What’s On
From artist exhibitions and talks to creative workshops, screenings and book launches we host an array of events that bring photographic art creators and fans together to learn and connect. All of our events are free unless stated otherwise.
Open Call Love Group Exhibition and Publication Launch
Taking shape as a one day group exhibition accompanied by a publication, aligning with Valentines Day, Love is a celebration of all forms of love. The exhibition will engage with how love is represented from a diversity of international gazes. With an attempt to articulate love and love’s strength to resist and revolutionise, from both those who have been joyfully gifted and those who existed within the melancholy of love.
Our invited guest judge, renowned Director and Photographer Felicity Ingram will review all submissions. Selecting the final photographers who will have their photograph (s) presented within a one day group exhibition held at The Photobook Cafe. With one best in show photographer being awarded a £250 Rapid Eye gift voucher for select services and products.
The evening will be a celebration of all Photographers who submitted to our Open Call Love, and a thank you to our guest judge Felicity Ingram.
All are welcome to the opening, no RSVP required.
All submissions will be screened during the evevning of the 12th, with one Photographer being awarded Prizes.
All selected artists will receive a copy of our Love Publication with additional copies available to purchase on the night.
A digital copy of our Love Publication will be available for download via our website.
Supported by Rapid Eye Darkrooms
Many thanks to our guest judge Felicity Ingram
Poster image Courtesy of Felicity Ingram
As part of The Photobook Cafe Public Programme
All submission fees go straight back into our programme to enable us to keep our Archive free and to support local creatives.
"The Same For Everyone" Book Launch by Andy Hall
Andy Hall is a London-based photographer specialising in reportage and portraiture, with over 35 yrs experience of working all over the world for numerous magazines and newspapers including the Observer and the Guardian; as well as NGO's including UNHCR. His work on the on-going climate crisis in the Sahel Region of Africa was screened at the Visa Pour L'Image photojournalism festival in Perpignan 2012. Andy has a growing reputation as a street photographer and has won accolades for his work in recent years, including the latest, which is from a set of photographs from the book project that has won him the Trieste Photo Days "Best Author" 2025 award judged by Magnum photographer Harry Gruyaert'. He said of Andy's work : "His compositions stand out; he's pulling order from chaos and some of his images are truly powerful".
This is a body of work from wanderings through London's city within a city known as the Square Mile. It's a visual take on the Psycho geography of this unique area that has been at the heart of how our economies are now run. Seen through the eyes of a street photographer, the book captures candid moments where workers interact with their urban environment of narrow ancient streets jammed up against shiny new glass monuments to 21st Century global capitalism.
Social media handles
@andyXhall
Hackney: Echoes Through TimeA photographic journey over fifty years by Neil Martinson
Drawing on his unique archive of photographs taken fifty years ago, Neil reveals more unseen images in parallel with those he has taken over the past two years. His images are powerful narratives that delve deep into the human experience, offering a raw, unfiltered look at the struggles, joys, and resilience of the people of Hackney. He reveals, in often surprising ways, the profound changes that have taken place over half a century, and what remains.
Neil will be signing his latest book: Purim in HackneyKingsland Road, Hackney, 1973 and the first street theatre arrived to the bewilderment of locals.
Image: 2024 and drag artist Ariana Cherry takes a ride after performing at Divine also to the bewilderment of locals.
SARAPHINA by Monica Okello
Monica Okello (b. 2001, London, UK) is an artist and designer with a keen focus on storytelling, identity and archival practices, often exploring themes around Black womanhood, memory, and the intersection of personal and collective histories within her work.
Monica is currently based in London, and is working on existing between there, Kampala and Dar es Salaam in the future. She received her BA in Graphic Communication Design (with Creative Computing), graduating with First Class Honours in July 2024.
For her first solo show, SARAPHINA, Monica presents a series of photographs taken during a trip to visit her family in Tanzania in December 2023. At the heart of this is a special moment shared with her niece, who she met for the first time on this trip — a meaningful reflection of Monica’s connection to her motherland and the familial bonds that exist beyond borders and generations.
Social media handles
@monicaokello
Tomasz Laczny photobookworkshop
The aim of this 2 day intensive studio workshop is to explore ideas about photobooks and create draft of handmade photobook dummy. We will be focusing on the following aspects of book making: sequencing, designing, bookbinding.
Booking is essential.
Saturday 1st 10:00-17:30.
Sunday 2nd 10:00-16:00.
Please note our basement gallery has no step free access and 25 steps.
A Photography Workshop on Photography Fundamentals & Narrative and Context
Unlock the Art of Visual Storytelling with Lavrentis Michailidis in London
Photographer and visual artist Lavrentis Michailidis is set to host A Photography Workshop on Photography Fundamentals & Narrative and Context, a three - hour immersive experience designed to help participants master the technical foundations of photography while exploring the power of storytelling, composition, and context.
Taking place in London, this hands-on workshop is ideal for photographers of all levels, from beginners looking to refine their skills to experienced creatives aiming to deepen their visual narratives.
