
From the series Fisherwomen. © Craig Easton, all rights reserved.
Collectives adapt and evolve. To survive and thrive, they must move with the times. When Document Scotland was established in 2012 by Sophie, Colin, Jeremy and Stephen, the immediate future of our nation was up for grabs, with the Independence referendum on the horizon. Our vision then was to document the extraordinary times we were living through and use our collective skill and strength to promote and grow photography in Scotland by disseminating our work widely.
Time moves on and the landscape has changed. Politically, Scotland remains part of the UK, although subsequent events would have the country removed from the European Union. The pandemic and economic shocks have shaped what Scotland looks like today with the future more uncertain than for many years. Our practice has changed too. The first few years of Document Scotland was a rollercoaster of activity from exhibitions to live events, publishing and building a website which is now regarded as an authoritative resource of reference. The pace was relentless, and we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Michael in his temporary accommodation, 2020. From the series An Ordinary Eden. © Margaret Mitchell, all rights reserved.
We want to continue to grow and be at the forefront of defining what contemporary documentary photography means to Scotland. It is our intention to continue this process, whilst taking time for self-reflection and development. To this end, we are delighted that two brilliant photographers are joining us on the next stage of our journey: Margaret Mitchell and Craig Easton. Both will bring fresh ideas, energy and outstanding photography to the collective. Both have a track record of making groundbreaking, important work and their voices will make Document Scotland stronger and more relevant as we develop projects now and in the future. We are excited to be working with them.
Margaret Mitchell was born in Stirling and lives in Glasgow. Her work ranges from exploring communities and children’s worlds to projects on the individual and society. Connection, ethics, and sincerity sit at the heart of her approach with photography that bridges both psychological and social concerns. Her imagery explores the intricacies and complexities of people’s lives with a particular emphasis on place and belonging.

Stina in the Children’s Wood. © Margaret Michell, all rights reserved.
She has exhibited widely including at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh (2017 & 2022) and at the National Portrait Gallery, London as part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize (2014 & 2022). Her latest body of work An Ordinary Eden was premiered at Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow in 2023. Work has been acquired for the permanent collections of the National Galleries of Scotland, the Martin Parr Foundation, and the University of Stirling. Her book Passage (Bluecoat Press, 2021) reflects on the nature of disadvantage and privilege in a study over three generations. Recognition includes the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award (2022: Honourable Mention), the Sony World Photography Awards (2018, Contemporary Issues, 2nd) and the Royal Photographic Society IPE (2017, 1st). She was elected onto the Hundred Heroines initiative and is a member of Women Photograph.
She works both on personal projects and commissions and work has featured in the Guardian, De Correspondent, and the New Statesman amongst others.
Craig Easton focuses on issues around social policy, identity and culture. Born in Edinburgh, he began his career at the Independent newspaper in London in 1990 and went on to work for international magazines and books travelling far and wide. In recent years, his focus has moved towards longer, more in-depth, research-based projects using photography alongside audio and written word in an attempt to explore pressing issues in contemporary society. Mixing portraiture and landscape with reportage approaches to storytelling, Craig’s work aims to weave a narrative between contemporary experience and history.

From the series Sixteen. © Craig Easton, all rights reserved.
To date, Craig has published three monographs: Fisherwomen, (Ten O’Clock Books, 2020), Bank Top, (GOST Books, 2022) and Thatcher’s Children (GOST Books 2023) for which he was nominated for the prestigious Orwell Prize. He has won numerous awards including the 2021 Sony Photographer of the Year. In 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society. His current projects include Return To Mingulay – a series of large format landscapes on the uninhabited Hebridean island in response to the work of Robert Moyes Adam in 1905 and 1922. A portfolio of this work, made as platinum/palladium prints, was acquired by St. Andrews University Special Collections and will be on display in the Wardlaw Museum. St. Andrews from October – December 2023. In September 2023, Craig was be announced as winner of the Arnold Newman Prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture.
Sophie and Colin would like to welcome Margaret and Craig to Document Scotland and hope they enjoy being a part of a supportive and successful creative partneship.
A Press release with quotes and images is available. Please contact us at for details.
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