Karina Lax
Photography

Sheffield, UK

info@karinalax.com +44(0)7877950137 @karinalaxphoto

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About me

What I do: Photographer, researcher and educator

Where I work: Based in Sheffield, I work across UK and beyond

Who I love to work with: Fellow creatives and change-makers - those who make life better, challenge power structures, or poke holes in convention

What motivates me: An innate love of people and culture, and belief in our individual & collective power.

What’s important to me: Issues close to my heart are health, feminism, class, representation and inclusivity, decreasing poverty, supporting learning differences, education, and the creative process.

What sectors I work in: Those I love and care about - music, sport, photography, art, design & education - fashion and popular culture, entertainment, charity and environmental

My approach: I photograph real people largely on location, blending techniques from editorial, fashion, documentary, and photojournalistic photography, with a semi-directed approach. I love to work within a creative team, which I am happy to put together if requested.

Where I studied: I’m an Alumni of London College of Communication’s Masters in Photography and Manchester Metropolitan University’s BA Interactive Arts, UK.

News

Launched Squad Goals Project Substack, an evolving research resource, about the representation of women & girls in sport, in photography and media.

Granted a sabbatical from Nottingham Trent University to develop the collective project, Squad Goals

Work on exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London in Creative Constellations: Contemporary Women in the Arts. Supported by the Chanel Culture Fund.

Creative Constellations features many amazing photographers who have inspired me, since teenage years, including Corrine Day, Elaine Constantine, Annie Leibowitz, Violeta Sophia, Mary McCartney and Inez and Vinoodh.

Joined POST Photo Collective, a group of photographers who are also mothers.

Announced as a winner of Portrait of Britain (2023) with my image, Gruff Rhys in the Snooker Room. Published in Portrait of Britain, Vol.5, Hoxton Mini Press and Exhibited UK-wide, Jan- Feb 2023

Press, publications & talks

Portrait of Britain, Vol.5, Hoxton Mini Press, 2023

Guardian Cowboys, Cops and Coffee Mornings; Portrait of Britain winners Vol.5, 12 Jan 2023

Redeye Photography Network Instagram takeover, Jan 2023

Creative Commission, Talented Photographer spotlight, 2022

Redeye Photography Network, Instagram spotlight, Jan 2019

Gal Dem Magazine, March 2019 Magid Magid portrait, Meet the politicians giving us life, March 2019

Lens Think Yorkshire, Instagram takeover, November 2018

Redeye Photography Network, Les Monaghan and Karina Lax, talk,Sheffield Oct 2018

University of Huddersfield, talk, 2018

First Day photo book, Sept 2018

Lilac Magazine, Experience fashion editorial , May 2017

Sicky Magazine, Out of the Past fashion editorial October 2016



Prizes, scholarships & aquisitions

Nottingham Trent University Sabbatical awarded for the development of collective project Squad Goals, exploring the representation of physically active women & girls in photography (2023-24)

British Journal of Photography A Portrait of Britain Winner, Vol 5 (2023)

Print acquired by the National Portrait Gallery Oct 2021, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem)

Rector’s Scholarship, London College of Communication, Oct 2012 

The Jeff Vickers FRPS Genix Imaging Bursary/ Royal Photographic Society, 2nd Place, Young Commercial Photographers 2009


Recent Exhibitions

A Creative Constellation: Contemporary Women in the Arts, National Portrait Gallery, London. Supported by the Chanel Culture Fund, June 2023-onwards

Portrait of Britain, 2023: National Street Exhibition of Portrait of Britain winners, 2023. Sponsored by JC Deceaux

Creative Connections -National Portrait Gallery, Millennium Gallery, Sheffield June-Oct 2022

Interactive Arts Alumni Exhibition, Manchester School of Art, March-June 2020

Past exhibitions

Base Materials, Millennium Gallery, Sheffield Aug-Oct 2019

Archive Sheffield for Healthwatch, Winter Gardens, Sheffield Aug 2019

First Day photo book launch/ exhibition, EyeEye, Sheffield  Sept 2018

___In the Room, London College of Communication MA Photography graduates, Shanghai May 2015

MAP 14 Final Show, London College of Communication, Nov 2014

Mill Co Annual Show, The Mill Co Project, Mandarin Wharf, London 2012

Mill Co Annual Show, Vyner Street Gallery, London 2011

Mill Co Annual Show, The Russian Club, London May 2010

Review: Creative Review May 2010

Review: Dazed Digital May 2010

Karina Lax,  Port Street Gallery, Manchester 2006

Review: BBC Online 2006 

Group show: Bishop’s Move, The Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh 2003 

Group show: Northern Graduates, The Curwen and New Academy Gallery, London 2002