Participants will delve into the core principles of exposure, light, and composition, while also learning how to craft compelling photographic stories. The workshop will cover various genres, including street, landscape, portrait, and macro photography, with a strong focus on how images gain meaning through context. Attendees will engage in practical exercises, live shooting sessions, and guided critiques, ensuring they leave with both technical confidence and a refi artistic vision.
Lavrentis Michailidis is an award-winning photographer whose work blends fine art, fashion portraiture, and commercial photography, drawing inspiration from Renaissance painting. He has exhibited at the Free-Range Exhibition Show (2024), been shortlisted in The Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition (2024, People Round), and published in The Amateur
Photographer magazine. His ongoing project, An Ode to the Small Project, challenges the notion that great photography depends on high-end gear, reinforcing his belief that storytelling and vision are at the heart of the craft.
Reaching Beyond The Visible
Uniting International Women's Day and World Book Day, the weekend of March 6th-9th will see a multidisciplinary group exhibition, accompanied by a programme of events. Seeing a Cameraless Photography Workshop and Photobook displays, brought by Female Artists and Publishers hosted at The Photobook Cafe Gallery.
Featuring works by ten Female artists; Viviana Almas, Claire Sunho Lee, Denise Laura Baker, Martha Gray, Emma Martin, Sam Evans, Bluebell Ross, Emi OConnell, Elizabeth Blackie and Becca Burn.
Artworks in the exhibition will explore themes of Mythology, Spirituality and Heritage, by tapping into dreamlike states, detachment and questioning one's identity and womanhood. Taking shape as photographic prints, mixed object installations and reading materials, all artworks have been self-selected by the artist to consider their unique identity and representation of their voices.
No RSVP required, all are welcome.
Workshop Booking is Essential.
An Introduction to cameraless photography techniques with Denise Laura Baker
As part of Reaching Beyond The Visible in Celebration of International Womens Day.
On Sunday 9th March The Photobook Cafe Gallery will be transformed into a space to make, learn and create, with an Introduction to Cameraless Photography Techniques Workshop, led by Denise Laura Baker. Attendees will learn Lumen, Cyanotype and Cyanolumen techniques, as well as a chance to network and grow knowledge.
Schedule: 11-3pm (with a lunch break)
We will explore three cameraless photography techniques; cyanotype, lumen and cyanolumen prints, creating a selection of prints to take home.
Within this we will experiment with timings, different tints and colours, different objects and the use of home made negatives to create interesting designs. We will also learn how to embrace the unpredictable, so if you are looking for something to expand your practice, push yourself out of your comfort zone, or just want to try something new, this is the workshop for you!
SWIM 04 Launch Party
SWIM is a London-based annual art and photography magazine dedicated to collaboration and exploration. Each issue provides a space to work closely with artists on a central theme, offering insight into their process and practice.
The theme for our fourth and final issue is ‘Found’. Inspired by the concept of ‘Found Art’ – a term originally coined by Marcel Duchamp and epitomised by his seminal Fountain sculpture – this issue expands on the act of finding in artistic creation. Moving beyond the traditional definition of found objects, we explore themes of discovery in a broader sense: the artist as finder, the subject as found, and the act of searching itself as an artistic process.
Contributors: Alicia Gladston, Andrew Hunt, Arthur Davies-Evitt, CentreCentre Books, Claire Douglass, Ellen Woollard, Jeff Mermelstein, Joy Gregory, Karl Ohiri, Kerstin Brätsch, Khadija Saye, Kensuke Koike, King Owusu, Kirico Ueda, Leslie Hewitt, Lucia Hierro, Marguerite Bornhauser, Max Siedentopf, Paul Elliman, Penelope Umbrico, Peter Evans, Sally Gabori, Sam Hutchinson, Sophia Wöhleke, Sarah Elwen, Thom Corbishley, Thomas Sauvin.
Join us for the launch of SWIM 04, where we will be celebrating the final chapter of SWIM. The evening will feature a superstar DJ, a SWIM retrospective showcasing past launch posters, unseen films from across the years, and previous issues of SWIM that will also be available for purchase.
This issue marks the end of the SWIM project, and we’d love to celebrate with everyone who has been a part of the journey. No RSVP needed – just come and enjoy.
Social media handles
@swimmagazine
RAYS Edition 04 / Suleika Mueller
Celebrated photographer Suleika Mueller is set to launch the highly anticipated 4th edition of her acclaimed series, RAYS, on Saturday, 8th March 2025. This edition, titled RAYS: Wanu Yawanawa, delves into the spiritual practices and creative journey of Wanu Yawanawa, an Indigenous singer from the Amazon Rainforest. Wanu’s story shines a light on the profound connection between music, nature, and spiritual healing, offering viewers a rare glimpse into the Yawanawa traditions.
About RAYS
First launched on International Women’s Day 2024, RAYS is an ongoing zine series that celebrates women whose art serves as both a personal spiritual practice and outward creative expression. Each edition reflects how creativity serves as a conduit for the divine.
