Social Documentary Photographer

Martin Parr
Biography

1. Born in a middle class family in Epsom, Surrey, UK, 1952.

4. Developed interest in photography under the influence of his

grandfather George Parr (an amateur photographer).

7. Studied photography and received his degree at Manchester

Polytechnic with the installation “Home Sweet Home” in 1974.

10. Early works in 1970s are black and white photography, but after
1980 he switched to color film and focuses in color photography.
Biography

5. The American photo-documentarists William Eggleston, Joel

Meyerowitz and John Hinde’s postcards are Parr’s inspiration for
color photography

4. Became a member of Magnum Photographic Corporation in 1994.

7. Parr is currently interested in film-making and advertisement.

His Equipment

1. Until mid 1990s, Parr’s pictures were taken using 6 x 7 cm

camera and daylight flash.

3. Wide-angle format was employed to capture complex groups and

social interactions.

5. He later switched to a Nikon 35 mm camera, with macro lens for

close-up shots.

7. For lighting and color, Parr uses ring flash to eliminate shadow
from his subjects and the use of slow film gives Parr’s photo a
radioactive intensity.
His Work/Influence

1. Parr’s work strongly denote the lives of the middle class people
with a humoristic approach.

• Parr’s photos were aimed to exaggerate the problematic world that

we live in.

• By revealing the ridiculous and the mischievous, Parr shows us

how we live, how we present ourselves to others and what we
value.

• Parr is considered as one of the most controversial photographers

for he “speaks not of the heroism of daily life - but of its banality.

• Parr sees no boundary between artistic and editorial projects

Collections

• “Home Sweet Home”, 1974.

• “The Nonconformists”, 1981.

• “The Last Resort”, 1983.

• “Point of Sale”, 1986.

• “A Small World”, 1993.

• “Common Sense”, 1999.

• “Boring Postcard”, 1999.

• “Think of England”, 2000.

• “Autoportrait”, 2000.
Sedlescombe, 1997
Ice Cream Soda, 1997
Spice Girls
Charity Shop, Eccles, Lancashire, 1985
New Brighton, Merseyside, 1983 - 6
New Brighton, Merseyside, 1983 - 6