Gavin Joynt

Photographer

Gavin Joynt is a photographer who has been working professionally for the last 20 years. Gavin is a commercial photographer but has always been heavily involved within the arts sector. He has captured a number of performances for BSDC, and often his work goes beyond the confines of the lens, as he has run a number of creative photography workshops with various groups of participants.

BSDC x Gavin

April 2023 to March 2024

Cricket Green
Photography

Resilient Pathway Connections
Photography and Workshops

World Parkinson’s Day
Photography and Workshops

Willow Tree Academy

Photography

WE Wonder Festival
Creative Walks and Photography

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Looking back on my journey over the last 12 months I have worked with BSCD on a wide range of interesting and diverse projects, each contributing to my development as an artist and photographer in exciting, different ways.

During this time I’ve documented contemporary performances and witnessed concepts from environmental issues to health and well-being, each time gaining an insight into Balbir Singh’s creative process and his pushing of boundaries. I have also witnessed the wonder first hand from both the very young and old at the power and possibilities of photography and creativity. It is both powerful and easily accessible with the use of smartphones and affordable technology, more so than ever before.

Exploration and collaboration are at the heart of everything Balbir and BSDC does. Their continued exploration and wide ranging inspiration has in turn informed my own practice. I’ve worked with visual artists, dancers, performers and musicians each feeding into my own practice. All of these art forms have helped me see in different ways, expanding my work.

Since the beginning of my own journey as a professional photographer, I have been drawn to the arts, in all forms - art, performance and participation. As a photographer each project I view is different, along with the challenge of creatively documenting it. Although I essentially use the same skill set, each creative activity and genre I take in, in turn alters and informs the way I capture it. During the WE Wonder walks I was working alongside a visual artist and it was interesting to learn from her technique and how we both approached the subject in different ways from the same location. The themes and thinking behind Cricket Green was another challenge due to the different movements, pace and location. I had to think of creative ways to capture both the performance and process to further strengthen the message. The varied subject matter, locations and artists I encounter with BSDC and Balbir’s guidance help me in turn grow and collaborate in different ways with other artists.

Not all ideas work out. Not everything you create works first time and that’s when you recognise your resilience, learn from it, and move on creatively. It’s also important to have faith and belief in your ideas. It’s good to reflect and learn from your past, both the mistakes, as well as the successes, as these are the things that help you grow and become more resilient. The next time you approach things, you do so with more insight and efficiency.

We also learn from others, and this is one of the benefits of the collaborations with BSDC I’ve been part of, and the journey of learning together and shared experimentation. I bring a set of skills with me, which I enjoy sharing with others. The key highlights for myself were witnessed with the Cancer Survivors Group, Parkinson’s Day participants and on the WE Wonder walks when I saw people achieve something they didn’t think they could do. It’s wonderful to see a spark ignite at that moment in their journey when they create or achieve something, something they’ve never done before.

Another inspiring moment occurred when I was working with a lady from the Parkinson’s Day Group. One second we were learning to take photographs creatively, then the next she picked up a flag and was performing to camera, growing in confidence and unexpectedly becoming the performer. Everyone’s journey is unique and special to them, and it’s wonderful to be part of that, to see a spark lit, a new interest, the start of a new inspiring path.

A reoccurring theme of BSDC and my collaborations with them is the environment, and the creating of a connection between participants and the environment to inspire. Moments are often spontaneous – sharing a walk in the park, taking in the beauty of the woods, seeing things in a new light. Witnessing how much the people I work with get out of the experience is key and seeing the enjoyment from that shared learning in a friendly, relaxed environment is a joy. This gives them the space and confidence to create, to be part of it, to try something they haven’t done before.

Another personal highlight of our work is expression – seeing participants express themselves through photography, and a new shared appreciation and connection.

It’s good to have a starting point, an idea of how you might approach a creative task but often I find myself in an environment (especially if I am somewhere I have never been) where you have to adapt to the situation alongside the participants and artists to spontaneously create or produce something in another way, This way of working and collaboration helps you grow as an artist and gives you the resilience and confidence next time you find yourself in a similar situation to face it without fear.

It’s always great to feed off others creativity and Balbir personally connects artists and participants of all genres and backgrounds with a shared goal to explore creativity in new ways. By doing this we in turn support others to grow and engage in creative expression as a source for well-being.

I look forward to more genre crossing collaborations in the future and to see where BSDC’s vision and inspiration takes us next.

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Find Gavin Joynt:

Photographer

Gavin Joynt