Comprising four awards from industry partners, a publication for selected works and a group exhibition for all entrants, YEARBOOK 2020 was a major undertaking which attracted entries from several thousand photographers this year. Judith van Linden of Fujifilm Original Photo Paper was tasked with selecting the winner of the Fujifilm Original Photo Paper YEARBOOK 2020 Award, and this year’s successful photographer was our very own Linda Chapman.

“Looking at her work, I am attracted to her way of simplicity by using light and shadow. How she approaches everyday life and the natural circumstances and colours. This demonstrates the outdoors is already stunning and doesn’t need any alterations to tell a great story. ” – Judith van Linden

Speaking to The Net Gallery on her recent success, Linda explains: “Fujifilm being a respected name in the industry, I was keen to be associated with them so I submitted eight of my images. I was first contacted to inform me that I was a finalist and would be in the finalist book that they were doing, which I was delighted about. Then soon after they informed me that I was the 2020 winner of the Fujifilm photo yearbook award, which was amazing! They will be doing a book on my work, which they are currently working on.”

‘Kirkas’ by Linda Chapman. Photograph. Image courtesy Linda Chapman.

Linda is a London-based photographer with a freelance background in the theatre, music and PR industries. She has a qualification in art photography and previously worked in a leading London fine art studio. She returned to photography three years ago, trading in the “great fun” of theatre and music for the creativity of fine art photography. She has an unceasing fascination with reflection and light, and loves to explore different ways of looking at everyday items.

“Most of my work revolves around looking at the two or many sides of a story and for this I work with reflections. These, together with the changing light give many views in one image. I have a very simple way of working and prefer to use what is natural: the light, the colours, the shadows and the reflections all tell the story.” – Linda Chapman

As a photographer, Linda chooses to rely on her eye rather than a computer program to create her final images. “I work in a very simple, traditional way, preferring to use what is naturally “there” – light, colours, shadows and reflections.” While she sometimes edits colours to bring out what she can see more accurately, she does not otherwise use manipulation or Photoshop to create or layer her work.

‘Líneas II’ by Linda Chapman. Image courtesy Linda Chapman.

To mark the award, Linda will receive promotion through the Fujifilm Original Photo Paper social media channels and website, and will have her portfolio printed as a book on Original Photo Paper. This is a prize which can be enjoyed in or outside of lockdown, reflecting the award’s primary goal of making up for the many graduate shows and other arts events that have been cancelled this year.

Shutter Hub, the organisation behind YEARBOOK 2020, generally works to create exhibitions that will be attended by potential employers, key connections and other photographers’ networks, showing work by many photographers which are then promoted to the photography world at large. The online YEARBOOK 2020 exhibition, featuring work from over 200 photographers across the world, can be explored here.

‘Valo’ by Linda Chapman. Image courtesy of the artist.

Article by Toby Buckley.

More of Linda’s work can be seen via her TNG profile, and on her website: www.lindachapmanart.co.uk

The image shown at the top of the page is, ‘Fade Away’ by Linda Chapman. All images courtesy of the artist.