Since the invention of the camera during the early 1800s, photographers have documented everyday human life. Initially, documentary photography was used as a way to survey architecture and important locations. It was quite often a passion project for the elite who could, for example, afford to travel across the world and wander about Egypt taking photos of ancient tombs. The high culture aspect of documentary photography perrefed beauty and exoticism over the often grim realities of the working classes. We get a first glimpse at what would eventually become known as social documentary photography via Thomas Annan, a Scottish photographer who recorded the slum living conditions of Glasgow’s poor in the late 19th Century in his publication “Photographs of the Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow, 1868-77”. As we venture into the 1900s, the likes of Jacob Riis and Lewis Hine used photography as a way to highlight social injustice by documenting poverty and abhorrent working conditions many were experiencing in the United States. These images were successful in encouraging political debate and had a significant positive social impact such as the building of schools and laws against child labour. Documentary photography had a new voice and would not sit idly.
I’ve always been fascinated with social documentary as a genre of photography. There’s a raw and powerful simplicity of capturing life in the moment, be it political - during the heat of a protest - or just a quiet snapshot of day to day activities such as customers waiting for their washing at a local launderette. I often find that this kind of observational photography can tell stories and communicate messages in such an impactful and direct way.
For quite a few years now, I’ve been dipping into publications by the brilliant Café Royal Books who showcase some incredible social documentary photography via printed photo books and zines. Thanks to Café Royal’s focus on accessibility and diversity, I’ve discovered works by professional and amateur photographers from a multitude of different backgrounds and cultures. Their instagram is a treasure trove of some of these fantastic images, I highly recommend you pay the account a visit.
Instagram, for all its faults, has been paramount in enabling me to connect with photographers and become involved with local social movements. Most recently I’ve been moved by the outpouring of solidarity and utter outrage at the ongoing attacks against the people of Palestine. As a former Glasgow resident, I’ve continued to follow events and protests in Scotland which is how I found the bold work of social documentary photographer Siobhan Chalmers. Now calling West Yorkshire my home, I became aware of The Yorkshire Palestine Collective who frequently shared images captured by photographers Rachel O’Leary and Hafsa. Initially I was drawn to their amazing work regarding the University of Leeds student encampment and local pro-Palestine protest marches.
I put forward the idea to Siobhan, Rachel and Hafsa of creating an artist profile style feature. I wanted to find out more about their approach to photography, what social documentary means to them and why the fight for Palestine is so important. I was thrilled when they all agreed to participate. As well as an interview, each photographer has chosen a number of works to showcase.
JUMP TO: SIOBHAN CHALMERS // RACHEL O’LEARY // HAFSA
SIOBHAN CHALMERS (She/Her)
Glasgow, Scotland
Website: siobhanchalmers.co.uk
Read The Room: Can you please tell us a little about yourself and your journey into photography? What was it about the artform that intrigued or inspired you?
Siobhan Chalmers: I’ve had an interest in taking photos since I was young. I’d spend my pocket money on disposable cameras and still to this day have those albums I filled mainly with photos of my pets and my toys. It feels like an innate interest in observing the world around me and collecting mementos of the things I value in it. As for it being something I wanted to pursue, I arrived at that through a combination of chance and external encouragement.
Having studied social science straight from school, I eventually dropped out of my first degree for various reasons that really came down to not having a handle on my mental health.
From there I worked in a factory job that I felt trapped in as I lived with quite profound selective mutism, which was exacerbated by the factory environment and at the same time made it feel impossible to leave it. There are few other jobs you can get by in without talking! That was until I got made redundant and used the payout to buy my first DSLR kit.
I never knew anyone who had studied or worked in the creative industries, so the idea never crossed my mind as something that was feasible for me. However, I wanted to learn how to use my new camera properly so I enrolled in an introduction to photography evening class at City of Glasgow College. The lecturer who took the class encouraged me to apply for the full time course at the next intake, and I went on to study for the next 5 years, coming away with a First Class Honours degree last year.
RTR: What role has photography played in your life?
