Frank Day's 'RV Night'

Taking my day off to sample some culture with my beautiful girlfriend, and to appease both our tastes for said culture. We took the decision to go to Somerset House, London and go to the exhibition which complements the 2011 Sony World Photography Competition.  Paying our £10 entrance fee, we do wonder if we this over the top price will be sufficient for an exhibition of photographs.

How wrong I was to short change the exhibition, I would pay £10 again each and every time to see some of the work on display.  Covering all manner of subjects from Thailand glow lamps to feasting ants; to the world's fattest man competition to the gruesome result of gunshot wounds in Latin America, the show took my breathe away.  Of course, such an exhibition garners discussion and you voice your disapproval at some of the results - for one, I was disappointed at the sport category, The World's Fattest Man Competition, from Ethiopia, shows how men dine on cow's blood and milk to bulk themselves up, with the fattest man being declared the winner.  This was first place in the sport category, beating the work of Javier Arcenillas who did some great work looking at Cuban boxers.  A more justifiable and worthy winner in my opinion.

However, I would like to focus upon the portfolio of one Frank Hallam Day who posted some work entitled 'RV Night'.  Just one word, two letters, two syllables but a piece of work that is both quirky, intelligent and entertaining.

Sometimes when you approach photography, I take the view that it should offer a lot more than just a certain view of events it depicts; it should make you think, make you discuss connotations and what is the photographer trying to say.

Day depicts RV's (recreational vehicles) most common in America as they rest at night.  Day travelled a lot in Florida and other southern states to photo nature or greenland of these lands with RV's parked for the night whilst their owners lay inside watching the TV.  Day comments that he took the photos without the owners knowledge, which makes it feel a little bit more dirty and voyeuristic as if you are prying on something you should not see - a secret view that you are especially granted access to.

The RV's when pictured are sometimes hidden by foliage and trees (rarely are they in full view), so this clash of man's technology resting amongst mother nature gives a version of science-fiction, the vehicles look like sleeping transformers and the added significance of their jungle names, 'Cougar', 'Jaguar', 'Puma' give it added connotations.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the pictures are and how much of an indelible impression they have left on me, but perhaps that is the beauty.  One picture will affect you a lot more than another, I feel it is only right that you share this passion for someone's work with others.  I hope my kind words will make you do the same, and whilst there is a few weeks left please do go and see the exhibition at Somerset House.