There's a quote in the press release for Sophie Green's forthcoming exhibition that will resonate with any photographer who's been told their work is a bit much. A friend, she recalls, once described her aesthetic as looking like "a kid who ate loads of Skittles and vomited them back up". Her response: "It's the best compliment I've ever received."

That chromatic fearlessness is immediately evident in the images Green has shared ahead of Tangerine Dreams: Rituals of Belonging in Contemporary British Life, which opens at the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol this summer.

There's a racegoer at Ascot with a miniature horse paddock, complete with white fencing and model horses, built into the brim of her hat. There are twin boys at a horse fair, slicked back hair and Polo shirts, almost mirror images of each other. There's an Irish dancer's crystal-encrusted collar catching the sun at the Kent Championships. All of it shot on film; all of it saturated and alive.

This is all the result of spending more than a decade embedded in communities that rarely receive documentary treatment without a trace of condescension: banger racers, traveller families, modified car enthusiasts, dog show devotees, church congregations. Her engagement with the banger racing world alone spans 11 years. She doesn't turn up, shoot and leave; she comes back again and again, until people stop performing for the camera and simply live.

The Martin Parr connection

The exhibition carries an additional layer of meaning from its venue. The Martin Parr Foundation, which supports photographers working in Britain and Ireland, holds Parr's archive following his death in 2025. Green had a close working relationship with him in his final years, inviting him to review her archive in 2024 as she prepared this very project.

Parr's enthusiasm was particularly strong for her five-and-a-half-year series on life and death rituals across Britain's multicultural communities; he noted the near-total absence of funeral photography from our visual culture and urged her to keep going. "Shoot more," he told her.

Green was subsequently invited to document Parr's own funeral. Those photographs will be shown alongside Tangerine Dreams in a vitrine display, making this exhibition both a debut and a tribute.

What photographers can learn

Green's practice is a useful counterpoint to the increasingly rapid churn of documentary photography. In an era when a project can feel complete after a single weekend's shooting and a well-curated Instagram grid, she's spent years building trust with people who've every reason to be wary of cameras. The banger racing crowd, traveler communities, Afro-Caribbean church congregations she's photographed since 2018: these are communities that have often been misrepresented, reduced to cliché or simply ignored.

Her technical approach is equally considered. The images have the warm, slightly unpredictable quality of medium-format film, all grain and tonal richness. Color here isn't just a stylistic choice; it's almost an ethical position. To photograph Britain's margins with the same chromatic generosity usually reserved for fashion shoots is its own kind of manifesto.

She's also clear-eyed about the stakes. Council restrictions, gentrification and prejudice are eroding the spaces many of these communities depend on. Photography can't stop that, but it can leave a record. "Gatherings that persist in spite of these pressures," she says, "become acts of cultural resistance."

Tangerine Dreams was self-published as a photobook in 2025 and sold out within a week. A second edition will be released to coincide with the exhibition. If you missed the first run, don't make the same mistake twice.

Tangerine Dreams: Rituals of Belonging in Contemporary British Life is at the Martin Parr Foundation, 316 Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AR, UK, from June 4 to September 6, 2026. Entry is free. An artist talk and book signing takes place on June 17. Gallery opening times: Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm; Monday to Wednesday, open on request.

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There's a photograph in Martin Parr's final commission that's almost unbearably him. A single potato, lumpy and unremarkable, sits on a decorative paper plate beneath a pink card reading "FIRST PRIZE". The exhibitor's name: Anthony Edwards. The event: the Lacock Garden and Allotment Association Annual Flower Show. The photographer: the man who, for half a century, understood better than anyone that this – all of this – is what Britain actually looks like.

The National Trust opens Lacock by Martin Parr at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire on 27 June, running for a full year. It's his last major commission, developed with Magnum Photos and the Martin Parr Foundation, and it has a significance that goes well beyond the work itself: Parr, who died in December aged 73, shot it at the birthplace of photography.

Closing the circle

Lacock Abbey was home to William Henry Fox Talbot, the pioneer who invented the photographic negative in the 1830s. That Parr's final body of work was made here, in the very place where the medium he devoted his life to was born, is the kind of symmetry even he might have found a little on the nose.

He had history with the village. In the 1980s, Parr photographed Lacock as part of the process that led to his breakthrough style, before The Last Resort made him famous. Returning in 2025, with his health failing, he did what he always did. Turned up, started paying attention and found something fascinating.

The results include a horse-headed scarecrow slumped in a folding chair beside a wet road, a man in full Union Jack regalia running a "Pick a Lolly" stall at a VE Day celebration, and that glorious prize-winning potato. In other words: classic Parr, every frame of it.

What these images actually are

It's tempting to look at pictures like these and assume they're easy to take. They're not. The scarecrow photograph in particular is a study in restraint: the figure is positioned just off-centre, the wet road recedes into the trees, the whole thing reads as slightly mournful and very funny simultaneously. That balance, between affection and absurdity, requires both patience and an extremely particular way of seeing.

The flower show image, meanwhile, works for different reasons. The prize card does most of the heavy lifting, and Parr knows it. He frames the potato and card together so they form a single composition, the vegetable's imperfections rhyming with the slightly smudged handwriting of the exhibitor's name. It's a two-element photograph that says everything it needs to.

For readers of this website, the lesson may be familiar, but it's worth repeating. Parr didn't need exotic locations, extreme weather or unusual access. He needed a village fete, a scarecrow trail and a VE Day street party; events happening all over Britain every summer. The difference was simply that he went, and looked properly.

Why this exhibition matters

Curator Dr Andy Cochrane describes the project as Parr's "gift to us all", which is the right way to frame it. Susie Parr, his widow, writes in the accompanying book that looking through these images is "bittersweet", noting that her husband made them "when his health was failing so dramatically". That context inevitably colors how you see them, yet the work itself is free of sentimentality. The potato doesn't care. The scarecrow is still funny.

The exhibition runs alongside a short film about the project and an accompanying book with a foreword by Susie Parr. Both are worth your attention. Parr always said he made serious photographs disguised as entertainment. These final images prove he was still doing it right up until the end, at the place where it all began.

Lacock by Martin Parr opens at the Fox Talbot Museum at Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire, UK, on June 27 2026 and runs until June 27 2027. Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock for further information.

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Martin Parr, who died last December aged 73, was best known for his highly saturated color work. But before The Last Resort brought him to fame in 1986, he'd spent years mastering black-and-white photography with the same forensic eye and wry humour.

Now a new exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery in London, England, reveals exactly what that looked like.

The show centers around his final major black-and-white project, shot in rural Ireland in the early 1980s. A Fair Day, running from February 06 to April 19 2026, shows work that Parr himself felt had been overshadowed by his later projects.

Poignantly, he'd been planning this exhibition with the gallery throughout 2025 – believing that these images spoke to contemporary debates around community and social change. Now, posthumously, they offer us a chance to study the craft foundations that underpinned his career.

Technical shift

Here, working in rural communities during 'fair days' (gatherings for trade, entertainment and religious observance), Parr deployed patience and a keen eye, rather than the confrontational intimacy of his later macro work.

These are silver gelatin prints, now extremely rare, showing traditional darkroom craft. The tonal range, composition and timing reveal a photographer who'd thoroughly mastered classical documentary technique before later choosing to abandon it for something more provocative.

The photographs document Ireland in transition: cattle trading and horse fairs alongside abandoned Morris Minors and partygoers in 1980s fashion. At first glance, these scenes appear timeless. But look closer and you spot plastic cups at holy wells, TV aerials creeping into pastoral scenes.

This was exactly the kind of detail-oriented observation that would later define Parr's color work, yet rendered with the subtlety that monochrome affords. The conclusion is striking: Parr's eye for the telling detail, the gap between tradition and modernity, the absurdity hiding in plain sight; all this existed before the color and flash made it unmissable.

Avoiding clichés

Even in monochrome, Parr's images avoid the romantic clichés into which documentary photography about rural Ireland easily falls. The exhibition text notes his "characteristic wit ensured the images avoided cliché."

That wit – the slight distance, the eye for contradiction, the refusal to sentimentalize – would become more obvious in the color work, but it's fully present here in more subtle form.

For photographers working in black-and-white today, these images offer a template for how to be affectionate without being reverential, observant without being voyeuristic, documentary without being didactic.

With the complete arc of his career now visible, these shots reveal how much his approach was consistent across technical changes. The same eye that saw plastic cups at holy wells in 1982 would see Union Jack deckchairs on littered beaches in 1984. The medium changed. The seeing didn't.

Coinciding with Global Warming, a retrospective with a broader sweep running right now in France, A Fair Day offers an enticing chance to see a master's apprentice work, made when he still had something to prove.

These photographs remind us that before Martin Parr changed documentary photography, he had to learn how to do it the traditional way first. He just did it better than most.

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Martin Parr, one of Britain's most acclaimed documentary photographers, died on December 06 aged 73 – just weeks before a major retrospective was due to open at the Jeu de Paume in Paris, France. The exhibition, Global Warning, running from January 30 to May 24, 2026, was planned in collaboration with Parr himself.

Its premise is both simple and devastating: for five decades, while documenting tourists and consumers with his characteristic saturated flash, Parr was actually capturing the causes of climate breakdown – even though nobody was explicitly framing it that way.

This isn't, then, a photographer pivoting to environmental activism in his final years. It's a recontextualisation of work that was always there, hiding in plain sight behind the humor and garish colors.

Accidental environmentalist

Running at the same time as The Last Resort exhibition in Bristol, England, the new Paris show brings together around 180 works spanning from the late 1970s to recent years.

It's organized into five sections: beaches transformed by mass leisure, consumerism as religion, global tourism's contradictions, humans' relationship with animals, and technological addiction.

Recurring motifs emerge (waste, cars, fossil fuel consumption, overconsumption) that viewers might have noticed, but never considered as a coherent environmental record.

Working with Parr before his death, the thesis of curator Quentin Bajac was that every time the former photographed a littered beach, a traffic jam of tourists or someone photographing their food, he was actually documenting the climate catastrophe in progress.

In other words, he wasn't just documenting quirky tourist behaviour. He was creating a visual database of how mass mobility, enabled by cheap flights and fossil fuels, was reshaping both destinations and visitors. The work doubles as both social satire and carbon footprint visualization.

Importantly, none of this was ever lecturing or self-important. Parr never positioned himself as intellectually or environmentally superior to his subjects. In 2022, he acknowledged: "We're heading for catastrophe, but we're all heading there together."

He freely admitted his own substantial carbon footprint and never adopted the preachy tone that makes so much environmental photography difficult to digest.

Changing times, changing meaning

This idea of reinterpreting photography decades on might seem strange or controversial, but it certainly does make you stop and think. A 1997 Parr image of a globe-shaped beach ball on sand in Benidorm was, at the time, a witty observation about packaged leisure. In 2026, we see our planet itself being treated as a disposable toy.

The photograph hasn't changed; we have.

For photographers thinking about long-term projects, it's all very instructive. Parr shot what interested him (the gap between aspiration and reality, the absurdities of modern life) and the work has proved durable enough to support multiple interpretations as society's concerns evolved.

That close-up of sticky fingers holding ice cream isn't just about food; it's about immediate gratification and disposability. Tourists photographing the Mona Lisa on phones isn't just about technology it's about experience mediated and commodified. The packed indoor beach in Japan isn't just surreal; it's about artificial environments replacing natural ones.

