 | | Portrait: Dan Lyons |
Dan Lyons is a professional photographer working from a studio in the Hyde Park area of Leeds. His main business consists of weddings and studio portraits, but the photography that really excites him is social documentary and Fine Art:
"At the moment I am working on an extended social document of Brendan Ingle's Gym in Wincobank, Sheffield. For the last two years I have been visiting the gym and photographing Brendan and his boxers training and preparing for their fights.
I am interested in the minutiae of everyday life in the gym away from the glare of the television cameras. I hope to create a coherent intimate view of the life at the gym concentrating on the unique atmosphere and the relationships between Brendan and his boxers.
In order to create a narrative thread I have concentrated on four of the up and coming stars from the gym, Junior Witter, Esham Pickering, Nadeem 'Golden Boy Sid' Siddique, and Donovan Smilie. As well as documenting life at the gym I also record their fights, concentrating on the preparations in the dressing rooms. Boxing has a reputation for being a violent sport and at times it undoubtedly it is, but what has interested me is the high level of discipline and dedication required in order for these young boxers to make the grade.
The atmosphere in the gym is intimate and friendly with a strong emphasis on the emotional and psychological qualities required for success. Because of the apparently casual atmosphere it is difficult to discern from observation alone what the working method is and how it works.
Sometimes Brendan reminds me of a Zen master as he directs, suggests and provokes. He appears to take as much notice of the many children who train there as he does of the World champions. Part of the unique atmosphere comes from the way Brendan trains both amateurs and professionals simultaneously, a practice that has caused problems with the boxing authorities in the past.
Ultimately this project will be a portrait of Brendan, a fellow Dubliner of humble origins, who through his natural intelligence, combined with grit and determination, has created one of the most successful boxing gyms in the World."
Dan is hoping to get his photographs of Brendan's gym, published in a book, but you can take a look at some of Dan's great photos of life in and out of the ring, click on the link at the top of the page.
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