A family is brought to near ruin by a pet python, an Icelandic advertising agency has a problem with a campaign involving a dead seagull, a Chiropodist desperately wants to stop examining people's feet and dreams of becoming a Pirate. In India, a shopping mall owner laments the instillation of a new escalator and in Spain there are several possible reasons for a broken plant pot..... These are just a few of the many situations from SPARKS, a book that imagines the stories behind original street photographs.
I've always tried to take photographs that hint at wider, hidden narratives. I'm more interested in suggestive moments than decisive ones. So SPARKS is a book of photographs taken over the past 20 years that now each have an accompanying story. As far as I know this is something that has never been done before.
None of the pictures in this book were staged but most of the stories are fictional, apart from the ones that are about me. And even then I've almost certainly exaggerated and taken liberties. The great American photographer Joel Sternfeld wrote that 'photography...has gained a currency as truthful but photographs have always been convincing lies'. That's what SPARKS aims to do, match photographs with convincing lies that compliment and, even possibly, explain the images.
I intend the book to appeal both to fans of photography and also to fiction readers in general. Hopefully it will introduce people who don't know much about street photography to the genre while simultaneously allowing aficionados to see how fiction can arise out of street photography.
All of the photographs in the book have been shot on film, both 35mm and medium format. The finished book will be produced to the very highest standards and be a real thing of beauty.
More information
Stephen Leslie
I'm an award winning screenwriter and film director from London.
My first short film, I WAS CATHERINE THE GREAT’S STABLE BOY, focused on bestiality and the Russian royal family. The most recent one, TO LEECH was a comedy about stupid men trying to solve an argument by dueling. Repeatedly.
I've worked for the BBC, Ch4, the BFI and Working Title, writing 15 original screenplays. One of these has been made in to a feature film and several more are currently in production.
As an antidote to the protracted and often frustrating world of British film making I started taking photographs. This rather rapidly became an obsession. I now never go anywhere without a camera and my photographs on Flickr have had over 2 and a half million views. Sparks is my first work of fiction.
To see more of Stephen's photography, featuring several more images that will feature in the book, visit his web-site www.stephenleslie.co.uk
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Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat etc etc...
Hello everyone
A couple of very quick updates, SPARKS seems to be selling well and it's also steadily getting a bit of press and reviews. It's been featured in the Guardian, I've been on the radio and doing some online interviews and thus far the reaction has been universally positive. Hooray! I even gave a copy to one of my all time photographic…
31st July 2018Hope you like the book and launch party reminder.....
Hello everyone
So by now, you should all have recieved your copy (or in some cases, copies) of SPARKS.
I really hope you enjoy the book and thanks so much for the positive feedback I've had so far. It's very exciting finally getting the work out there and proving to people that crowd-funding can work!
For those of you who also pledged for prints, these will go out very soon. Apologies…
23rd October 2017Hello - Some News
Hello!
I'm aware that Unbound have been sending out their own updates and I'm very wary about bombarding you with too much information but, then again, a few people have said 'WHEN IS THE BOOK COMING OUT???' repeatedly and so I thought it might be worth telling you where things stand, book wise.
Currently, we are deep in to design and layout. The text has been edited and honed but now we're…
21st March 2017SPARKS LIVE EVENT!
Hello there
So the book is now slowly being edited, designed and generally whipped in to shape by a small army of dedicated specialists but while all that is going on, I have inexplicably agreed to take part in a local arts festival here in South East London.
On Wednesday the 5th of April at 7:45pm, myself and a number of actors will be performing some of the stories from the book. This…
8th February 201785% !!!!
Hello everyone
Shout hallelujah and rejoice heartily, SPARKS is now 85% funded! Thank you so much to everyone who has helped get the book this far. I think I can confidentally beleive that it will get there now and, maybe, that we've even rounded the final corner and have entered the home straight.....
I'm going to carry on promoting and pushing the campaign as much as I can (stuck for something…
17th January 201770% - Hooray, have a story......
In order to celebrate reaching the lofty and significant heights of 70% (actually now 71%) funded, here's a new photograph and story. Hope you enjoy them.
All the best
Stephen
She has no idea what's going on behind her. That is not to say she is unaware of the two giant, fibre-glass whale tails shadowing her every step. She knows they're there but rather she is ignorant of the dynamic…
30th December 2016Happy New Year and thanks!
I'd just like to say a huge thank you to everybody who has got involved and helped out with SPARKS so far this year and wish you all a very happy and succesful 2017.
I'll be doing everything I can to help get the book up to 100% as speedily as possible, I'm doing more talks (if you happen to be in Norwich in March then you can come and see me at this :
http://www.wexphotographic.com/?%2fevents…
5th December 2016Some recent press and Christmas gift cards.
Hello everyone
SPARKS has had quite a bit of publicity recently:
It's been in Time Out - http://www.timeout.com/london/blog/a-photographer-is-crowdfunding-to-turn-his-witty-images-of-london-into-a-book-112516
In Huck Magazine - http://www.huckmagazine.com/art-and-culture/photography-2/bringing-street-photography-life-creating-fiction-photos/
and in Dutch Photography magazine GUP - http…
26th November 2016Black Friday Weekend Offer - Get a Free Print!!!
Hello there
For the weekend of Novemeber 26th - 27th only, I am offering a free, signed 7 x 5 print from SPARKS to anyone who pledges before midnight (GMT) on Sunday 27th.
Just make a pledge as normal, I'll see your name and then be in touch to work out what print you'd like.
What an amazing offer, why not do it now and then have a quick lie down to recover?
All the best
Stephen
9th November 2016COMPETITION TIME! YOU COULD WIN FREE STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello,
To celebrate SPARKS reaching the 50% funded landmark, I'm holding another competition.
Last time I gave away an Olumpus XA2 camera and a signed print (congratulations Nicky & Dan Bentham), this time I'm giving away an absolutely fantastic, classic photography book - A DAY OFF by Tony Ray Jones.
If you're a fan of street photography then you'll know all about this beautiful…
3rd October 2016A forthcoming talk
Hello all
Just wanted to let you all know that if you're in London next week I'm giving a talk about SPARKS at Photo Forum at the Printspace in Shoreditch.
The talk is on Tuesday, October 11th and starts at 7:30pm. Entry is free but on a first come first served basis, also talking that night will be the fantastic Nick Turpin, founder of IN-PUBLiC, who's got a great new book out with Hoxton Mini…
13th September 2016A new article and a brand new story.....
Hello all
Just wanted to show you this link to a very popular photography blog by Eric Kim.
He's done a big interview with me about the book and at the end there's one of my favourite stories from the book about a balloon seller who's thinking about getting a vasectomy because he hates children so much.
To celebrate SPARKS now being 21% funded (but still, crucially needing another 79%) I am (kind of) giving away a classic, cult OLYMPUS XA2 camera, complete with flash unit, box, instructions and even it's original lanyard! And, as if that wasn't enough, I'm also including a limited edition, 12 x 10 print from the book!
"Holy cow Stephen", I hear you say "What do we have to do to win this amazing…
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Hi Frances, Thanks for getting in touch and of course for supporting one of our projects. The best way to check which books you have supported over in your account here: https://unbound.com/account. Best wishes, Unbound Support