Tangerine Dreams //
Tangerine Dreams presents a vivid portrait of the communities, subcultures and gatherings that shape contemporary British life. For over a decade, I have documented how rituals and traditions create connection, belonging and shared identity. In a world fractured by nationalism, culture wars and individualism, Tangerine Dreams offers a layered, joyful view of who we are and how people across Britain come together.
From the adrenaline-fuelled spectacle of banger racing, where drivers deliberately smash cars they’ve spent weeks meticulously preparing, to the vibrant chaos of Traveller horse fairs, with social reunions, horse trading and cockerel fights; from Aladura Spiritualist African church congregations sharing hymns and Nigerian dishes at Sunday services to Irish dance clubs, British cowboy shows and beyond, these gatherings offer a window into the search for meaning and connection.
Since 2014, I have developed long-term documentary projects shaped by sustained engagement and collaborative relationships with the people I photograph. I have witnessed extraordinary moments of celebration, as well as the pressures facing some of these communities and the places where they gather. Traveller communities continue to face prejudice, while the horse fairs that have long been central to their culture face restrictions and the threat of closure. Independent Afro hair salons in Peckham, valued for their expertise in Black hair care and their role as social hubs, face pressures from urban redevelopment. Banger racing faces an uncertain future as tracks close and the shift to electric vehicles gathers pace. These are not relics of the past, but living cultures that continue to evolve, adapt and reinvent themselves. Photography cannot halt these shifts, but it can celebrate the places, lives and rituals that deserve to be remembered.
A friend once described my taste as “like a kid who ate loads of Skittles sweets and vomited them back up” - perhaps the best compliment I’ve received. Colour, to me, is as emotional as it is visual. I use bold, kaleidoscopic palettes to capture everyday vitality, joy and optimism. Britain is often imagined as grey and drab, but I see a country full of colour, character and eccentricity, with a dry humour and individuality that often find their way into my photographs.
At a time when British identity is increasingly debated, Tangerine Dreams offers a different perspective. It celebrates a Britain that is plural, evolving and full of life, challenging narrow ideas of what it means to be British. Through these pages, I hope readers feel the energy, warmth and shared humanity at the heart of modern Britain. For me, these collected moments create a world filled with joy, introspection and richly textured emotion - what I refer to as Tangerine Dreams.
‘Tangerine Dreams’ was first published in March 2025 and is now in its second edition. Edition of 500, 91 colour plates, 100 pages, Laminated hardcover with plate sink area for colour sticker (choose from 3 stickers provided), 22 x 29.5 cm. Art Direction and Design by Colville-Walker. Essay by Gerry Badger. Foreword by Sophie Green.
‘Tangerine Dreams’ is available through selected bookstores, including the Martin Parr Foundation, The Photographers' Gallery, Claire de Rouen Books, Record 28 Books and Village Books in the UK, as well as OFR and La Hune in Paris.
Press //
Musee
Creative Review
Blind Magazine
Aesthetica
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Nerve
Huck
National Geographic
Dazed
Foam Magazine
Financial Times HTSI
Bristol 247