The Belfast Hills, consisting of Slievenacloy, Colin Glen, Divis and the Black Mountain, Ligoniel, Cave Hill and Carnmoney Hill  are iconic features of the city’s wider landscape shaping the skyline and playing a central role in community identities.

‘Hill Pictures’ documents the long-term conservation of the hills and our interaction with them. Collaborating with the Belfast Hills Partnership and the National Trust and its ranger team, Polly Garnett led five photographic workshops on Divis, Black Mountain and Cave Hill.

Three of these workshops provided young people—who had previously engaged with the Belfast Hills Partnership—the opportunity to document the hills through their own polaroid photography. Working alongside them and across the wider area,  Polly photographed these shared spaces, capturing moments of connection, exploration, emotion and conversation. Their polaroids and Polly’s images  come together in this exhibition, offering complementary perspectives on the landscape and the role young people play in its present and future.

Outside of these workshops, Polly walked the trails, spoke to local residents, documented the aftermath of wildfires and the planting of trees.

Artist Bio

Polly Garnett is a Belfast-based photographer, community artist, and educator. She works on long-term projects and commissions with a socially engaged and participatory approach, using photography as a tool for dialogue and creative expression. Alongside her freelance work, she facilitates arts and environmental education projects, encouraging children and young people to connect with their landscapes and histories in new ways. She is a member of the Women Photograph Database.

Visualising Natural Heritage of Northern Ireland: 

Visualising Northern Ireland’s Natural Heritage is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, five diverse photographers are collaborating with conservation groups and local communities across Northern Ireland to visualise our natural heritage, with a focus on Lough Neagh, peatland, marine areas, the wider Belfast Hills and temperate rainforests.

These new co-curated narratives and photographic works will feature in exhibitions and events in Belfast, throughout Northern Ireland and beyond. Belfast Photo Festival and its partners aim to foster creativity, build meaningful connections and generate lasting public engagement with societal impact to help protect the environment.