What photographers can take from this

The exhibition arrives when photography is expected to be "addressing" climate change. But that needn't necessarily mean defaulting to melting glaciers and polar bears. Parr's approach suggests that shooting people with shopping trolleys might ultimately prove more effective documentation of the problem.

His 2021 statement applies perfectly to this exhibition's thesis: "I create entertainment that contains a serious message if you want to read it, but I'm not trying to convince anyone – I simply show what people already think they know."

Global Warning proves he was showing us what we didn't know we knew: that we were documenting our own environmental collapse, one holiday snap at a time. And he did it with a flash, a macro lens and a willingness to look closely at what everyone else preferred to ignore.

Martin Parr: Global Warning runs at Jeu de Paume, Paris, France, from January 30 to May 24. Entry €14 ($16 / £12 / AU$24) or €7.50 ($8.75 / £6.50 / AU$13) for under-25s during the week.

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It's been almost a month since documentary photographer Martin Parr left us. He spent over 50 years capturing everyday British life with saturated colors and a satirical eye, and leaves behind an enormous body of work. But Parr knew which photographs mattered most.

When asked about his legacy, he said that when he reached the Pearly Gates, The Last Resort – his breakthrough series from 1986, capturing working-class holidaymakers at a rundown seaside resort – would be the first he'd pull out. Now, following his death, his eponymous Foundation is doing exactly that; putting those pictures front and center in a new exhibition.

Color heretic

This show isn't just a memorial, though. Opening at the Martin Parr Foundation in February. It's a reminder of how radically one man changed what documentary photography could be... and how long it took for the establishment to catch up.

His technical choices alone were revolutionary. Parr used a Plaubel Makina W67 medium-format film camera to shoot The Last Resort, and chose to work in color when "serious" documentary photographers still worked in black and white. In the context of the time, this wasn't just an aesthetic decision; it was practically heretical.

The new exhibition will display that very camera alongside contact sheets and ephemera, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the working methods behind images that have influenced thousands. But the real controversy wasn't about color film. It was about class, who deserved to be photographed, and how.

In 1983, having recently moved to the Merseyside town of Wallasey with his wife Susie, Parr started cycling the couple of miles to New Brighton, a Victorian seaside resort that had fallen on hard times. Where others might have documented decline with "sympathetic" monochrome, Parr deployed ring flash and saturated color to capture working-class holidaymakers eating chips, sunbathing on concrete, and making the best of things in Thatcher's Britain.

The series featured highly saturated shots of beachgoers lit by lurid flash. The aesthetic borrowed from commercial photography and garish postcards; exactly the sort of visual language that "serious" photographers dismissed as vulgar.

And when The Last Resort opened at London's Serpentine Gallery, critics were vicious. He was accused of being cruel, voyeuristic, patronising; a view that some people still hold to this very day. Yet Parr's response was characteristically blunt: "Why shoot the messenger?"

What critics missed

Susie Parr's recollection is telling: "When the show opened at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool in the winter of 1985, guests dressed appropriately, with rain hats, swimming costumes, lilos and Pac-a-Macs," she says. "No one batted an eyelid at the images: that was what New Brighton was like." In other words, while middle-class critics saw condescension, the working-class people of Liverpool simply saw themselves. Were the former, one wonders, in fact projecting their own class prejudice onto the pictures?

For photographers, there's a lesson here about seeing versus judging. Parr's macro lens put his subjects under the microscope, but my view is that he wasn't dissecting them; he was getting close enough to see them clearly. The resulting images may feel uncomfortable to some, precisely because they're honest; capturing people in unguarded moments without the flattering distance that "respectful" photography often maintains.

Today, when every documentary photographer works in color and intimate, flash-lit observations of everyday life have become commonplace, it's easy to forget how radical this approach once was. The exhibition's archival materials, including some of the postcards by Tony Ray-Jones and John Hinde's that influenced Parr, will help today's photographers understand the visual grammar he was building from.

Fitting tribute

The Last Resort wasn't about poverty tourism or class condescension. It was about British resilience, about finding joy in imperfect circumstances, about the gap between the mythology of a traditional seaside holiday and the reality of concrete and litter. Parr found that gap fascinating, not contemptible.

And for Susie Parr today, the new exhibition is all a fitting tribute. "I do hope that as many people as possible will come to see the show," she says. "It's the best possible way we could open up again; truly a celebration of the extraordinary, the one-off Martin Parr."

The Last Resort opens at Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol, UK, from February 20 – May 24, 2026. Entry is free.

I've just heard the news, and it's hit me hard. Martin Parr, the photographer who made a career out of documenting Britain's working-class holidays, village fetes and supermarket queues in gloriously oversaturated colour, died at his home in Bristol on Saturday. He was 73.

I won't lie, we're all in shock. My editor Chris George saw him only a few weeks ago, at a talk at his Foundation in Bristol. I chatted with him as recently as August, at Green Man Festival in Wales, following a screening of his documentary, I Am Martin Parr. I'd always been a fan, but watching that film (which I'd highly recommend), then meeting the man himself, was a revelation.

Because here's the thing about Martin Parr that people often missed: he genuinely loved the people he photographed.

Who he really was

Some critics called Parr a sneering class tourist, accused him of mocking his working-class subjects. But in the flesh he was the exact opposite: a quiet-looking man wandering among with his camera, chatting to everyone in a genuine and empathetic way. He approached them and his work with curiosity and, crucially, a schoolboy-like sense of fun.

Even when tackling serious subjects like class and consumption, there was joy in his process. He was never afraid to find things amusing, to celebrate eccentricity, to empathise with people, to smile at the beautiful absurdity of life.

Born in Surrey in 1952, Parr was inspired by his grandfather, a keen amateur photographer, and knew by his teens that he'd found his calling. After studying at Manchester Polytechnic, he spent time shooting at Butlin's holiday camps, where he discovered the highly saturated, nostalgic postcards by John Hinde that would shape his later work. That aesthetic – bright, almost garish colour that mimicked 1950s holiday snaps – became his signature style.

His breakthrough came in 1986 with his series The Last Resort: Photographs of New Brighton. Over three summers, he documented working-class holidaymakers in Merseyside, capturing sunburnt flesh, fish and chip wrappers, crying children and fairground rides. It's kind of weird to think of it now, but the reaction was explosive.

Middle-class people from London and the south of England – the kind that frequented photography exhibitions, at least – weren't generally used to seeing the reality of northern seaside towns: the litter, the rundown amenities, the unvarnished ordinariness. Some accused him of creating the ugliness he photographed, as if wielding a camera somehow made him responsible for regional economic decline.

But Parr was simply showing things as they were. "I make serious photographs disguised as entertainment," he said. It was his mantra, and it perfectly captured his approach; using humour and colour to smuggle in social commentary.

While The Last Resort focused on working-class life, he turned his lens on the middle classes with The Cost of Living in 1989. Garden parties, shopping trips, public school open days; all received the same unflinching treatment. In 1992, he even spent time photographing the residents of the Chew Valley, a part of rural Somerset where I lived as a teenager. And believe me, his pictures captured the incendiary social relations between locals and incomers there quite brilliantly.

His work was controversial enough that legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson opposed his admission to the Magnum Photos agency, saying he seemed to come from another planet. Parr famously replied: "I understand how you feel, but why shoot the messenger?" Justice was served when he was accepted by a single vote in 1994. Parr went on to serve as Magnum's president from 2013 to 2017, helping modernize the prestigious agency.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Parr's scope became more international. Small World critiqued mass tourism, while Common Sense examined global consumerism. He published over 100 books and co-authored the influential The Photobook: A History series with Gerry Badger, helping elevate the photobook form. His work was collected by MoMA, the Tate and the Centre Pompidou. In 2021, he received a CBE for his services to photography.

But Parr was more than just a photographer; he was a tireless champion of the medium itself. In 2017, he opened the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol, which houses his archive today and regularly exhibits work by other photographers. He was an obsessive collector of photobooks and photo ephemera, eventually selling his 12,000-strong book collection to the Tate. He curated festivals, published others' work, and mentored younger photographers.

He kept working right up until the end. His latest book, Utterly Lazy and Inattentive (titled after a French teacher's damning school report when he was 14) came out this year as an autobiographical collection, pairing his photographs with wry commentary. The Martin Parr Foundation and Magnum Photos will work together to preserve his legacy.

But his real legacy is already secure: he changed how we see ourselves. Parr made documentary photography bright, funny, accessible and deeply human. And he showed generations of photographers that you don't need to travel to war zones or disaster sites to create important work. You can just go outside, start paying attention to what ordinary people are doing, and you'll probably stumble on to something fascinating.

We'll all miss him terribly.

See also: Martin Parr in his own words

When Martin Parr was 14, a teacher described him in a school report as "utterly lazy and inattentive." The assessment couldn’t have been more wrong, or, perhaps, more telling.

That same year, Parr made a quiet and absolute decision; he would become a photographer. "It’s what I will do for the rest of my life, until I drop dead," he writes. "I knew when I was very young. It was a definite decision. Don’t ask me why. I just knew it was the right thing."

Now, decades into one of the most distinctive and provocative careers in contemporary photography, Parr is telling his story for the first and only time. Utterly Lazy and Inattentive: Martin Parr in Words and Pictures is a richly illustrated autobiography, pairing over 150 photographs with personal reflections that trace his journey from a camera-obsessed schoolboy to a global name in documentary photography.

For the uninitiated, Martin Parr is perhaps best known for his color-saturated, sharply ironic portraits of everyday life. British holidaymakers on windswept beaches, plastic trays of food, crowded queues, and the peculiar rituals of modern consumer culture.

When his bold visual style burst onto the scene in the 1980s, particularly through his now-iconic series on British seaside resorts, it scandalised the photography establishment. Over time, though, his work has come to be celebrated not only for its wit and subversiveness but for its unflinching attention to detail and society’s quiet absurdities.

The book, co-authored with his longtime friend, writer Wendy Jones, offers far more than a curated greatest hits. It’s a personal chronicle told in Parr’s distinctive voice; intimate, dryly funny, and self-aware. We meet the boy who obsessively collected train numbers and found beauty in the banal, and we follow him through a career that spans from documenting the last days of steam engines to capturing the first McDonald’s opening in Moscow, and more recently, the changing face of public life in the post-pandemic era.

Parr also pulls back the curtain and unveils how he works. From navigating tricky commissions and building trust with subjects to what really draws his lens – crowds, placards, eccentric fashion, bad weather, and the chaos of everyday life. The result is not just the story of a photographer, but a portrait of modern life seen through his eyes.

Utterly Lazy and Inattentive: Martin Parr in Words and Pictures is published by Particular Books (a Penguin imprint) and is scheduled for a UK release early September, priced at £30. According to The Bookseller, Penguin triumphed in a "hotly contested" seven-publisher for the rights to the autobiography.

In the US, the book will be published by Rizzoli, and will go on sale in February next year for $60.

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Magnum Photos, the legendary photography agency renowned for its expertise in visual storytelling, has become the subject of a new graphic novel. Magnum Generation(s), now on Kickstarter, explores the agency’s origins through a compelling blend of illustration and archival imagery.

Published by Caurette, in close association with Magnum, it spans 248 pages, weaving together a 185-page narrative that follows the agency’s founders – Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, Henri Cartier-Bresson, David 'Chim' Seymour and George Rodger – as they document the Spanish Civil War and the world on the brink of transformation.

These early encounters with conflict and conviction laid the groundwork for what Magnum would become: a cooperative rooted in independence, truth-telling, and shared ideals.

