insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 23 - January 2017 | Page 29

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

ARTIST PROFILE:

SORCHA BRIDGE
Sussex-based photographer, Sorcha Bridge, uses her unique vision to create bold, beautiful and
thought-provoking work. insideSUSSEX spoke to her about what she does and what the future holds.

Dungeness

How would you describe your photography?
Photography with a different perspective. Unique, vibrant, polished,
and emotional.

When did you first discover your love for photography?
I discovered photography aged 16, when I chose it as my specialist
field on my art foundation course. I loved the whole process and in
those days it was very organic – shooting 35mm film, processing and
developing, the absolute joy of the dark room...I remember shooting
football crowds and printing the images on matte paper in black and
white, very large and grainy.

Do you have a favourite photograph or collection?
I really enjoy shooting landscapes, people and silhouettes. I love the
landscapes I have shot at Dungeness (above), it’s a very special place for
me; a stark industrial landscape. I also love the collection of images I
shot for a music management company on the South Downs at sunrise
using a figure to obscure the rising sun – I love dramatic imagery.

What or who are your greatest inspirations?
There are many: Grace Jones, Roisin Murphy, Bjork, disco, my
friends, nature, and photographers Don McCullin, Martin Marr, Mario
Testino, David Lachapelle, and Annie Leibovitz.

What is it about post-production that you find so fascinating?
The post production side to photography is where I get to add my
sense of style to the image and where I get to create drama, contrast,
vibrancy and also play with Photoshop to clean and manipulate the
images. I believe it’s my editing that sets my work apart; when shooting
commercial work, I make the ordinary and everyday interesting.

Is there anyone or anything specifically that you would love
to photograph?
I would love to photograph Grace Jones or any other inspiring,
stylish, outrageous, extraordinary female figure. I would do
something highly produced – I’d shoot her in a dilapidated urban
landscape like the cement mining factory in Steyning (another
favourite location of mine). It would be heavily lit with smoke
machine, fans, exquisite styling and drama.

Do you take your camera with you everywhere, just in case you
spot a photo opportunity?
My camera is massive and not something I can take everywhere
unfortunately. I use my iPhone for capturing little one-off moments.
I shoot a mixture of portrait-based and interior work and I also shoot
events which demand candid ‘in-the-moment’ shots, but a lot of
what I do is requires advanced planning, which I particularly enjoy.

What has been your proudest artistic achievement to date?
My own sheer determination and courage to get to this point. I had
a successful career in styling in my 20s, had two children, became
a single mother, struggled to make ends meet and lost all sense of
creativity. With that I became very depressed, so coming back to
photography three years ago and starting from scratch was daunting,
but I am so happy now.
www.sorchabridgephotography.com
www.sorchabridgeweddingphotography.com
sorchabridgephotography

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