Martin Parr
Martin Parr
Martin Parris a British documentary photographer, photojournalist and photobook collector. He is known for his photographic projects that take an intimate, satirical and anthropological look at aspects of modern life, in particular documenting the social classes of England, and more broadly the wealth of the Western world. His major projects have been rural communities, The Last Resort, The Cost of Living, Small Worldand Common Sense...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPhotographer
Date of Birth25 May 1952
call fulfilling relaxing taking trip work
Personally, I don't take holidays; I go on trips. My idea of relaxing is taking a trip that isn't commissioned. I'll work just as hard, but without that nagging pressure of fulfilling a commission. Now that's what I call a holiday.
color commercial obliged palette serious snapshot work
In the '70s, in Britain, if you were going to do serious photography, you were obliged to work in black-and-white. Color was the palette of commercial photography and snapshot photography.
became critique society work
My black-and-white work is more of a celebration, and the color work became more of a critique of society.
work
There are elements of irony in my work, of course.
aficionado british famous great throughout visited worked
I pride myself in being an aficionado of the British seaside. Throughout my career, I have visited and worked in many of the famous British resorts, from Great Yarmouth to Largs.
projects travel work
By default, I am a travel photographer. I work on a combination of commissions and personal projects that take me around the world.
hard-work passionate photograph
Work harder, get closer and be passionate about what you photograph.
hard
We live in a homogenized world, where it's hard to get excited when everything is slick and professional. The interesting things are the dull things.
We live in a difficult but inspiring world, and there is so much out there that I want to record.
Sometimes you feel uncomfortable taking a photograph, but that's all part of the job.
far gave good margaret people
Margaret Thatcher was very good for the arts in so far as it gave people a real focus for something to be against.
nature responsibility whether
Photography is, by its nature, exploitative. It's whether you use this process with a sense of responsibility or not. I feel that I do so. My conscience is clear.
people
I photograph people as I find them. But people have issues about how they look.
magazines opportunity projects
One of the things I regret is that magazines now are so lifestyle-orientated that the opportunity to do bigger projects is gone. This is a serious misjudgment on the part of magazine editors.