The Open Eye Gallery, in Liverpool, is a dedicated photography gallery. It’s led a bit of a nomadic existence over the years, in that it’s moved a few times but has now settled in a purpose built gallery close to the waterfront. It was originally on Whitechapel and was my introduction to documentary photography. It was like school for me in the early years and I undertook a short course there with a brilliant photographer called Steve Conlan. Open Eye then moved to Bold Street and I ended up being commissioned to do a joint portrait show for the gallery, with Sol Papadopolous, called Faces Northwest. Next up was a move to Wood Street, where I exhibited again, before the move down to Mann Island in 2011. These photographs were taken as the gallery moved to the waterfront in 2011, as well as some artist portraits from some of the early exhibitions.