The Shot I Never Forgot
‘The Shot I Never Forgot’ is an Arts Council funded project in which participating artists were invited to share a photograph that has remained in their mind since they shot it along with the story behind its creation. Most of the artists instinctively knew which image they should share, sometimes because it was poignant, sometimes because of its personal significance or simply because it is a great photograph.
As photographers, we shoot many more images than ever see the light of day, often including fabulous stand alone pictures – shot on instinct – whilst making work for another project. Because these single images do not fit the brief, they sit gathering dust in an ever-growing archive. The Shot I Never Forgot is a chance for some of these images to be presented in their own right, for others to enjoy; a platform to enable some of these memorable photographs to be seen for the first time.
This project began in February 2013 and culminated in an exhibition and publication, held during the Brighton photo Fringe 2014. Since then, it has been lying dormant, ocassionally being dusted off to receive some new submissions!
John House, February 2018
Heather Tait
"I took this photo during the aftermath of the 2005 Tsunami in the southern India. When I first saw the image I couldn’t bare to look at it. Something about the man’s gaze troubled me and left me feeling rather uncomfortable. Here is a photo of a man who had suffered huge trauma and there was I, intruding on his grief and photographing him. What did he get out of the relationship? So I never showed it to anyone. But it’s an important image for me because it made me question the role of the photographer in situations of trauma and high drama. It made me question whether the photograph can still be useful as a tool for social change, in today’s world filled with imagery. It made me question lots of things about photography actually. So I’m very pleased I took it. And I’ve never forgotten it."
