ABOUT TRANS PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTIVE
CONNECTING & CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSGENDER PHOTOGRAPHERS ACROSS THE UK
WHO ARE WE?
Trans Photography Collective works to connect and create opportunities for trans photographers across the UK. Our aims include:
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Fostering a sense of community and support amongst trans photographers
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Creating personal and professional opportunities for trans photographers to develop, including mentorship, online resources and workshops
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Increasing the representation of trans photographers within the photography industry, and challenge cis-normative approaches within the industry
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Promoting photography as a vehicle for creativity, resistance and wellbeing amongst the trans community​​​​
HISTORY
We began life in 2020 as a small community arts project - originally called Bristol Trans Portraits - which provided free photoshoots for trans and non-binary people in Bristol. The aim was to counteract negative media attention directed at trans people by telling our own stories, while also providing an empowering experience for everyone who took part.
In 2022, the project became Trans Portraits UK, and began incorporating participants outside of Bristol. We also started to focus on photographing things beyond portraits, such as trans pride festivals.​
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In June 2025, the project grew again to become Trans Photography Collective as the scope of what we wanted to do changed. These days we're focused on creating opportunities for development and connection for trans photographers - though the Trans Portraits project remains a mainstay of our work.
WORK AND PROJECTS
Our main project is the Trans Portraits Community Photo Project, which aims to a) promote visibility and empowerment for the trans community, and b) create space for trans people to tell our own stories, both behind and in front of the camera.
We release an annual magazine as part of the project, collecting stories about trans experiences, and focusing on a new theme for each issue. In 2022, as part of Bristol Pride, we hosted an exhibition featuring portraits from the project.
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Beyond this, we maintain a transgender photographers directory on our website, with the aim of connecting clients, community groups and organisers to trans professional photographers.​
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As the collective grows, we plan to organise photowalks for trans photographers - both professional and hobbyist - starting in autumn 2025. We also have plans for workshops and a mentorship scheme.
OUR TEAM
NICKY EBBAGE (THEY/THEM)
FOUNDER & PHOTOGRAPHER
Nicky is a Chesterfield-born, Bristol-based freelance event photographer. Their work centres community, affordability and inclusivity; they work with local communities/groups in and around Bristol, and with the wider LGBTQ community as a whole. Making photography more accessible is hugely important to Nicky, and to that end they run reduced rate pricing for anyone who needs it, aim to work with diverse groups of people, and take a consent-based approach to photo sharing.
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Since coming out as trans all the way back in 2013, Nicky has been consistently involved with activism and education work, delivering trans awareness workshops on several occasions both at university and in the workplace. They founded TPUK in July 2020, recognising that they could use their skillset as a photographer to counteract negative media portrayals of trans people.
MADELEINE COWARD (SHE/HER)
TRANS PORTRAITS PROJECT VOLUNTEER
Bio coming soon!
PRESS
Royal Photographic Society Spotlight March 2022
Royal Photographic Society Magazine, March-April 2022, Vol 162/No 2
West Country Life Magazine, Saturday 18 June 2022