A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers

• 197 - Martin Parr (#2)

  Martin Parr (born 23 May 1952), the man who the Daily Telegraph declared to be, “arguably Britain’s greatest living photographer” is known for his photographic projects that take an intimate, satirical and anthropological look at aspects of modern life, in particular documenting the social classes of England, and more broadly the wealth of the Western world.His major projects have been rural communities (1975–1982), The Last Resort (1983–1985), The Cost of Living (1987–1989), Small World (1987–1994) and Common Sense (1995–1999). Since 1994, Martin has been a member of Magnum Photos, where he scraped in by one vote and where between 2013 and 2017 he served as President. His work has been published in numerous photobooks, over 120 of his own, and he has exhibited prolifically throughout his career.In 2017 the Martin Parr Foundation was opened in Bristol. The MPF is as a gallery and archive and research resource dedicated to both preserving the Martin’s photographic legacy and to supporting emerging, established and overlooked photographers who have made and continue to make work focused on the British Isles.Since his first A Small Voice appearance on Episode 91 of the podcast in October 2018, Martin has had a major exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery which opened in March 2019. Entitled Only Human, the show included portraits from around the world, with a special focus on Britishness, explored through a series of projects that investigated British identity. Also since that episode Martin was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours in June, 2021.Martin’s latest book, A Year in the Life of Chew Stoke Village was released in September 2022 by RRB Books.On episode 197, Martin discusses, among other things:Influence of his methodist grandfather… and peers at ManchesterEarly experiences in Hebdon BridgeThe move to Ireland - From the Pope to a Flat WhiteLiverpool and the controversy around The Last Resort workBristol and Bath - The Cost of LivingBeing blown away by his first experience of ArlesJoining Magnum amidst disapproval from the old guardSmall WorldA Year in the Life of Chew Stoke VillageSigns of the TimesCommon SenseThe work of the Martin Parr FoundationGood work and bad workReferenced:Robert DoisneauBill BrandtRobert FrankGarry WinograndAlan MurgatroydBrian GriffinDaniel MeadowsAlbert Street WorkshopFintan O’ToolePeter FraserPeter MitchellTom WoodAnna FoxKen GrantDavid MooreJohn HindePhilip Jones GriffithsHenri Cartier-BressonBoris MikhailovKrass Clement Martin: Website | Instagram | Episode 91 | Chew Stoke bookMPF: Website | Instagram“Most of the pictures I take are very bad, because to get the good pictures is almost impossible. If you went out in the morning and said ‘today I’m only gonna take good pictures’ you wouldn’t get anywhere. You wouldn’t even start. So you’ve got to have that momentum of shooting, and you’ve got to have found the right subject, the right place, the right time, and then things will start to happen.” Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

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• 091 - Martin Parr

  The man who the Daily Telegraph declared to be, “arguably Britain’s greatest living photographer” had a suburban childhood in the provincial county of Surrey, England, where his budding interest in the medium of photography was encouraged by his grandfather George Parr, himself a keen amateur photographer.Martin went on to study photography at Manchester Polytechnic in the early 70s and since that time has worked on many, many photographic projects, publishing over 100 books of his own work and editing another 30. He has developed an international reputation for his innovative imagery, his oblique approach to social documentary, and his input to photographic culture within the UK and abroad.In 1994 Martin became a full member of Magnum Photos, scraping in by a single vote, in the face of strong opposition to his inclusion from some of the old guard, including Philip Jones Griffiths and Henri Cartier Bresson himself. He has since become an important and influential Magnum Member where he served as President between 2013 and 2017.Martin has also developed an interest in filmmaking, and has started to use his photography within different genres, such as fashion and advertising. In 2002 the Barbican Art Gallery and the National Media Museum initiated a large retrospective of Martin’s work and this exhibition toured Europe for the next 5 years.Martin was Professor of Photography at The University of Wales Newport campus from 2004 to 2012 and Guest Artistic Director for the Arles photo festival in 2004. In 2006 he was awarded the Erich Salomon Prize and the resulting Assorted Cocktail show opened at Photokina and in 2008 was guest curator at New York Photo Festival.Parrworld opened at Haus de Kunst, Munich, in 2008. The show exhibited Martin’s own collection of objects, postcards, photography prints by both British and International photographers, photo books and a new project from Parr entitled Luxury. The exhibition toured Europe for the following 2 years.At PhotoEspana in 2008, Martin won the Baume et Mercier Award in recognition of his professional career and contributions to contemporary photography. He is co-author with Gerry Badger of the exhuastive three volume series The Photobook: A History. In March 2016 Strange and Familiar, curated by Parr, opened at the Barbican, London. The show examines how international photographers from 1930s onwards have photographed in the UK.Martin was awarded the Sony World Photography Award for Outstanding Contribution to Photography in April 2017. In Autumn 2017 the Martin Parr Foundation - which is a gallery and archive dedicated to supporting and preserving the photographic legacy of not only Martin himself but also of photographers who made, and continue to make, important work focused on the British Isles - opened in Bristol.Martin is currently working on an exhibition for the National Portrait Gallery which opens in March 2019.In episode 091, Martin discusses, among other things:The FoundationThe UK’s attitude towards photographyHow his suburban childhood influenced his photographyTony Ray JonesDeveloping his distinctive colour styleThe Last ResortBeing described as ‘an alien’ by Heni Cartier BressonPassing on 12,000 photobooks to Tate ModernThe health and future of Magnum PhotosReferenced:Roger MayneDavid HoffmanHans BellmerDon McCullinPaul TrevorTony Ray JonesPeter MitchellChris KillipDaido MoriyamaSimon RobertsNiall McDiarmidChloe Dewe MatthewsClementine SchneidermannJohn MyersSergio LarrainRobert FrankPaul GrahamTom WoodJohn HindeMartin: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMPF: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter“I’m pretty happy with the way it’s turned out, to be honest. I have to kick myself sometimes to realise I’m still earning a living from my hobby.” Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

