Martin Parr chats with Joy Gregory in this Sofa Session. Joy's practice incorporates a wide range of photographic processes, from digital and analogue to Victorian-era printing techniques. This Sofa Session was filmed in May 2024. In this Sofa Session they discuss Joy's first encountering the magic of the darkroom, her love of photography's ability to combine science and art, and Joy bringing together the work of Black women photographers through to the photobook 'Shining Lights', published by MACK publishing in 2024. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn Smith.

In memory of Martin Parr 1952-2025 In this Sofa Session, recorded in September 2024, Ian Macdonald is in conversation with Martin Parr. Ian talks to Martin about how he adopted photographing as something to ‘express what I see around me’, having first developed his interest in photography after seeing a print in a gallery window in Whitby. They discuss Ian's artistic career, from photographing in steelworks in the North East of England, through to taking pictures in Eton school, also touching on drawing and painting. Ian's publications are available in the Martin Parr Foundation shop. Filmed & edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith

In memory of Dorothy Bohm, 1924 - 2023. Martin Parr interviews the photographer Dorothy Bohm in this edition of the Martin Parr Foundation Sofa Session. Dorothy travelled to England when she was 14 years old in 1939. Like Martin, she studied photography in Manchester before setting up her own studio there. She was instrumental in the founding of the Photographers' gallery in London and photographed for 78 years. In this sofa session Dorothy and Martin look back at her long career. 'Photography, it catches something that will pass' - Dorothy Bohm Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith (https://www.instagram.com/alexanderparkynsmith/)

Elaine Constantine joins Martin Parr in the latest Martin Parr Sofa Session. Elaine shares her creative journey in this wide-ranging discussion. From Elaine's early photography capturing custom paint jobs on her scooter, through to the Northern Soul all-nighters that became the inspiration for her bafta-nominated film. She describes her innovative documentary-style approach to fashion photography, originating in her early collaborative work in Manchester and flourishing during her time working for 'The Face' magazine in the nineties. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith (https://www.instagram.com/alexanderparkynsmith/) Elaine's book featuring the images shown in her 2024 exhibition at the Martin Parr Foundation can be found in our online shop: (https://www.martinparrfoundation.org/product/im-comun-home-in-the-mornun/)

Stephen Gill joins Martin Parr to talk photography in the latest Martin Parr Sofa Session to be released. Martin and Stephen talk about the broad and creative range of ways Stephen approaches his chosen subjects and obsessions. The conversation touches on some of the many pr...

In this Sofa Session Martin Parr is in conversation with photographer Trent Parke. With the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol currently exhibiting the European premiere of the project Monument, Trent talks #photography with Martin Parr in the latest Sofa Session to be released. Martin and Trent talk about life as a professional cricketer, following the happy accidents to create original ways of working and the time and dedication Trent gives to deep-dive into a project. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith

In this Sofa Session Martin Parr is in conversation with photographer Derek Ridgers - best known for his striking portraiture of the young people who formed many music subcultures of the 1970s and 1980s. Martin and Derek touch on Derek's experiences photographing skinheads, as well as him being branded as a 'leftie photographer' while photographing in the clubs and on the streets of London. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith.

In this Sofa Session Martin Parr is in conversation with Manchester born photographer Peter Mitchell. Peter was a pioneer of colour photography, being the first to have a show of colour work in a photography gallery in the UK. Originally a printmaker, Martin and Peter discuss the journey from printmaking to photography, rediscovering unpublished work, and working on the retrospective exhibition of photography and ephemera opening at Leeds Art Gallery 17 MAY 2024. This Sofa Session has been released to coincide with the publication of Nothing Lasts Forever, a new photobook by Peter Mitchell from RRB Photobooks, which accompanies the exhibition in Leeds. Copies are available from the MPF online shop: https://www.martinparrfoundation.org/product/nothing-lasts-forever/ Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith.

