_1215_fine_art_catalogue

Oliver Amphlett
ohamphlett@hotmail.co.uk | 07951 721233 | www.oliveramphlettphotography.co.uk
The documentary photographer attempts to produce truthful,
objective, and usually candid photography of a particular subject. Visual
storytelling exposes unseen or ignored realities and is used to chronicle
both significant and historical events, and everyday life. Documentary
photography is an effective tool for deepening understanding and
building emotional connections to stories, including those of injustice.
It can capture and sustain public attention, shed light on tough realities
– such as those of war and poverty stricken countries – and mobilise
people around pressing social and human rights issues.
I would suggest that documentary-style photography does not only
help represent a specific story, but is also effective in capturing an
essence of culture. It was the idea of studying and photographing
foreign cultures that lead to my fascination with Eastern culture,
specifically that of South Asia. After researching into the dense history
and politics surrounding the Gurkhas, I planned an expedition to Nepal.
Inspiring acts of bravery have earned the Gurkha soldiers an heroic
reputation and many have paid with their lives to secure the prosperity
and freedoms we enjoy today.
My aim has been to produce a series of powerful emotionally rich
images through photographic documentary, typically of the Gurkha
veterans and their communities living in the foothills of the Himalayas. I
aim to create dramatic photographs out of everyday scenes, capturing
entire stories in a single shot. What makes powerful photographic
documentary is the ‘story-telling’ that exists in a collection or series of
images. For my part, the most interesting component of this is its ability
to capture an essence of human struggle, spirit and joy.
‘Untitled’ (Gurkha Series), 2014
Oliver Amphlett
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