When did photography start for you? Is there a specific memory that kick-started it all? 

I started taking photos with a purpose when I was doing my GCSEs. The photographers that fascinated me were photojournalists like Magnum photographers and female art photographers using black and white like Francesca Woodman. I used to devour the culture section of the Independent Saturday magazine and saw an exhibition of her work listed, skipped school, went to see it. After that, I tried to take photos inspired by her (with a very rudimentary point and shoot) to help me work through my muddled teenage thoughts. I never stopped adoring the Magnum photographers and they made me sure that I would make my work as an adult reflect my love of art and human geography (politics, economics, society). I went on to do a six month placement with them after graduating in Paris. I think both of these “types” of photography are still influencing me today.

Who are your influencers? And how have they shaped how you shoot?

As above, the breadth of approaches by Magnum Photographers cover most of the bases when it comes to my influences. Photographers from Koudelka to Jean Gaumy to Trent Park made me want to not just use photography to document but to show compassion, love, life and what it is to be a human in the world whilst telling a story. And of course, Gerda Taro showed me that women too could be in the thick of things and needed to share their take on the world through photography. She made me want to be a brave photographer. I’ve probably been more intrepid with my film work than my photography but I’m working on that. In a world of photojournalism that felt heavily dominated by men, she lit a fire in me that makes me want to take a place amongst them.

More recently, since joining the AOP F22 female photographer’s group, I’m inspired by photographers that develop long term projects and develop real stories with incredible images – like Rhiannon Adam, for example.

What do you love about photography? Is there anything you dislike about it?

Photography satisfies an urge to capture a moment in shapes, light and emotion – these I see everywhere. It makes me feel a sense of absolute satisfaction when I can do that.

In all honesty, I guess the thing I dislike about it is that I feel that I should be able to monetise my work better, get more commercial commissions, but I think I’m sometimes too stubborn to go out and get that. I use natural, or available light, always and want to document what is there rather than what I’ve manipulated.

Do you have a favourite project/image and why? 

I don’t have a particular image or project that is a favourite but I know that an image that has captured light, shape and feeling perfectly feels particularly satisfying to me.

What do you think makes a good photo?

A good photo to me is one that makes you see or think about more than what is in front of you.

What advice would you impart to a budding photographer?

Practise, practise, practise. My photos are better now than they were a year ago and better then than they were a decade before. Understanding how you move yourself, how you use light, how you interact with the people you want to photograph only comes from practise. The quote: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” is a good one to keep in mind. I interpret it not as saying that you actually have to be really close but that you have to be the middle of the situation, not feeling shy to engage with the person, people or event you’re photographing. Sometimes, that actually means taking a step back, but as someone who was painfully shy and couldn’t bear to “bother” people, I had to learn how to make people feel confident in what I was doing.

Where do you think photography will be in 50 years time?

Good question! I think that it’s great that people can capture images in so many accessible ways – I don’t believe in being elitist – but I think there will always be photographers who are artists and craftspeople speaking in a parallel language of images alongside a world filled with photos.