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• 270 - Paris Photo 2025 Special

  Featuring:Yasuhiro OgawaMarshall ToLua RibeiraGianluca Gamberini (L'artiere books)Eleonora AgostiniPia-Paulina GuilmothAletheia CaseyBooks/Projects mentioned:Lost in Kyoto, Yasuhiro OgawaBlank Notes, Marshall To44 Irvine Street 1970-1971, Susan MeiselasAgony In The Garden, Lua RibeiraCalling The Bird Home, Cheryl St. OngeAnother England, Phil ToledanoA Study On Waitressing, Eleonora AgostiniFlowers Drink The River, Pia Paulina GuilmothFishworm, Pia Paulina Guilmoth & Jesse B. SaffireA Lost Place, Aletheia Casey Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

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• 269 - Ed Kashi (#2)

  Ed Kashi is a renowned photojournalist, filmmaker, speaker and educator who has been making images and telling stories for 40 years. His restless creativity has continually placed him at the forefront of new approaches to visual storytelling. Dedicated to documenting the social and political issues that define our times, a sensitive eye and an intimate and compassionate relationship to his subjects are signatures of his intense and unsparing work. As a member of VII Photo, Ed has been recognized for his complex imagery and its compelling rendering of the human condition. Ed’s innovative approach to photography and filmmaking has produced a number of influential short films and earned recognition by the POYi Awards as 2015’s Multimedia Photographer of the Year. Ed’s embrace of technology has led to creative social media projects for clients including National Geographic, The New Yorker, and MSNBC. From implementing a unique approach to photography and filmmaking in his 2006 Iraqi Kurdistan Flipbook, to paradigm shifting coverage of Hurricane Sandy for TIME in 2012, Ed continues to create compelling imagery and engage with the world in new ways.Along with numerous awards from World Press Photo, POYi, CommArts and American Photography, Ed’s images have been published and exhibited worldwide. His editorial assignments and personal projects have generated fourteen books.In 2002, Ed in partnership with his wife, writer + filmmaker Julie Winokur, founded Talking Eyes Media. The non-profit company has produced numerous award-winning short films, exhibits, books, and multimedia pieces that explore significant social issues.In 2019, The Enigma Room, an immersive installation, premiered at NYC’s Photoville festival, and has since been seen in Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, and New Mexico, USA.HIs new book is, A Period In Time: Looking Back While Moving Forward, 1977 - 2022. In episode 269, Ed discusses, among other things:Wanting to contribute to positive changeDonating his archive and whyA lesson learned on being assertiveHis new book A Period In TimePublishing extracts from his journal entriesEditing language in response to modern sensibilitiesSeeing the impact of identity politics in the USAHis book project with his wife, Julie, American SketchesAmerica being less divided than we are being led to believeHis interest in ‘advocacy journalism’Website | Instagram Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

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• 268 - Paul Sng

  Paul Sng is a bi-racial British Chinese filmmaker based in Edinburgh, Scotland whose work focuses on people who challenge the status quo. He has directed six feature documentaries, including Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche (winner of BIFA 2021 Best Documentary, BIFA 2021 Raindance Discovery Award), Tish (Sheffield DocFest 2023 Opening Gala film) and Reality Is Not Enough (Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025 Closing Gala film). Paul strives to make bold and creatively ambitious films that connect emotionally with audiences, working collaboratively with great teams to tell stories about outsiders and amplify rebellious voices. In 2022 he was named as a BAFTA Breakthrough Artist and directed Folding, his first short drama film, funded by Screen Scotland and BFI Network.In episode 268, Paul discusses, among other things:Growing up in London with a single mumHaving outsider syndrome… and imposter syndrome, and using that to your advantageHis educational history, including a couple of false startsMaking a feature as his first ever film with the ‘confidence of ignorance’The importance of finding a good Producer (and what their job involves)The important questions he asks himself in considering whether to make a filmStructure and working with an editorApplying the same narrative principles to documentary as are prevalent in fictionThe creative treatment of actualityFinding an audienceCurrently in production, Little WarriorReferenced:TrainspottingSymposium, PlatoBruce LeeJackie ChanDavid YipJohn WooWong Kar-WaiColin McArthurSleaford ModsNathan HannawinBruce RobinsonOrson WellesRebecca Mark-LawsonJennifer CorcoranMoonage DaydreamThe Atrocity Exhibition, JG BallardThe Man In The White SuitEmma ButtWebsite | IMDB page | InstagramEpisode sponsor:Aftershoot. Your complete AI workflow: Streamline photo culling, editing, and retouching so you can create stunning images, grow your business, and save 18+ hours every month. Try it completely free for a 30 day trial and get a 15% discount at checkout once you sign up with the code SMALLVOICEPOD. Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

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