Stuck in the office today while two guys sand the studio floor (yes they are Villa fans since you ask!) so this is the ideal opportunity to update the site – something I’ve been meaning to do for ages.

So far I’ve put in a selection of the shots from the Caldmore session in October together with all the original Handsworth shots that are held in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. What’s amazing is that self-portraits nearly always work and great images are often created. Digital shooting and showing people the shots on computer within minutes of them taking their picture adds greatly to the atmosphere at the shoot and really gets people involved. So much fun to edit and review the images on screen and  a reminder of what a blast it is to run self-portrait sessions. In an increasingly cynical world its great to meet people in such a positive context.

The recent sessions at Caldmore and Soho House have emphasised the way the old sessions have links right up to date. The sessions at Caldmore were run in conjunction with Margot Lambert of Caldmore Housing and Margot was photographed in the original sessions. And it wasn’t until after the sessions that I remembered that Emma Jo Tucker’s parents were also both photographed in 1979 – circular or what? But its fulfilling to have creative connections like this.

And last week I met up with Derek Bishton and John Reardon for the first time in five years to talk about archiving the original project images. And then almost immediately afterwards I was at Derek’s 60th where even more people from the past where living it up as usual!

Although the tentacles of the past were reaching out in the last few weeks but rather than just looking back at the original sessions its is refreshing to be also creating new images of people today.

Brian Homer

I recall the Handsworth Self Portraits in 1979, and still have the print of my own self portrait, but until we set this up in Caldmore in October 2008 I had no idea of the impact this project could have.

As a tool for engagement it has an immediacy which beats anything else I’ve been involved with.  But it was the impact which this had on individual participants which excited me most.  Everyone who took part, even those initially reluctant or shy, emerged from the temporary studio (a tent on Caldmore Green) with expressions of pleasure and pride.

The resulting portraits, all set against a plain backdrop which said nothing about the individual or their environment, present such a positive collective image of the community.  These people could be anyone, anywhere, but the reality is that some will have only momentarily forgotten worries about money, poor health, feeding the kids, a violent partner or going to a job which doesn’t fulfil them.  But none of this shows in these portraits.   What we see is a vibrant portrayal of the Caldmore community.

Margot Lambert, Head of Housing and Care Services, Caldmore Community Housing