An Edinburgh-based photographer has won a top prize at the The Association of Photographers’ Photography Awards 2023 for his photos of overflowing bins in Edinburgh last year during the Fringe Festival.
Photographer Euan Myles, born and raised in Nottingham, but who now has a studio at Albert Street, won gold in the Environment category for his series of five images of the streets of Edinburgh when refuse collectors went on strike for better pay and conditions in August 2022.
. Golden bins
The first of Edinburgh-based photographer Euan Myles' five photos of the overflowing bins in Edinburgh during the binmen's strike in August 22, which won him gold in the Environment category at the The Association of Photographers' 38th Photography Awards (first launched in 1984). Photo: Euan Myles
. Rubbish art
Euan Myles said of his winning photos: “It is true that you only miss them (refuse collectors) once they stop doing their job! In August in Edinburgh, the world-famous Edinburgh Festival and Festival Fringe were in full swing with tourists from all over the world able to enjoy culture of the highest order after the pandemic years. But instead of pristine mediaeval and Georgian city, they were faced at every turn with overflowing bins of rotting food and drink, pavements that your feet would adhere to and rats running a riot in the middle of the day." Photo: Euan Myles
. Bins at night
Euan continued: "Eventually, after four weeks, the strike was called off to the great relief of all and hopefully with a greater appreciation of the men and women who deal with our rubbish. I decided one night to go out and photograph some of the piles of rubbish and detritus that had started to build up around every bin. I took lights and lit them up in the middle of the night to document this strike." Photo: Euan Myles
. Rubbish jokes
Euan also came across some Edinburgh banter while taking the photos of the overflowing bins. He said: "Almost every five minutes while photographing several dozen bins I would get the fantastic retort of 'Don’t bother photographing that it’s going to be a rubbish photograph'." Photo: Euan Myles
5. Happy judge
Environment category judge Amy Grant was impressed by Euan's photos of overflowing bins in Edinburgh. She said: "I really enjoyed the variety of interpretations of the environment theme this year and this is really evident in our finalists. We saw beautiful natural landscapes, stark urban settings people interacting with their surroundings and scenes of absolute desolation. But our Gold winner stood out right from the beginning. Those rubbish bins have so much charm and character while also telling a powerful story about waste.” Photo: Euan Myles
6. Silver
Photographer Joseph Ford was awarded silver for his series entitled ‘Impossible Street Art’, a collaborative project which showcases the world street artists would create if there were no limits. Photo: Joseph Ford
7. Impossible Street Art
Speaking about his entry, Joseph Ford said: “My starting point was to imagine if street artists could work on any surface, not restricted by scale, accessibility, safety or rules. Locations included in the first release of Impossible Street Art include the heavily guarded Pantheon in Paris, England’s iconic Seven Sisters chalk cliffs and the centre strip of a Los Angeles freeway. I give collaborating artists large photographic prints of these locations, and they paint or draw on them, creating original, handmade artwork with no digital manipulation. I then re-photograph each artwork on an easel in the original location, creating a glimpse into a parallel universe where street artists have complete artistic freedom. These images are created for real, not with CGI or Photoshop.” Photo: JOSEPH FORD
8. On the road
Eleanor Church won silver in the Lifestyle category for her On the Road (+ Rails + Waves) collection. The above photo was taken at a charging point in Northern Spain. Photo: Eleanor Church