Mark Edwards is a UK-based photographer working on long-form documentary projects centred on people, memory, identity and lived experience.

The work is built slowly, often over years. It is less concerned with spectacle and more with presence, and with what remains when distraction falls away. His photographs explore what sits beneath the surface: vulnerability, resilience and the emotional weight carried quietly in ordinary lives.

Mark began photographing with intent at the age of eleven when his father gave him a Corfield Periflex camera. Learning on a fully manual system formed a technical foundation, but more importantly, it cultivated patience and attention. Those early lessons remain central to his practice.

When working, the camera becomes both instrument and invitation. At times, it illuminates corners of life many prefer not to see. At other times, it slows the world to its proper pace, allowing space for reflection and connection. The strongest work emerges when subject and photographer meet in emotional honesty.

Although experienced across formats from 35mm film to medium and large format, including 10x8, the equipment is secondary. The relationship between subject and photographer is always primary. Photography is not about replicating reality. It is about evoking emotion and understanding.

Mark’s projects frequently centre on environmental portraiture, working with natural or artificial light where appropriate to the narrative. The emphasis is on authenticity, proximity and trust.

Alongside his photographic work, Mark speaks on documentary practice, creativity, long-form thinking and the emotional dimension of image-making. He welcomes invitations to give keynote talks, participate in panel discussions, and engage in podcast conversations where ideas around photography, memory, and human experience can be explored in depth.

He is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and is currently developing a Fellowship panel based on long-form documentary work.

Mark welcomes conversations regarding exhibitions, publications, collaborative projects and speaking engagements.