Peter Dench (1972-) is a British photographer who has worked as both a commercial photographer and photojournalist. Born in Weymouth, Dorset, he studied at the University of Derby, graduating with a first class degree in Photographic Studies in 1995. Between 2000 until it folded in 2005 he was a member of the photo agency the Independent Photographer’s Group (IPG) and since 2012 has worked with Getty Images as one of their Represented Photographers, now know as Getty Verbatim.

Dench’s website, www.peterdench.com, showcases a wide variety of his work but there is one themes that stand out; his documenting of the UK and in particular England.

All of Dench’s work appears to be in colour, possibly shot with a flash, and his images are vibrant bordering on garish which is an aesthetic which compliments much of is subject matter. His work bears similiarities with that of Martin Parr both in its subject matter and style of shooting, particularly his use of colour. This influence is most evident in his series The Last Resort Revisited, a series shot by Dench in New Brighton 25 years after Parr’s orginal work.

I think Dench’s work can be viewed as being both mirrors and windows. His series documenting life in the UK reflects the society of which he is part but also gives a view of parts of the country and society that we may not know of or be familiar with.

To try and understand more about how Peter Dench works and what his motivations are I emailed him and he was very kind and came back to me almost immediately.

I asked Peter how he conceived three specific projects, The English Summer Season, The British Abroad and A1: Britain on the Verge. He replied about each of them but I thought his reply about The Bristish Abroad was very revealing:

The British Abroad was my third book on England/UK shot in 2013, funded by an €8,000 grant by the Photoreporter Festival, France. My first trip abroad was in 1986, when aged 14, I travelled with my parents to the party resort of Magaluf, Majorca. I went back in 1989 with friends. These experiences defined me and it was always my intention to document the young British Abroad in some way.

Peter Dench

I asked how he shot and edited the series and whether he had any preconceived ideas or whether he started taking pictures with a completely open mind and he replied:

Some photojournalists have a clear idea of what they want to say and then go and shoot the photographs that deliver that message. I prefer to experience what I’m reporting on and then decide what comment I want to make through the edit.

Peter Dench

I also asked Peter what he is trying to communicate and what he thinks viewers take away from his work? He replied:

It sounds a bit grand but with each major reportage I undertake, I try to create an anthropological legacy. A ‘go to’ visual archive of a place and people at a particular time in history. It may not be the definitive set of pictures but a contribution to a wider visual archive. I want to make the viewer smile, think and if possible, effect change.

Peter Dench

What I like about Peter Dench’s work is not only that it is keenly observered, it also has a sense of fun about it; the work does not appear to be judging the people in the images, merely recording them and what they are doing and leaving it up to the viewer to make their own judgement. I think his work does succeed in contributing to a ‘visual archive’ and also making people smile, however, I’m not sure if it if it succeeds in his aim of effecting change, which is not suprising as it his work tackles broad areas of society and behaviour in the UK and to bring about change by creating images is a big ask.