Siobhan: Photography has brought a huge amount of purpose into my life. I still struggle with social anxiety, and photography both pushes me out of my comfort zone and provides comfort to me when I’m there.
When I’m able to go to an event and lead with the camera, it provides me with a ‘purpose’ that helps me navigate those social situations.
It’s also opened up a whole other world that never existed to me when I worked in the factory, and has allowed me to connect with many like-minded people and immerse myself in art, community, culture and politics.
RTR: What drew you, in particular, to social documentary photography?
Siobhan: I’ve always had an interest in politics, history and social issues so my photography is a natural extension of that. It’s a way to scrutinise how society functions at large and a celebration of those resisting the status-quo through activism, counterculture movements and alternative ways of being such as subcultures.
The first photos I can remember seeing that made a lasting impression on my understanding of the power of photography, long before I was actively engaging with it as a medium, were from the 1984/85 Miners Strikes, which I was introduced to by my Dad, a steelworker and trade unionist who had marched in solidarity with the miners. There’s one photo in particular that always stayed with me by John Sturrock, who captured the Bilston Glenn Colliery Miners Strike of ‘84, showing a mass picket line facing off with the police. It’s still one of my favourite photos I’ve come across as it encapsulates so much of the energy, politics and history of the time in a single image.
Since its invention, photography has played a role in influencing and shaping social movements, which is actually the subject I wrote my dissertation on. Everything we live through is history in the making and being able to make a record of that fascinates me. There’s definitely a shared sentiment between some of the photographers I’ve gotten to know through photographing the pro-Palestine movement that we're capturing our own wee part of history right now.
Although I had been politically engaged well before I owned a camera and had photographed some protests before, it wasn’t until COP26 came to Glasgow that I first started to find my photographic voice and realised that this was the route I wanted to go down. I was very involved with the alternative Global Citizens’ Assembly which ran concurrently with the main COP26 event. One day when I was in the middle of some protest or other I had the sudden and, in hindsight, very obvious realisation that these environments are where I’m most excited and inspired to be, and from then on social documentary became more of a focus for me.
RTR: You’ve been documenting the rallies and protests in solidarity with Palestine for a little while now. When you’re on the ground and in amongst everything that’s going on, what are you looking for as a photographer? Are there specific aspects of the event that you know you want to capture?
Siobhan: I’m always interested in capturing the emotion on people’s faces and the look in their eyes. As a movement we are angry, horrified, determined and hopeful. People wouldn’t be consistently spending their weekends taking to the streets if they didn't believe that change was possible and if they didn’t believe that they could help to instigate that change. I’m looking to capture that range of emotion and really humanise the crowds. I’ve become quite adept at marching through the streets backwards to photograph head on!
I’m also interested in offering a narrative that differs from the unfavourable manner protestors are often presented in by mainstream media or various other opposition forces. There are protesters from every section of society so I’m keen to show that diversity - I think it’s particularly important to highlight the fact that all struggles are interconnected. You’ll see everyone from Queers For Palestine alongside various religious groups to disability and climate justice activists, trade unionists, health workers, students and pensioners and beyond, united in their humanity against the horrors that we’ve seen unfold. I think this is particularly important considering how the flames of a culture war are being fanned at the moment as an attempt to cause division and distract from the real problems that are going on. There’s a powerful energy and camaraderie amongst all these groups that I’ve personally never seen to this extent before in any other movement.
There’s a saying: ‘We won’t free Palestine, Palestine will free us,’ and I think that is very true. This can be seen in how people are becoming increasingly interested in and informed about the part that their choices play in propping up the systems they’re against, from the food they buy to the arts and culture they support. Just the other day it was announced that Barclay’s, which has financial investments in both the arms companies facilitating the Israeli decimation of Palestine and the fossil fuel companies accelerating the climate crisis, had been dropped as a sponsor by every music festival they were previously linked with in the UK after a sustained campaign by fans and artists based on the principles of the Palestinian led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. We’ve seen similar wins locally here in Scotland with Baillie Gifford being dropped by the photography gallery Stills and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, as well as Aegon being dropped by Edinburgh Pride. That’s all down to grassroots movements that have built up enough pressure to influence how these organisations operate on an international level and in a way begin to take back some ownership of our culture from those who seek to use it as a way to wash their financing of the suffering of people across the world. People are really embodying the idea of the personal being political, and it’s spilling out into all areas of life, and that is something which is really exciting to be a part of and document.
