Retina International Photography Festival 2017

The Retina International Photography Festival starts on the 18th of June through to the 31st of July. Four venues with showing 202 photographers, a Photo Marathon, Portfolio Reviews and much more. For full details check out the website. All exhibition are free but if you want to help support Retina, please Donate

This years headline highlights come from Helen Van Meene, Bryn Griffiths and the Association of Photographers (AOP) exhibiting at Summerhall, Edinburgh.

Helen Van Meene is a well respected artist, represented by galleries in New York and Tokyo. Her work is featured in the collections of the Guggenheim NY and MoMa. Retina will exhibit some of her latest work from "The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits" at Summerhall starting on the 18th of June.

Bryn Griffiths (FBIPP) and Hasselblad Master will be exhibiting his personal project "Chernobyl, My Sweet". Bryn is a highly successful commissioned photographer and great supporter of Edinburgh College Photography. His career spans 30 years working for major brands and corporations.

“I had the chance to go to Chernobyl to focus on images that would embrace the Hasselblad brief for the book and contrast that with my UK work. Normally I would shoot in a comfortable and beautifully lit studio with all the best equipment around me. But this shoot was all about going out on location, using natural light and a wide angle lens and photographing dereliction and decay – the exact opposite of my commercial shoots here in England.”

The Association of Photographer (AOP)

The AOP Awards are one of the most prestigious competitions in commercial professional photography. Now in its 34th year, the competition remains highly regarded by commissioners, art buyers and photographers alike. The AOP will be exhibiting in Summerhall during this year's Retina Festival; a show of the AOP Awards 2016 Winners, and 2015 & 2016 AOP Student Awards finalists from the North of England and Scotland. The AOP Photography Awards are considered the ultimate accolade for the professional photographer, as well as a celebration of extraordinary work by the industry's elite. Featuring 23 winning photographers from the 2016 AOP Awards (Photography & Open categories) and 2016 AOP Student Awards. Plus 20 student photographer’s entries from 2015 and 2016 from Scotland and the North of England.

This exhibition will include many award winners from Edinburgh College Photography students and Alumni.