The book also includes a 73-image portfolio, with one photograph from each Magnum photographer. From Capa’s iconic image of a dying soldier in 1936 to Emin Özmen’s 2022 photo of children playing atop a flooded mosque in Turkey, the collection draws a quiet, consistent thread across generations; one shaped by proximity to history and the human experience.

A final essay by photography historian Clara Bouveresse reflects on Magnum’s evolution, including its internal debates and contradictions. It’s an honest look at the agency’s ongoing efforts to define what it means to bear witness in a changing world.

Originally published in French in 2022 to critical acclaim, Magnum Generation(s) is now being released in English for the first time. It offers not only a fresh way to engage with Magnum’s legacy, but also a lens through which to reflect on the purpose of photojournalism today.

You can back Generation(s) on Kickstarter now from €30 (approximately $33 / £25 / AU$52).

Note: As with all crowdfunding projects, there is no guarantee that the final product will match the early depictions in the campaign – or that the final product will be completed or delivered at all. DCW does not endorse this or any other crowdfunding campaign.

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Update - the I am Martin Parr movie is being shown on BBC Four tonight - September 1, 2025 at 9pm. The 65-minute documentary will also be repeated on BBC 4 on September 2 at 02.05am, and on Friday September 5 at 01:55am.

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Original story - January 25, 2025 - Next month a new documentary, I Am Martin Parr, will bring audiences closer to one of the most influential and controversial figures in contemporary photography.

Directed by Lee Shulman, the film presents an intimate road trip through England with Martin Parr, revisiting pivotal locations in his career and uncovering the stories behind his iconic images. Set for theatrical release in the UK and Ireland on February 21 2025, the film dives into the life of this celebrated Magnum photographer, whose bold, satirical, and often divisive work has reshaped contemporary photography.

ABOVE: The official trailer for I Am Martin Parr

Since the Seventies, Martin Parr has held up a mirror to British life with a style that blends humor, irony and acute social critique. From the garishly saturated tones of The Last Resort to his critical explorations of consumerism and class, Parr’s images are unforgettable. But this unique perspective hasn’t come without controversy.

His use of vibrant, almost abrasive color, once only reserved for advertising, combined with his unflinching look at working-class life initially drew sharp criticism. To some, it was an attack on the people he photographed; to others, it was a celebration of life’s absurdities. Over time, his work has come to define a distinctly British aesthetic, and his visual language is now studied and celebrated worldwide.

I Am Martin Parr revisits these debates while offering a deeply personal portrait of the man behind the lens. Featuring exclusive archival footage and interviews with close family, artists and collaborators, such as Grayson Perry and Mark Bedford, the film provides insights into Parr’s life, career, and impact on contemporary photography.

From his early days in Bristol, home to the fantastic Martin Parr Foundation, to the seaside resort of New Brighton, where he revisits The Last Resort 40 years later, the documentary retraces key moments in his journey.

"He is something of an enigma," says director Lee Shulman. "He works totally outside the constraints of the photographic world and is an eternal rebel and outsider. He is his own master and his influence is undeniable. No one I have ever met is quite like Martin. His interest in the human condition is insatiable!"

Having seen the trailer, I’m excited to explore more about Martin Parr’s life and photographic philosophy. The film promises an in-depth look at a photographer who has long divided opinion with his work. Parr’s unique style, marked by saturated colors and an unparalleled sense of timing, took me some time to fully embrace.

Initially I struggled with the harsh elements of his work, but over time I began to see the beauty he uncovers in those spaces. His early black-and-white work immediately resonated with me, but the stark shift to his bold color palette and unflinching commentary took some adjusting.

What I’ve come to appreciate most about Parr is that his style isn’t just about bright colors or humorous juxtapositions, it’s about a deeply observant and surprisingly empathetic approach to his subjects. His images feel connected, not detached, offering moments of humor and critique without losing sight of humanity. This film seems to provide an even deeper understanding of his approach and philosophy, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Parr or someone encountering his work for the first time, I Am Martin Parr should be a thought-provoking exploration of a photographer who challenges us to find beauty in the mundane and absurd.

The film opens in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 21 February 2025. Visit the site for more information, including the Q&A events in London, Bristol and Clevedon.

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Australian photographer Trent Parke will exhibit his incredible new work Monument in its European premiere next month at the Martin Parr Foundation in the UK.

Organized as part of the Bristol Photo Festival's 2024 program, Monument brings together 25 years of capturing unique street images in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia, "creating a portal through which we witness the disintegration of the universe".

Last year Monument was published in an exceptional photography book by Stanley/Barker, transforming the huge body of work into a single narrative that has been one of my photography highlights of the year. As with all Stanley / Barker titles, Monument transports the viewer into the world the photographer created, and the exhibition will no doubt follow suit.

Trent Parke moved to Sydney from a smaller farming town and was struck by the sheer amount of people, and sought to photograph them at any opportunity. As an observer of the hustle and bustle of city life, Parke captured workers on their daily commute, in the rush hour traffic where people are between worlds.

Parke became fascinated with chasing the light when shooting in the street, leading to exceptionally beautiful and at times otherworldly black-and-white images. In addition to street scenes, Monument depicts other detailed shots that lend themselves perfectly to the narrative that Parke weaves through the book.

"At night I would watch the eclipse of moths, millions of them constantly circling the lights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge," says Parke, speaking on Monument.

"At the same time, on my balcony, a miniature performance played out around the light above my head. The moths inevitably and without resistance were drawn to their ultimate demise. Spiralling out of control, like small space-ships caught in a tractor beam."

Monument by Trent Parke explores themes of identity, place, and community and demands to be viewed in person which you can do from October 3 to December 22, 2024, at the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol, UK.

Although the first and second editions sold out in record time, the final edition of the book Monument by Trent Parke is still available from Stanley / Barker – a must-have for any photography book aficionados' shelf.

British photographer Martin Parr is, it's fair to say, one of the most influential documentary photographers of our time. Having spent the last half-century carving out a reputation for his candid and often humorous depictions of everyday life, his work is characterized by its focus on ordinary people and their surroundings – often in suburban or working-class environments. 

Parr has an uncanny knack for capturing the quirks, contradictions and idiosyncrasies of human behavior, presenting a sometimes satirical but always honest view of society. A Magnum member since 1994, he's published more than 40 photobooks and has featured in around 80 exhibitions worldwide. 

Most people, however, will be unfamiliar with work from his formative years. A new exhibition aims to correct that balance.

Martin Parr: Early Works has just opened at the Fotografie Forum Frankfurt (FFF) in Germany and continues until  January 05 2025. This landmark show offers a unique opportunity to explore the early career of this most celebrated of documentary photographers.

Back to the Seventies

This exhibition marks the first time in Germany that Martin Parr's works from 1970 to 1985 will be on display. For photographers familiar with Parr's later, color-saturated, ironic snapshots of modern life, this collection of over 50 rarely-seen black-and-white photographs offers a fascinating insight into the development of his distinctive style.

The images on show all showcase Parr's keen eye for the nuances of daily life. From bird club activities in Surrey to pilgrimages to see the Pope in Ireland, and from holiday resorts to village banquets, visitors will see how he has honed his ability to find humor and social commentary in the most mundane of settings.

Some standout photographs include the Mayor of Todmorden's inaugural banquet (1977), capturing hungry guests jostling at a buffet; a 1979 image from Dublin showing devout Catholics perched on a kitchen ladder, trying to glimpse Pope John Paul II; and a cow posing like a tourist on the slopes of Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England.

These images and others showcase Parr's early mastery of composition and timing, elements that would become hallmarks of his later work.

Monochrome to color

But that's not all! For those wanting a more complete picture of Parr's evolution, the Leica Gallery in Frankfurt will simultaneously host Martin Parr in Color (running until January 05 2025). This parallel exhibition enables photographers to trace the development of Parr's style from his early black-and-white work to his later, more famous color photography.

Together, both exhibitions provide a complementary overview of the broad spectrum of his work. Exaggeration and sharpening – two of his key elements – run like a common thread through both shows, and encourage the viewer to reflect on social and cultural issues and not just enjoy the aesthetic aspects of photography.

Overall, for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of documentary photography or to gain inspiration from one of the field's masters, the show promises to be an enlightening and thought-provoking experience.

Part of the FFF's 40th anniversary celebrations, it's been curated by Celina Lunsford in close collaboration with the photographer and the Martin Parr Foundation. A publication titled, Early Works, released in 2019 by the Martin Parr Foundation in collaboration with RRB, will also be available at the FFF.

Find out more about the best photographers ever, and check out their work in some of the best books on photography.  

The British summer time, it has been said, consists of two fine days and a thunderstorm. 

While this may be somewhat of an exaggeration, it can be said that we certainly never know what we’re going to get in the UK, however, that just makes us even more determined to enjoy the good days. 

This summer the Print Sales Gallery at the Photographers’ Gallery in London’s Soho, will celebrate the romance and nostalgia of a British seaside summer with ‘By the Seaside’, which will run from June 28 to September 08. 

From the glitzy heyday in the post-war decades, to 21st century staycations, seven UK-based photographers capture the British seaside in all its eccentric glory.

The Photographers’ Gallery was founded in 1971 as the first public gallery in the UK devoted solely to photography, and remains at the forefront of preserving and presenting photography in all its forms. 

What is lesser known, is that the gallery is home to the Print Sales Gallery. All the photos exhibited in ‘By the Seaside’ will be available to purchase from £600 plus VAT. Profits from print sales support the Photographers’ Gallery public programme.  

The Great British Seaside Holiday

The great British summer holiday came into fashion in the post war years of the 1950s and 60s, largely thanks to the Holiday Pay Act of 1938. This granted paid holiday leave to working class employees, and was the first law on paid leave in the UK.

The result of a 20 year campaign by trade unions, the one week paid holiday fell short of the two weeks originally demanded.

Nonetheless, this was the start of a society changing movement in the UK, and people flocked to the its many, previously sleepy, coastal towns.

Where you went largely depended on where you lived. For example if you lived in the north near the mill towns, Manchester, Liverpool, or Glasgow, you would probably go to Blackpool or Morecambe. People from Leeds would set off for Scarborough or Filey, and Londoners would aim for Margate or Brighton.

This was also the golden age of all inclusive holiday camps, designed to give housewives a welcome rest, and provided endless entertainment for children.

Whether just for a day out or a week's holiday, the seaside promised fun and escapism, and despite the allure of the Caribbean ocean, the pull of a stick of rock and a bucket and spade still fills many Brits with a friendly nostalgia.

If you want to capture some summer nostalgia this year why not try out some of the best film cameras around? You could also go back to basics with the best disposable cameras, or the best retro cameras.

The Photographer's Gallery in London will display a new exhibition showcasing the impact that Café Royal Books has had on the photography community and the archive of British social documentary. 

Founded in 2005 by Craig Atkinson, Café Royal Books is a family-run independent publisher publishing weekly affordable photography books, enabling important photography work to reach more people. The work published often features previously unseen or overlooked work, with a strong focus on post-war documentary photography from the UK. Atkinson explains this in more detail in the below film with with Martin Parr. 

• See our guide to the best camera for street photography

Above: video with Cafe Royal Books founder Craig Atkinson and Martin Parr

Café Royal Books has a mission to make photography books more accessible, affordable, and no-nonsense, allowing the photography subject to be the center focus of the publication. Although the work published can span to areas overseas, the books are predominantly archives of the cultural and social change in post-war Britain and Ireland.  

