Anthony started working on Construct in 2018 and completed the photographs in 2022. The book features self-portraits of homeless people and was commissioned by arts organisation Grain Projects and Birmingham homelessness charity Sifa Fireside. When approaching self-portraiture, Anthony often spends a long time building relationships with staff and clients before meeting participants and offering them disposable cameras to capture their experiences and interests. “And then I invite participants to take me to locations that are significant to them,” he tells us. Throughout the series, they work together to position the camera and work out the composition, and participants hold a remote control that triggers the shutter at their timing, before asking them which images they would like to select for exhibition and publication. This creates a series of self-portraits that reflect their sense of style and individuality – a narrative often left out of stories about the experience of homelessness.

“What’s most exciting, but also nerve-wracking, is that the final outcome of what you create is completely out of your control,” Anthony tells us. With health, housing and other important life issues taking priority for many participants, Anthony stresses the importance of being as clear as possible about what he’s asking of them. “Being flexible, patient and willing to put the equipment down for a period of time at any given time is key,” he adds.

Currently working with homeless families in Oldham, Greater Manchester, Anthony’s practice continues to develop and expand in the realm of socially engaged art. And after such a long-term project that has had its ups and downs, such as navigating remote collaborations during the pandemic and the end of a successful Kickstarter, the photographer is just happy that Construct can now be in our hands. Social documentary has often been accepted as a process that is for the photographer alone, imposing perspective on the vulnerable, or on the other hand, pegged as something with results that are too fragile to share. But Anthony shows us the power of helping his subjects on their journey, and the result is truly unforgettable.

Construct is published by Grain Projects and is available for purchase hereThe proceeds from the book will be donated to Sifa Fireside.