I made it to this fabulous show again this year. It was the 8th year and better than ever with 125 exhibiting galleries from 56 countries including China and Iran this year. Somerset House is, of course, the perfect setting and the huge marquee in the main courtyard is a lovely entree before entering the main building and the maze of rooms and staircases there.

Cig Harvey                                                                                                    Michael Kenna

Why do I go... Well this year one of the attractions was work and prints by Cig Harvey who, as you will know is possibly my favourite contemporary photographer even though her work has changed substantially since I first started to follow her over thirteen years ago when most of her work was in black and white. I wasn't disappointed. Her work was represented here through the Peter Fetterman Gallery (worth checking out his long list of historic figures he represents) who also happens to represent two other people high on my list - Michael Kenna and Sebastiao Salgado and discover the landscapes of Jeffrey Conley whose work I had not seen before.. It gave me a chance to also by Peter's book "The Power of Photography" an enjoyable romp through his rise as a collector and seller of photographs.

Jeffrey Conley

I noticed quite a few other favourites of mine and was surprised by how many galleries seem to be representing Chris Killip this year. A deserved rise to international prominence after so long. Two of my other favourites - both from the Netherlands occupied walls next to each other Casper Faassen and Paul Cupido both represented by Bildhalle.

Casper Faassen                                                                  Paul Cupido

But it is discovering new work that I like best and the stand-out discovery for me was Eeva Karhu, a Finnish photographer whose work grabbed me partly because of the colours in her landscapes but also because, then, I wondered how she did it. I know now and have tried and failed. It is a very challenging technique and it is hardly any wonder that it has taken her ten years to perfect it. I will continue practicing however as I like  a challenge.

Eeva Karhu

This year's Master of Photography was Martin Parr who seemed to be enjoying himself when I arrived with a party of extremely enthusiastic visitors from overseas who were taking his photograph. He was surrounded by about fifteen people with an equal number taking photos whilst an enthusiastic cheerleader kept yelling MAR-TIN-PARR. The photographs were nothing new and documented his career so far. Fitting for what he has achieved in British photography but it didn't hold my attention for long. More interesting to me was the selection of photographs from the Hyman Collection, collated by the Centre for British Photography. The Hyman Collection is one of the world's major collections of British photography and the curation of women photographers from the collection was masterful and timely.

Bindi Bora                                                             Shirley Baker

both above from the Hymans Collection

Finally a strange incident as I was looking at a Federica Belli picture of her lying on a red clay tennis court. Behind me the photographer, writer and Professor of Photography at Westminster University, David Bate,  took a picture of me and posted it on Instagram. My photographer friend Julia Neal happened to see it and sent a message asking if it was me. Clearly I have a memorable bald patch! Long story short I contacted David and asked if he'd sell me a print. Generously he sent me the photo and said I could print it myself. I did and it sits on my desk as a reminder that not only do strange coincidences happen, nor that aged men can be recognised by their bald spots but that when you look at hundreds of photographs in one day the one you'll be photographed looking at is the one of a naked woman. Oh well... I'm still looking forward to next year 🙂

courtesy of David Bate