What’s Camberwell like? How is it being a photographer out there?

South London has a strong creative community, and I feel fortunate to be part of it. It’s a great place to be a photographer, with spaces like Photofusion nearby. Places like this provide not only exhibition opportunities but also a sense of support and encouragement. I actually currently have an exhibition there.

Tell me about your seven chickens.

I have a small flock of bantams, which are miniature chickens. Big Red is the most confident and full of character—she even survived a fox attack, which is unfortunately something you have to contend with in London. They spend their days wandering around the garden, enjoying treats, and taking dust baths. Each of them has their own personality, which makes them a joy to have around.

Can you share a defining moment from your journey as a photographer so far?

Becoming a mother during the pandemic was a significant turning point for me, both personally and creatively. My pregnancy coincided with the UK’s lockdowns, starting with the first and ending with my son’s birth during the third. It was an unusual and challenging time to go through such a life-changing experience, and it led me to explore pregnancy and motherhood in that unique context.

Many women had to navigate this period with limited support, attending appointments alone or even giving birth without their partners present. The stories I heard—of mothers recovering from c-sections without help, of newborns being separated from their parents—were deeply moving. Through my work, I wanted to capture the quiet resilience of mothers experiencing this time in history. My aim was to document moments of connection, strength, and tenderness between mother and child.

This will sound like a joke, but I am genuinely curious: as someone who is “self-taught,” what’s the most recent thing you learned from or about yourself?

Traveling to Mongolia was a moment of rediscovery for me. After becoming a mother, I felt the need to reconnect with my identity beyond parenthood. It had been a long-held dream of mine to visit, and I decided to go on my own. I remember standing in the middle of a valley, feeling a million miles away from everything, and feeling invigorated. It was about finding my way back to creativity and independence.

Finish this sentence: “For me, photography is…”

….curiosity about the world and the people within it; capturing something overlooked and finding a new way of looking at something familiar.

What’s the story behind your winning image? What specifically are we looking at, and how did you go about capturing it?

This photograph was taken at the Mongolian Eagle Festival, an event that celebrates the traditions of Kazakh eagle hunters. The festival is a mix of competition and spectacle, with riders charging into the crowds, drunken spectators jumping out of the way, and eagles demonstrating their hunting skills.

The image captures a camel racer in a brief moment of stillness, leaning on his camel. Among all the energy and movement of the festival, this moment stood out to me. I think that sometimes the quiet moments tell the most interesting stories.

In what ways did Mongolia surprise you?

The scale of the landscape is hard to put into words—it stretches endlessly in every direction, creating a sense of space that is rare to experience.

What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you?

Even if you’re feeling nervous or shy, just ask—most people will say yes.

What’s the last thing that you read, listened to, or watched that truly blew your mind?

The Chris Killip retrospective at the Photographer’s Gallery had a huge impact on me. His work documenting the lives of those affected by deindustrialization in the North of England during the 1970s and 80s was powerful. Killip’s deep immersion in these communities, capturing both the harshness and humanity of their experiences, is remarkable. His photographs not only record a moment in history but affirm the resilience of the people he grew close to—lives that, as he said, “had history done to them,” yet refused to look away.

What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish in the next year or so?

I’m currently working on a project about men who live with “love dolls.” It’s been difficult to gain access to this community, as people are understandably very private. But I find it an interesting subject—the psychology behind it, the emotional connections, and the way these relationships are perceived by society. I’d like to complete this project and gain a deeper understanding of the people involved.

What about one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?

I hope to leave behind a body of work that captures something honest about people—their experiences, their emotions, their worlds. If my work resonates with someone, makes them pause or reflect, then I’ll feel I’ve achieved something worthwhile.

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