MPB Meets: Documentary & Portrait Photographer Jonathan Browning

In this interview, Portrait of Britain Award winner Jonathan Browning discusses his MPB-supported exhibition A Winter's Swim, documenting UK sea swimming through portraiture. The series was exhibited at The Seafront Gallery in Worthing, UK, through 2021.

As pools around the UK closed during the pandemic, many people decided to make the most of their local environment. Jonathan’s series reimagines what it means to be social during a pandemic and presents a newfound sense of freedom, bravery and joy.

The photographic series features 19 images shot at dawn across iconic British coastal locations, including Brighton Beach and Shoreham Harbour.

On 17 May, swimmers featured in the collection—and others from local sea swimming clubs—took to the water to celebrate the launch with Worthing Mental Health Swims, organised by independent charity West Sussex Mind.

Let’s hear from Jonathan.

MPB: Could you tell us about your background?

JB: I completed a degree in Photojournalism in Wales in 2005. Then, sometime after that, I ended up in China teaching English and learning Mandarin. Whilst there, I built up my photography portfolio and made interesting visual features.

Quite quickly, I got pretty well established and I was shooting documentary photography full-time as a freelancer. I was lucky to cover the country extensively for Western Media, for nearly ten years. I witnessed a lot of interesting stories and changes in China.

In my final years in China, I published a photo book looking at the world of China’s young second-generation rich, titled GLORIOUS!—from a famous quote Deng Xiaoping once made. Now I live in the UK, in a small town called Hassocks and most of my work is London-based. Pre-COVID-19, I was still getting to China once or twice a year. I still do the same work but just different stories and portraits.

MPB: Why did you decide to start this project?

JB: Due to COVID-19, most of my work completely dropped off and so it forced me to think of stories I could do independently that I could then pitch as finished features. I wanted to do something somehow relating to the pandemic, but not another series of doorstep/window portraits!

I live relatively close to the coast and I had seen swimmers taking to the water and noticed the uptake in numbers. It was a form of exercise and social activity that was actually permitted, COVID-19 was safe and free to do. Due to the nature of it, it was all very accessible to shoot and organise.

MPB: What about your technique—how did you create these photographs?

JB: I wanted to create a consistent look and so with each and every shoot I made sure it was dawn. A lot of early mornings, but the beaches were quiet and the light was obviously great. Through a combination of reaching out to different sea swimming clubs and finding individuals on the beach itself, I soon got a body of work that I was happy with.

MPB: What kit did you use?

JB: I used my Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM and my 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM EF lens. I struggled a little with the low-light issues of almost pre-dawn swims—this was challenging. Most mornings were at 0ºC (32ºF) or below, and so my older batteries drain pretty quickly, so I would bring a few spares. I would also wear wellies so I could get a little bit in the water, which helped with some images. In hindsight, a full-size fisherman’s waterproof thing would have been great. As soon as they got into the water it was difficult to make any interesting imagery.

MPB: When people visit the exhibition, what do you hope they will take away with them?

JB: I’ll just be happy if they stop, look and it piques their interest! I only swim in the sea during summer, but I do think it's amazing—if it encourages anybody to take to the water, then all the better. I didn’t meet any grumpy sea swimmers, all of them were very positive.

For more tips and techniques, expert interviews and camera gear guides, check out the MPB content hub.