Artist Bio:
Swiss-born Suleika was raised in a Sudanese Sufi Muslim order, attending school in Switzerland and traveling regularly to Sudan, Egypt, the UAE, and across Europe to engage with her Sufi community. This diverse upbringing, straddling geographical and religious boundaries, has shaped her distinct aesthetic and viewpoint, carving out a new space for individuals with hybrid identities.
Now based in London, her work serves as a tool for crossing boundaries, expressing emotions, and creating bridges. Central to her practice are authentic portrayals and stories, challenging harmful stereotypes, and promoting unity in diversity. Passionate about themes like spiritual practices, transcendental experiences, various forms of communities, and the human condition, Suleika approaches her subjects with empathy and vulnerability, practicing non-violence to contribute to a more compassionate, ethical, and sustainable future.
Publisher Pop Up: ZONE
In celebration of ZONE becoming part our permanent Archive collection, we will be hosting a Pop Up stall in our Bar for one night only!
Where you can learn all things ZONE as well as purchase select publications!
ZONE is an independent book publisher and photography based visual arts platform run by its founder, Ali. Started in the summer of 2018 as a personal research project, the aim of ZONE is to cultivate a variety of dialogues between artists and their audience, as well as supporting them with printed and online publications. We make monographs, artists’ books and other collective creatures.
Ali Beşikçi (1997, Istanbul) is an artist and publisher based in Rome. In 2018 he founded ZONE, independent book publisher and photography based visual arts platform that aims to cultivate dialogue among artists and their audience.
Social Media Handles
@besikciali / @zone_mag
Zine Club with Felix Falck-Næss
Hosted in our Gallery, using Shrimpzine technology we wanted to make a drop in style event where you can hang out, chat zines and also make one too!
All you need is a smart phone and access to the internet! Shrimpzine is a free mobile web app accessible on any touch screen device. It has been designed to make zine making more accessible!
Tickets are £25, this also includes your first zine printed, then you pay for what you print; £5 Black and White, £10 Colour (between 8 and 32 pages), 2 zines maximum.
Facilitated in our basement gallery, from 18:00-20:00.
Please note our basement gallery has no step free access and 25 steps.
Portrait of (US)EAN
Portrait of (US)EAN is the inaugural exhibition hosted by the University of the Arts London’s (UAL) Singapore Society. Serving as a platform for UAL students who come from the Southeast Asian region to showcase their work, this exhibition celebrates these rich and diverse cultural narratives that often overlooked on the global stage. Come join us for our one night show happening on 20th March!
Social media handles
@singsocual
Monotype Workshop with Sonia Thomas
Visual artist, Sonia Thomas, will introduce you to fun and simple ways to create original prints using non-toxic and easily accessible materials. This hands-on workshop is suitable for all, particularly those who have not done any printmaking before.
In the session you will try out a range of techniques and materials, and explore the effects of colour, mark making and composition. You will come away with a number of prints, the confidence in taking your ideas forward, and the techniques to experiment with printmaking at home.
Sonia Thomas is a painter, sculpture, an award-winning printmaker, and an experienced workshop leader, who lives and works in London.
Zine Club with Felix Falck-Næss (Copy)
Hosted in our Gallery, using Shrimpzine technology we wanted to make a drop in style event where you can hang out, chat zines and also make one too!
All you need is a smart phone and access to the internet! Shrimpzine is a free mobile web app accessible on any touch screen device. It has been designed to make zine making more accessible!
Tickets are £25, this also includes your first zine printed, then you pay for what you print; £5 Black and White, £10 Colour (between 8 and 32 pages), 2 zines maximum.
Facilitated in our basement gallery, from 18:00-20:00.
Please note our basement gallery has no step free access and 25 steps.
Zine Club with Felix Falck-Næss
Hosted in our Gallery, using Shrimpzine technology we wanted to make a drop in style event where you can hang out, chat zines and also make one too!
All you need is a smart phone and access to the internet! Shrimpzine is a free mobile web app accessible on any touch screen device. It has been designed to make zine making more accessible!
Tickets are £25, this also includes your first zine printed, then you pay for what you print; £5 Black and White, £10 Colour (between 8 and 32 pages), 2 zines maximum.
Facilitated in our basement gallery, from 18:00-20:00.
Please note our basement gallery has no step free access and 25 steps.
LAYERING HISTORIES: An archives in place workshop with Alexander Stubbs
We’ll begin with an automatic writing exercise, drawing out our experience of travelling to and arriving at Photobook Cafe. This will help to settle us in and relax us in the space.
Together, we’ll start to informally explore the photographs that Alex has brought to the session. This will involve group conversation and some free association writing exercises to shape our understanding of the images.
Through a process of selection and collecting, we’ll begin to assemble our own archival folder, bringing images and text together to create a layered history. If you have brought your own images, you’ll be encouraged to use those in your archive, too.
To finish the session, we’ll each write an affirmation to the place in which we live. We’ll seal it in an envelope to store in our own personal archives, to be read - or not read - at a later date.
Please bring 3-5 images of your own to the session to include within the Archive. These can be images you took or found imagery.
