Michael Alberry is a British photographer, editor and educator.

His photographic work and research has led him through themes such as ritual, crowd psychology, and spirituality in long-term documentary projects. His primary interest is anthropological, using photography as a tool to create confluences and parallels between cultures in allegorical and poetic terms.

He co-founded Besides Press with Harry Flook and Tom Booth Woodger in 2021. 

Alberry was born in Canterbury in 1992 and grew up in Swanage. 

Contact

0044 7429 361 606
mjalberry [at] gmail.com
Instagram: @michaelalberry

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Education

2019 / 2021 – MA Photography, University of West England, Bristol under Aaron Schuman, Shawn Sobers, Amak Mahmoodian

2011 / 2014 – BA (Hons) Documentary Photography – University of South Wales, Newport under Paul Reas, Lisa Barnard, Clive Landen, Ken Grant

2009 / 2011 – Art and Design – Arts University College, Bournemouth

Awards

2014 – Winner, Magnum Photos “30 Under 30”, UK

Selected Exhibitions

2024 — Un terrain commun, Galerie Sébastien Lepeuve, Paris, France
2024 — Dreamlines, Bristol Photo Festival, Mshed, Bristol
2024 — Assent, Fine Art Galerie, Traismauer, Austria
2023 — Dreamlines, Picturing Bristol Highstreets, Filton Avenue, Bristol. Curated by Bristol Photo Festival. Exhibition with Kirsty Mackay
2021 — Newport Live Lab, Diffusion Festival, Newport, Wales, group show with Bandia Ribeira, Clementine Scheidermann, Daragh Soden, Sebastian Bruno, Fergus Thomas, Lua Ribeira curated by Isaac Blease
2021 — cohort.photography online archive image sequencing tool, and book
2021 — Every Cross On Cross Mountain, group show/book launch with Chris Hoare, Billy Barraclough
2021 — Assent at Photobook Cafe, London, exhibition curated by VICE
2021 — Communions, a selection of prints at SIDE Gallery, Newcastle, student selection
2021 — Communions, Mass Energy exhibition and catalogue, Bibliotheka Kyiv, Peckham, London
2018 — Tumbling Towers, collaboration with Lua Ribeira, at Bristol Archives, UK
2017 — Solo exhibition, A Time to Dance, Kickplate Gallery, Abertillery, Wales
2014 — Forest, My Father, Magnum Photos “30 Under 30”, NEC Birmingham
2014 — BRIRISH, current British and Irish Photography, group show with Ken Grant, Paul Cabuts, Shane Lynam et al. Cantieri Culturali della Zisa, Palermo, Italy 
2014 — Independent A.I.R. 14, Silkeborg, Denmark
2014 — Young Photographers 2014, Fine Art Galerie, Traismauer, Austria
2014 — We Are This 2014, Cardiff
2014 — Magnum Photos Open For Business, student selection, exhibition at University of South Wales, Newport
2013 — Indepedent A.I.R 13, Silkeborg, Denmark
2012 — Mustering Ground, video projection, Slide Luck Pot Show, Dublin, Ireland

Selected Publications

2025 — Assent, Der Greif, curated by 

Sarker Protick & Donald Weber

Residencies

2023 — Photographer in residence, Picturing High Streets, Bristol Photo Festival / Historic England / Bristol City Council, Bristol, UK
2022 — Artist in residence, BoomSatuma, Bristol, UK
2021 — Newport Live Lab Residency, Diffusion Festival, Newport, Wales
2013-14 – The Independent AIR, mentorship with Jens Olof Lasthein, Silkeborg, Denmark

Workshop Participation 

2023 — FOTONOW, Re-framing Culture Programme, in association with Open Eye & Socially Engaged Photography Network, Plymouth UK
2018 – GHOST STORIES, photo workshop by Federico Clavarino and IC Visual Lab, interacting and reimagining objects from the British Empire and Commonwealth collection held at Bristol Archives. Bristol, UK

Selected Teaching / Talks / Lectures

2021 / 2023 — Associate Lecturer, BA Photography, UWE Bristol

2022 / 2023 — Associate Lecturer, BA Photography, University of Gloucestershire

2018 / 2020 — Visiting Tutor, Foundation Art and Design, Arts University Bournemouth

2026 — Guest lecture, Oxford Brookes University, BA Photography 
2023-25 — MA Photography, Kingston University London, 2 day workshop, photo book concepts and design
2024 — MA Photography, Falmouth University, artist guest lecture 
2022 — Guest lecture, University of Gloucestershire, BA Photography 
2022 — 5 day workshop ‘Gesture’, BA Documentary Photography & Print, BoomSatsuma Bristol, in collaboration with Besides Press / Tom Booth Woodger / Harry Flook 
2021 — Artist talk/in conversation with Rosie Dale, Red Eye Photography Network
2021 — conversation with Richard Renaldi Global Perspectives Symposium, University of the West of England, Bristol
2021 — Artist talk, University of Gloucestershire, BA Photography
2020 — Artist talk, Hereford College of Art, BA Photography
2014 — Artist talk, Reasons to Be Cheerful, publication launch with Miniclick Photography talks, Hackney Picture House, London
2013 — Artist talk, Independent A.I.R. 13, Silkeborg, Denmark