By Melanie Mullan
25th Sep 2018
25th Sep 2018
Creativity can be both a challenge and a blessing. When you get it right, it can be hugely rewarding and encouraging and at other times it can cause stress, tears and a lot of heartache.
Photographer Bríd O’Donovan felt the same and set about creating ways to open up collaboration in the industry. “As a creative you can be sat alone in your workspace, paralysed by fear and jealousy,” she reflects. “I really just wanted to figure out a way to bring like minded people together in a positive and collaborative environment.”
With this in mind, she established FORM Dublin, a monthly creative collaboration organised by Bríd that welcomes creatives of all abilities and experience levels to the natural light studio Make Space in the Chocolate Factory Arts Centre. The result is an array of beautiful images that each person involved can use for their portfolio and the opportunity to meet and collaborate with new people.
Since the project started in January, a whole range of photographers have gotten involved along with models, designers, make-up artists and hair stylists, and the portfolio of images that have been created are beyond beautiful.
A FORM day is typically divided into two separate sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Everyone from hairdressers and make-up artists to visual merchandisers and designers are welcome to get involved. “I don’t provide a brief for the shoot,” Bríd says. “Each creative is in control of what they want from the session and we always welcome all ideas to the table. I start a WhatsApp group before each session so we can flesh out ideas.”
Going out on your own can be terrifying and overwhelming, and FORM has created an inspiring space for people to get together and do what they love with thanks to the help of the people at Make Space. “Frank and Edel, who run Make Space Studio, have been hugely supportive of the project ever since we started last January,” says Bríd. “They have both offered great advice to me with regards to running Form and they have really really encouraged it; I’m so thankful to them for their openness and willingness to get involved.”
