Emerging Photographer Runner-Up
Edward Matthews gave up nightclub photography to travel to Ukraine and help grassroots charities with his work
What inspired you to shoot this project?
In 2022, like many others, I found myself witnessing the full-scale invasion of Ukraine unfolding in real time on social media and in the news. At that time, I was working as a nightclub photographer, but felt deflated and lost about the direction of my career. After much thought, I made the life-changing decision to use my photography skills for a more meaningful purpose, aiming to produce images that could genuinely make a difference.
What challenges did you have to overcome?
One of the significant challenges that I have encountered on this journey is the quest to find the right platform for my work and funding it independently. I initially aspired to become an in-house war correspondent or a photojournalist for a large media company but quickly realised that I wanted to produce work independently, thus enabling me to tell more authentic stories.
What do you hope to achieve with it?
The importance of my photography work became evident as I spent a considerable amount of time in Ukraine, supporting grassroots charities with media content that facilitated an increase in donor funding. The financial support generated from this content directly contributed to aiding Ukrainian people.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
What gear did you use to shoot this work?
I used a wide range of gear, including Sony
