Short, Back and Sides.

  • Liberty Dye
Locations on show: Nigel's Barbers, Headcase - Farnham, Surrey.
Subjects on show: Thisseas, Joshua, Self Portrait.
Camera used: Hasselblad 500c with a 50mm lens.
Film type: Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Delta 400.

As a young lady entering what seemed like a forbidden territory, Barber shops are an unfamiliar space to me. I discovered that these parlours are particularly used for gentlemen who gather around to socialise, to be offered a beer during their shave or to receive a shoe polish as they repose in the leather reclining chair. The clarity of the barber shops creates a sharp and prominent aesthetic, there is a strange warming comfort that feels welcoming from both the interior and the barbers.

I was intrigued to find out what happened behind those closed doors, peering through the large glass windows only seemed to have captured the reflection of street furniture and the high pace of Surrey's finest classic cars. The accessibility of being able to step into a Barber shop is a lot more elementary during this current moment in time. Traditionally, many Barber shops started out in the backs of gentlemen's bathrooms, hence the appeal for a clinical, minimal interior at a place such as Nigel's.

There were a few moments of patronisation, neglect and humiliation. The reaction I had witnessed during my journey of cutting the boundaries revealed that a small variety of Barbers would not allow a lady like myself to remain in an environment strictly for a gentleman's use. In an attempt to make my potential subjects more at comfort, I slipped off the little Italian heels and opted for a pair of tasselled loafers. A high neck jumper and tailored trousers allowed myself to believe that I was able to embrace my inner masculinity, I felt the urge to blend into a space I am deeply fond of documenting. Although my femininity and appearance still shone like a beacon of light, my duration at the Barber shops I was able to photograph made me feel at ease. A sense of homeliness and comfort was quickly established by the Barbers and clients. The empty appeal of the distantly spaced chairs and illusive mirrors was regardless to this type of energy as this brought myself fondness, despite the fact of being a lady.


This series has been made into a book as a combination of image and text, available on request.
hand bound with leather, mount card, tracing paper and waxed thread. A total of thirty six pages containing twenty six photographs.