Robyn Dewhurst’s journey into photography began with a desire to stand out in the early days of Tumblr, but it quickly evolved into a passion for documenting the vibrant and unapologetic world of drag queens and LGBTQIA+ culture. From their first encounter with the DIY queer scene at university, Dewhurst has been dedicated to capturing the raw beauty and complexity of queer identity. Her work challenges societal perceptions, humanizing drag performers and exploring the struggles and triumphs of LGBTQIA+ individuals. Now based in North Wales, Dewhurst is focused on creating inclusive spaces for queer communities while continuing to share their stories through her lens.
Name: Robyn Dewhurst
Location: UK (North Wales)
Q. What first drew you to photography, and how did you come to focus on drag queens and LGBTQIA+ identity in your work?
A. I started to explore photography when I was a teenager because I was never as good at drawing as the people I followed on tumblr, and I wanted to offer something to my 200-ish followers in 2012. I decided I had to do something, so my dad let me use his ancient Pentax DSLR to photograph flowers and bugs in the garden.
I moved to Leeds to do a degree in photography at Leeds Arts University, and in a bit of a desperate attempt to find my crowd, I threw myself right into the LGBT society. While I was there, I met my knight in tulle armour (and a ratty blonde wig) Donna the Domme from Doncaster – previously Orla Pleasures – who invited me to watch her show ‘AGE OF THE: Revival’. I fell in love with the scene and the performers in it and how loud and unapologetically queer everyone was, and I practically begged them to take me on as a photographer. My first show with them was AGE OF THE: Rodeo, a full day Cowboy themed extravaganza at Wharf Chambers, Leeds. Since then, I have not attended an AGE OF THE show without being front and centre with my camera. Since then, I haven’t attended a single DIY queer show at all without my camera.
Q. Who or what are your biggest influences?
A. My biggest influences are the performers themselves, and the photographers dedicating themselves to capturing the beauty and grit of the DIY queer scene. I love seeing artists and photographers that use their medium to explore their own queerness. Lou McCurdy (@loumacphotography), Josh Cadogan (@joshcadogan) and Serena Yang (@photographybyserena) are all ones that I regularly go back to when I need to inspire myself, but I could go on about my favourite photographers and artists until the sun burns out.
Q. In your opinion, how can photography contribute to changing societal perceptions of drag and the LGBTQIA+ community?
A. Photography can draw awareness to perspectives that people can easily ignore. A shot of a drag performer with half of their makeup on humanises them. You start to consider the work that goes into their art, and the individual behind it. A still of a dancer contorted in place makes the viewer think about the physical strain that their body is under. With the media hell-bent on silencing trans voices and pushing a narrative that portrays queer identity as something to mock or hate, photography can bring the viewer face-to-face with the individual. Queer people are not manufactured for someone’s Facebook outrage post, they are people with thoughts and feelings and identity. If I can send my photos to the performers when a show is over and it makes them feel euphoric in their queerness, I have done my job right.
Q. What advice would you give to young photographers?
A. Do what makes you feel good. Not everybody is going to like what you make, and that’s alright. If your work resonates with one person, it’s a success. Your uni tutors might not love it, your high school teachers might not love it, but if you create your work with authenticity and you are proud of it, then it’s a success. Find the techniques that make you feel good about your work, and explore them.
Q. What’s your go-to song or playlist when you’re in full creative flow on a shoot?
A.Honestly, any background sounds. If I really need to get into the zone to edit, I throw on whatever mid-2000s reality show I can find. My most recent shoot was edited to a few episodes of Kitchen Nightmares. If I’ve photographed live music, I find their albums on Spotify and listen to those so I can pick up a bit more on the vibe. One flawless example is Cody Frost (@codyfrostmusic), who keeps dropping sensational music and has never missed a single beat.
Q. If you had to take a photo with only one lens for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
A. The only lens I would be happy with to use for the rest of my life is my Canon EF-S 18-200mm. I recently upgraded to a full frame camera, and the lens isn’t compatible. I’m heartbroken about it, and I’m still trying to find a compatible one for my new camera.
Q. What are your upcoming projects? Are there any specific themes or ideas you’re exploring that you’re excited about?
A. I moved to North Wales in the middle of lockdown, and since then I’ve been trying my hardest to find my crowd again. The area I live in is small and we don’t have the same resources as there is in the city, so I tried to create my own community space. My plans are to continue the work I’ve been putting in to create queer events and a queer-focused sober space. One of the biggest differences with moving away from the city was the lack of queer spaces, and my partner and I ran a series of LGBT focused arts and crafts sessions to bring the community together in a sober and calm way. My plans for the next year is to explore funding and opportunities to grow the group to provide a safe, sober and inclusive space. I always make my best work when I feel better about myself, and nothing makes me feel better than to put a few hours a week aside where queer people can create work that makes them feel good.
You can find Robyn below:
Instagram – @thehappysnappy
Facebook – Robyn Dewhurst Photography
This is my favourite Spotify playlist right now, made for scream-singing while I drive:
