Rosie Barnes is a fine art documentary photographer whose work examines the human condition, neurodiversity, and our relationship with the non-human world. Over a thirty-year career she has developed long-form projects that challenge assumptions, expand public understanding, and give visibility to overlooked subjects. Trained at the University of Brighton in the 1990s, she has produced stories for the Guardian Weekend magazine, the FT, and the Wellcome Collection.
Her environmental projects, including Lights Left On and A Peculiar Convenience, have been exhibited internationally at festivals and institutions in Sweden, China, and the UK. Rosie is also known for her influential work on autism. Her book Understanding Stanley was widely reviewed and exhibited across Europe, while her recent series No You’re Not, Yes I Am- funded by the Wellcome Collection – two portraits of which were selected for the Taylor Wessing/NPG Portrait Prize.
She lives in London with her family, and her practice continues to be informed by her own neurodivergence.
Clients
Wellcome Collection, Guardian Weekend Magazine, FT, Frankfurter Rundschau.
Education
(1993-1996) University of Brighton, BA Editorial Photography (1st class).
(1991-1993) Sir John Cass School of Art, London
Cert FineApplied Art (Photography)
Exhibited Work
(2025) Photofusion Select/25 ‘No You’re Not, Yes I Am’.
(2024) Bell House, Duliwch Festival, ‘Tipping Point’. cur. Kim Thornton.
(2024) Photofusion Salon/24, London.
(2023) ‘The Photographer’, exhibition with painter Martin Galton, SideCar Gallery, London.
(2023) Talk at Scottish National Galleries, Edinburgh.
(2023) Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Taylor Wessing 22 tour.
(2023) Centre for British Photography. Selection, ‘Countryside, Landscape, Environment’. as part of ‘Landscape Trauma’.
(2023) ‘To the Dogs’, The Bell House, Dulwich Festival. Group show ‘Windows & Thresholds’.
(2023) ‘but the landscape holds us’, Tonic Arts/Spilt Milk, St John’s Hospital, Lothian, Scotland.
(2022-23) ‘To the Dogs’ at Photofusion Salon/23, London
(2022) Taylor Wessing/National Portrait Gallery, International Photographic Portrait Prize.
(2022) ‘but the landscape holds us’, Spilt Milk Gallery, Edinburgh for ‘Cartography of Care’ group show
(2022) Brighton PhotoFringe, ‘To the Dogs’ in group show ‘Looking for Spiders’.
(2022) Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
(2021-22) LandskronaFoto, Sweden, ‘Lights Left On’ (outdoor solo) for Landskrona Light Festival.
(2021) Lishui Photo Festival, China, ‘un/natural, cur. Louise Fedotov-Clements/Niamh Treacy.
(2021) PhotoOxford Festival, ‘No You’re Not’, Women Creating Landscapes.
(2019) Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool ‘209 Women’.
(2015) Davis Orton Gallery, New York, ‘Understanding Stanley’ photobook show.
(2009) Mark Wooley Gallery, Portland, Oregon, ‘A Peculiar Convenience’.
(2005) Evangelische Stadtakademie Gallery, Frankfurt, Germany, ‘Understanding Stanley’ (solo) cur. Ute Noll.
(2004) Bibiana Museum, Bratislava Photo Festival, Slovakia ‘Understanding Stanley’ (solo).
(2004) Hereford International Photography Festival ‘Understanding Stanley’.
(1999) National Museum of Photography, Film and TV, Bradford, ‘New Natural History’, cur. Val Williams.
(1996) Brighton Arts Club (solo) ‘A Peculiar Convenience’.
(1994) The Photographers’ Gallery, London, ‘Relative Values’ .
(2025) Photofusion Select/25 ‘No You’re Not, Yes I Am’.
(2024) Bell House, Duliwch Festival, ‘Tipping Point’. cur. Kim Thornton.
(2024) Photofusion Salon/24, London.
(2023) ‘The Photographer’, exhibition with painter Martin Galton, SideCar Gallery, London.
(2023) Talk at Scottish National Galleries, Edinburgh.
(2023) Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Taylor Wessing 22 tour.
(2023) Centre for British Photography. Selection, ‘Countryside, Landscape, Environment’. as part of ‘Landscape Trauma’.
