Conceptual Artist and Commercial Photographer Harley Bainbridge

About Me.

Hi, I’m Harley, a socially engaged/conceptual photographer from Salford in the North of England. My work is primarily focused on the representation of identity, in particular under-represented groups right her win the North West.

While I have had an interest in photography for nearly 30 years, it is only in the last ten years that I have concentrated on developing my own practice. Originally taking inspiration from cinema and post-modern photographers my interest in socially engaged practice reflected my own experiences of growing up in a working class town where the pursuit of an arts career was often dismissed.

Since 2019 I have been fortunate to work with several groups including those facing homelessness, LGBTQ+ individuals, Autism groups and Ukrainian refugees. These works, and several self-reflective works, have been featured in places like; Portrait of Britain, Hunger Magazine, SkyArts TV, The British Journal of Photography, the Turnpike Gallery and OpenEye Gallery.

I am also studying towards an MA Socially Engaged Photography at The University of Salford, continuing to develop new projects and developing my commercial career.

Commercially I have delivered well over 300 commissions working with a variety of clients from sole traders right through to multi-national corporations. I like to say I specialise in photographing people, primarily portraits, headshots, PR and branding but, as part of my fulls service offering, also delivered product, architectural and video work.

You can click here for my portfolio and here for my rates.

Statement of Ethics

As author or facilitator of photographic projects it is my responsibility to meet the ethical requirements laid out in my statement. It is also my responsibility to ensure the safety, agency and equity of participants wherever possible.
Accountability means both planning for potential risks to these responsibilities but also following up on future outcomes resulting from the making and publication of work.
Recognising and acknowledging my part in mistakes and negative outcomes with the aim to improve my practice going forward.
As a socially engaged photographer my practice revolves around engaging individuals and groups in photographic projects.
A process which is dependant on the involvement of others.
My aim is to recognise the contributions of participants and involve them in each step of the creative process, from conceptualisation to production and publication.
Recognising and facilitating contributions impart of redressing the power dynamics between artist and subject, challenging the concept of the ‘auteur’ photographer
As photographic mediums proliferate quickly and easily through a myriad of channels, it is my responsibility that participants and collaborators are well informed on the potential use of project work.
It is only through being well informed that they can consent to inclusion in a project and its future publication.
This ongoing consent will be affirmed at each stage of project development and into the future, recognising how circumstances change as opportunities develop and evolve.
It is important to recognise the diversity of the ‘groups’ I work with and that individuals may identify in many ways.
My aim is to respect each participant as an individual and recognise their own uniqueness within the work.
It is also important that I work to support the platforming of voices that are often suppressed.
As an outsider to many of the cultural groups I work with it is my responsibility to educate myself on their history, context and representation.
Not only to understand their current challenges and goals but also to anticipate potential risks to my ethical guidelines and responsibilities.
It is also my responsibility to anticipate and research the individual participants and groups for potential ethical, project and participant risks.
By being informed I also prepare myself for recognising my own biases and potential for stereotypical representation.
Working with diverse cultural groups means recognising that within those groups there is still a diverse range of individual characteristics.
In order to promote equality and equity I will work to remove access challenges and restrictions and facilitate the opportunity to participate.
In support of my ethics I have and will continue to work with and for under-represented groups.
This includes:
Ensuring ongoing informed consent with current and past project participants,
Ensuring participant recognition in publications and exhibitions,
Profit sharing of published work to appropriate charitible agencies,
Discounted commercial rates for groups, CIC’s and Charities,
Free mentoring and advice sessions,
Free group sessions for schools and colleges,
Sharing stories of success and highlighting potential access restrictions,
Highlighting opportunities for under-represented groups,
Sharing advice and experience of applying for, receiving and utilising funding, commissions and opportunities,
Commitment to CPD work around ethics and representation.