Founder Craig Atkinson states, "I want them to be affordable, democratic, useful, and functional. I’m not into publishing decorative things or something so expensive that most people can’t afford them. Someone once said they’re often less than the price of a London pint, so I use that as a measure." 

Café Royal Books has published works by world-renowned photographers such as Chris Killip, Martin Parr, Jo Spence, and Shirley Baker as well as lesser-known photographers - an aspect that makes the books more special as it gives previously unseen documentation of different classes and cultures in the post-war era. 

The exhibition titled Café Royal Books will run at The Photographer's Gallery from Feb 23 - June 2, 2024, which will give visitors the chance to browse around 250 titles from the first 600 issues. The photography on display will showcase 'everyday scenes from cities across the UK, including Hull, Liverpool, London, Glasgow and Manchester'. 

The work curated and published in the books provides an incredible window of what life was like, and not just the highlights, but what life was really like in unseen communities, captured by the people who belong to them. An example of this is Newport 1967–2008 by David Hurn. This issue documents an area of South Wales, UK that often does not get showcased as it lacks the easy-on-the-eye postcard opportunities often associated with Wales, but is where my Grandparents lived. Thanks to these books many people have a relatable document of what life was like for their communities in a time of great change - it also helps that the photography on display is fantastic! 

I would highly recommend catching this exhibition at The Photographer's Gallery if you can, as not only will it feature great historical photography, but issues of Café Royal Books will be available to purchase from the bookshop. But don't worry if you can't make it to London, they are also available online - for less than the cost of a London pint!

Leading UK camera retailer Wex Photo Video opened its flagship London store this week. 

Located at 131-133 Upper Richmond Road in Putney, and retailing a wide range of equipment and accessories, the new store will be a great day out for camera lovers. 

Major brands on display in new store include Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System, Panasonic, Samyang, Sigma and Sony, plus DJI drones and gimbals, Blackmagic video cameras and audio kit from Rode.

Myriad accessories abound: choose from Manfrotto, Billingham, Peak Design, ThinkTank, Lowepro, Rotolight, 3 Legged Thing, Hahnel – and many more. 

Lighting solutions from Rotolight, Profoto, Nanlite and Aputure are also available, plus print consumables from Canon, and there is also a pair of Photo by Fujifilm printers. 

The store’s footprint is a large one. Four ’play tables’ are loaded with products from the major brands while a bank of display cases houses more stock. Screens located above them display promotional videos and make visiting an immersive experience.  

Slogans from well-known photographers adorn the walls, including Ansel Adams, Chase Jarvis, and Martin Parr – the renowned documentary photographer cutting the ribbon at the official launch event, and later giving a talk in the store’s in-house seminar suite. 

Said Wex Photo Video CEO Louis Wahl: “Adding a new store to our list of locations is always a time to celebrate, and this occasion is no different. 

“To mark our 15th store opening in Putney, we were thrilled to have renowned photographer Martin Parr join the celebrations and welcome enthusiasts and professionals alike. 

“With our extensive range of equipment, as well as helpful support and advice, we hope to inspire new and existing photographers and filmmakers to bring their visions to life.”

Other services and facilities at the new store include demonstration equipment, trade-in and sensor cleaning – plus the Wex Rental service, equipment drop-off for repair by Fixation… and the company’s expert staff are always available to offer impartial advice. 

The Putney branch is the fifteenth Wex store across the UK and is the third to open this year, underlining the company’s commitment to bricks and mortar retailing alongside its highly regarded online operation.

Wex Photo Video Putney is located at Unit 2, Tileman House, 131-133 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2TR. 

Opening hours are 9am-6pm Monday to Saturday (opening at 10am on Tuesdays and closing at 8pm on Thursdays), and 10am-4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. 

The store is close to Putney High Street and is easily accessible from Putney railway  station and East Putney Underground station – where even the ticket barriers are on-brand, carrying Wex Photo Video signage.

The Photography & Video Show 2024 - all you need to know

Leica Gallery London has announced the inaugural exhibition of Charlie Gray, showcasing 12 epic portraits illustrating the stories of actors, artists, great entertainers, and rock music royalty. The exhibition highlights work that contains his signature narrative style, which was partially born from his early love of cinema.

Gray’s work for industry giants, such as BAFTA, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, EON Productions, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, focuses on portraiture, fashion, and candid behind-the-scenes moments of beloved stars from film and theatre.

Gray began photographing whilst at university, becoming involved in various documentary projects. He acknowledges these formative years as a true learning curve in terms of technical and people skills, which later became invaluable to his photographic career. 

This was also a time when he digested photography books, specifically the work of Martin Parr and Don McCullin, among others. His first commercial assignment was for BAFTA, enabling him to encounter incredible people from the film studios and entertainment industry, leading to portrait commissions and blue-chip magazine shoots. The rest is now history after his career path was paved and his work has continued to gain gravitas since.

All works in the exhibition were shot on Leica cameras including the Q, S-System, and the SL-System, which Gray cites as giving him the freedom to produce the work he always wanted due to the sublime way it captures light and the wide scope of lenses available.

Photographs in the exhibition are also available for purchase, the event will take place from the September 14 to October 29 2023 at the Leica Gallery London, 64-66 Duke Street, W1K 6JD.

Check out our guides to the best Leica cameras and the best Leica M lenses

If you're serious about shooting street photography or are thinking of purchasing one of the best cameras for street photography so you can take images like Alan Schaller or Henry Cartier-Bresson, then Street Photography Now is a must-read. Edited by Sophie Howarth and Stephen McLaren, published by Thames & Hudson, it was first published in 2010 - but is still the best book on the genre 13 years later.

This remarkable book features tons of contemporary street photography by some of the biggest names in the genre including,  Joel Meyerowitz, Carolyn Drake, Alex Webb, Martin Parr, and Matt Stuart (whose images flaunt the front and back cover) to name but a few, the whole book actually features the work of 46 photographers around the world, each with their own unique style and way of capturing street photography around the world.

As someone who has transitioned to street photography, I can't count how many times I have opened up this book over the years to gain inspiration and insight into how to make my street photography better.

This book demonstrates that this vast genre of photography is forever changing and evolving as time goes on and showcases some fabulous work that really needs to be seen to be believed.

See our guide to the essential street photography tips

Spanning 301 photographs in black and white and color totaling 240 pages this book is an amazing read and visual representation of the genre around the world.

I personally have the paperback version which is still a hefty book for the coffee table, but for those that want this book to be a pride and joy, they did, and still do, offer it in hardback cover - which I can only imagine weighs a ton!

This book I think is simply a must-read for any street photographer to tuned-up on their skills for what to look out for, how to compose images, and really just look for any inspiration you can find, I said earlier I get this out often, and can honestly say even today, after owning it for a number of years I never get bored of looking through this remarkable book, and I really think if you haven't already done say to pick it up and enjoy it, because I think it is one of the best street photography books on the market, regardless of its age, it might be old, but it's gold!

Photo London 2023 kicks off this week, and every year the event organizers honor a legendary photographer with the title Master of Photography. This year, they've picked Martin Parr, and one of the highlights at the Fair will be a new exhibition of the Magnum documentary photographer's recent works. 

“These are images that haven't been shown before, mostly taken very recently and show highlights from my ongoing documentation of the British Isles," Parr explains. 

"Many familiar subjects are found here, such as my long fascination with the British seaside and the ongoing documenting of agricultural shows and summer fetes. New discoveries are always being made such as the wonderful steam fair in Dorset or the half marathon in Bristol."

Love-hate relationship

Audiences are drawn to Parr's work primarily for its honesty. Neither sychophantic nor patronising, he presents his subjects as they are, warts and all. Rather than using his work to push a particular vision of how things should be, he simply shows them as they really are.

“I think of these images as an interpretation of the many mixed emotions I feel towards my homeland," he explains. "It is almost a love/hate relationship, and I find addressing this is almost a form of therapy for me."

To complement the show is a grid of images taken from Parr's 'Beach Therapy' project. "With my ongoing fascination with the seaside, this is a set of images taken with a telephoto lens, where I explore distant figures on the beach, usually with out-of-focus greenery in the foreground," he explains. "Although each is an individual work, they become a fascinating grid when put together."

“Finally, there are half a dozen photo deckchairs, again shot on the beach, to give people a chance to contemplate the work they have just seen.”

50 years in focus

Fans of Parr's work will see a clear line between this new work and the project that he has essentially been working on for the past half-century.

“For over 50 years now I have been photographing in Britain and Ireland and have built a comprehensive archive of my time here, which has been further broken down into different chapters," he explains. These range from early black-and-white images of a mental hospital, to the Chinese community in Liverpool and Manchester.

"When I changed to shooting in color," he adds, "I started by depicting a working class resort adjacent to Liverpool, and subjects such as shopping in Salford and the middle classes of Bath and Bristol. More recently I have documented the establishment, with projects on Oxford University and the Livery companies of London."

“Martin Parr is quite rightly regarded as the godfather of British photography," says Photo London’s co-founder Fariba Farshad. "It is no exaggeration to say that without his exemplary practice, today’s British photography scene would be much impoverished. It would certainly be a great deal less fun.

"He has been an unstinting and generous champion of young and overlooked photographers and through the work of the Martin Parr Foundation, which he set up in 2017, he has worked tirelessly to make photography accessible to all. In all this, Martin’s work aligns perfectly with our own, and we are thrilled to present him as our 2023 Master of Photography."

Leading the pack

Martin Parr: Recent Works’ leads the Photo London 2023’s Public Programme, which this year features 110 exhibitors coming from 55 cities across five continents, to show best of the past, present and future of photography worldwide.

Other highlights at the event include the group show ‘Writing her own Script: Women Photographers from the Hyman Collection’ and the Photo London Talks Programme curated by Aperture, which will feature a talk by Parr.

For further information about Photo London 2023 and to book tickets, visit the website.

Photo London is one of the world's biggest photography fairs, bringing together the world's leading galleries to show and sell work by photographers. Relaunched in 2015, Photo London is now in its eight year, and has become a firm fixture on the fine art and professional photography calendar. 

This week the event returns to Somerset House in London's West End on 11-14 May. And it's an amazing place to keep your pulse on what's happening in the industry, network and find inspiration. Here you'll find galleries, exhibitors, book publishers, and a public programme of talks and tours. 

• Get tickets to Photo London here

Can't get to London? No worries. The fourth edition of Photo London Digital will run from 10-29 May. Launched in 2020 during the pandemic, this virtual festival has now evolved into a year-round event, incorporating online panel discussions and workshops for people who aren't able to attend in person. 

What's on at Photo London 2023

Led by the Master of Photography exhibition 'Martin Parr. Recent Works’, this year’s fair also includes the group shows ‘Writing her own Script. Women Photographers from the Hyman Collection’ and ‘Fotografía Maroma’, awards for young photographers, a talks programme curated by Aperture, and plenty more. Here are the highlights of Photo London 2023 we're most looking forward to...

• This year’s Master of Photography, Martin Parr presents an exhibition of recent work including the installation Beach Therapy.
• Writing her own Script: Woman Photographers from the Hyman Collection is a group show celebrating many of the pioneering women photographers at work in the UK over the past 100 years.
• Fotografía Maroma is an exhibition of contemporary Mexican photography co-curated by Fariba Farshad and Patricia Conde and presented by Belmond.

