Cheltenham Girls

At a first glance, the close-up street portraits by the self-taught photographer, Adamson Marksteen, could be reminiscent of Bruce Gilden’s wide-angled distorted faces, or Martin Parr’s ‘stolen moments’. Marksteen acknowledges both Gilden and Parr as sources of inspiration. His approach however, differs from the two icons of socio-documentary street photography as he explains: “It’s easy to find people who are broken and to photograph them. It’s more dramatic but, I think, less respectful to the subject.” He also knows about the temptation of selecting images where those portrayed are not shown in the best light. “Sometimes I have to be strong and resist publishing a picture where the person appears somewhat ridiculous. The image might prove more compelling, but it would be lacking in compassion.” With his Cheltenham Folk portrait series, Marksteen’s goal is to produce a balanced reportage of his hometown. Rather like a social study of a city that is primarily known in Great Britain as the place where the Secret Service has its headquarters, the heartland of horse racing, and home to members of the upper classes. These images do not align however, with Marksteen’s impression of the town. “Cheltenham has a massive variety of people. Culturally, economically and socially the city contains the whole spectrum.”