David J Shaw

Photographer Journalist

Short Bio:

David Shaw is a photographer and journalist based in the UK, working both at home and internationally. Shaw works on a range of assignments and long term projects that explore community, identity and representation related to a community’s space. 

Alongside this, he carries out investigations and creates reportage into human rights and social issues. Shaw’s work is regularly recognised through awards, publications in leading outlets, grants and exhibitions and he is currently studying for an MA In Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at London College of Communication, for which he was awarded a scholarship. 

Shaw's work has featured in many online and print publications internationally and he is also regularly commissioned by international NGOs and other organisations. He represented London College of Communication at the 2012 London Olympics as an official torch bearer - sold the torch on ebay and used the money to go to Gaza, Lebanon and India!

His first book 'Oh When The Blues' was published in 2016 after a successful kickstarter campaign.

In 2018 he published his book 'England Fans In Russia' with an accompanying touring exhibition which included a show at the National Football Museum in Manchester.

Long Bio:

Shaw’s photographic journey started in 2010 when he studied for a BA in Photojournalism at London College of Communication where he received a 1st class honours degree. Shaw represented the university at the London Olympics as a torch bearer and subsequently sold the torch on eBay which funded his investigations in Gaza and Lebanon. 

During his time at university and the following years, Shaw worked on creating photo essays and written investigations with topics including the plight of refugees in Calais and Greece, the environmental degradation of Gaza, an exploration of the boarder of North Korea and China, land mine survivors in Lebanon and a group of church led rehabilitation clinics in Northern Myanmar where drug users are harshly caged for months whilst they withdraw from their heroin addiction. He received an EU funded grant to create work exploring migration between Poland and the UK. 

After these investigations Shaw decided to go deeper with his photographic research and moved to Oldham near Manchester to work on longer term projects. His subsequent work explored the concept of ‘parallel lives’, where two communities live physically side by side, yet are culturally separate. He worked closely with a group of British-Asian women and a British-White man to show how despite their cultural differences, they still shared the same life experience of living in Oldham, which at the time was the UK’s most deprived town.

 Alongside this Shaw started working on documenting football culture and how its supporter’s identities are intrinsically linked to the clubs. The first project was self-published as a book - ‘Oh When the Blues’ about the Oldham Athletic community. His second football project was ‘England Fans in Russia’ which was an exhibition, alongside a self-published book commissioned by ‘Fans For Diversity’, the UK’s leading campaign promoting diversity amongst football supporters. The exhibition toured venues and was displayed at the National Football Museum, Manchester. 

Shaw earned a spot at the 27th Eddie Adams Workshop, The VII agency Masterclass Berlin and at the Nikon/Noor workshop in Manchester which were invaluable experiences for his development. 

In 2019 Shaw took a break from photography and started working in the emergency services in London. In this challenging role Shaw trained as an medic and a mental health responder dealing with severe medical emergencies. Shaw learnt a host of new skills through this role but also a valuable insight into British society, public institutions and the plight of London’s most vulnerable. Leaving this in 2023 Shaw is reintegrating himself into photography and journalism through studying an MA. Current projects include; the lives of upland farmers in the Dyfi Valley Wales, people suffering ‘IPP’ prison sentences where they are imprisoned indefinitely for relatively small crimes and a celebration of LGBT+ football fans. Although not exclusively, much of Shaw’s current research and future projects has been inspired by his time working in the emergency services.