“With the current pandemic, I think it’s making a lot of people rethink their future because people are having to work from home. I think that’s making people think differently about where they’d like to be based.”

Katie Collins is a freelance press photographer, picture editor, and creates hand-cut collages in Southwest London. She contributes to EMPICS/PA Media and has worked as a press photographer for The Press Association and on the picture desks at the FOX TV Channel, National Geographic Channel and The Daily Telegraph. She has an MA in Photojournalism from the University of Westminster. (katiecollins.co.uk)

What is your definition of studio space?

Somewhere where I have all my tools at hand and a quiet space. I have a desk that I use in our home so I kind of see that as my studio space. Sometimes I move around the house and work in different locations, depending on how I feel. But yeah, for me, it’s working at home at the moment.

Because you predominantly from home, I don’t know if you have had a look at the communal studio spaces, or what your initial thoughts are on those spaces?

I haven’t really investigated renting a studio space for what my needs are currently. I’ve been working as a freelance press photographer and along with my photography kits, I have my laptop where I do all my editing, I don’t need a huge studio space for that. And the kind of photography I’m doing is out and about; what is in the news, or London Fashion Week, for instance. When it comes to my collage I do find that my collection of cuttings and materials are increasingly growing and I almost feel like, I’m running out of space at home.

If I could have a small room where I could lock up my materials and perhaps there’s a small cafe, that would be ideal because I’m not using big canvases and things like that. It’s something that I may investigate in the future, but for now, it’s not something that I need. I have easy access into London from where I’m at in Southwest London.