Sophie Green's seaside photography captures British joy and belonging

Sophie Green's photograph 'Fair Ride Twins', taken in 2021 at a funfair in Weston-super-Mare, captures the intense colour and joy of the British seaside. The image features twins in matching white T-shirts against a backdrop of primary colours. Green began documenting the British seaside during the Covid lockdown, drawn to beaches as spaces of congregation. Her project spans six years, exploring shared heritage and belonging. Green's work often starts serendipitously: she discovered banger racing in 2014 at Wimbledon Stadium, leading to a decade-long project; her series 'Congregation' grew from observing Black-majority churches in Southwark; and 'Gypsy Gold' began after watching 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding', leading her to Traveller horse fairs. Her exhibition 'Tangerine Dreams: Rituals of Belonging in Contemporary British Life' runs at the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol from 4 June to 6 September 2026, showcasing a decade of documentary work.