HRP23 Launch
HRP23 seeks to document the infinitely large into something intimately small.
An intentionally awkward, interactive publication traversing the infamous Haute Route Pyrenees.
Navigate through a selection of images and insights collected from people and places encountered along the way.
Curated and designed by Daniel Cole and Chris Christodoulou. A self-published 12 month project fuelled by sheftalia, tahini cake and endless cups of cinnamon chai.
Social media handles
@multi.face.ted, @chris_christodoulou
Ceramic and Painting Workshop
The Cici Workshop - Unleash your creativity in this two-part workshop, where you'll paint a candle and build a ceramic holder, blending pottery and painting for all skill levels.
Grab a drink at the bar and socialise with your friends whilst creating something beautiful for your home.
21 Years... By William Rham
I am currently writing this at 3 in the morning, and will probably want to change it because of the amount of words I am waffling. However this exhibition still remains a very important time in my life, with my coming of age I have spent a lot of my time thinking about my next photoshoot and how my work will change in the future, but I like how it is now. These images represent all the time and effort I have spent with friends who have helped me with modelling, hair and make-up, assistance which I appreciate and pray that will continue in the coming years. The exhibition shows the growth in my work, concepts, and editing skills and will change and mature as I do.
Social media handles
@wil_liamsphotos
Reframing Perfection: An exhibition by Ayo Fatuga
Welcome to Reframing Perfection: A Photography Exhibition by Ayo Fatuga!
Experience a unique visual journey through the lens of the talented photographer Ayo Fatuga. This exhibition showcases over 10 years of photography, featuring stunning images that challenge traditional notions of technical perfection and beauty within photography. Characterised by their imperfections, these photos celebrate where flaws become art and mistakes turn into masterpieces.
The evening will also feature live DJs, creating the perfect atmosphere to explore this captivating collection.
Scenes in a Library With Tom Lovelace & Christine Serchia
Scenes in a Library
With Tom Lovelace and Christine Serchia
Join Tom and Christine, your photobook librarians for the evening, as they transform the Photobook Café into a temporary library space for one night only. Attendees are invited to bring a photobook of their choosing with them; a publication which holds meaning and connection to them. 'Scenes in a Library' will begin with a conversation led by Tom and Christine who will share a selection of their personal books, and offer insights into their relationship with photobooks. The evening will evolve into a collaborative session, where participants will have an opportunity to explore the curation of photobooks making new discoveries, revisiting old favourites, and forming connections with others who share a love of reading photographs in a book.
Image courtesy of photographer Phil Hewitt
@philhewitt
Photobook Philosophy with Simon King
Join Simon King for an evening of group learning, practical research and theoretical talks, covering;
-Why use a book/pages to tell your story?
-How do you figure out what story to tell? (intent)
-Starting from scratch - how to create information and present it across the page (sequencing)
Practice research: bring prints, or notes from active projects (if you have them) and we can open the space up for wider discussion to help focus the approach and bring you closer to the right direction.
Tahis event will be held in our Gallery, please note our Gallery has no step free access and 25 steps.
Booking is essential £10 per person, 1 fee waiver ticket available, to enquire please email us at info@photobookcafe.co.uk
Marie Smith - Extraction: In Conversation with Anna Atkins
Marie Smith (she/they) is a neurodivergent visual artist and writer born, living, and working in London. Smith graduated in 2017 with an MA in History in Art with Photography at Birkbeck, University of London. Being a neurodivergent person with dyspraxia and anxiety has informed how they navigate the world. Marie’s practice incorporates audio, digital, and analogue media alongside text as a form of visual language that addresses identity, the body, nature, sustainability, mental health, and well-being. Marie’s lens-based approach incorporates low-toxic plant, food, or herb-based developers to process their analogue film. Due to this methodology not being transferable to developing colour film, Marie now only works with black and white and camera-less film processes. Marie has been exploring audio and workshops with collectives to deconstruct and reframe their position in institutional landscapes such as archives, museums, galleries, and nature. Marie is a Lecturer at Kingston University London and has previously lectured at Goldsmiths - University of London, and London College of Communication - UAL.
In 2022, Marie Smith worked as an artist-in-residence at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, home to Anna Atkins’ Study of British Algae, a groundbreaking work of cyanotype photography from 1848. While Atkins is celebrated as the first female photographer to publish a book of photographic illustrations, her family’s ties to Jamaica’s colonial history reveal a more complex legacy. Atkins’ husband, John Pelly Atkins, was the son of a plantation owner whose wealth—bolstered by compensation for enslaved individuals after abolition—helped fund her artistic practice.
As an artist of Jamaican heritage, Marie delves into this layered history in Extraction: In Conversation with Anna Atkins. This series of 30 bleached cyanotypes, inspired by Atkins’ methods, incorporates Marie’s reflections from the Horniman archives. The bleaching process becomes a means of transformation, offering commentary on Atkins’ legacy while reimagining the cyanotype tradition.
