Scottish Portrait Awards

The MPB Scottish Portrait Awards in Photography 2024 have been announced showcasing recent graduates alongside established professionals and talented amateurs. This year, one of Document Scotland’s photographer’s was part of the judging panel. Margaret Mitchell says: “It was an honour to be part of the panel this year along with Simon Murphy, Jonathan Daniel Pryce, Christine […]

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Exhibition of Sandra George’s Work

Please note, one image contains graffiti with racist and harmful language. The work of Sandra George is on as part of Glasgow International in an exhibition that spans over four decades of her multi-disciplinary practice. Never exhibited in her lifetime, this solo show presents a history of people and place produced through George’s deep engagement with individuals and communities […]

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As Long As I Keep Busy, by Neil Goodwin

As Long as I Keep Busy, by photographer Neil Goodwin, is a social documentary about the lives of people living alone in the UK. Half of the project participants live in Scotland.   Living alone is a world-wide social phenomenon. In the UK, over eight million people live alone, almost 12 percent of the population, […]

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Incidental Moments by Andy J. Mather

As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, one of the main aims of Document Scotland over the past decade has been our focus on showcasing emerging photography talent and new voices here on our website. Today, we are delighted to feature the work of Biggar-based photographer Andy J Mather, a recent graduate from Greys School of […]

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The Loss of the Beautiful Game, by Niamh McInally

Over here at Document Scotland we’re always keen to see other documentary style photography from Scotland and are always open to submissions of work with a view to featuring it, helping share it, and helping promote photography within Scotland. Niamh McInally emailed us with her ‘Loss of the Beautiful Game’ portfolio below, which I’d already […]

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Albion Rovers in Lockdown by Iain McLean

Glasgow-based photographer Iain McLean is a long-time chronicler of one of Scottish football’s less celebrated and supported teams, Albion Rovers. Nevertheless, just as the loyalty of fans is rewarded by a thrilling victory or a surpsrise win in a cup tie, so the photographer who perserveres on a project with dedication, enthusiasm and skill can […]

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Wester Hailes by John Walmsley

Document Scotland recently enjoyed seeing these images by John Walmsley, of Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, in the 1970’s. We thank John for allowing us to share them, and news of his new exhibition and planned books. – Jeremy The exhibition. WHALE Arts 30 Westburn Grove,Edinburgh,EH14 2SA0131 458 3267 Mon 25th Oct to Thurs 18th Nov Mondays to Fridays, […]

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The Glasgow Effect by Sofia Conti

Document Scotland is delighted to showcase the work of Sofia Conti, a Glasgow-based documentary photographer whose work focuses on social awareness issues. She graduated from Gray’s School of Art with a BA in Photography in 2020 and her work was recognised in the Student category of the Moscow International Foto Awards in the same year. […]

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Forth & Clyde Canal by Brian Sweeney

In 2020, Document Scotland featured Glasgow-based photographer Brian Sweeney’s series The Great Football Grounds on the North. Now it gives us great pleasure to look at his year-long project of images made on the Forth and Clyde Canal as it makes its way through Glasgow. Completed in 2016-17, the work was commissioned by Scottish Canals […]

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#RFC55 by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

You may have noticed in the last week or two that Rangers Football Club in Glasgow have won the Scottish Premiership, denying their arch rivals Celtic FC, on the other side of the city, the chance to win ten titles in a row. Around the city posters have gone up, and graffiti appearing, #RFC55, the […]

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As I Found Her by Danny North

During these past few months of lockdown, working at home and playing podcasts I listened to photographer Danny North speaking on Grant Scott’s UN of Photography weekly podcast discussing What Does Photography Mean To You? I hadn’t come across Danny’s work before, but in the podcast Danny mentions some photography from the island of Eigg […]

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Floreat Clutha by Michael Thomson

A journey along the River Clyde estuary. Document Scotland speaks with photographer Michael Thomson, about his 10-year long project photographing the River Clyde estuary. We started with asking him for the title of the project? I am in the position where I haven’t had to finalise a title just yet. The motto of Clyde Navigational Trust, […]

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The City by Donnie MacLean

Street photography from Glasgow Donnie MacLean isn’t interested in holding your hand and gently persuading you that everything is going to be ok.  Subtle isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when viewing his work, often presented as a near impenetrable wall of faces, each fighting to avoid your attention, pleading with you to […]

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Longannet Colliery by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

Photographs from Longannet Colliery in Fife, Scotland’s last commercial coal mine, taken a few months before the flooding of the pit and its inevitable closure. These images, by Glasgow-based photographer Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, were shot in 2001 during a newspaper magazine assignment, and subsequently years later published as a book by Café Royal Books, (Limited copies […]

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Glasgow by Monserrat Orallo

Document Scotland recently found the colour street photography of Glasgow, by Monserrat Orallo Alvarez, on Instagram, and were pleasantly amused by the fresh view of the city, and the humour it provided. We caught up with Monse, over emails and we’re pleased to be able to share her following work. – Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert. “I came […]

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Common Riding Portraits by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

Working in my archive recently, during an ongoing tidy up and reorganising, I found myself in my folder of portraits shot in the summer of 2014, during my documenting of the Common Ridings and festivals of the Scottish Borders. That work, reportage work shot in 2013 and portraits shot the summer of 2014, culminated in […]

