I am a British-Bulgarian accomplished, socially engaged, and collaborative photographer, as well as an award-winning artist, educator, and researcher with expertise in various creative practices and professional photography. My portfolio includes a diverse range of participatory photography projects and research, exhibitions, music industry photography, published photobooks, TV adverts, digital 3D exhibitions and websites, moving images, as well as extensive studio and darkroom experience.
Over the last decade, I have primarily focused on collaborative practice, research, and teaching in higher education on a range of BA and MA photography modules and courses. I have founded and secured funding for my own socially engaged photography organisation - HumanCamera.org. Furthermore, I served as a project manager, facilitator, and educator for the charity PhotoVoice in London, where I created and taught their acclaimed participatory photography course to an international academic audience.
Currently, I am completing my AHRC/M4C funded PhD, which investigates the use of participatory photography and visual literacy in networked spaces and the lived experiences and identities of unemployed young women in relation to the networked image. I am eager to advance my academic career by seeking roles that allow me to teach, conduct research, and pursue funding for post-doctoral projects in photography, community collaboration, and the networked image.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Nov 2020 – present Associate Lecturer in Photography | University of the Arts London | LCC
Mar 2019 - present HPL in Photography | Nottingham Trent University
Jul 2019 – Dec 2022 Education and Engagement Manager | PhotoVoice www.photovoice.org | London
Sep 2017 – Sept 2023 PhD candidate Photography | M4C/AHRC funded | Nottingham Trent University
Feb 2014 – July 2021 MA and BA Photography Lecturer | New Bulgarian University, Sofia
Apr 2013 - Sept 2017 Founder/Operations Director | HumanCamera CIC HumanCamera.org, Nottingham
Jan 2007 - Jan 2012 Photographer | Kallina Brailsford Photography | www.kallina.com
Jul 2003 - Jul 2007 Managing Director | TravelJungle Ltd, London
Jun 2001 - Jun 2003 Website Development Projects Manager | Emerald Global | Webfactory Ltd
EDUCATION
Sep 2017 - present PhD candidate in photography | AHRC/M4C Nottingham Trent University
Sept 2012 - Oct 2013 MA Photography (Distinction) | Nottingham Trent University
Sept 2007 - Sept 2009 BA Photography (First) | New Bulgarian University
PUBLICATIONS, NON-STANDARD OUTPUTS/EXHIBITIONS, PROJECTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Sept 2022 Presentation and participation at the conference of the Image in Texas, USA
Mar 2022 Curator of PhotoVoice exhibition “Constructing Futures” for Women’s History Month Women entering the construction sector in Ghana, London, United Kingdom
Aug 2022 PhotoVoice retrospective exhibition and event curator, London, United Kingdom
Mar 2021 Who are these women? PhD exhibition and research outputs https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1232214/1232215
Oct 2019 ‘Gender Voice Power’ lead facilitator and artist for the PhotoVoice participatory project and exhibition on climate change in Zanzibar, Tanzania
Jul 2019 Publication in theorem book of practice-based publications
July 2018 Theorem - practice-based conference and exhibition at the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge
Nov 2018. IVLA conference paper/IVLA conference 2019 pecha kucha presentation
Jun 2018 TEDx Talk - ‘Photography and Self(ie)-reflection’ - https://bit.ly/2YSgf9J
Jun 2018 Curator NBU student exhibition at the Red House Centre for Culture and Debate, Sofia
Jun 2017 “Self-Portrait of Photography” - Solo exhibition Red House Centre for Culture and Debate, Sofia, Bulgaria
June 2017 Curator NBU student exhibition “Revelation”, Sofia, Bulgaria
Oct 2016 Harley Gallery, Worksop, United Kingdom, HumanCamera CIC delivers a series of workshops in pinhole photography with a pop-up darkroom as a response to a photography exhibition.
