Photographer Brian Homer Dies at 81; Co-Creator of Handsworth Self Portrait

Brian Homer, the Birmingham photographer who co-created the landmark Handsworth Self Portrait project, died on 10 July 2026 from pancreatic cancer at age 81. Homer, along with Derek Bishton and John Reardon, set up a pop-up studio on the pavement outside 81 Grove Lane in Handsworth for five weekends in August 1979. Over 400 residents participated, using a long cable shutter release to take their own pictures against a pure white backdrop. The project was inspired by David Attie's 1977 book Russian Self-Portraits and aimed to challenge the photographer-subject power dynamic. Only 44 images were selected for a local exhibition. The work was featured in Tate Britain's 'The 80s: Photographing Britain' exhibition (21 November 2024 – 5 May 2025), which used a Ting A Ling image from the series in promotional materials. Homer co-founded Ten.8 photographic magazine with Bishton and Reardon. The project has been celebrated as a family album for Handsworth, with a 40th-anniversary exhibition at MAC Birmingham. Its 50th anniversary is anticipated in 2029.