(2023) ‘To the Dogs’, The Bell House, Dulwich Festival. Group show ‘Windows & Thresholds’.
(2023) ‘but the landscape holds us’, Tonic Arts/Spilt Milk, St John’s Hospital, Lothian, Scotland.
(2022-23) ‘To the Dogs’ at Photofusion Salon/23, London
(2022) Taylor Wessing/National Portrait Gallery, International Photographic Portrait Prize.
(2022) ‘but the landscape holds us’, Spilt Milk Gallery, Edinburgh for ‘Cartography of Care’ group show
(2022) Brighton PhotoFringe, ‘To the Dogs’ in group show ‘Looking for Spiders’.
(2022) Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
(2021-22) LandskronaFoto, Sweden, ‘Lights Left On’ (outdoor solo) for Landskrona Light Festival.
(2021) Lishui Photo Festival, China, ‘un/natural, cur. Louise Fedotov-Clements/Niamh Treacy.
(2021) PhotoOxford Festival, ‘No You’re Not’, Women Creating Landscapes.
(2019) Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool ‘209 Women’.
(2015) Davis Orton Gallery, New York, ‘Understanding Stanley’ photobook show.
(2009) Mark Wooley Gallery, Portland, Oregon, ‘A Peculiar Convenience’.
(2005) Evangelische Stadtakademie Gallery, Frankfurt, Germany, ‘Understanding Stanley’ (solo) cur. Ute Noll.
(2004) Bibiana Museum, Bratislava Photo Festival, Slovakia ‘Understanding Stanley’ (solo).
(2004) Hereford International Photography Festival ‘Understanding Stanley’.
(1999) National Museum of Photography, Film and TV, Bradford, ‘New Natural History’, cur. Val Williams.
(1996) Brighton Arts Club (solo) ‘A Peculiar Convenience’.
(1994) The Photographers’ Gallery, London, ‘Relative Values’ .
Books, Awards Commissions, Etc.
(2025) ‘No You’re Not, Yes I Am’, now available to buy from my Shop!
(2024) Urbanautica Annual Awards, Shortlist.
(2023) Talk at National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
(2023) Centre for British Photography, Open call selection
(2022) Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, selection.
(2022) Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, selection
(2022) Wellcome Collection, commission for Wellcome Stories.
(2021) Belfast Photo Festival Open Call, shortlist.
(2020) Format Festival Open Call, shortlist.
(2020) Winner, Patron’s Award (Brian Griffin), Best Portfolio, Format Festival.
(2020) Winner, Urbanautica Institute annual awards, Nature/Environment.
(2020) ING Discerning Eye Prize, selection.
(2019) Urbanautica Institute ‘Extinction the World Without Us’, selection.
(2018) ‘209 Women’, contributor to centenary exhibition/book project.
(2017) Commissioned 10 minute documentary film ‘Britain’s Secret Workforce.
(2015) Firecracker ‘Supporting European Women Photographers’, featured photographer (May).
(2015) Photomonitor review of ‘Understanding Stanley’
(2014) ‘Understanding Stanley - Looking through Autism’, photobook published (Lampshade Books)
(2025) ‘No You’re Not, Yes I Am’, now available to buy from my Shop!
(2024) Urbanautica Annual Awards, Shortlist.
(2023) Talk at National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
(2023) Centre for British Photography, Open call selection
(2022) Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, selection.
(2022) Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, selection
(2022) Wellcome Collection, commission for Wellcome Stories.
(2021) Belfast Photo Festival Open Call, shortlist.
(2020) Format Festival Open Call, shortlist.
(2020) Winner, Patron’s Award (Brian Griffin), Best Portfolio, Format Festival.
(2020) Winner, Urbanautica Institute annual awards, Nature/Environment.
(2020) ING Discerning Eye Prize, selection.
(2019) Urbanautica Institute ‘Extinction the World Without Us’, selection.
(2018) ‘209 Women’, contributor to centenary exhibition/book project.
(2017) Commissioned 10 minute documentary film ‘Britain’s Secret Workforce.
(2015) Firecracker ‘Supporting European Women Photographers’, featured photographer (May).
(2015) Photomonitor review of ‘Understanding Stanley’
(2014) ‘Understanding Stanley - Looking through Autism’, photobook published (Lampshade Books)
