Photographer
Brian Silver
Canadian documentary photographer and founder of the Everyday Lives Documentary Archive.
Documentary practice
People, place and everyday life
Brian Silver's photographic work is concerned with the way people inhabit places: work, faith, family, play, ritual, architecture, conversation and the unplanned moments that give everyday life its character.
India is the first major body of work within Everyday Lives, drawing on repeated journeys and an extensive archive made across cities, towns, villages, markets, religious sites and public spaces. Varanasi is the first place being developed in depth through photographs, stories, books and contextual research.
After a career in law, Silver has devoted increasing attention to the documentary photography he has pursued for many years. The archive is being developed as a long-term public record rather than as a conventional personal portfolio.
Working approach
The photograph comes first. Context follows.
Everyday Lives is built around documentary integrity, careful provenance and respect for the people represented. Captions avoid unsupported assumptions. Editing is intended to strengthen the photograph without materially altering the scene or calling attention to the processing.
The photographer's perspective is treated as a perspective, not as authority over the places being photographed. As the archive grows internationally, local photographers, writers, historians, journalists and other knowledgeable voices will be invited to add context, disagreement, interpretation and alternative ways of seeing.
Current work
An archive designed to grow beyond one photographer
Current projects include the Varanasi archive, documentary books, editorial photo essays and the developing Everyday Lives Journal. The Journal is intentionally collaborative: the founder's photographs receive no automatic editorial priority over stronger or more appropriate work by other contributors.
Enter the Varanasi journey · Explore collections · Read about the Journal
Professional enquiries: brian@everydaylivesarchive.com