Connie Whitham is a photographer based in Bristol studying at the University of West England. Their work sits on the boundary of staged portraiture and documentary observation. Inspired by childhood memories of working-class culture on the South coast, Connie's observed and constructed tableau are inspired by the British Documentary tradition of the past 50 years, as well as aspects of independent fashion photography and cinema. Their photography is collaborative, working with diverse subjects that pose questions about the nature of British culture. Connie is also an educator as well as a student and runs analogue photography workshops at the Folk House in Bristol.

Crushed Velvet is an ongoing series exploring the Gothic undertones found in modern day Britain. Using a subtle and poetic lens, the project interprets the decay of industry and community as a contemporary haunting of everyday life. It pays homage to my childhood memories of life on a housing estate in Southern England; a homogenised landscape that is found in many towns and cities in the UK but one that can give rise to an elaborate imaginary life.