The works were first bound as a bespoke book acquired by the Horniman Museum. Now, Marie collaborates with Folium Publishing to release a limited-edition reimagining of Extraction, inviting audiences to engage with this dialogue on art, history, and agency through a reinterpretation of a 19th-century medium.
Social media handles
@folium_publishing & @marie_elaina_
Zine Club with Felix Falck-Næss
Hosted in our Gallery, using Shrimpzine technology we wanted to make a drop in style event where you can hang out, chat zines and also make one too!
All you need is a smart phone and access to the internet! Shrimpzine is a free mobile web app accessible on any touch screen device. It has been designed to make zine making more accessible!
Tickets are £25, this also includes your first zine printed, then you pay for what you print; £5 Black and White, £10 Colour (between 8 and 32 pages), 2 zines maximum inclusive of your included zine.
Our workshops are facilitated in our basement gallery, please note our basement gallery has no step free access and 25 steps.
Carousel IV: Underground Fantasy
CAROUSEL presents an exhibition and film screening by experimental artists and filmmakers responding to the theme of Underground Fantasy on Friday 24th January & Saturday 25th January 2025 at Photo Book Cafe.
Part one of the fourth edition of Carousel. This programme of non-fiction, experimental cinema explores underground fantasies ranging from a dirt metal prophesy, a recreation of royal death rites in Salford, utopian wedding ceremonies, coveted secret societies in Italy’s Calabrian mountains, hauntological deconstructions of popular culture in Northern England, memories of names in Kreuzberg before the fall and New York’s queer scene in the 1980s.
Mark Leckey, Anna Thew, David Wojnarowicz & Jesse Hultberg, Stanley Schtinter, Simon Parris, John Balance (Collection), Andrew ‘WIZ’ Whiston, Tessa Hughes-Freeland, Daleya Marohn, Katie Shannon, Martin Kellett, Andrew Finch, Dylan Zarate & Nora Bzheta.
Social media handles
@carousel_pbc @andrewjfinch
For All The Joy To Come by Ruth Kent
Irish designer Ruth Kent offers a glimpse into her textile world with the release of her debut photobook “for all the joy to come”. The launch and exhibition will be unveiled at Photobook Cafe on January 20th, 2025, from 6-10 PM. This bespoke book, designed by Thomas Black, tells the story of the courage needed to keep turning up in our continuous search for joy. The book launch will be accompanied by an exhibition showcasing her unseen textile work and narrative photography captured by her collaborator and friend, Pablo Gallegos. A limited edition of 50 books have been produced.
Social media handles
@ruthkentt
Auto Jazz Workshop with Jack Hally
In this workshop we will learn to make abstract jazz infusions via the automation of virtual instruments and drum machines using randomisation, arpeggiation, chain selection, and MIDI effects to produce self-composing, generative music in Ableton Live. No prior experience is necessary! Requires a laptop, headphones, and installation of Ableton Live (free trial will work).
Anya Gorkova x F Studio: #onphotography
Anya Gorkova (b.1998) is an artist based in London, UK. Central Saint Martins Scholar, Anya graduated MA Contemporary Photography Practices and Philosophies in 2022 with a practice focused on “Photographic Materialities”
“I work with darkroom based processes, I use photo waste in my work and I am a darkroom hand printer. Essentially, what I do is expose light to light sensitive papers, upcycle darkroom handprints into objects and investigate the nature of things in metaphors of the objects I create. Most of my work is based on various books that I am researching.
Gorkova’s practice is an investigation of photographic potentialities. They ask questions rather than answer them. What is photographic? How do we do photography as a fine art practice in a world so oversaturated, exhausted by imagery? What photography can be? These are the focus points that are present within the conversations # on photography with Anya Gorkova
F studio (@fstudio__): is a multidisciplinary collective that hosts cultural events, supports artistic projects, and works with Eastern European diaspora.
Open Call: LOVE
Photobook Cafe & Rapid Eye Darkrooms presents our third quarterly Open Call, Love.
We’re proud to say our Open Calls are not for profit with all proceeds, going straight back into our Public Programme here at The Photobook Cafe. Keeping our Archive free and open to all and allowing us to support local creatives.
The Photobook Cafe invites both emerging and established photographers to submit to our Open Call Love, a group exhibition held at The Photobook Cafe accompanied by a publication, with exhibition printing supported by Rapid Eye Darkrooms.
Taking shape as a one day group exhibition accompanied by a publication, aligning with Valentines Day, Love is a celebration of all forms of love. The exhibition will engage with how love is represented from a diversity of international gazes. With an attempt to articulate love and love’s strength to resist and revolutionise, from both those who have been joyfully gifted and those who existed within the melancholy of love.
Our invited guest judge, renowned Director and Photographer Felicity Ingram will review all submissions. Selecting the final photographers who will have their photograph (s) presented within a one day group exhibition held at The Photobook Cafe. With one best in show photographer being awarded a £250 gift voucher for select services and products.
