10 Questions with Photography Community | Shutter Hub | ISSUE #260

Through interviews with creators and media who support photographic culture from their own unique perspectives, we explore the origins of their work, their philosophies, and their processes, delivering new inspiration to photographers and photo media around the world.

In this issue, through “10 Questions,” we speak with UK-based photography community and platform Shutter Hub founder Karen Harvey MBE about the journey of Shutter Hub and its next chapter as it is handed over to the community.

For me photography is the most powerful form of communication. It's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was starting out in my career as a photographer it wasn't easy, but as I began to find ways to make opportunities I realised I could have more of an impact by sharing them.

There wasn't an organisation out there that I felt represented me and what I wanted to see in the world, so I started my own!

The past 12 years have been an incredible journey, I've met some of the most wonderful people and together we've kept pushing the boundaries and seeing what's next. The word went round that we were 'democratising photography', that meant a lot to me.

I'd always subsidised memberships myself, but even with all the work I'd done to make things accessible, printing exhibitions ourselves and creating opportunities for everyone, the membership model meant there was still a barrier - so I removed it!

Kindness comes first, always. We're lucky to be here, to find opportunities, to have a voice and a space, so it's only right to share it.

Connecting communities, bringing people together, listening and sharing - it's all so simple but really important.

We can all do something, and when you realise that (that we can really all do something, no matter how big or small) and you bring everyone together - then that creates collective power and impact that's owned by everyone.

I like looking at things. Simple, but true! I'm always looking and listening, thinking about the bigger picture and the tiny details.

Sometimes an idea comes from a conversation, like Do You Like Love?, that came from a story recounted by my friend Jane about her elderly neighbour. Other times ideas might come from an observation, like the Colour Library series, where I'd been thinking about colour and light, and how I really don't like orange!

I'll make notes, and eventually these will form the brief that goes out to the wider photographic community. Everyone is welcome to submit their work for our call-outs, whoever they are, wherever they are. I love to see the images start coming in. Sometimes I am really surprised by people's images, I don't expect them, and it's a joy to see them.

It's always a time-consuming process to select the 100 images for each book. I will spend days, going back and forth over the images and accompanying descriptions. Once I've got things narrowed down and closer to the 100, then I will get prints of all the images and start the next stage.

A big table in my studio, covered with them all, I'll shuffle things around and match them up, see which images suit each other, so I know they will be able to have conversations on the page. The floor will be covered with images too. Sequencing 100 images is quite a challenge, one that I love, but take as a great responsibility to get it right. I'll close the door on it when I think I've got it right, just so I can go back the next days with fresh eyes to check myself.

And then, after that, it's collating the files, talking to the designer (Tim Jukes, he's been with us since the beginning of Shutter Hub and he's just brilliant!) deciding the cover image and full bleeds, pulling the text together, proofing the book and so on. There's a lot of work that happens behind the scenes before the book arrives in people's hands to be enjoyed.

I'm always looking for ways to connect people and make a positive difference wherever I can. I also like variety!

When I'm not working on Shutter Hub projects I have lots of other things going on, including running the award-winning NGO, Toiletries Amnesty, which supports 10 million people around the world.

It used to be that people thought that doing multiple things meant you were a 'jack of all trades' and couldn't be an expert in one area, I've never agreed with that idea, I think there's a lot to be said for a more eclectic way of working, and living. Different experiences feed into different ideas, connect people who would have never crossed paths, and make our lives more fulfilled. Shutter Hub utilises all of these life experiences and builds on them in a connected and considered way.

There's not one Editions book that I favour over the others. They all mean something to me, I thought long and hard about the themes and concepts before putting the calls for entries out into the world.

Poetry was the first, so feels special because of that. Road Trip expressed a sense of freedom that I always wish to return to. Everyday Delight came about after a stint of public exhibitions we curated due to the restrictions of COVID-19, so there's something poignant there. To The Sea, encapsulated so much from many iterations of related exhibitions in England and France. Do You Like Love? revisited a theme I've thought about for years — such a simple question, it shouldn't be hard to answer.

And then there's another special one, the odd one of the bunch as it's not selected by me, Night Moods, a beautiful book curated by our friend Justin Carey, who is now one of the Community Team leading Shutter Hub.

AI has many places where it can be used as an incredible and useful tool, in areas like health care or scientific modelling for example. But why would we let it take art from us?

Creativity brings so much joy, and a lot of the power of that is in the work of the individual.

I’ve worked hard to build Shutter Hub and create fair access to photography, and I'm proud that we've been credited with democratising photography too. But to make things more equitable we need multiple perspectives, and that's where the new Community Team comes in.

I want to give them the space and opportunity to thrive without constraints, whilst being there to support them if they need me. I suppose it's a bit of an experiment, it's definitely not the norm, and there's not really anything we can compare it with, but I trust the team I've selected. They are good people who care about the community and will do their best by their fellow photographers.

I know it sounds crazy (enough people have told me that!) but it just doesn't feel like it's mine to sell. I created something that I then became a custodian of, and I want to see it continue to grow and thrive, and keep making a difference.

Shutter Hub is way more than a business – it’s a platform, a mission, a community, sometimes even a lifeline. It's always belonged to the community really, it's just now we are making it official!

I've been thinking about making this happen for a while, so I've been able to start letting go of feeling too precious about things! It's weird, but it's also wonderful.

I've come as far as I can on my own, and I am really glad to be able to share Shutter Hub with other people who care as much about it as I do. They come with fresh energy, questions and excitement - it's what we all need!

Stop waiting for a project to be finished or for you to feel 'ready' before you put your work out there - just go for it, get sharing, get your work out into the world even if you think you've got more to do.

Our projects, books and exhibition opportunities are waiting for you!