A WEST Devon photographer with an eye for an exotic shot with a human touch is to show off some of his most captivating images at The Wharf next month.

The venue is to host a portrait exhibition by travel photographer Tommy Hatwell titled Faces From Far Off Places from December 3 to December 28, with Tommy due to give a talk on December 10.

Photographs taken all over the world, including several extended trips to Uganda, are among those in the exhibition. A keen traveller, Tommy uses his smile as a universal ice breaker to amazing people, places and experiences.

‘From the moment my bags disappear towards my destination and I make my way through airport security the adventure begins,’ said Tommy. ‘The thought of what lies ahead is exciting, meeting new people, exploring new places with an empty memory card and capturing my experiences every step of the way keeps my fleeting attention span occupied.

‘The journey fuels the passion and that continues at home when sharing the journey and stories to people through my talks.’

It was during a trip to New Zealand that Tommy, from Milton Abbot, started to take still photography seriously.

‘Cameras have always been a part of my life but initially I worked a lot more with video, filming my adventure sports. In 2010 I travelled through New Zealand in my own little camper van and began taking more considered photos — terribly, at first.

‘But after a few months I took a job as a photographer on a whale and dolphin tour boat for the summer. Still images allowed me to capture a moment which could hold people’s attention, allowing them to wonder a little bit.

‘It was all uphill from there. Eight years later I’m finding my flow and creating some of my favourite images but I’m actually just as excited to be sharing my journey with others.’

Among the images is Night School, an evocative image capturing eight Ugandan children. The photograph was selected for a major international exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London last year, shortlisted from 5,717 submissions to be part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize.

‘To be shortlisted was fantastic. Some of my favourite photographers have made the walls of the National Portrait Gallery and I’m stoked to be part of it,’ said Tommy.

‘However, the true beauty of that picture for me is in the story of where, how and with who it was taken.’

The relationship between photographer and subject, like those Tommy has with the eight children featured in Night School, is at the heart of the exhibition, with each portrait having a story behind it. Tommy said that each portrait is ‘a window in time where you can connect to the subject while standing in my shoes’.

‘Everyone in the exhibition has a significant place along my journey, and each comes with a story. Some were made in minutes; others over years. The way I engage and interact honestly with each person is the key to the image working or not.

‘The portraits from Uganda have been taken across different extended trips so the familiarity certainly helps create bolder images. This comes down to the relationships I have built with each person and the trust we share and in return, offers some amazing opportunities you wouldn’t get on the fly.

‘Essentially the day to day interactions with people create the moments we make the photograph. I say we because it’s a relationship, between myself and the subject, a team effort, a balance of trust.

‘I generally feel the moment, introducing the camera to the equation after considering the environment and how I’d like the final image to look. There are interesting faces in every corner of the world but not all are part of my journey so it’s really the genuine moments, with a story, that I capture.’

For viewers of the exhibition, certain stories behind each photograph will move them differently. What about for Tommy?

‘One of my favourites is Brotherhood, the image of a young man called Karim painted into the Ugandan flag. It was a concept that inspired me a month before the trip. Through the help of a local artist and friend, Jaffer, this came to fruition on the final afternoon of my 2017 trip.

‘The flag represents the Ugandan people, the sunshine and the blood that connects all Africans. I wanted Karim to represent the future of Uganda.

‘The image These Girls came after one of the longest road trips, through epic landscapes, arriving into a pocket of the world that was full of friendly people and millions of apricots.

‘However, you will have to come to the talk for that story…’

The exhibition will be open daily at The Wharf from December 3 to December 28 between 10am and 4.30pm.