This month, two new photobooks using very different approaches to create portraits of Britain.

Simon Roberts - Merrie Albion 

Brighton photographer Simon Roberts' new book brings together a number of different projects with a common theme. For ten years he has been photographing public gatherings around Britain. Shooting from a high viewpoint he creates peopled landscapes, studies of the vast array of national identities and our communal need to belong.

You can find out more and buy a copy here

Niall McDiarmid - Town to Town 

Scottish photographer Niall's collection of British street portraiture has been amassed over the last seven years in which time he has taken over 2,000 portraits in more than 200 towns. He has a singular knack of matching people with their surroundings creating wonderfully colourful compositions. 

His images create a snapshot of the quirks of British society against shop fronts, hoardings, and street advertising, which root his subjects in the context of a particular time.

McDiarmid said, “As a nation we are blessed with a talent for being individuals who are not afraid to stick out from the crowd. It is also a sign of our nation’s tolerance that in most cases, no matter what your age, sex, ethnicity, or social background, you can be as you wish, wear what you like, and walk down any high street without feeling alienated.”

You can find out more and buy a copy here