own voice behind the camera.
GET YOUR FREE CAMBRIDGE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW ADMISSION TICKET HERE
Event venue & nearby stays
Corpus Christi College, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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