Felicity Ingram is a British photographer and director, bridging the gaps between fashion, portrait and beauty photography. Experimenting with light and colour her subjects' uniqueness is immortalized within each photograph, capturing the tenderness within unexpected moments. Ingram is a strong advocate for the empowerment and representation of women in the industry. Challenging social norms, and celebrating diversity and pushing boundaries. Ingram’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue, i-D, Dazed, and The Wall Street Journal. She has also worked with major fashion brands such as Hermes, Valentino, and YSL.
As part of The Photobook Cafe’s Public Programme we aim to bring a diverse selection of photographers together, collectively representing all forms of love. With all submissions being celebrated and screened on the evening of the 12th February 2025, and the potential to be featured on The Photobook Cafe and Rapid Eye Darkrooms Instagram, exposing all submissions to press and industry professionals. Alongside the final selected photographers having their photograph (s) presented in a group exhibition with an opening night and publication launch.
Supported by Rapid Eye Darkrooms
Many thanks to our guest judge: Felicity Ingram
Poster image Courtesy of Felicity Ingram
Submissions Below;
DISMANTLE Book Launch / ZAHIR ELIAS and ELENA PETITTI DI RORETO
DISMANTLE is a photography book that unravels the rich tapestry of Malawi, challenging preconceived notions about this vibrant country. Created by Zahir Elias—an eclectic fashion designer, illustrator, drag queen, actor, poet, and stage performer—and Elena Petitti di Roreto, a film director and photographer, the book captures their shared journey through Malawi. The narrative unfolds from two perspectives: one side explores the traditional village life, celebrating the customs and communal spirit that define Malawi’s cultural roots, while the other side dives into the contemporary youth culture and vibrant gay scene, revealing a bold and progressive side of Malawian society.
By juxtaposing these contrasting yet complementary views, DISMANTLE offers a nuanced and unexpected portrayal of Malawi, moving beyond clichés to present a deeper, more authentic story. The book invites readers to see Malawi through a fresh lens, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of its diverse identities and evolving narratives.
Social media handles
@komollo @boywonderllz @withstand_film @skinnerboox @pardoe.office @anoncontent
Family Portrait. Wild At Heart, Bound By Love
A Playful Tribute to ‘80s Studio Portraits and Pet Love.
All profit raised will go to One In Four, Refuge and Save The Children charities
The brainchild of London-based, German-Czech photographer Jakub Gessler, Family Portrait was born out of the first COVID lockdown, when Gessler was inspired to take a self portrait with his cat after going down an internet spiral of 80s studio portraits and prom photos. What began as a personal project capturing portraits of friends with their beloved pets soon blossomed into a larger endeavour with over 160 portraits, driven by the simple desire to put a smile on people’s faces and to remind them that life doesn’t always need to be so serious.
Gessler collaborated with creative director and creative partner Colin Doerffler to build out the world around the portraits, and so the idea to launch Family Affair Conspiracy as a publishing house and release a magazine was born.
No RSVP required all welcome.
Publisher Window Display: ZONE
This January we’re collaborating with ZONE to bring Rome based publications to London.
On display in our Cafe during our opening hours, free and accessible to all our Archive will see a selection of curated publications from ZONE becoming part of our permanent collection.
Ali Beşikçi (1997, Istanbul) is an artist and publisher based in Rome. In 2018 he founded ZONE, independent book publisher and photography based visual arts platform that aims to cultivate dialogue among artists and their audience.
ZONE is an independent book publisher and photography based visual arts platform run by its founder, Ali. Started in the summer of 2018 as a personal research project, the aim of ZONE is to cultivate a variety of dialogues between artists and their audience, as well as supporting them with printed and online publications. We make monographs, artists’ books and other collective creatures.
Social Media Handles
@besikciali / @zone_mag
Photobook Swaps
A free drop in social event for Photobook lovers to swap their Photobooks.
Hosted in our Cafe, this event is free and open to all.
Have a Photobook that you want to swap? Or a Photobook you have your eyes on… come along and meet Photobook enthusiasts and leave with a new edition to your Photobook collection.
Infinite Traces book launch - Self-published by British photographer Alex Gale.
Infinite Traces photobook launch - Self-published by British photographer Alex Gale.
The series was captured on the Greek Island of Kefalonia in the late summer of 2023. Infinite Traces is at the forefront a land study with a topographical approach drawing on site, structure, scene, time and cultural narratives within the surrounding landscape.
The early Greek philosophers believed that the universe and time was infinite with no beginning and no end. Infinite Traces explores a stage in time characterised by the markings on the land. These markings are left as symbolic traces integrated into the cycle of infinity by the current inhabitants on the Greek island of Kefalonia.
8×10” Hardback 72 Pages Cloth bound with embossed cover, back & spine 200gsm Arctic Matt paper Images hand printed at @chan.photographic Design by @Zone6 Thread Bound by @folium_publishing Cover / Finishing by @i_make_books
Social media handles
@alexgalephoto
Super 8m Screening in Collaboration with On8mil
Super 8mm Screening curated by On8mil, featuring films made by our workshop attendees
all welcome no RSVP required.
Les Fleurs - Calendar 2025 by Jakub Gessler
Les Fleurs - 2025 Calendar Launch
“Les Fleurs” a floral dream like calendar.