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Water Towers of Glasgow by Adam Fowler

The photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher recorded many industrial structures across the landscape of Northern Europe. They would organise these images into grids of typologies. One of the structure types they chose to record was water towers. While the Bechers did visit Scotland I do not believe they photographed the many water towers in Glasgow, […]

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Arbroath by Robert Birtles

Robert Birtles is a landscape and documentary photographer living in Dundee, Scotland. This current body of work by him examines the relationship between the landscapes, culture and traditions of the highland and coastal communities of Scotland. Robert is currently making photographs documenting the east-coast fishing port of Arbroath. The project explores the town’s romantic bond […]

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Scottish Orange Walks by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

Scottish Orange Walks, in the 1990’s, photographed on the west coast of Scotland, in Wishaw, Glasgow’s Ruchill, and Saltcoats in Ayrshire. The series, by Glasgow-based photographer Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, looked the annual Orange Order marches and the spectators who accompany the walks. Many years later the work appeared as a publication, Scottish Orange Walks 1993-1998 by […]

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Foodbank by Saskia Coulson and Colin Tennant

Foodbank is an ongoing photographic project by Glasgow-based photographers Saskia Coulson and Colin Tennant which began in the summer of 2020. In 2009, the Trussel Trust opened its first branch in Scotland. Ten years later The Scotsman reported that there were a staggering 52 food banks operating in Glasgow alone.

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Aye by Jörg Meier

Glasgow has long history of photographers chronicling life on its streets and in the schemes. Some have been restless natives, others interlopers. Some passed through, others stayed and got to know Scotland’s biggest city and most populous conurbation. Glasgow gives generously to visitors, ready with smiles and stories, yet half-hidden are the truths which underpin […]

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Young Prospects by Heather Shuker

Document Scotland is delighted to showcase work by a fellow collective of photographers. The Shetland Project: Young Prospects by Heather Shuker was made in 2018 during a six-day trip to the Shetland Islands with the MAP6 photography collective. The Shetland Project was MAP6’s fourth project, following on from The Moscow Project, The Lithuania Project and […]

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Shetland Reconnaissance by Richard Chivers

Document Scotland is delighted to showcase Shetland Reconnaissance by Richard Chivers, one of the photographs from the MAP6 Collective. Here he explains a bit about the work. “The Shetland Islands geographical positioning as the UK’s furthest northerly landmass, has over the last 100 years, made it a key strategic observation point for the Military to […]

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Passing Place – Sandy Carson’s new book

Passing Place is an intimate portrait of both Sandy Carson’s mother and the ex-mining village he grew up in the West of Scotland after emigrating to America at a young age. This photographic memoir deals with separation, space, and the invisible family bonds that exist despite physical distance incurred by geographical displacement.

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Paisley. Part of the "Govanhill street level" exhibition by photographer Simon Murphy. 20 images will be displayed as part of a photo trail ,taking place between Aug 21st and Aug 31st 2020, to be displayed in windows of local businesses throughout the Govanhill International Festival.

Govanhill Street Level by Simon Murphy

Document Scotland is delighted to showcase the work of Glasgow-based photographer Simon Murphy titled Govanhill Street Level. Here, he gives an insight into the diverse and vibrant area of Govanhill with a series of portraits to be displayed in windows as part of a photo trail during the festival. Simon’s career has enabled him to […]

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Glasgow Women, by Nicola Stead

I had already noticed Nicola Stead’s portraits of Glasgow women on her website, stumbled into by chance following links and clicks, and I was taken by the simplicity of them, but also the strength of the women that showed through the great use of light, and sharpness of focus, as well as their expressions. Lovely portraits.

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Et in Arcadia Ego by Bill Duncan

I am always intrigued by creative people who manage to cross-pollinate their practice by involving other disciplines. I first came across the work of Angus-based writer Bill Duncan in the first years of this century, when he published a couple of wry, funny and beautifully-observed chronicles of Scottish life through the prism of Calvinism.

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Patrick, Edinburgh, 2015, from the Series Be, Still © Mairead Keating all rights reserved.

Be, still by Mairead Keating

In 2015 while studying photography at Edinburgh College of Art, Mairead Keating spent time an an Edinburgh youth club making portraits of the children she met there. The resulting body of work, “Be, Still” explores notios of childhood and growing up. Sophie spoke with Mairead about making the work and how the project came about. […]

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NHS 88 by Iain Stewart

‘NHS 88’by Iain Stewart. As I write, on a Thursday evening, I’m watching the clock, mindful to stop at 8pm and go to the front door with my family and most of my street to Clap For Our Carers, marking our gratitude and respect for our National Health Service, keeping us all alive and well […]

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Jos Treen’s Glasgow

Jos, Thanks for agreeing to share some of your work with Document Scotland. We came across your images via Twitter a week or two back, where you seem to have been posting scans of old negatives. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and when you were doing these images? – Jeremy […]

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The Great Football Grounds of the North by Brian Sweeney

It’s Saturday afternoon during the coronavirus outbreak and I have the blues. Our football grounds, like the cities and towns across the country, are silent and empty. Like everyone else, I won’t be going to a game today. There’s something particularly sad and sombre for a football fan to see our stadiums unused and redundant. […]

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