• Prints by recently deceased legends including Fan Ho (1931–2016), Susan Hiller (1940–2019), Peter Lindbergh (1944–2019), Chris Killip (1946–2020) and Jürgen Schadeberg (1931–2020).
• Works by living luminaries Sonia Boyce, Edward Burtynsky, Thomas Demand, Ori Gersht, Nan Goldin, Sarah Moon, Sebastião Salgado, Alec Soth and Thomas Struth.
• The Discovery Section showcasing the freshest photographers and galleries, including works incorporating AI technology.

• The Photo London x Nikon Emerging Photographer Award, with the winner announced Wednesday 10 May at 6.30pm, and a display of last year’s winner Max Miechowski and his fellow shortlisted photographers in the Nikon Gallery.
• The inaugural Photo London x Hahnemühle Student Award, with shortlisted photographers on view and the winner announced on Saturday 13 May.
• Aperture leads the 2023 Talks Programme alongside Nikon and FT Weekend, offering conversations with Lynsey Addario, Heather Agyepong, Alia Ali, Babak Kazemi, Joy Gregory and Martin Parr.
• Workshops run by Nikon on dance photography and British fashion.
• I MATTER, an outdoor photographic exhibition presented by the non-profit organisation CASE Art Fund to raise awareness about children's human rights.

Exhibitors at Photo London 2023

With 125 exhibitors at the fair this year – a big jump from the 106 who took part last year – there's plenty for fans of photography to enjoy. Here are some highlights we're especially excited about.

• At Galerie Sophie Scheidecker, a group show on surrealism includes works by Man Ray, “L´Origine des Espèces” (1935) and Manuel Alvarez Bravo, “Instrumental” (1931) alongside contemporary artists such as Nan Goldin.
• Grob Gallery is showing rare prints by Édouard Boubat, Willy Ronis and William Klein — whose works are on sale at Photo London for the first time since he passed away last year — alongside pieces by Brassai, Cartier-Bresson, Sougez, Brancusi, Pierre Boucher and Bill Brandt.
• In celebration of King Charles III’s coronation, two of the earliest works at the Fair are William Henry Fox Talbot’s “St. Georges Chapel, Windsor'' and by Nicholas Henneman’s “Westminster Abbey” — both made c.1844.
• Contemporary everyday life is the subject of Magnum’s booth curated by Gregory Halpern, Alec Soth and Lindokuhle Sobekwa. The exhibit features Soth’s gently surreal portraits of middle America and Bogotá in conversation with Halpern's Rust Belt mysticism, Sobekwa's images of Johannesburg, alongside photos by Martin Parr and Chris Killip.

• Shtager Gallery will present a study of glossy photography from Gunter Sachs (1932-2011), who shot the first nude photo for French Vogue in 1976.
• This year’s Fair includes several galleries supporting photographers from Iran. LS10 Gallery presents a focus on Iranian contemporary photography, while O Gallery based in Tehran is presenting works by the contemporary photographer Mohammedreza Mirzaei alongside rare prints by Kaveh Kazemi, including photographs of the 1979 revolution and its aftermath.
• The relationship between photography and truth is interrogated by a number of photographers including Thomas Demand, whose illusionistic photographs of 3D models sculpted entirely from paper are on show at Galleri K.
• Contemporary artists whose work engages with AI include Ori Gersht, on show at Michel Hoppen, Maisie Cousins at TJ Boulting and the young, Nikon-shortlisted photographer Evelyn Bencicova at Artemis.

Get tickets to Photo London 2023

Photo London takes place on May 11-14 at Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Opening hours are 1pm to 8pm and there's no re-entry.

A Standard Day Ticket is £32 and a Concession Ticket (Disabled, Student, Youth 13-17) is £22. A Weekend Pass is available for £52. 

You can buy tickets over the phone via 0333 320 2836. Lines are open between 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, 10am-6pm Sun and Bank Holidays. For group bookings of more than 10 tickets, please contact Somerset House at visitor@somersethouse.org.uk. For full ticket details, visit the website. 

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A brand new gallery celebrating the work of British photographers is set to open at the end of January in central London. The Centre for British Photography will be located on Jermyn Street in Mayfair, and split across three stories, with 8000 sq ft of gallery space. Continuing the long tradition of London galleries and museums, it will be free to the public year-round.

The Centre for British Photography will continue the work of the renowned art dealer James Hyman and the Hyman Foundation. The Hyman Foundation charity was established in 2020 to promote and support photography from all across Britain through funding research and scholarships, exhibiting a diverse range of artists, and preserving photography archives for future generations.

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The gallery will showcase work from 1900 through to the present day, with a focus on works created by artists living and working in the UK. The gallery will feature different exhibits celebrating the diverse cultural viewpoints the UK has to offer, both from those born in Britain and those artists who have moved to make the UK their home.

There will be two group opening exhibitions. The first exhibition, entitled Headstrong, is a collection co-curated by the campaign group Fast Forward: Women in Photography, and is a collection of self-portraits by female artists exploring a range of contemporary issues. 

The second exhibit – The English at Home, gathers over 150 photographs that provide an overview of British domestic home life throughout the twentieth century. Artists involved include Bill Brandt, Kurt Hutton, Bert Hardy, Martin Parr, Daniel Meadows, Karen Knorr, Anna Fox, and Richard Billingham.

There will also be four 'In Focus' exhibits spotlighting one individual artist. Wish You Were Here by Heather Agyepong features early twentieth-century postcard imagery reflecting the dance craze in Europe – The Cakewalk. Natasha Caruana's work Fairytale for Sale, explores the diverse wedding customs in the UK. Fairytales and Photography explores the way that fairytales have influenced Jo Spence's images. Finally, Spitting by Andrew Bruce and Anna Fox presents images from the original run of the hit TV show Spitting Image.

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Not only featuring exhibits, but The Centre for British Photography will also host events and talks on photography from leading British artists. The gallery will also contain an archive, a library, and a shop, with all profits going back into the charity foundation.

There is no denying that the UK has always been one of the best destinations for culture and art, and this is another very welcome addition to London's already burgeoning photography gallery scene, joining the V&A Photography Centre and The Photographers' Gallery, as well as special photography exhibitions such as Queer Britain.

You can create some vintage photography style yourself with our guides to the best film cameras, the best retro cameras, and the best instant cameras. And to print and display your work, check out the best canvas print services.

Some 30 years after Martin Parr was commissioned to document the village of Chew Stoke in Somerset, England, he is releasing 40 unseen images in his brand new book, A Year in the Life of Chew Stoke Village. Parr shares work from this lesser-known project, which explores everything the village has to offer from its pubs and cricket clubs to jumble sales and jars of preserves.

Internationally recognized as one of the most important post-war documentary photographers, Martin Parr’s work has become instantly recognizable through his colorful, true-to-life imagery. Over the course of a year, Parr became well acquainted with the residents of Chew Stoke where he often visited alongside journalist Robert Chesshyre.

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Originally the project was published in a 16-page feature in The Telegraph Magazine but now, 30 years on and with the project still relevant, Parr has made the decision to revisit it with this new book. 

Freelance journalist, Diane Smythe contributed text to the book and described it as "an affectionate portrait of a place, a vision that’s perhaps surprisingly warm for a photographer known for irony."

Chesshyre and Parr had previously worked together on the 1989 book, The Cost of Living. Together they documented the impact of Thatcherism, the rise of the middle class and how it changed Britain. Although this project tackles a much softer subject, Chew Stoke wasn’t immune to the consequences of the Thatcher regime as even the most quintessential of villages felt its strain.

A Year in the Life of Stoke Village will be published as a 104-page hardcover book, with its release set for the end of September. There will be 50 special edition copies on sale for £450 (approximately $490 / AU$750), which includes a pair of 10 x 10-inch limited pigment prints signed by Martin Parr, while the regular edition will cost a much more affordable £48 ($52 / AU$80). 

Read more: 

Best books on photography
Best books on street photography
Best lenses for street photography
50 best photographers ever
Martin Parr releases book 'Early Works'
Martin Parr re-imagines the "Britishness" of his work
Five quick questions with Martin Parr
Magnum Learn Monday: On location with Martin Parr

Martin Parr is a British photographer whose style is recognized around the world. Famous for his street photography that verges on being voyeuristic, he has captured a catalog of thousands of images of British life during his long career. 

Parr has recently teamed up with Google Pixel 6 to re-imagine some of his most iconic images – fun shots that show some of the quintessential quirks of British culture and people ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this week.

A collection called Tell Me You’re British, Without Telling Me You’re British is made up of 4 photos from his seminal work (all of the shots were previously taken in the UK). What links them together is the humor and eccentricities of British life, as seen by Parr, but he has removed a few elements from each photo in order to explore what "Britishness" really means. In one photo we see holiday-makers queueing up for an ice-cream van disappear, and in another, a sign for strawberries vanishing.

"Sometimes you can say more by showing less," Parr comments. "All the time though, I am aware that humor and understatement are good tools to have working on your behalf."

Martin Parr, now 70, is considered a master of photography, but this is the first time that he has edited his work in this way. The Google Pixel 6 has a Magic Eraser photo-editing tool and this is what Martin to remove the elements in the images. "This [Magic Eraser] tool will really come into its own when I do fashion or commercial work, and one has the artistic license to edit the images to help create the image with judicious editing to achieve the desired effect,’’ he adds.

The Magic Eraser tool is only available on Google Pixel, and it uses AI tech to detect distractions in photos to suggest what might need removing – or the user can choose themselves. 

As the nation dusts off the bunting and prepares for street parties ahead of the Queen's Jubilee weekend, new research reveals that 87%* of Brits say taking photos is important for capturing a memory (52%) but nearly half (44%) would crop out unwanted people or elements from the background of their photos – that's according to a a YouGov survey of 2,000 UK adults. The Magic Eraser tool is one way that Brits could get rid of unwanted photo bombers as they celebrate the Jubilee.

Read our reviews of the Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro.

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Five quick questions with Martin Parr

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m a British/Maltese freelance photographer with a keen interest in documentary photography. I’m based in Wiltshire, UK, and cover projects for charities, editorial and events.  

I’m also the in-house photographer at Earthworm Recording Studio, and the international coordinator and assistant to Singaporean documentary photographer Edwin Koo. I’ve facilitated and assisted Edwin Koo with the masterclass since its inception in 2012.

My early love for photography began when I was eight years old. My father, a military man, was a keen photographer who had a great interest in people photography and storytelling. Regular postings abroad meant that home was in many countries in my formative years.  I grew up around photography and the dark room, and a lifelong interest was born.

I’ve worked on and off within the arts for the past 20 years, and developed the Cirencester Festival of Music, Drama & the Arts both nationally and internationally. I’ve also represented artists from Malaysia and Borneo, and curated art exhibitions on behalf of International businesses.  

Where did your inspiration for Photo Swindon come from?

In September 2020 me and my partner Jon Buckett decided to create a covid-safe event for our community in Swindon. With another lockdown looming and with dark winter days ahead, I felt the need for a distraction and was inspired to create an arts event to lift people's spirits and bring joy to people's lives as they went about their daily walks in the local park.

The initial plan was to roll out a five month music and documentary photography exhibition.   

We approached the local parish, South Swindon Parish Council, and presented our ideas across a zoom meeting. The parish responded with enthusiasm and offered the use of three parks to host our event.

The next step was for us to raise enough funds to pay for it all. With finances strapped, Arts Council funding not forthcoming, and the Covid lockdown environment uncertain, we had to rethink our plans. We decided to drop the music element for 2021 and proceed with a 3 month photography exhibition from July 1st - October 3rd.

Tell us about the exhibition? Who have you got featured?

The exhibition is for 3 months, 3 photographers, and tours 3 parks in Swindon each month.  I imagined the exhibition to be something which would have an impact in open spaces so the images had to be big.  

Being documentary and photojournalistic in nature, it was necessary to take into account all the different kinds of people who would view the images, so subject sensitivity was a key factor.

At the time I was thinking about how humanity was in sync with one another due to the pandemic, and how we all shared the same hopes and fears, and listening to what people were saying about how they were feeling. I tried to gather a sense of our common shared values and perceptions at that point in time. 

I felt that so many people, not just here in the UK but all around the world shared many of the same experiences during lockdown, and that the nature of our togetherness was an extraordinary state of mind we all experienced in our own ways. 

I'd read an article questioning what binds us as human beings, and it described 'an inter-brain synchronisation of human consciousness, which got me thinking about how people are more prosocial when they synchronise their behaviour with one another, and it was that synchronisation which was a common thread for me personally for this exhibition.

The first exhibition which began on 1 - 31st July is by photojournalist and humanitarian photographer Jason Florio.  I carefully selected 12 images from his collection, "The River Gambia ~ Source to Sea". 

Following on from here is an exhibition by British documentary photographer Martin Parr.  I didn't want to exhibit a complete body of work from Martin, as I wanted to do something different, so I chose images from various bodies of work that I felt represented the overall theme of the exhibition, and it's called "In Sync with Parr ~ Quirky World, and runs from 31st July - 30th August.  

And last but not least, Sanne De Wilde / Noor Images from 1st Sep - 3rd October with images selected from her fascinating body of work "Island of Colourblind".

Are you hoping to do another exhibition in the near or distant future?

Absolutely, yes!  I aim to make Photo Swindon an annual event, sponsorship and funding dependent of course. I've already begun working on a new budget, and I feel very confident that this exhibition will attract more sponsors for 2022.  It is unique in Swindon and in that it is a touring outdoor photography festival featuring some of the world's best award winning documentary photographers. 

It is very attractive for sponsors to join us, with excellent brand placement over a three month period. Working together with our sponsors and partners generates more reach, and it's important to work equally together with all of our sponsors and partners for the survival and growth of Photo Swindon.

How has the exhibition been received so far? 

The exhibition has gone down a storm!  The first 10 days of exhibiting photographer Jason Florio "The River Gambia ~ Source to Sea", has already attracted around one and a half thousand visitors to the first park. Judging by visitor numbers in GWR Park, we are looking at similar numbers and there is still one more location Queens Park for this particular exhibition to be seen before we swap over to the next photographer, Martin Parr. I'm in the early stages of planning a photography masterclass workshop in The Gambia with Jason and Helen, more to come on that exciting prospect.

I hope to put Photo Swindon on the map and take inspiration from the two giants who flank Swindon Bristol Photo Festival and Photo Oxford who have done an absolutely amazing job at providing wonderful photography exhibitions across their cities.  

I have a long way to go, as I am holding the fort virtually single handed, so a team of good people to work with is essential for Photo Swindon's future.

Of course I could not have done any of this without my amazing partner Jonathan Buckett, who has been there to share in my joy and equally who has lent a willing and helping hand throughout.

I would also like to thank all of my sponsors and partners who believed in my vision from the start, and for supporting Photo Swindon both financially, and with their generous time and energy.  Earthworm Recording Studio, South Swindon Parish Council, PermaJet, Tom Faulkner, CMS Supatrak, New College Swindon Multidata Ltd, Photography Daily, The Photography & Video Show, Bread and Butter Studio, Captured Singapore, Kate Parsons Creative and Sattya Media Arts Collective

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A brand new book of Martin Parr's early black & white photos has been co-published by RRB Photobooks and the Martin Parr Foundation. This book contains some of Parr's familiar early photos from his series The Non Conformists, Bad Weather and A Fair Day. However, the book will also include more than 20 previously unseen images, to help add breadth and perspective to Parr's body of work. 

Many of the images are taken from The Non Conformists, which was shot between 1975 and 1979. In this series, Parr documented the town of Hebden Bridge showing traditional life in decline. Meanwhile, Bad Weather was Parr's first monograph and acted as a survey of how the people of UK and Ireland go about their days when experiencing inclement weather. 

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A Fair Day captured life in early 1980's Ireland to show a society caught between the past and the 20th century. However, 'Martin Parr - Early Works' also shows Parr's lesser-known images taken in India and China in the mid-1980s, some previously unpublished.

Jeffrey Ladd, who wrote the introduction to 'Martin Parr - Early Works', says, "I sense that we almost know too much about Martin himself at this point and it can taint our reading of the work. The American photographer Garry Winogrand often stated the belief that 'once the work exists, the artist is irrelevant' - meaning, only concern yourself with what is within the picture before you… 

"To the horror of most historians I agree with Garry, so I will arm you with the bio I find appropriate for looking at the pictures that will follow; Martin Parr was born. We, and the medium, are far better off for that." 

The 'Martin Parr - Early Works' book is co-published by RRB Photobooks and the Martin Parr Foundation. Published on 16 October, it sports a blue cloth cover and retails for £48. You can pre-order the book from RRB Photobooks or the Martin Parr Foundation. 

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Digital Camera World has partnered with Magnum Learn to publish a taster of its first online course, 'The Art of Street Photography'.  

Magnum Learn is the education portal of Magnum Photos, and the course tutors comprise Martin Parr, Peter van Agtmael, Carolyn Drake, Richard Kalvar, Mark Power, Bruce Gilden and Susan Meiselas. 

'The Art of Street Photography' consists of 10 themed lessons and costs $99. We'll be publishing a new extract every week on Magnum Learn Monday until 02 September! 

This week, in the fourth extract, we're learning how to frame the unexpected – it's one of the keys to successful street photography. 

Miss last week's extract? Click here to read Magnum Learn Monday Part 3: Case study – On location with Martin Parr. 

 Click here to read Magnum Learn Monday Part 2: Getting started – approaching the street. 

Click here to read Magnum Learn Monday Part 1: How to shoot street photography like a pro.  

Defining the frame in photography 

The frame – a tiny little rectangle or little square, as described by course tutor Peter van Agtmael – is key in photography. 

What you include or exclude, how you position yourself and your subject within this limited space, can drastically affect how successful an image is. 

For street photographers, this is especially true and challenging: the scene in front of you is constantly evolving in infinite ways, from people entering and leaving the frame, to their expressions changing. 

Much of this is out of your control; but by inserting yourself into the action, reacting to what is around you, you can improve your chances of finding yourself in the right places at the right moment to (with some luck) capture something remarkable.

Consider how you compose and structure the image to create, as course tutor Richard Kalvar says, something that feels satisfying. This requires a combination of quick calculations, focus, and awareness. 

What makes a photograph good?

This is a difficult question. Although there are some fundamental guidelines – for example, the Rule of Thirds, Golden Rule, Leading Lines and so on – even if you execute your photography to so-called technical perfection, there is no guarantee this will result in an engaging image. 

What is often cited as the key component to a successful photograph is, as course tutor Susan Meiselas describes, an emotional connective point, in combination with a strong sense of form. 

Seeking the unexpected 

How can you find and capture unexpected, surprising or moving moments? 

When we view the work of some of the great street photographers in monographs or portfolios, it seems as though something incredible was unfolding in front of them whenever they hit the streets. 

The reality is that these photographers have dedicated a huge amount of time to making pictures, and we end up seeing only a tiny fraction of what they have photographed. 

You need to be patient, work hard and keep going, even when it isn’t working. 

Using the frame: advice from some course tutors 

Use a lens with a fixed focal length

Why use a fixed lens? As Richard Kalvar points out, a fixed lens enables you to understand where the ‘walls’ are: where the frame begins and ends. 

It is also useful to get into the habit of physically moving your feet in order to fill the frame. It forces you to get close to your subject and make that ‘connection’ he speaks about. 

28mm or 35mm lenses are good starting points, and both are widely used by some of the masters of street photography. 

Both of these lenses are wide-angled, meaning they exaggerate angles and scale so that objects within the foreground of the frame appear much larger, and vice versa. 

They are very useful if you want to create images that are layered and dynamic. If you only own a zoom lens, just set it to one focal length and try to resist the urge to zoom. 

“I want an intimate connection with the reality that I’m photographing. Intimate connection,” says Richard Kalvar.  

Fill the frame, create layers

Try to use the space well. Though it can be effective in some cases, placing the subject in the centre of the frame often equates to less interesting photographs. 

Experiment. Try creating layers in your photograph where the relationship between the elements within the foreground and those in the background contribute to a dynamic overall visual experience. 

Says Richard Kalvar: “You have a whole frame to fill and everything has to work, and it’s not just the little thing in the middle.” 

...Then go beyond ‘just’ arranging things in the frame

The most successful images are more than simple arrangements in a frame; rather, they present something meaningful to the viewer. 

Whether that is a moment of humour, sadness or excitement, it is important to be thinking about the content as well as the form. 

“I want the tension within the frame of those different elements to play,” says Susan Meiselas. 

“So it’s something between the content and the meaning of what I’m trying to draw from that moment – but certainly with a strong sense of form, so the formal elements are operating parallel to the emotional.” 

Practice, practice, practice 

This is the key to improving and is a process that never really ends. 

“It’s really a question of determining, really calculating every millisecond, what might be adding to the photograph and what might be taking away,” says Peter van Agtmael, “and what elements you want to zoom in on and when you want to zoom out. 

“And that can only be understood and reacted to over time, and it takes years of practice to get there and the process never really ends.” 

About Magnum Learn 

‘The Art of Street Photography’ is the first course to be offered on Magnum Learn, the new online learning platform from the world’s most prestigious photo agency. 

The course consists of 10 themed lessons comprising in-depth video and tutoring from Magnum pros, offering key advice and guidance to help improve your photography in the street… and beyond. 

Seven world-class photographers teach the course. These include Bruce Gilden, Martin Parr, Susan Meiselas, Richard Kalvar, Carolyn Drake, Peter van Agtmael and Mark Power, plus industry leaders. 

These pros have contributed their unique insights, knowledge and experience to the lessons, and guide the pupil through the process of honing their photography skills via intimate interviews and on-location demonstrations. 

Next time… 

Learn how to take photos of people, in the final part of our serialisation of Magnum Learn's ‘The Art of Street Photography’. It'll be published on 2 September, so don't miss it! 

If you like what you've seen from ‘The Art of Street Photography’ so far, then click here to find out more about the course. 

Read more: 

Photography tips and techniques 
5 top street photography tips to try 
Buying guide: street photography-friendly mirrorless cameras 

Digital Camera World has partnered with Magnum Learn to publish a taster of its first online course, 'The Art of Street Photography'.  

Magnum Learn is the education portal of Magnum Photos, and the course tutors comprise Martin Parr, Peter van Agtmael, Carolyn Drake, Richard Kalvar, Mark Power, Bruce Gilden and Susan Meiselas. 

'The Art of Street Photography' consists of 10 themed lessons and costs $99. We'll be publishing a new extract every week on Magnum Learn Monday until 02 September! 

This week, in the third extract, we're going on location with Martin Parr, one of the masters of photography. 

Miss last week's extract? Click here to read Magnum Learn Monday Part 2: Getting started – approaching the street. 

Click here to read Magnum Learn Monday Part 1: How to shoot street photography like a pro.  

Martin Parr is a chronicler of our age. In the face of the constantly growing flood of images released by the media, his photographs offer us the opportunity to see the world from his unique perspective. 