Martin Parr talks photography with Maggie Murray and Brenda Prince in this Sofa Session, touching on Format photographic agency and the miners strike. Brenda and Maggie were founding members of Format in 1983, the first all-woman photographic agency. They discuss their experience as photojournalists and Brenda's photographic practice documenting women who undertake non-traditional work roles, as well as her work highlighting the role women played during the 1984 miners' strike. This Sofa Session has been produced to coincide with the MPF exhibition ONE YEAR! Photographs from the miners’ strike 1984 - 85, on display 18 JAN to 31 MAR 2024. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith.

For this Sofa Session Martin Parr is joined by Craig Atkinson of Café Royal Books for a conversation around photography, zines, independent publishing and the CRB journey from MySpace to an unrivalled photographic archive. Craig has published over 500 documentary photography zines since he established CRB back in 2005, resulting in an extensive archive. Each CRB title presents a single story by a single photographer; collectively they aim to gather and organise a genre of photography that has often been neglected. Martin and Craig talk about the origins of Craig's zine making, the CRB archive being represented in galleries and museums across the globe and why Café Royal Books is called Café Royal Books. This video was filmed during the 2022 MPF exhibition, Cafe Royal Books: Documentary, Zines and Subversion.

Trish Morissey's sofa session is available now on the Martin Parr Foundation Channel:

In this Sofa Session Martin Parr is in conversation with photographer Trish Morrissey Their discussion ranges from Trish’s first engagement with photography and the work of Diane Arbus, through to the importance of the family album in her work, before looking in more detail at her projects where the photographs ‘are performances’ in collaboration with strangers’ families, her own children and historic archives. Trish’s show Autofictions; Twenty Years of Photography and Film is running at the Photo Museum, Ireland from 23 November 2023 - 10 February 2024 Produced by the Martin Parr Foundation. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith www.instagram.com/alexanderparkynsmith/ Filmed in February 2023

Martin Parr talks #photography with Mark Power in the latest MPF Sofa Session to be released 📺⚡️ They discuss Mark’s project The Shipping Forecast, touching on working in a square format, romanticism of the sea and how Mark visited the shipping areas. Watch the full conversation on our 👉 @MartinParrFDN channel including how finding Mark’s father’s enlarger opened up a world of photography and a fortuitous trip led to him witnessing history as the Berlin wall came down.

In this Sofa Session Martin Parr is in conversation with fellow Magnum photographer Mark Power They discuss how finding his father's enlarger in the loft first opened up a world of photography, how a fortuitous trip led to Mark being at the cutting edge of history as the Ber...

In this Sofa Session Martin Parr is in conversation with Philippe Garner, a photographic expert, auctioneer and writer on photography. They discuss Philippe's involvement in the first dedicated photography auction of the modern era, which took place at The Photographers' Gallery in 1975. This led to growing interest in contemporary post-war photography in Britain. Their conversation also touches upon Philippe's interest in photography from the early 1960s, plus why fashion photography is the most popular genre at auction. Produced by the Martin Parr Foundation. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith www.instagram.com/alexanderparkynsmith/ Filmed in December 2021

Coinciding with the MPF exhibition, This Golden Mile, Martin Parr talks photography with Kavi Pujara in this instalment of Sofa Sessions. Photographed against the backdrop of Brexit, the Windrush scandal, and a government intent on reducing net migration, This Golden Mile do...

Coinciding with her 2022 exhibition in the MPF gallery, social documentary photographer Tessa Bunney talks with Martin Parr in this episode of Sofa Sessions. Tessa has photographed rural life for over 25 years, revealing the intricacies of the relationship between people, w...

In this instalment of Sofa Sessions, Martin Parr is in conversation with the photographer John Bulmer. They talk about John's initial fascination with the mechanical side of photography and his revelatory discovery of 'the image'. We also hear about John's love for the North of England, the challenges of shooting in colour and his transition into filmmaking. This sofa session was filmed in March 2021. Signed copies of John's book 'The North' are available from the Martin Parr Foundation's bookshop: https://www.martinparrfoundation.org/product/the-north-signed/ Produced by the Martin Parr Foundation. Filmed and edited by Alexander Parkyn-Smith https://www.instagram.com/alexanderparkynsmith/