RTR: You’ve chosen a selection of your favourite photographs from some of the recent Palestine gatherings and events to share with us. Why did you choose these particular images?
Siobhan: Although it is impressive to see large crowd shots, particularly as a way to get an idea of the level of support in the streets every week, the photos I narrowed my choice down to focus more on individuals. Mass protests are a collective effort between every single person who consistently shows up. I made this choice to highlight the fact that Palestinian liberation is fundamentally about people caring about other people. It’s about recognising that the malignant forces at the heart of the genocide; racism, corruption, dehumanisation, colonialism, and the greed inherent to the capitalist system are a blight on our collective humanity, the extent to which that impacts our lives being purely a lottery of birth. The Palestinian genocide being the most documented in history yet being allowed to continue unimpeded sets a terrifying precedent - it’s up to each and every one of us to challenge that.
In his book Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire, Akala theorised that corruption is so freely visible precisely because it wears us down and makes us feel like there’s nothing we can do about it. However, we’re seeing protests being suppressed all over the world, both by force and through attempts at changing laws surrounding our right to protest such as the new Public Order Act and the attempted criminalisation of BDS. If protest in its many forms did not pose a legitimate threat then why would there be a need to suppress it?
RTR: What do you hope people will take away from seeing your photography?
Siobhan: I hope that people will be able to connect with the protestors, to understand their emotion. I’d also love for anyone who hasn’t attended a demonstration before to recognise that there’s a place for them in the movement, whoever they may be. Every individual in the crowd is just a regular person who has had enough and wants to make their opposition to the genocide known.
JUMP TO: SIOBHAN CHALMERS // RACHEL O’LEARY // HAFSA
RACHEL O’LEARY (She/Her)
West Yorkshire, England
Instagram: racheloleary_
Read The Room: Can you please tell us a little about yourself and your journey into photography? What was it about the artform that intrigued or inspired you?
Rachel O’Leary: I'm a 30 year old photographer who has been photographing marches, rallies, encampments and everything in between since October last year, all focusing on Palestine.
My journey into photography is pretty normal. Since I was little, I've always been around cameras and we had an endless supply of disposable/film cameras to use in the house. I would say that I got most into photography due to the fact my sister was studying it at University, and seeing her do all these cool shoots inspired me. It kind of just became part of me from there. I've always had a love of looking at other people's work too. I spent a lot of my time on Flickr as a teenager looking at photography which inspired me.
RTR: What role has photography played in your life?
Rachel: Photography has played the biggest role in my life recently as it has allowed me to photograph in a way I never have and to be more of the person I've never thought I would have the chance to be.
Before last year the majority of the photographs I had taken had been of scenery, family weddings or friends and family. Now, my life's direction has altered and it really has become the biggest part of me.
RTR: What drew you, in particular, to social documentary photography?
Rachel: As someone with ADHD, I don't really do well with busy crowded places so I'd never been to a protest before. My sister suggested I take my camera as she knows that's when I'm most comfortable, so the first protest I attended, I literally took pictures of just placards and nothing else. Then as the weeks went by, somehow, it just turned into me photographing the marches in full and joining all the other insanely talented photographers I now call my friends at the front. Ever since then, I've just found this passion for documenting things as I see them happening and for capturing that feeling for others to be able to see. It really is my favourite type of photography to shoot.
RTR: You’ve been documenting the rallies and protests in solidarity with Palestine for a little while now. When you’re on the ground, in amongst everything that’s going on, what are you looking for as a photographer? Are there specific aspects that you know you want to capture?
Rachel: I look to capture that emotion and feelings that represents what is happening and why we are there.
I love a creative shot thrown in here and there, through bus windows, reflections etc, but when I get to capture a moment that really shows how it feels to be there with that full raw emotion, that's what's most important to me.
