Photo Hub North introduced CultureCam – a bold and inspiring project – to Bradford. At the heart of CultureCam is a mission to connect people through creativity, heritage and hands-on learning. During the summer months, Nellie travelled across the Bradford and Keighley districts delivering 21 free workshops to schools, community groups and events.

Participants were invited to step into a working camera obscura to see the world upside down! They learned how a camera works and had the opportunity to have their portraits taken using only Nellie the camera-van and plant-based darkroom techniques. This saw the creation of over 180 portraits that celebrated the diversity, identity and imagination of the city. 

These portraits formed the basis of a powerful public exhibition, showcasing the expressive work of participants and inviting everyone to see Bradford through a new lens.

Photo Hub North, winner of Social Enterprise of the Year 2022 and shortlisted in 2023, is a sustainable photography hub based in Keighley, dedicated to connecting the community with creativity through photography workshops, public projects and providing photo facilities. As facilitators of engaging, inclusive community projects, they focus on environmentally responsible practices and the heritage of traditional photography. With CultureCam, they bring these values to life in the most accessible and imaginative ways.

Lisa Holmes, the Founder of Photo Hub North, has been a photographer for over 20 years and a lecturer in photography for 12 years. She is a fine art and contemporary portrait photographer with a commercial studio based in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Her work has been exhibited widely and published in various magazines and blogs such as Contemporary Photography Magazine, Studio Vox and Print Space. She has also won accolades such as a Gold Award from The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photography and was named as one of the best photographers of 2016 by One Eyeland.

This project is supported by the Bradford 2025 Creative Communities Fund programme.

Find out more about this programme and the projects we’ve supported below.