Leisure, consumption and communication are the core areas Parr has been exploring, for several decades through his worldwide travels. His native Great Britain has been another key focus. 

Throughout his 50-year career, Parr has worked to compile an extensive archive exploring contemporary British life, producing numerous bodies of work such as the seminal The Last Resort along the way. 

For The Art of Street Photography course, Parr navigates two classically British affairs: an agricultural show located in North Somerset, and the Chelsea Flower Show in London. 

Parr is a regular attendee of events like this and says he’ll never tire of them because, for him, “where there are people, there are photographs”. 

Based on Parr’s considerable experience of attending such events, here is some practical advice for shooting and editing images. 

Shooting tips 

“The failure rate is huge, so keep on taking the rubbish”

Parr explains that in order to produce a great picture, you might need to take a lot of rubbish ones. 

Even for someone like Parr, with years of experience and know-how, to end up with two or three pictures from any given shoot is a good result. 

“The basic theory is the more rubbish you take, the better the chances of a good photo emerging, so keep on taking the rubbish.” 

“You want every element to work”

The details in a picture are “everything” and it is only when all the different elements are working for you that a photograph is truly successful. 

When Parr examines his images, he excludes the ones that, despite having some strong components, do not quite make the grade. 

Every element of the photograph, from composition to technique, has to work together in order for the image to contribute to the same basic goal: to create images that offer the viewer a moment of joy, interest or revelation. 

Strategies for editing images 

Parr’s editing process is comprised of a number of key stages. He begins with a “generous” first edit of the work produced on any given shoot, on his computer screen. 

This initial selection is then printed, before a second, more ruthless, layer of editing to select a handful of photographs that convey the essence of the event. 

“I like the idea of making the final selection of the images from prints rather than on the screen, because if there are two or three shots of the same subject, I can put them all together to determine which one works best. 

“And also, I think it’s much more unforgiving to see [a photograph] as a print rather than on a screen, because you can really see how good or bad a picture is. 

“It is important to be tough on yourself. You may have spent the day photographing at an event or on the street, and felt you captured it well, but in reality, the results may not be as strong as you had hoped. 

“This happens to everyone, but be honest with yourself and don’t allow your memories or the work that went into making an image override your decision making.”

About Magnum Learn 

‘The Art of Street Photography’ is the first course to be offered on Magnum Learn, the new online learning platform from the world’s most prestigious photo agency. 

The course consists of 10 themed lessons comprising in-depth video and tutoring from Magnum pros, offering key advice and guidance to help improve your photography in the street… and beyond. 

Seven world-class photographers teach the course. These include Bruce Gilden, Martin Parr, Susan Meiselas, Richard Kalvar, Carolyn Drake, Peter van Agtmael and Mark Power, plus industry leaders. 

These pros have contributed their unique insights, knowledge and experience to the lessons, and guide the pupil through the process of honing their photography skills via intimate interviews and on-location demonstrations. 

Next time… 

Discover why the frame is key to street photography, and how it can drastically affect how successful an image is. It'll be published on 26 August, so don't miss it! 

If you like what you've seen from ‘The Art of Street Photography’ so far, then click here to find out more about the course. 

Read more: 

Photography tips and techniques 
5 top street photography tips to try 
Buying guide: street photography-friendly mirrorless cameras 

Digital Camera World has partnered with Magnum Learn to publish a taster of its first online course, 'The Art of Street Photography'.  

Magnum Learn is the education portal of Magnum Photos, and the course tutors comprise Martin Parr, Peter van Agtmael, Carolyn Drake, Richard Kalvar, Mark Power, Bruce Gilden and Susan Meiselas. 

So read on for a flavor of 'The Art of Street Photography', which consists of 10 themed lessons and costs $99. We'll be publishing a new extract every week on Magnum Learn Monday until 02 September! 

How would you define “street photography?” 

While the term is widely used, there is in fact no clear, single and absolute definition of what it constitutes. 

The term “street” is ambiguous. While it often evokes images of photographers pacing the pavement, weaving through traffic, ducking and diving while making ‘images a la sauvette’ (images on the run – Henri Cartier-Bresson’s original phrase to describe street photographs), the ‘street’ can be anywhere in the public realm, indoors or out. It can occur in a village or a city, or even in a conflict zone. 

For many, it is grounded in the candid tradition of photography, of “real people doing real things”, as described by the course tutor Richard Kalvar. For others, the street represents a space to find individuals to engage with and photograph. 

At its core, so-called ‘street’ photography is about chance encounters in public spaces; being in the world, discovering things. 

It is, as Executive Director of the Aperture Foundation Chris Boot says, about “improvising, thinking, responding, dealing with people… discovering pictures in public settings, as distinct from planning pictures… You’re open to the possibilities around you.” 

It can also be about the presence of the street, and what that represents: humanity, society, architectural forms and more. 

There is no one definition of street photography, no one ‘right’ way, as exemplified by the variety of approaches, represented within the history of photography. 

Working strictly in line with tradition, categories or “pigeon holes” as course tutor Bruce Gilden calls them, can be extremely limiting, when in truth the ‘street’ can offer endless opportunities to make different kinds of photographs. 

As alluded to by course tutor Peter van Agtmael, the beauty of the street is in the “unexpectedness of the encounters.” 

The key is to establish a personal definition for what the street means, and to be innovative, bringing a unique vision and new ideas to challenge the genre’s traditions. 

Magnum Photos and street photography 

With a history spanning more than 100 years, street photography is an established and revered practice. Magnum Photos has a deep-rooted relationship with the genre, from the pioneering Henri Cartier-Bresson’s notion of ‘the decisive moment’ to notable contemporary photographers reimagining what street photography can be. 

There is no singular approach, rather a diversity of unique voices each working to their own vision; from Cartier-Bresson’s wanderings to the vivid social satire of Martin Parr. 

Throughout the Magnum archives there are myriad approaches and a plethora of visions of what constitutes the genre, from the charming and lighthearted to the visceral and vital; from those who manoeuvre through crowded streets, to those who take a slower approach. 

Henri Cartier-Bresson, the pioneering co-founder of Magnum Photos  

Born in Chanteloup-en-Brie, France, Henri Cartier-Bresson developed a strong fascination with painting early in his life. 

In 1932, after spending a year in the Ivory Coast, he discovered the Leica, his camera of choice from that moment on, and started a life-long journey within photography. 

Made a prisoner of war in 1940, he escaped on his third attempt, in 1943, and subsequently joined an underground organisation to assist prisoners and escapees. 

In 1945, he photographed the liberation of Paris with a group of professional journalists, then filmed the documentary Le Retour [The Return]. 

In 1947, with Robert Capa, George Rodger and David ‘Chim’ Seymour, Cartier-Bresson founded Magnum Photos. 

After three years spent travelling in Asia, he returned to Europe in 1952, where he published his first book, Images à la Sauvette [Images on the Run]. 

What is 'The Decisive Moment'? 

Pauline Vermare, Cultural Director of Magnum Photos, New York, defines 'The Decisive Moment'. 

“One of the most famous concepts that defines street photography is ‘the decisive moment’, which is a label that has been stuck on Henri Cartier-Bresson for a long time. 

But Agnès Sire, Artistic Director of the Foundation Cartier-Bresson, has been arguing and demonstrating over the past few years that ‘the decisive moment’ was not something that Cartier-Bresson was really talking about. 

“As beautiful as it is, one of the limitations of ‘the decisive moment’ – when everything comes together, the content and the composition – is that there is a lot of beauty in the ‘indecisive moment’, the weak moment in the photograph, when nothing seems to be happening. 

“This is because photography is not always about just one frame; photography is very much about the series, the sequencing of images.” 

About Magnum Learn 

‘The Art of Street Photography’ is the first course to be offered on Magnum Learn, the new online learning platform from the world’s most prestigious photo agency. 

The course consists of 10 themed lessons comprising in-depth video and tutoring from Magnum pros, offering key advice and guidance to help improve your photography in the street… and beyond. 

Seven world-class photographers teach the course. These include Bruce Gilden, Martin Parr, Susan Meiselas, Richard Kalvar, Carolyn Drake, Peter van Agtmael and Mark Power, plus industry leaders. 

These pros have contributed their unique insights, knowledge and experience to the lessons, and guide the pupil through the process of honing their photography skills via intimate interviews and on-location demonstrations. 

Next time… 

How to get started in street photography, and the camera equipment you need, will be published on 12 August. Don't miss it! 

If you like what you've seen from ‘The Art of Street Photography’ so far, then click here to find out more about the course. 

Read more: 

Photography tips and techniques 
5 top street photography tips to try 
Buying guide: street photography-friendly mirrorless cameras 

Discover how to master street photography and get an exclusive insight of the work of top UK photographer Martin Parr in Digital Camera’s July 2019 issue – plus get 12 free gifts including 30 texture screen effects for Photoshop.

Digital Camera magazine has partnered with legendary agency Magnum Photos to offer some highlights from ‘The Art of Street Photography’, the debut course from new online learning portal Magnum Learn.

And there’s more from Magnum Photos in the issue, as Magnum stalwart and internationally renowned documentary photographer Martin Parr is the July issue’s guest editor. We’ve marked this occasion by producing four separate covers, using some of his most iconic images.

Inside, Martin takes us behind the scenes of some of his favourite images in his Beach Therapy book, and interviews emerging art photographer Robin Friend about the intriguing landscapes featured in Robin’s Bastard Countryside book. 

Elsewhere in the issue, join leading pro Neil Burnell on a butterflies shoot in One to One and get inspired by 10 amazing all-new projects in Photo Active. And see what happened when we set a pair of readers loose on a desolate day on Dartmoor, for our Shootout photo challenge.

For the technically minded, it’s the turn of focal length to be deconstructed in Camera College, plus you’ll also find hints, tips and technique assessments aplenty in Photo Answers.

Image editing fans will definitely find plenty of interest in our Practical Photoshop section. We reveal how to get the most from Lightroom Classic’s new Texture tool, four ways to easily add mood to landscapes, and tips for mastering the Split Toning panel in Photoshop. 

Other highlights in Digital Camera's July issue 

July’s camera kit reviews lead on two hot new models from Panasonic. First up, it’s the turn of the affordable but capable full-frame mirrorless Lumix S1, before we put the stills and vlogging-friendly Micro Four Thirds mirrorless Lumix G90 through its paces.

Lens-wise, we look at the Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 S, the first pro-spec standard telephoto for Nikon’s Z system, plus we test six fun effects lenses from the likes of Lensbaby and Lomography. And with the summer holidays looming, why not choose a travel tripod from our group test – eight top models come under scrutiny.

Other highlights in Digital Camera’s July 2019 issue include 77 minutes of video tutorials, 30 texture screen effects and a 148-page camera gear ebook. 

The July 2019 issue of Digital Camera comes with these fabulous free gifts 

• 9 all-new photo tips cards covering landscapes, nature, macro… and more! 
• Video disc featuring 77 minutes of Photoshop and Lightroom video training 
• 30 texture screen effects for Photoshop  
• 148-page Camera Shopper ebook packed full of buying advice 

Subscribe now

Every issue of Digital Camera magazine is packed with tips, techniques, pro advice, reviews, news and inspiration. To make sure of your copy every month, subscribe at our online shop from just £12.50! 

You can buy limited back issues of Digital Camera magazine in print at our MyFavouriteMagazines secure store.