Sometimes you do need to step back, really look at what you are photographing and just take it in, and the shots come to you, because if you're constantly trying to find ‘the’ shot, it may never come. I've learnt to appreciate the moments that I'm capturing.
RTR: You’ve chosen a selection of your favourite photographs from some of the recent Palestine gatherings and events to share with us. Why did you choose these particular images?
Rachel: I've chosen these four photos as they all mean something to me personally.
The one with the two students in particular behind the doors is my favourite because it showed the strength and determination of the students. They had been locked in over the weekend by the management of the University [of Leeds] in an act to try and deter them from continuing their first occupation and yet the students didn't let it get to them, they stayed and persevered. So us march attendees stood on one side of the doors and themselves on the other, but yet we still felt as though we were together as one.
My second favourite is another from the occupation. It’s from the first iftar event held there. That night will always be something I cherish forever. I can honestly say I have never felt a sense of community the way I did that night. It was just so wonderful to see such a diverse group of people creating such a wholesome, welcoming place to be. And I think that is something that has continued from that first night all the way through to the current encampment which shows in my other photo, as the keffiyeh workshop was another community event. The pure joy of everyone laughing and trying to figure out how to wear them was a pleasure to witness.
My final photo just says it all: a wonderful woman choosing not to engage in a counter protest at our march but instead just throwing peace signs up to show, no, you will not break our spirits & we will always stand on the right side.
RTR: What do you hope people will take away from seeing your photography?
Rachel: One of the main things that I hope people will take away from my images is the show of compassion, love, community and solidarity that comes from every single person that attends any type of event that has Palestine as its main focus.
There will always be people that will say that we are wrong for doing what we do, and I want my photographs to show that they're wrong because you can only capture what you're seeing. And all I see is solidarity and love.
JUMP TO: SIOBHAN CHALMERS // RACHEL O’LEARY // HAFSA
HAFSA (She/Her)
West Yorkshire, England
Instagram: hafsphotos / Petition: Demand that Uni of Leeds cancels punitive action against pro-Palestine Prof. James Dickins
Read The Room: Can you please tell us a little about yourself and your journey into photography? What was it about the art-form that intrigued or inspired you?
Hafsa: My journey into photography started out with me appreciating, as plainly put, pretty things. I loved taking photos of sunsets, landscapes and anything that caught my eye. It was only recently I ventured into protest photography despite attending marches for several years, but it wasn’t until last year when the atmosphere had most notably heightened in response to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people that I thought it was time to dust off the camera and get back into it, only this time for a cause incredibly close to my heart. Inspired by many photographers already on the scene, I really wanted to contribute my perspective. Witnessing the immense display of solidarity week in and week out from people from all different walks of life and their shared commitment to justice, the passion of the people made me realise how important it was to be able to immortalise these moments and document history.
RTR: What role has photography played in your life?
Hafsa: Photography for me began as one of my creative outlets, a way to express myself and how I see the world. Now, especially during the course of the past year it’s taken on a much more vital role in my life. It’s become a privilege to be able to capture and document the fight for the Palestinian people and the sheer perseverance over the last several months. One of the most positive things I can take away from this journey has been the incredible people I’ve met. It’s been so fulfilling to befriend like-minded people all fighting for the same cause. Their passion and dedication to attending marches so frequently has not only inspired me but also strengthened my commitment to continue using my lens as a tool for social justice and change. Through these connections I’ll continue to cherish, photography has become an essential part of my life allowing me to do my part in a struggle that is deeply meaningful to me.
RTR: What drew you, in particular to social documentary photography?
Hafsa: What drew me to social documentary photography was having to see the horrific attacks on Palestine every day, images and videos of children, women, men brutally barbarised; such evil would be so difficult to comprehend if we had not eyes to see it with. Seeing and sharing the rage with millions of others and the growing global outrage is what lead me to attend protests more often, using my own lens this time to contribute to the movement. The presence of other dedicated photographers definitely inspired me, as I used to see their ability to capture and convey the raw emotion and resilience always present at marches and was always greatly moved. I feel an increasing responsibility to document the unshakable spirit and the people in their numbers gathering for an ongoing struggle that demands attention and justice in every way possible. For me, social documentary photography has become that way of putting the spotlight on the causes that matter and preserving the people’s powerful narrative.
