Bio

Carolyn Mendelsohn is a portrait photographer and film-maker based in the UK.

"I am interested in creating photography and film that looks at personal stories, responding to locations and histories. 

Much of my work has explored narratives around the experience of migration, diaspora, and my own lived experience. I am particularly drawn to exploring the hidden stories, and give voice to those that are silenced or marginalised. 

I am personally committed to diversity and inclusion and it is core to all my work. I always look to find ways to reflect and communicate the diverse world we live in, through contemporary art practice in a way that is authentic and that it is meaningful engagement. 

In the process of creating work, whether film or photography, my work is often crafted through a process of social research and collection of material. It follows a visual narrative and is rooted in the lives and story of people and place. 

My passion is to be able to connect and communicate with people of all ages and backgrounds, to create work that is strong, powerful and based on their lives and stories."

Carolyn  is recognised internationally for her portraits, including her portrait series and book BeingInbetween, and is the founder of Through Our Lens - a workshop and mentoring programme that enables people to tell their stories through the medium of photography

Carolyn is a Nikon Ambassador, Royal Photographic Society Ambassador. 

Artist in Residence for Born In Bradford 

Freelancer Bloomberg News

Member of Women Photograph

Awards and Exhibitions

Her work has been exhibited internationally, and published by The Guardian, The Sunday Times, La Monde, and BJP, RPS Journal amongst others. 

Carolyn’s awards include BJP Portrait of Britain 2017 ,19, 21. The Royal Photographic Society International Print exhibitions RPS IPE 159 gold and she was a finalist for RPS IPE 160.In 2018 she was shortlisted for the International Women Photographers Award and nominated for the RPS 100 Heroines. 

In 2020, Mendelsohn was named winner of the Portrait Series category for the 15th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards and was a winner of the Single Image Award for Open Wall Arles, by British Journal of Photography and Galerie HuitWinner Portrait of Britain BJP 2017

Finalist RPS International Photography Exhibition 160 2017

Winner RPS IPE 159 2016

Finalist RPS International Photography Exhibition 159

Winner Professional Photographer of the Year 2013 -Lifestyle 

Her work has been published in the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Bored Panda, La Monde, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Yorkshire Post, Click Magazine, The British Journal of Photography, Professional Photography, and many other national and international magazines, in print and on line. 

Awards include;

2021  Finalist KLPA Portrait Awards

2020 Winner Portrait series - Julia Margaret Cameron awards 

2019/17 Winner - Portrait of Britain, BJP, Nikon, JC Decaux 

2017 finalist RPS International Photography Exhibition 160
2016 Winner (Gold Medal) RPS International Print Exhibition 159
2013 Winner Professional Photography Magazine Lifestyle

Exhibitions

2020

(re)Framing Our Identity Bolonga Art City

2019

(un)framing Our Identity - Group Show. Chelsea/Blackpool

Being Inbetween Solo Exhibition  - Sugar Store Gallery, Brewery Arts Centre.

2018 
RPS 160 tour
Solo exhibition
Being Inbetween, Crossley Gallery, Halifax 

2017
Portrait of Britain
RPS 160
Photoblock, The Old Tuman Brewery, London
RPS159
Retina Photography Festival - Edinburgh 
Belfast International Photography Festival 
The Civic, Barnsley,
Museum of Somerset
2016 RPS 159
University of Brighton
Royal Albert Hall
Photoblock, The Old Truman Brewery, London.
2015 Portrait Salon, London and Tokyo

Solo exhibitions include. 
2016 Being Inbetween, 
Gallery 2, Salts Mill, Saltaire, West Yorkshire 
Art Link Gallery, Princes Avenue Hull
2015 Being Inbetween
Gallery Butterfly Rooms, Saltaire 
2010 Keepers - Hexham Arts Centre 
2008 Face - Hexham Abbey 
2008 Behind Closed Doors - Saltaire 
2008 Galleria Espais B, Barcelona 

C4 Finalist - Picture This , with Martin Parr, Brett Rogers, Alex Proud