People in Leeds are being asked to take part in a photoshoot on 5 December to show a positive vision of the future in the city.

As part of the Royal Academy of Engineering project ‘The Art of a Sustainable Future’ led by James Mckay at the University of Leeds, photographer Jonathan Turner will create a digital composite photograph showing Leeds in the (not too distant!) future as a positive, optimistic, zero-carbon sustainable society.

Jonathan needs help from people in Leeds to populate the scene doing interesting sustainable/zero carbon activities - whatever you want to imagine! The project is looking for volunteers of all types, including climate change/sustainability activists and anyone else interested in participating in a photoshoot, to represent the people of Leeds in the future.

Who: The aim is to make the depiction of our future Leeds appear visually as inclusive as possible in terms of age, disability, sexuality, ethnicity, social background, representation of city regions etc.

How: The photoshoot will be a drop in session. Jonathan will photograph individuals and small groups of people against a green screen. These photos will then be cut out and assembled into a final composite digital image. (Please turn up and wait your turn to be photographed.)

What: We are trying to imagine ourselves in the future, so please bring with you some props to use/hold; these could be: bicycles, gardening equipment, solar powered tech, unusual fashion and accessories... (within reason!) regular coats/hats/bags, food and drink or anything else you think you may need to have in the future. It would be really helpful if volunteers could bring more than one outfit (hat/coat) so that they can be used more than once in the image.

Where and when: Open Source Arts, 1A Aire Place Mills, Kirkstall Rd, Leeds LS3 1JL, 13.00-18.00.

Take part: please contact James Mckay (j.mckay@leeds.ac.uk) giving the times you are available, and whether you might bring someone with you. Please don’t include personal information (e.g. age, ethnicity) in your message unless you have a disability access requirement. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult family member.  

For examples of similar artworks by photographer Jonathan Turner, see http://www.jonathan-turner.com  (find pictures in a historical tableau series like the concept for the photoshoot here).

Important notice: The call is for volunteers only, and there is no payment. Photographs  will be used only for this artwork, but there is no guarantee that everyone will be included in the picture (although that is the aim). The organiser will tell you if you have been included or not. The aim is to make the poster available for use by climate change and sustainability campaign groups as promotional material (e.g. posters, flyers, postcards, brochures, booklets). It will not be used for profit and the copyright will belong to the photographer. You will be asked to sign a disclaimer at the event, stating that you are happy for your photograph to be used for the above purpose. Responsible adults who bring family members under the age of 18 will be asked to sign on their behalf.

Image: Photographic recreation of ‘The Railway Station’ by WP Frith,  by Jonathan Turner