Following his popular and much enjoyed series of guided discussions over the past few months at darkroom, we are delighted that John Spinks has agreed to curate a series of talks by luminaries from the world of photography. Over the course of the coming year (and hopefully beyond), he will be inviting eminent photographers and people associated with this creative practice to come and talk about their work.
First up, we have Jem Southam and Chris Neophytou.
Jem Southam is one of Britain’s most influential landscape photographers. Over a career spanning more than five decades, his work has been characterised by sustained attention to particular places, often returning to the same rivers, ponds, woods and landscapes overmonths or years to observe processes of change. Working predominantly with large-format colour photography, his major projects include The Red River, Rockfalls, Rivermouths and Ponds and The Raft of Carrots.
More recently, Jem founded Raft, his own publishing imprint, bringing together photography, writing and his longstanding interests in landscape, natural history and the earth sciences.
October 8th Doors Open: 6.30pm Talk: 7.00pm
Chris Neophytou is a photographer, publisher and educator based in Birmingham. He founded Out of Place Books in 2016, an independent imprint centred on photography, place and the photobook, which has now published more than thirty-five titles. His own photographic work frequently explores Birmingham, migration, identity and ideas of belonging, and his books include Always Forward, The Planting of a Fig Tree and Kamares.
Chris is also the founder and creative director of CENTRAL Photobook Festival, which he established in Birmingham in 2025 as the city’s first festival dedicated to the photobook.
November 12th Doors Open: 6.30pm Talk: 7.00pm