When I started out working as a photographer I was young girl from Northern Ireland embarking on a career in the big bad city of London. It was unbelievably daunting, nerve wracking and I had a brain full reoccurring self doubt, much like a lot of us starting out in our early twenties. When I decided I wanted to specialise in theatre photography I was struck that as a young woman I was underrepresented in that world. A lot (not all!) but a lot of the many great theatre photographers I admired were men. That thankfully in the last few years has begun to change and there are now MANY great female theatre photographers (who are total bad asses may I add) that I am grateful to call my comrades and friends. 

As I worked my way up I was very aware of a lack of representation in other areas of theatre. My Widening The Lens photo series, which I started in 2016, is about shining a light on creatives from across theatre, film and television, from actors, directors and writers to stage managers and designers from different genders, ethnicities and backgrounds. It celebrates change-makers, difference, diversity and disabled artists in the arts. It’s a celebratory project that offers hope in a hard time and it’s unfinished, like the Act for Change Project it’s inspired by, which aims to make sure that the people on our stages and screens and behind the scenes reflect the world we live in today. 

I never really knew when was the right time to release these photos. Like I said the series is unfinished. There are so many other champions of change I could have shot and maybe I will do a part II soon. I hope that in releasing these photos they will bring a bit of positivity that we all need right now. This is an extraordinary and difficult time for everyone in the arts, myself included, and as we fight for the future of the arts sector that we love it’s an important time to remember we need to keep on championing change and widening the lens.