The People’s Portrait Studio

Not so long ago, having a portrait made meant visiting a local photography studio. There was a good camera, a proper lens, considered lighting, a backdrop, and an experienced photographer who knew how to use them. The process was deliberate. The result was a portrait made to last, framed and displayed, becoming part of a family’s shared history.

With the rise of smartphones, the high street photography studio has almost disappeared. And where it does exist, it can feel inaccessible, out of reach and expensive.

The People’s Portrait Studio exists to return portraiture to everyday life.

In January 2026, The People’s Portrait Studio opened in the former O2 shop at the Chantry Centre in Andover, Hampshire.

In April 2024, The People’s Portrait Studio opened in the Dissenters’ Chapel at St Mary’s Church in Andover, Hampshire.

My concept was inspired by the photographer Samuel Fosso. At just 13 years old, Sam opened Studio Photo National in the Central African Republic in 1975, where he photographed individuals, families, and major life events such as weddings and baptisms.

Alongside this commercial work, he began creating a series of self portraits, or “autoportraits,” using himself as a subject to explore identity, performance, and self representation. Today, Sam continues to work between Bangui, Central African Republic, and Paris, France.

In April 2024, The People’s Portrait Studio began as a two week artist residency at The Dissenters Chapel in St Mary’s Church Cemetery.

The project was made possible with the support of Chapel Arts Studios.

With many thanks to Jackie Sarafopoulos, Lydia Fee, Sophie Willoughby, Susanne Hasselman, and Liz Hammond for their energy, patience, and consistent belief in the value of this work.

I am deeply grateful.