95 percent of viewers surveyed support Portrait of Britain’s drive to make the best of contemporary photography accessible to all
Tag: Portrait of Britain
For Sophie Green, one of the exhibiting photographers in BJP’s Portrait of Britain 2017, staying true to your vision is key
Jenny Lewis’ photograph, selected for Portrait of Britain 2017, exists as a powerful reminder of the ongoing tragedy and injustice of the Grenfell Tower fire
Laura Pannack, one of the exhibiting photographers in BJP’s Portrait of Britain 2017, speaks about the art of good portrait photography.
For Thea Geldi, one of the exhibiting photographers in the BJP’s Portrait of Britain 2017, the portrait offers a canvas on which to celebrate diversity.
“I don’t tend to think too much about what the judges will go for, or whether the work is their cup of tea – it’s not maths, it’s art.”
The Portrait Issue returns this September just as The British Journal of Photography launches the return of Portrait of Britain, which will once again appear on digital JCDecaux screens across the country, in partnership with photography giant Nikon. Portraits have a rare capacity to capture a person, family and community in a way that reshapes a narrative or empowers an entire group of people. Each photoseries in this issue manages to shed new light on an individual or group and move beyond stereotypes to find a more honest truth – whether with a Roma group in the south of France, or a working class neighbourhood in The Netherlands.
Portrait of Britain returns for a second year with 100 more images that encapsulate life the length and breadth of the UK. From almost 8,000 entries this year, the final hundred will now be displayed in a digital exhibition across JCDecaux screens in shopping centres and commuter hubs around the country throughout September. In partnership with Nikon, the photography giant, Portrait of Britain aims to show the social and cultural diversity of people in the UK and showcase everyday citizens and unsung heroes in a gallery of the people, by the people, for the people. Simon Bainbridge, Editorial Director at the British Journal of Photography, was excited about the latest portraits for 2017, saying, “Collectively, the portraits celebrate the unique heritage and diversity of modern Britain, as much as its thriving photography culture and the myriad styles and approaches they employ in their work.”
Fiercely independent, Tom Johnson left school at 17 and dropped out of college, before setting up his own studio and carving out a career for himself in fashion photography. He’s now shooting for titles such as AnOther, SSAW, Buffalo Zine and Man About Town, as well as campaigns for Opening Ceremony and Faye Toogood, and is represented by Mini Title – whose founder first saw his work in BJP.
“As a photographer, you are basically only able to create an image of how you see someone rather than maybe what is really there,” says Jenny Lewis, whose portraiture has been published in two books, and whose work was selected for the inaugural Portrait of Britain show