Heather Shuker is a London-based portrait and documentary photographer with ongoing work in and connections to Sierra Leone.
Her practice is about people and their stories. She is a firm believer of making images with beauty and realism using the interplay of light, space and emotion.
She studied photography at the University of Brighton and Central Saint Martins College of Art, and has an MA in photography. Her work has been exhibited and published both in the UK and internationally. In 2018 and 2022 she was a British Journal of Photography Portrait of Britain Winner.
Heather says, “As a portrait photographer I am interested in moments when people let down their guard and show themselves as they truly are.” Her approach is that of an observer, exploring and revealing details, intimate moments and gestures to create images with beauty and realism.
She is a founding member of the MAP6 Collective, which creates collective, photographic impressions of different places through their landscape and people.
Exhibitions
- KPLA Portraits of Intimacy, Temu House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sep-Oct 2023
- Portrait of Britain, National Exhibition JC Decaux & British Journal of Photography, January 2023
- Helsinki Photo Festival, Finland, October 2021
- Brighton Photo Fringe – Finland: The Happiness Report, Colonnade Gallery, October, 2020
- Brighton Photo Fringe – The Shetland Project, Brighton, October, 2018
- Portrait of Britain, National Exhibition JC Decaux & British Journal of Photography, September, 2018
- MK Calling, The Milton Keynes Project – April 26th – May 26th 2017
- Brighton Photo Fringe, Divided Lives, MAP6, Onca Gallery, Brighton, October 1-14, 2016
- Peckham24 with PhotoLondon, Divided Lives, MAP6, SafeHouse2, London, May 19-22, 2016
- Salon 15, Photofusion, London December 10-29 January 2016
- Salon 14, Photofusion London, December 8 – 30 January 2015
- Brighton Photo Fringe, The Moscow Project, MAP6, Vantage Point, October 5-31 2014
- Deptford X, Girls Unscene, The Job Centre, September 27-October 5 2014
- The Moscow Project, The Tower Gallery, London, March 6 – 10 2014
- Work in Progress, Valencia, Spain November 17 – 10 December 2012
- Photomonth Open, Rich Mix Gallery, 1 November – 2 December 2012
- Déjà vu, Photomonth, The Dentist, 8-11 November 2012
- Co-ordinate, MAP6, Brighton Photo Fringe, Brighton Media Centre, 19 October -2 November 2012
- London Independent Photography Annual Show, Strand Gallery, London 16-28 October, 2012
- Déjà vu, MA Final Show, University of Brighton, 14-21 September 2012
- London Photography Festival, Orange Dot Gallery. 15 – 29 June 2012
- Photomonth Open. Rich Mix Gallery, November 2011
- MAP6, Brick Lane Gallery, London, October 2011
- Photomonth. The Luxe, London, October 2010
- Brighton Photo Fringe, Add the Colour Gallery, October 2010
- ASA Collective, London November 2010
- Central St Martins Final Show, London June 2009
- Magnum “A Taste for Life”. Liberty of London, June 2009
Awards
KLPA Photographic Portrait Prize Finalist 2023
British Journal of Photography Portrait of Britain Winner 2022
British Journal of Photography Portrait of Britain Winner, 2018
London Photography Festival. Finalist Street Photography Award, 2012
Selected Publications
British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain 2022. Hoxton Press
British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain 2018. Hoxton Press
2017: Elsewhere: A Journal of Place – MAP6 ‘Milton Keynes Project’:
2017: AINT-BAD Magazine – MAP6 Collective ‘The Lithuania Project’:
2016: European Prospects – ‘The Lithuania Project’ & ‘The Moscow Project’:
2016: BBC News In Pictures – ‘The Lithuania Project’:
2016:Deep Baltic – ‘Capturing Middle Europe: The MAP6 Collective in Lithuania’:
fLIP Magazine 21 London Independent Photography
fLIP Magazine 24 London Independent Photography
fLIP Magazine 27 London Independent Photography
University of Brighton ‘Déjà vu’
Things & Ink Magazine ‘The Art Issue.
Education
MA Photography. University of Brighton
PG Photography, Central St Martins
BSc Business Studies, Manchester Metropolitan University
Writings & Publications
MAP6 – The Happiness Project
Street Photography: Ethics, Rights and the Future.