In the world of fashion, 'The well' is industry terminology for the main image section of a magazine. For influential British photographer Nigel Shafran, this space has served as a place for unexpected creativity, subversive critique and wry commentary.
In the 1980s and 90s, Shafran was renowned as a fashion photographer, regularly contributing to independent magazines like The Face, i-D and Harpers & Queen. Moving into the 2000s, his work took on a different edge. He photographed simpler, contemplative settings: his girlfriend Ruth, their kitchen sink, charity shops, escalators, areas that you might pass by without a second thought. He found – and presented – the beauty in familiar scenarios.