June 2016 ‘Rediscovering the Workhouse’ as part of the National Trust visitor experience and volunteers exhibition at the Southwell Workhouse, United Kingdom
Oct 2015 HumanCamera CIC was nominated for two categories at the social enterprise SE100 Awards London
2014-2015 HumanCamera CIC project funded by The Skills Funding Agency and ESF - ‘Don’t look back, you aren’t going that way’ a participatory photography project aimed at depression and anxiety sufferers who are out of employment. HumanCamera CIC delivered photography workshops to over 30 people from Nottinghamshire over a period of 6 months. Participants were encouraged to use the medium of photography to express their personal ideas, develop soft skills and reengage with their community. The project ‘Don’t look back, you aren’t going that way’ concluded with an exhibition and a publication which was launched at Waterstones and is currently for sale there.
June 2015 HumanCamera CIC in collaboration with Backlit Gallery, Nottingham - ‘Finding Samuel Morley’ a series of participatory photography-based workshops were delivered where participants explored local heritage and learned about the legacy of the philanthropist Samuel Morley through the medium of photography.
June 2015 Shortlisted for ‘Outstanding Achievement category of the ‘SEE Change Social Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards’, London, United Kingdom
June 2015 Harley Gallery, Nottinghamshire, HumanCamera CIC delivers a series of workshops for school children with the central theme being ‘portraiture’.
Nov 2014 Therapeutic photography course and exhibition ‘I am here for a reason as part of the Essence Foundation at Modern Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
Nov 2014 HumanCamera CIC as part of ‘Creative Atelier - Exchange of Good Practice’ delivering a series of participatory photography-based workshops to adults with dependencies and disabled children in care from ethnic minorities.
May 2014 Participatory photography facilitator training as part of ‘Ideas Factory’ in Sofia, Bulgaria
Nov 2014 HumanCamera CIC project ‘I wish for more’ funded by the Arts Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. A series of participatory photography workshops were held in Mansfield with people from the local community. Participants were encouraged to express their aspirations for their local community through photographic narratives. A conclusive exhibition was held in Mansfield.
Jun 2014 Guest speaker together with Sean Macaskill at Nottingham Trent University - Photography Creative Practice
July 2014 ‘Photography as Contemporary Practice’ curator - NBU MA photography end of year exhibition - The red house centre for Debate and culture, Sofia, Bulgaria
Dec 2013 HumanCamera CIC in collaboration with Make to Make - A series of participatory photography workshops aimed at service users relating to personal change. A conclusive exhibition was held by Human Camera CIC in collaboration with Make to Make. Creative Quarter pop up Centre, Nottingham
Dec 2013 HumanCamera CIC Exhibition and analogue photography workshops using a pop-up darkroom tent, Creative Quarter pop-up Centre, Nottingham
Sept 2013 ‘Photography Self-Portrait’ Graduation MA expo Nottingham Trent University, Interactive concrete photography exhibition exploring the idea of the shadow self and the therapeutic use of photography as well as the idea of light and darkness contained within photography.
July 2013 HumanCamera CIC - ‘Positive Change for Sneinton’ - a series of participatory photography workshops were held with adults from the local community, which encouraged participants to reflect on their relationship with the local area and the potential for positive change. An interactive outdoor community photography installation was held at the Sneinton Festival, Nottingham
July 2013 ‘Manure’ Video Installation as part of Notion Nottingham, Antenna, Nottingham
Feb 2013 Projection of videos and images for mental health awareness day, NTU, Nottingham
2010-2013 Permanent exhibition GreenCat gallery Crystal Palace, Sofia, Bulgaria
July 2011 ‘Encaustic Photography’ Solo Exhibition as part of Month of Photography Festival, ‘Personal Space’ Gallery - Sofia, Bulgaria
Oct 2010 Collective Exhibition, GreenCat Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
June 2010 Photography Exhibition, French Cultural Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria
Sept 2009 Exhibition Photography, Sculpture and Painting, GreenCat gallery, Luxembourg
July 2009 ‘Series of Mistakes’ Solo Exhibition GreenCat gallery, Arena Di Serdika Amphitheatre, Sofia, Bulgaria