All proceeds will be donated to Mermaids (https://mermaidsuk.org.uk)
Photographed by Jakub Gessler, set and floral arrangements by Samuel Pidgen and designed by Sara Kabiri published by Family Affair Concpiracy.
All welcome no RSVP required.
Winters Makers' Market
Winters Makers’ Market
We’re delighted to share that over December 15-17 we will be transforming our Basement Gallery, Upstairs Cafe and Outdoor Terrace into a space to shop, make, drink and dance.
Daytime will see hands on workshops, unique stalls and delicious winter inspired hot drinks, whilst each evening will see live DJ sets and speciliay cocktails.
All are invited, no tickets required.
Taking part
If you would like to hold a stall for our Winters Markers' Market please get in touch info@photobookcafe.co.uk by November 20th
Tables are £10, no commission on sales and you can commit to whichever day suits you.
Bring Back The Spirit Book Launch by Elizabeth Mei Robin
Bring Back The Spirit is a courageous exploration of the complex journey of healing from an abusive relationship, PTSD, and the lingering effects of trauma. Through the fusion of art and narrative, Robin invites readers to witness her transformative experience, shedding light on the challenges faced and the strength found in vulnerability. This deeply personal work seeks to inspire others who may find themselves on a similar path of self-discovery and healing.
In "Bring Back The Spirit," Robin shares her intimate journey of self-portraiture, capturing the essence of feeling lost while simultaneously searching for a sense of home within herself. The book serves as both a memoir and a visual art piece, intertwining her artistic expression with her personal narrative, ultimately highlighting the power of creativity in the healing process. "Many young women are manipulated into believing the art of lies and the perfect picture those types of men create. You don’t know what’s real and what’s not. Then one day, you wake up and realize you’re in hell. With no way out," says Robin. "With this book, I hope to encourage others to delve into their own issues, no matter how scary they are because that’s where they find the answers."
Elizabeth Mei Robin is a multidisciplinary artist, whose work spans various visual arts mediums including photography, filmmaking, writing, design and art direction.
Social media handles
@Elli_meirobin
www.elizabethmeirobin.com
London Sees Duncanfotos
While living in India, I was intrigued by the notion of reincarnation. I met some fascinating people who spoke of it matter of factly as an indisputable reality.
I wanted to somehow play out the idea and realized that I had amassed many portraits over the years. With a large stock of faces to work with, I cut out the eyes of one person and transposed them onto the torso of another. When I first landed on a perfect match it was like discovering a new personality.
In this image, the eyes belong to a woman wearing Day of the Dead makeup paired with the torso of a fashion model backstage. They seemed to fit together surprisingly well and for a time I continued discovering unlikely "fits" with one person over another.
PHOTOBOOK CAFE x DARKLIGHT - Portfolio review days
Key event details:
40 minute 1-to-1, in-person sessions with the Darklight Team at Photobook Cafe
Bring your book, your latest personal project or your website and sit down with the Darklight team, to get advice and an expert eye on your work
24 slots available (first come first served)
£50.00 per slot
Dates: Wed 20th Nov, Thurs 21st Nov, Wed 11th Dec, Thurs 12th Dec
About Darklight:
Over the past 20 years Darklight have worked as art buyers for ad agencies [M&C Saatchi, Adam&EveBBDO & Ogilvy to name a few] as well as producers & photo agents.
Founded by Mimi Gray and Sarah Williams, Darklight’s previous clients include Zalando, Nike, Hennessy, Adidas, Google, Matchroom, Vogue and many many more.
Over our time in the industry we've seen more photographers' books than we could possibly count and it's one of the things we love most about our job.
We're excited to meet Photographers and their work at Photobook Cafe :)
Sarah Bio (Art Buyer & Darklight Founder)
With over 15 years of experience in the arts, photography, advertising, and media, Sarah is an accomplished producer, commissioner, and curator. In 2020, she co-founded Darklight, a photography platform and production company specialising in art buying and creative collaborations, with her business partner Mimi Gray.
Throughout her career, Sarah has commissioned artists for some of the world’s most iconic brands, curated numerous exhibitions, served on the board of the Association of Photographers, and contributed to the industry as a panellist and awards judge, including for the BBC’s Great British Photography Challenge.
A dedicated advocate for accessibility and diversity within the creative industry, Sarah mentors emerging talent, including through Soho House’s Open House program, supporting young creatives from low socioeconomic backgrounds. She is committed to fostering a more inclusive creative landscape by championing diverse voices and perspectives.
Brands partnered with include:
Vogue, Coca-Cola, Coach, Calvin Klein, Adidas, Belstaff, NatWest, BMW, Canon, W Hotels, Peroni, Havana Club, TFL, Virgin Active, Hennessy, Nike, Virgin Atlantic, and many more.
