Documentary photographer Polly Braden (b.1974) explores the effects of coastal poverty in a collaboration with young people from some of the most deprived and often forgotten places across England and Wales. Telling the stories of a group of diverse 16–25-year-olds, Braden places their stories at the heart of her project, narrated by journalist Lisa Bachelor as part of The Guardian’s wider Seascape series. Navigating the faded coastal towns of Whitehaven, Tendring, Blackpool, and Weston Super Mare, Against the Tide shares stories of fragile seasonal employment, ageing populations, and what often comes across as love-hate relationships with the towns they call home. Including film and photography Braden works closely alongside her Gen Z collaborators, gently teasing out their personal tales against a backdrop of hard-hitting research, that shows that ‘life chances are drastically reduced if you grow up on the coast.’
A prior winner of the Jerwood Photography Prize, 2003 and The Guardian Young Photographer of the Year, 2002, Braden is known for her long-term, research driven collaborations, Braden’s portraits create ongoing conversations between ‘the people she photographs and the environments in which they find themselves’.
Against the Tide will tour to First Site, Colchester and is supported by Arts Council England and The Guardian.
Image credit: Against the Tide, Weston Super Mare, Polly Braden, 2025. © Polly Braden
About the Artist
Polly Braden
Polly Braden is a documentary photographer based in London, known for her intimate, long-term collaborations. Her work focuses on overlooked communities and social issues, including learning disabilities, single parenthood, and…
Read More
