Meet the experts: Offspring returns to east London

Martin Parr is the headline speaker as Offspring Photo Meet returns to east London later this month for its third – and most ambitious – edition yet.
Its new venue at Space Studios in Hackney will host two days of talks, seminars, networking events and portfolio reviews with industry experts, kicking off on 16 May (ahead of Photo London art fair, which runs 19-22 May) with a workshop led by legendary portrait photographer Brian Griffin, and finishing off in the evening with Parr’s ‘Photobiography’. The following day concludes with Gary Cohen’s Photo Quiz, prizes for the best portfolios, and a party.

New York. Autoportrait. 1999 (c) Martin Parr Collection
New York. Autoportrait. 1999 (c) Martin Parr Collection
Portfolio sessions run throughout the event from 10am to 6pm on both Monday and Tuesday, with experts drawn from the worlds of editorial, commercial and fine art practice.
Reviewers include Andrew Sanigar, commissioning editor for Thames & Hudson books, Aine Donovan, production director and partner at BBH, Kate Edwards, picture editor at The Guardian Weekend Magazine, gallery director Katrin Weber of Galerie f5,6 in Munich, curators Kim Knopper (Foam), Karen McQuaid (The Photographers’ Gallery) and Zelda Cheatle (independent), and BJP editors Simon Bainbridge and Diane Smyth.
Sessions are priced £160 per day or £250 for both (with a maximum of four per day), inclusive of the evening and lunchtime programmes, which includes talks by Martin Bogren on his newly released book Italia, Kalpesh Lathigra on Lost in The Wilderness and Polly Braden on Great Interactions.
IMG_8111
IMG_7905
IMG_8006
IMG_7992
Photo Meet prides itself on its fun and informal atmosphere. “It has this whole social aspect to it,” says Anders Birger, who attended last year. “From the great talks and the free workshops to the photo quiz and the bang on party afterwards, it really is an event for photographers, by photographers. I met some amazing people there, received some invaluable advice and am just happy to know that I’ll be going again shortly.”
Edwards, who has reviewed at both previous editions, says: “It’s the energy and the genuine, open discussion about photography that makes Photo Meet such a distinctive festival.  It’s serious in its intent but relaxed and fun in its approach and always raises questions, promotes ideas and leads to links with great new photographers and other professionals.”
Tickets for Parr’s talk are available without a portfolio review, priced £12. Griffin’s two-day workshop, which focuses on portraiture and still life, is priced £250 (students get a £50 discount).