Alternatively, there are a number of different digital options available, including:

• Apple app (for iPad or iPhone)
• Zinio app (multi-platform app for desktop or smartphone)
• Google Play (for Android devices)
• Readly (digital magazine subscription service)

This September, Fotospeed’s Foto Fest returns for its fourth iteration. A one-day festival of talks and exclusive deals from leading manufacturers, Foto Fest’s star guest this year will be none other than legendary documentary photographer Martin Parr.

One of the best-known documentary shooters of his generation, Parr has been a member of Magnum Photos since 1994, and is known in particular for his incisive work documenting the social class strata of England. He’s had more than 100 of his own books published and has edited a further 30.

Toby Herlinger, Sales and Marketing Director for Fotospeed, said, “We’re ecstatic to announce that the outstanding Martin Parr will be joining us to headline Foto Fest 2019. We’ve got an incredible line up of talented photographers to inspire our audience, and who are proud to support us in our aim to share knowledge in the photography community. We’re very excited to host Foto Fest for the fourth year running and look forward to bringing more excellent talks at Foto Fest in the future.”

The rest of the line-up includes: fine-art wildlife photographer Tom Way; outdoor and seascape photographer Rachael Talibart; as well as full-time landscape photographer and successful vlogger Nigel Danson. All of them will be giving talks sharing the stories behind their images and their successes.

As well as the talks, Foto Fest also includes Foto Fest Market Place, a chance to shop for camera gear and get advice from the experts. Confirmed brands for the market place so far include Sony, Lee Filters, Rotolight, Canon, Clifton Cameras and more, so it sounds like it’ll be well worth checking out if you’re looking for a bargain on some new kit.

Foto Fest is running on September 8th 2019, 9:30AM to 5PM. Attending the talks requires a £40 day pass, however the Market Place is free for all to attend. You can head to the Foto Fest website to find out more and secure your place.

Read more:

Five quick questions with Martin Parr

147 photography techniques, tips and tricks for taking pictures of anything

10 ultimate locations for wildlife photographers

This year's Super Stage at The Photography Show will be headlined by Martin Parr, the star of British street photography. 

The legendary Magnum Photos photographer will take to the stage on the opening day of the event (Saturday 16 March at 3.30pm) to talk about his career. 

And he will conclude with a taster of his new exhibition – Only Human opens on 7 March at the National Portrait Gallery in London. 

Tickets for the Super Stage speakers are available online now for £12 each. The talks will be held in the Toute Suite, just outside the main hall of The Photography Show. 

To whet your appetite, we asked Martin to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions… 

Five questions with Martin Parr

1. You define a Martin Parr image as a bright, colourful and cheery scene with a serious strand. When looking to frame your next shot, what’s the hardest of these elements to find? 

Finding a strong design to carry the image is the hardest part. You have to make some order of our chaotic world. 

2. How much has the ability to print your pictures larger and at higher quality than before changed the way you approach photography? 

The quality of the digital files from a DSLR these days is mind-blowing. So I am getting the same quality that I was from a medium-format camera in the analogue days. 

3. In these times of narrow and extreme views amplified by social media, do we need documentary photography more than ever? 

We always need it as the world changes so fast, and especially when it's not changing in a good way. 

4. You’ve said that the tension between love and hate for Britain gives your images an edge. Can you think of a Martin Parr image that captures both in the same frame? 

In my upcoming show at the National Portrait Gallery, the last and biggest section is called ‘Britain in the Time of Brexit’, so please come and view this to see what I mean. 

5. Your photographs of people enjoying downtime offer an intriguing insight to their lives. Which leisure pursuits do you enjoy and what do they tell us about Martin Parr? 

It's tough for me to take holidays as photography is my hobby after all! However a good walk in the beautiful countryside can make me leave my camera at home, as I don't want to photograph landscapes! 

Booking details

Martin Parr will be speaking on the Super Stage at 3.30pm on Saturday 16 March 2019. Tickets cost £12.

There are over 200 exhibitors and over 300 free talks and demonstrations at The Photography Show, and the sister Video Show. Tickets for the show itself are available from here.  You can get 25% off advance, single-day, adult tickets using the code DCAMTPS19 if you book by March 13.

Don't miss the other Super Stage speakers 

Read more about TPS 2019

The Photography Show 2019: everything you need to know

Download your free 48-page Photography Show 2019 preview

Martin Parr headlines a line-up of star photographers on the Super Stage at this year's Photography Show. The four-day event that runs from 16-19 March at the NEC in Birmingham has once again attracted some of the biggest names from around the world to speak  at the UK's biggest annual photographic event.

Martin Parr is joined by a number of top American photographers on the premium Super Stage. National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths makes the journey across the Atlantic along with top fashion photographer Lindsay Adler, wildlife ace Moose Peterson and former White House phoographer Pete Souza. 

Completing the list of prestigious American speakers is Californian Chris Burkard who is best know to is three million Instagram followers for his amazing outdoor photography and surfing pictures.

With the addition of The Video Show to this year's exhibition, cinematographer Gordon Buchanan also joins the Super Stage line-up. The wilidlife filmmaker is probably best know for his work on Springwatch and for presenting the recent BBC series Animals with cameras.

Super Stage line-up

Tickets for a the Super Stage speakers are available online now for £12 each,  and will be held in the Toute Suite just outside the main hall of The Photography Show.

There are over 200 exhibitors and over 300 free talks and demonstrations at The Photography Show, and the sister Video Show. Tickets for the show itself are available now.

Read more:
The Photography Show 2019 – everything you need to know

The 50 best photographers ever

The Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol has just launched a membership scheme, which will be used to support photographers, increase access to its collections and build a community around its work. 

With three tiers of membership available, the benefits range from invitations to private views, priority booking for events, exclusive signed prints, and your very own studio portrait session with Martin Parr.

What is the Foundation?

The Martin Parr Foundation was established in 2014 and opened to the public in an architect-designed space in the Paintworks complex, Bristol, in 2017, comprising of a studio, gallery, library and archive centre. The aim of the Foundation is to support and promote photography from the British Isles. It does so by preserving the archive and legacy of Martin Parr, and by holding a growing collection of works by selected photographers.

Nearly 10,000 people are estimated to have visited the Foundation in its inaugural year to view exhibitions by Martin Parr, Niall McDiarmid, Paul Trevor and David Hurn’s ‘Swaps’, and to attend often sold-out events including a seminar day and talks by international photographers such as Don McCullin, Susan Meiselas, Michael Christopher Brown, Siân Davey, Simon Roberts, Bieke Depoorter and Peter Bialobrzeski. 

The Foundation aims to keep exhibitions free to all, at a time when engagement with photography is increasingly digital.

What is the scheme for?

The Martin Parr Foundation houses a significant collection of documentary photography relating to the British Isles – both prints and book maquettes.

The membership scheme will contribute to expanding this collection, and will also support overlooked and emerging photographers.

What are the membership options?

Specifically, there are three tiers of membership to choose from: 

Foundation membership £35

This includes invitations to private views, a welcome tour of the foundation, priority booking for photobook library, access to exclusive membership events, plus shop discount.

Supporter membership £125

You'll get all the above foundation benefits and an exclusive, signed 10 x 8 inch print each year. Expect a foundation tour with Martin Parr, too. 

Patron Membership £750

For this option there's all the supporter benefits, plus you'll get to have your portrait taken by Martin Parr. There's also an annual patrons dinner with the man himself.

Find out more

Membership is available now at www.martinparrfoundation.org/membership

The Martin Parr Foundation is based at 316 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol, UK.

The Foundation is open to the public from Wednesday – Saturday from 11am – 6pm.

Admission is free.

With a career spanning over six decades in photojournalism, Sir Don McCullin has also become one of the great photographers of our time. 

He is best-known for capturing the international conflict zones of the late 20th century in The Sunday Times Magazine. But his new book The Landscape shows his more pastoral work which has been shot over the entirety of his  working life.

We listened in on an exclusive conversation between Martin Parr and Sir Don McCullin at the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol, and discovered (in 10 quotes) what taking photos really means to the celebrated war photographer. 

1.McCullin on becoming a photographer

"I never really wanted to be a photographer. In a way, photography chose me."

2. McCullin on fame and fortune 

"I was never interested in financial wealth. All I wanted was to see my name under the photographs. That was my reward. I wanted to bring my family name to a place where people could see and respect it."

3. McCullin on motivation

"I am still getting blackmailed by photography, which is supposed to be something I love. I don't believe you do can anything well in life unless you are in this position."

4. McCullin on politics

"I didn't have an education and I thought photography would be really good because all you do is go out and take pictures, it's not political... and you know, almost everything I've touched has been political."

5. McCullin on family

Photography is something where every time you take a picture, you are recording the lives of people, your family and you are all part of the historical journey.

6. McCullin on print making

"In my darkroom when I see that print coming in the developer, it's as if I win the lottery."

7. McCullin on photographers

"Photographers are not total fools, they know what they are doing. We know what we are doing."

8. McCullin on mobile photography

"I've never been afraid of other people taking pictures. Everyone takes pictures on their phones now. Any joy I get out of it is because I don't have to look at them and secondly, they don't really improve very well when you try to enlarge them."

9. McCullin on cameras

"I've never had great interest in the camera equipment. I said once that I use a camera the way I would use a toothbrush. It's a necessity. I need a camera to work with, but I don't work with a camera, I work with my feelings and my eyes."

10. McCullin on growing old

"Photography gives you untold strength really, once something takes you over. It is amazing what you can do that you don't realise. I get still excited about photography and I am 83 years old. Isn't that wonderful really?"

The Landscape, published by Jonathon Cape, is out now.

You can read the full interview between Don McCullin and Martin Parr in the next issue of Digital Camera magazine, out 16 November.

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For five days only, over 100 square prints by the world’s leading photographic artists – including Elliott Erwitt, Steve McCurry and Martin Parr – will be available to buy from Magnum Photos.

Each museum-quality print, measuring 6x6 inch, is signed or estate stamped – and will be on sale for jsut $100 each. This Square Print Sale is a fundraiser for the photo foundation Aperture’s not-for-profit work.

The prints are currently being exhibited at the Aperture Gallery in New York, in a special exhibition hosted by Airbnb Magazine for the duration of the sale.

6 of the famous prints on sale...

Steve McCurry

Carolyn Drake

Joel Meyerowitz

Martin Parr

David Hurn

Robert Capa

What is the print sale about?

‘Crossings’ is the name of this Square Print Sale, which is being presented by Magnum Photos and Aperture Foundation.

The two organisations already have a long-standing history, and they've collaborated on publications and events through the decades.

There's many shared themes in the selection of 100 images, including selfhood and identity, and wider topics such as migration.

‘Crossings' asks questions about the human ability to move, transform and build connections.

Who are the two organisations?

Magnum Photos is a photo agency that was founded in Paris in 1947 as an artists’ co-operative by four pioneering photographers, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, David “Chim” Seymour, and George Rodger.

Aperture is the world's leading not-for-profit photography publisher. Founded in 1952 by photographers and writers including Minor White, Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, and Beaumont Newhall to serve as "common ground for the advancement of photography.”

Print sale details

‘Crossings’ Magnum’s Square Print Sale in Partnership with Aperture runs from 9am EST Monday 29 October until midnight EST Friday 2 November 2018. 

Signed and estate stamped, museum quality, 6x6” prints from over 100 artists will exceptionally be available for $100, for 5 days only, from shop.magnumphotos.com

Read more:
The 50 best photographers ever
100 best photography quotes from famous photographers