Chaps Choir Photography Project by Matt Veal
Chaps Choir member and professional photographer Matt Veal spent over two years taking pictures of the group on and off the stage, including a series of studio portraits. The resulting images explore the men in this group through their collectivism, individualism & relationship to singing.
In spring 2017 a composite image of Matt's portraits of the choir was included in the Calm Photography Project and displayed at the Getty Images Gallery, London.
All images below © Matt Veal
Introduction from Matt
'This project looks to explore the relationships between men in a non-competitive environment. Obviously performance is core to the choir’s activities. The focus of this study however is the broader sense of togetherness. I show how men react to each other, the camaraderie, relationships and how they feel about being in Chaps Choir. Above all else I wanted to capture and share the love of singing within the group and how singing together brings men a sense of belonging. What I found went far deeper than just friendships and togetherness, but a true sense of community. I became an observer of a group of varied and wonderfully diverse men who have singing in common. I realised that I was not only documenting a choir but studying the therapeutic effects of the group on the individual and the kinship that evolved from being united.' http://www.mattvealphotography.co.uk/