RTR: You’ve been documenting the rallies and protests in solidarity with Palestine for a little while now. When you’re on the ground, in amongst everything that’s going on, what are you looking for as a photographer? Are there specific aspects you know you want to capture?
Hafsa: I definitely have a number of things I really look for and enjoy capturing, I think one of my favourite emotions to capture in still is the passionate anger felt by protestors during the marches, it’s so powerful to see the intensity of the movement and the never-ending fight we all have for a free Palestine. Contrastingly, I love getting little heartwarming moments on camera, people showing each other love in so many different ways, onlookers clapping and showing their support from the sidelines, and the massive demonstration of community and spirit. Of course, I also love catching the brilliant placards protestors make and bring to marches because they’re all so different, some are witty and always get a giggle out of me, while others are so moving they really help you to remember why we’re all here.
RTR: You’ve chosen a selection of your favourite photographs from some of the recent Palestinian gatherings and events to share with us. Why did you choose these particular images?
Hafsa: On a personal note, this particular image is super special to me as it was one of the first photographs I took at the very beginning of my journey into protest photography and really marks the start of me wanting to document poignant moments like these. This photo of the young boy riding his bike holding a Palestinian flag really touches me, and I hope [it does for] many others for the reason that it mirrors thousands of children in Palestine. These are children that should have their innocence preserved, their dreams fulfilled and their hope remain, just as this little boy and many of our children will spend their youth. It serves as a stark reminder how easily it could be our own children and why we should fight for all children in Palestine and all oppressed countries who deserve a childhood as much as our own.
This has got to be one of my favourite images I’ve taken since photographing marches. I feel like it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the protest, the passionate commitment and the personal stakes involved. It’s not just a moment of activism but it represents the broader struggle felt by many and the hope and dedication to seeing change. The display of her emotion is so raw and, for me, displays the rage at the constant atrocity all of us see day to day and the unwavering resolve to continue to fight with all our might until the world sees us and Palestine is liberated. The sign she holds shows us all how the fight for Palestine is not a confined international issue, as our local industries contribute to the mass arms sales to Israel that fund the very genocide we’re fighting against. The problem is never bigger than all of us, and we must dismantle and uproot it from where we can as it begins on our doorstep.
I’ve chosen this one purely because of the anecdote. It was a small gesture amongst the scale of the march but it’s one that touched me deeply and one I was so happy to witness. We marched through the streets of Leeds and when we came by this man waiting by the bus stop, he watched in adoration at the people united in protest then he leaned forward and kissed the Palestine flag. It was a moment of such unwavering love and tenderness and made my heart full. Every photo has a story and I had to share this one.
This photo is one I’ve always revisited just to pause and reflect on. The lens is truly a powerful tool and with this image, it’s clear to see how one photo can say a thousand words. The pain is palpable; it’s hard to look away after this and not carry a feeling of unbearable guilt or be reminded of the sheer weight of the struggle.
RTR: What do you hope people will take away from seeing your photography?
Hafsa: In photographing Palestinian protests, I hope people can see the remarkable resilience and unity displayed by protestors. Each image is testament to their unwavering spirit and perseverance as they come together week after week to stand up to an ongoing genocide and fight for Palestinian freedom. In being able to capture these moments, I really hope it shows how strong humanity can be and brings about a deeper understanding of the Palestinian plight and struggle. At the most, I really want people to feel the strength and determination of these people and the overwhelming feeling of community and I hope it drives them in the same way to become a pivotal part of this. My goal is to inspire and raise awareness, encourage people that it’s never too late to recognise the significance of the Palestinian cause, and ultimately motivate more people to gather and join the collective fight for freedom, amplifying the voices of the unheard and moving towards a free Palestine.
Words: Alfie Whitby (they/them)
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