Writing, judging, and public speaking engagements:
BBC, The Old Bank Vault Gallery, It’s Nice That, Creative Review, The Moniker Art Fair, YCN, Le Book, The AOP, The Art Conference, Mastered, Lecture in Progress
Gabby Bio (Art Buyer)
Gabby is an art buyer and designer at Darklight, with experience at agencies like M&C Saatchi, adam&eveDDB, and photo agencies. She’s passionate about design and storytelling, and loves working with photographers to help them refine their portfolios, build their personal branding, and create a visual identity that truly connects. At Darklight, Gabby brings her expertise to support creatives in showcasing their best work and making a lasting impact.
If you’re unable to attend but would like to be a part of the Darklight community feel free to join our WhatsApp Group!
Which is a safe space for pro photographers to share their experience and advice and info with one another - discuss photography trends, kit, hacks and tips.
Beton Book Launch and Exhibition by Josh Barrow and Yentl Touboul.
Beton—a word used across several ex-Yugoslavian countries for concrete.
A collaborative photographic study by Josh Barrow and Yentl Touboul.
Shot over a single trip through the region now known as 'the Balkans', Beton documents a series of brutalist monuments known as ’Spomeniks’, and the in-between space connecting them to one another.
Size: 178.5 x 238mm
Page Count: 72pp
Printing: 2 Colour Risograph
Cover: Silkscreen on Granular Embossed GF Smith Real Grey Paper
Binding: Exposed Spine Binding
Design by Studio Thomas Hatton
PHOTOBOOK CAFE x DARKLIGHT - Portfolio review days
Key event details:
40 minute 1-to-1, in-person sessions with the Darklight Team at Photobook Cafe
Bring your book, your latest personal project or your website and sit down with the Darklight team, to get advice and an expert eye on your work
24 slots available (first come first served)
£50.00 per slot
Dates: Wed 20th Nov, Thurs 21st Nov, Wed 11th Dec, Thurs 12th Dec
About Darklight:
Over the past 20 years Darklight have worked as art buyers for ad agencies [M&C Saatchi, Adam&EveBBDO & Ogilvy to name a few] as well as producers & photo agents.
Founded by Mimi Gray and Sarah Williams, Darklight’s previous clients include Zalando, Nike, Hennessy, Adidas, Google, Matchroom, Vogue and many many more.
Over our time in the industry we've seen more photographers' books than we could possibly count and it's one of the things we love most about our job.
We're excited to meet Photographers and their work at Photobook Cafe :)
Sarah Bio (Art Buyer & Darklight Founder)
With over 15 years of experience in the arts, photography, advertising, and media, Sarah is an accomplished producer, commissioner, and curator. In 2020, she co-founded Darklight, a photography platform and production company specialising in art buying and creative collaborations, with her business partner Mimi Gray.
Throughout her career, Sarah has commissioned artists for some of the world’s most iconic brands, curated numerous exhibitions, served on the board of the Association of Photographers, and contributed to the industry as a panellist and awards judge, including for the BBC’s Great British Photography Challenge.
A dedicated advocate for accessibility and diversity within the creative industry, Sarah mentors emerging talent, including through Soho House’s Open House program, supporting young creatives from low socioeconomic backgrounds. She is committed to fostering a more inclusive creative landscape by championing diverse voices and perspectives.
Brands partnered with include:
Vogue, Coca-Cola, Coach, Calvin Klein, Adidas, Belstaff, NatWest, BMW, Canon, W Hotels, Peroni, Havana Club, TFL, Virgin Active, Hennessy, Nike, Virgin Atlantic, and many more.
Writing, judging, and public speaking engagements:
BBC, The Old Bank Vault Gallery, It’s Nice That, Creative Review, The Moniker Art Fair, YCN, Le Book, The AOP, The Art Conference, Mastered, Lecture in Progress
Gabby Bio (Art Buyer)
Gabby is an art buyer and designer at Darklight, with experience at agencies like M&C Saatchi, adam&eveDDB, and photo agencies. She’s passionate about design and storytelling, and loves working with photographers to help them refine their portfolios, build their personal branding, and create a visual identity that truly connects. At Darklight, Gabby brings her expertise to support creatives in showcasing their best work and making a lasting impact.
If you’re unable to attend but would like to be a part of the Darklight community feel free to join our WhatsApp Group!
Which is a safe space for pro photographers to share their experience and advice and info with one another - discuss photography trends, kit, hacks and tips.
Artist Talk: A Thousand Cuts by Sujata Setia
Sony World Photography Awards First Place Winner ; A Thousand Cuts by Sujata Setia
Derived from the ancient Asian form of torture of lingchi (known death by a thousand ), A Thousand Cuts is an ongoing series of portraits and stories that present a photographic study of patterns of domestic abuse in the South Asian community. I have borrowed the metaphorical meaning of lingchi to showcase the cyclical nature of domestic abuse. The continuous act of chipping at the soul of the abused is expressed by making cuts on the portrait of the participant, while the prints are made on thin paper to depict the fragility of the existence. The final artwork is photographed in a tight crop to create a sense of suffocation and absence of room for movement.
A one hour long presentation hosted by Sujata Setia
Social media handles
@worldphotoorg @WorldPhotoOrg World Photography Organisation
